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Topic: Cover for our Lazy Daze (Read 17 times) previous topic - next topic
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Cover for our Lazy Daze
Yahoo Message Number: 23896
Hi --

We're new to the group and won't have our LD 26.5 RK until mid- November.  So, we're in the planning stage.  One thing we're struggling with is protection for the LD.  We are considering either a hard "carport" type cover or one of the soft covers like the one made by Covercraft.  It seems that both accomplish keeping the sun off the unit but that each has distinct advantages.  The "carport" is certainly easier to use and probably lasts longer but would allow alot more dust to collect, etc.  The "soft" cover seems like it would keep it cleaner but is more diffcult to use since you have to put it on and take it off (every time you forget something).  Also, we aren't sure about moisture retention inside the soft cover.  I imagine the newer materials allow it to breathe, but don't know if that is enough.

What is the experience and/or recommendation of you experienced folks?

Keith Edleman Vista, CA
Re: Cover for our Lazy Daze
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 23899
Quote
Hi --
We are considering either
 
Quote
a hard "carport" type cover or one of the soft covers like the one made by Covercraft.  It seems that both accomplish keeping the sun off the unit but that each has distinct advantages.

What is the experience and/or recommendation of you experienced folks?

Keith Edleman Vista, CA
Keith, I have used both, and a real carport is far superior.  I used a soft cover on a previous coach, and; it was a poop to put on without help, was not waterproof (important in Seattle), wore out after 3rd season, and rubbed the coach in the wind.  On the other hand, the carport is; more expensive, does allow airborne debris to accumulate on the roof of the coach, is waterproof, is basically indestructible (at least mine is), allows a great shady place to wash & polish, and is effortless.  I will never return to a soft cover- if I were to do anything differently, it would be to go with a full garage, with installed power, water, and dump station.  Meanwhile, what I have works perfectly well for me.

Bill Burcham Seattle '98 30'
Re: Cover for our Lazy Daze
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 23922
Keith,
 I've had both an RV/carport and a soft cover. Of the two I prefer the RV/carport for the ease of use. They don't keep the RV as clean as a soft cover but they do keep them much cleaner than no cover! How much cleaner also depends on the type of RV/carport you have. Those that are more than just a roof type are better for keeping your RV cleaner. Most RV ports have a roof the wraps around and down the sides at least part way and they do a much better job of keeping the RV clean and protecting more.

Currently I have a soft cover. I can and do put the cover on by myself when I do cover my LD. It takes about 15 minutes to do it and about 20 to uncover and stow. Covers are not long life items unless you get a Sunbrella cover! I haven't had any chafing problems with the cover and can get into my LD with it on even though mine doesn't have a zippered side for the door. I just loosen the bottom tie down straps and sneak under the sidewall. The newer covers now have zippered sides to get into the RV.
 A newer type is the Shade Canopy temporary carport/garage. These use a tarp like top and optional sidewalls (to make it a garage) and a metal frame. They do make these wide and long enough for RVs but usually not tall enough unless modified. I have a few neighbors that use them and modified the height to accommodate their RV. The nice thing about these is they cost about the same as a good quality soft cover and give you the benefits of both the RV/carport or garage and the soft cover. They aren't taxed because they aren't a permanent structure and this also often allows them to be used where an RV/carport or other permanent structure isn't allowed. This depends on the area though so you need to check the local rules on them. They allow filtered light through so solar panels can still charge like with a soft cover but are much easier to use like a carport or garage. With sidewalls and ends they become a "garage". They also typically outlast many covers depending on the type of "tarp" covering they use. Most are warranted for 5yrs and replacing them is cheaper than a soft cover to replace.

