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Topic: Any ideas? condensation

dawnconnon

24/5/2014 at 12:45pm
Location: Lincolnshire
Outfit: outwell Cougar Lake vango Shangri-la

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Just returned from a fortnight away in sunny Devon , had a great time on a wonderful site but had a slight issue with possible condensation. Not even sure it is that so seeking some advice. On striking camp and packing up the bedding I noticed that on OHs side, the top of the air bed and the underneath of the quilt that we sleep on was quite wet! Though the top of the quilt, the thermal sheet and the top sheet were all bone dry! Also every morning the top of the fleece blanket which covered the bed was also wet, but again only on his side!! any suggestions? The tent wasn't leaking, nor was there a tear in the ground sheet - does anyone have any ideas?

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Dawn

gari

24/5/2014 at 5:24pm
Location: None Entered
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It's probably condensation. Air beds are quite cold so body moisture will condense on the cool surface of the bed. Had similar issue with my air bed, so I've switched to SIMs.

Putting some kind of insulation between the bed and the floor might stop the air bed getting too cold. I don't think it will cure the problem but it might reduce it.

splendidisolation

24/5/2014 at 5:53pm
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Definitely condensation, I had some on the top blanket as well this Easter some mornings.
All you can do is keep the vents open, possibly more insulation under and on top of air bed (blankets?) and lift the beds daily to air underneath.
I don't do routines normally, but one thing I do religiously is lift and air the mats and bedding every morning.

As for one side being worse...your husband must be a heavier breather than you!
I notice there's always more condensation under my sons mat than mine as well, maybe it's a man thing!

Bob61

24/5/2014 at 10:38pm
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Good advice above. Airbeds in my opinion are awful things, even though I used them for years! I now use a camp bed with a self inflating mat on top and it is far more comfortable and warmer.

What can happen with airbeds, as already stated, is that you are basically sleeping on a bag of cold air. A warm body sleeping on top can cause condensation. Basically you need to insulate the airbed both from the ground and yourself, so blankets both underneath and on top. Even corrugated cardboard underneath helps, or foam mats. I don't know if you use a carpet or picnic rug in the bedroom pod but I wouldn't be without one as it helps to stop the cold coming up from the bare groundsheet.

Of course you could always go electric and have a heater ticking over on thermostat at night keeping the bedroom pod warm...or even a low power (washable) electric blanket.

Post last edited on 24/05/2014 22:44:32

dawnconnon

26/5/2014 at 8:13am
Location: Lincolnshire
Outfit: outwell Cougar Lake vango Shangri-la

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Many thanks for all the replies :). Condensation was my first thought, but thought we had the air bed well insulated as we have picnic blankets under the airbed. OH won't consider camping beds as he likes to snuggle up!!! Have just ordered a large double sleeping bag, which may not help the condensation issue, but will make airing the bed daily easier :) Our normal sleeping configuration is picnic blanket, air bed, quilt, thermal sheet, fitted sheet, (us) quilt, fleece blankets, which is a lot to air daily. Just wondering though why we have never had this problem before?

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Dawn

GlamperDuffs

26/5/2014 at 8:34am
Location: Devon
Outfit: VW T6 and Glawning Bell Tent

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Do you usually camp at this time of year? It maybe that the nights are not as warm as they will be in a few more weeks time and the ground temp is still quite cool. When we camp over Easter, we sometimes get the same issue, but do not later in the year. Just a thought.

vango man

26/5/2014 at 9:22am
Location: wigan
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get rid of the airbeds and use a sim, canvas tents breath so no condensation.

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I started life with nothing. I still have most of it.

splendidisolation

26/5/2014 at 9:45am
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I used SIMs and canvas at Easter, and still had damp underneath the mats some nights. It was cold and I shut the low vents a couple of nights...naughty!

You're certainly well insulated between the air bed and you, perhaps add another fleece blanket under the air bed? I wouldn't ditch the air bed if you prefer it, SIMs aren't for everyone.

As for airing, just pop something under two corners of the air bed to lift it off the floor a little and lift bedding if if feels damp. Perhaps it was cooler for longer this time and the damp built up over two weeks?

Bob61

26/5/2014 at 11:35am
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You seem to have all the insulation on top and little underneath. When I was using airbeds I had a picnic rug on the floor of the tent and then a foam mat on top, then the airbed on top of that. I then had two blankets on top of the airbed and then me in my sleeping bag. I wasn't always warm but can't recall any condensation. I think you need more between the ground and the airbed and perhaps less on top as that seems a bit OTT to me and especially if you have now ordered a double sleeping bag.

Bernie47

26/5/2014 at 11:42am
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You will always get condensation on an airbed that is on the ground, it is from your body heat and has nothing to do with the tent not breathing.

The condensation does no harm, it soon dries out during the day.

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Bernie

fran1000

26/5/2014 at 12:11pm
Location: East Sussex
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I think that more insulation under the bed will sort it. It did for us.

Old newspapers are good and you can chuck them in the recycling when you leave, flattened out corrugated cardboard boxes are good, and those interlocking foam mats probably even better.

We use old newspapers, then foam backed picnic mats on top of that.

dawnconnon

27/5/2014 at 9:54pm
Location: Lincolnshire
Outfit: outwell Cougar Lake vango Shangri-la

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We have a poly cotton tent so it does breath and tho we have a lot of bedding on top of the bed, we are sandwiched between it all. Once the sleeping bag arrives, much of what we took previously will be ditched. We have camped at various times of the year, including November when the temp went down to -4 and had none of the problems we encountered this year. It ever entered my head to air the bed, but will do in the future. The condensation was so bad just above the air bed that the quilt had started to go mouldy!!!! We had no idea as the bed didn't feel damp - lesson learned though for the future

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Dawn

splendidisolation

27/5/2014 at 10:28pm
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That's how I learnt as well! Had two weeks , can't remember where/ what time of year, but it was years ago. I didn't move the mats / bedding until packing up, and under the mats it was very damp. Just starting to get that white mould/marks. Had to bin them.
...hence I stand the mats up every morning!

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