Venting van with external windscreen cover?

[The Flying Scotsman]

Getting fed up with my crap internal covers falling off.
Thinking about buying a waterproof external blackout cover but am wondering about condensation as I always leave the front windows down an inch for ventilation.
Will an external cover not prevent the open windows from ventilating the van at night?

 

[cgtmiles]

Getting fed up with my crap internal covers falling off.
Thinking about buying a waterproof external blackout cover but am wondering about condensation as I always leave the front windows down an inch for ventilation.
Will an external cover not prevent the open windows from ventilating the van at night?

We have a rainbow screens thermal cover and leave the windows down to the bottom of the wind deflectors and find that works fine for ventilation.

But we do have the poptop up with at least the side vents open a bit and usually the top of the front window. And also often sleep with the door ajar if not completely open so judging the impact of the open windows is difficult

 

[airhoguk]

External windscreen cover and front windows slightly open won’t be a problem. Previous van we did this both before and after fitting a pop top and never had a problem with condensation

 

[Paynewright]

I’m planning on getting one of those door stand-off plates allowing it to be shut/latched but slightly open. These are suitable for barn and tailgate type doors.

 

[Bargy62]

We have given up with screen covers internal or external
Just got a piece of material that has loops to go over hooks on b pillars and clip hooks that go on the sun visors and a peg in the middle on the cubby hole thingy
No one can see in
As much ventilation as you like
And easy to put up/take down
And cheap

 

[AeonMach]

Getting fed up with my crap internal covers falling off.
Thinking about buying a waterproof external blackout cover but am wondering about condensation as I always leave the front windows down an inch for ventilation.
Will an external cover not prevent the open windows from ventilating the van at night?

I’ve never used internal covers (because I live in Scotland and want the better insulation/reduced condensation from external covers when it’s winter/cold), but why would external covers prevent airflow much different from the internal covers? And if you have wind deflectors (essential to keep rain out?) then they nicely hold the cover off a bit too…

Additionally as per my first point, if it’s really cold enough to get condensation then external covers are going to make a big improvement since the inside of the windscreen and side windows are kept warm inside the insulation envelope and so don’t form a cold surface for condensation!!

 

[Ayjay]

We've only used our JustKampers external 'Thermoscreen' for one trip so far but we did leave the front windows open to the bottom of the wind deflectors. We also had the pop top windows unzipped to about a third and didn't get any condensation inside but TBH, I'm not sure whether we would have done even with the crappy internal sucker things. The side panels of the cover have a little triangle of material which goes over the top RH corner of the door which I guess leaves a slit for ventilation. We tend to use a home made black 'cab curtain' for one nighters.

 

[Greenmachine]

Polar screens with the windows down about an inch for us, and no condensation issues at all

 

[DXX]

Getting fed up with my crap internal covers falling off.

You can get new sucker cups on Ebay for a few quid.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

You can get new sucker cups on Ebay for a few quid.

They are pretty new but the internal ones are pretty crap at keeping the light out even fitted correctly

 

[DXX]

They are pretty new but the internal ones are pretty crap at keeping the light out even fitted correctly

I added some extra eyelets on my internal windscreen cover, the only gap I have is around the rear view mirror. I just stuff a bin bag in the gap if I need to.