You can make your own frame using extruded aluminum framing for carports/screen rooms, etc. available at places like Home Depot, Lowes, etc. Cover it with the material of your choice, heavy-duty tarps, Sunbrella, etc. Sunbrella would be a good choice and it would most likely cost less than a custom Sunbrella cover and be far easier to use. The Sunbrella will also last a long time. This should still qualify as a temporary structure depending on how you make it and anchor it. You'd need to check local rules though!
 All types of covers have pros and cons including garages. You need to decide which type is best for your particular current situation and budget.

Mike R.
Cover for our Lazy Daze
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 23898
Keith,
 If you have solar panels, then you need to get a cover that has a transparent top.

I haven't found a manufacturer that will do that yet.
 Also, not sure what he advantages of a over are since you they are generally a bear to put on the unit, and you still wind up having to wax the unit twice to three times per year.

Ronald Chicago 2001 Red Rear kitchen
Re: [Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Cover for our Lazy Daze
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 23907
I seem to remember something about a cover of some kind that was soft, but it formed something like a carport or tent for your RV.  Does anyone out there have any idea what I'm talking about?  Zoning restrictions won't let me put up a "perminant" carport, but I believe they would let me put up a "temporary" cover.

Allen
Cover for our Lazy Daze
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 23920
"If you have solar panels, then you need to get a cover that has a transparent top."

Ronald, That is simply NOT TRUE! When I do cover my LD the solar panel gets enough filtered light to keep the batteries well charged unless there has been a lot of overcast and rainy weather for several days in a row. It takes about a week of that type of weather to get to the point where you might consider using a disconnect switch, plug it into shore power, or charge the batteries with a charger. When Steve mentioned the affect of shading on a solar panel what he didn't also mention was that to cut performance like he claimed you must completely shade all light from a cell or portion of a cell to reduce output as he claimed. The leaf shading the cell would have to be right on the panel covering a cell or part of it! If filtered light reaches the panel it does reduce output but doesn't cut it off completely. If you don't believe that just experiment with one and shade it allowing filtered light to reach the panel. Then use something like black construction paper or cardboard and put it directly over a cell and block one completely then partially and observe the output with the charge controller.

"Also, not sure what he advantages of a over are since you they are generally a bear to put on the unit, and you still wind up having to wax the unit twice to three times per year."

If you're using wax you should do it more frequently than that! Wax only really lasts about a month tops based on scientific experiments done with them. On the other hand a good polish, like Finish First or even Poly Wipe or whatever it goes by these days, will last an entire year or more when you cover your vehicle. They will last at least 6 months without being covered and can last a year.
 Soft covers have their pros and cons just as RV/carports and garages do. All will keep your RV much cleaner and allow the polish to last much longer.

Mike R.
Cover for our Lazy Daze
Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 23923
Allen,
 You can get these canopy type covers at many places these days. Even Wal*Mart sells them but I don't think they'd have the size you need nor would many places. The people I know that use them had to modify the height to get their RV in them they do make them plenty long and wide enough but the height is usually only around 9-10' at the peak and only about 6-7' at the sides. There are several ways to increase the height either with wood or metal. The people I know that are using them just used a wooden base using pressure treated wood but you can do it with metal also.

Mike R.
Re: [Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Cover for our Lazy Daze
Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 23926
Quote
I seem to remember something about a cover of some kind that was
soft,

Allen, I live in Notrheast Florida and have used the AquaShed cover for ten months.  There had been no visible damage to the coach due to rubbing, but there has been rubbing of the cover at the generator and engine exhaust pipes.  I resolved this by placing plastic caps over the ends of the pipes and taping them in place.
My two solar panels have never failed to keep the house batteries charged while covered for extended periods.
Solar panel corners are sharp and care should be exercised when removing the cover.
The cover weighs approximately 24 lbs. and may require special consideration to get it topside.
Timing cover removal is also an important consideration since you want to avoid removing it when wet.

Malcolm
2002 Mid Bath
Re: [Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Cover for our Lazy Daze
Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 23927
Mike R.

Thanks for the input and detail. And you make excellent points.
 I guess Steve (Newton) was referring to my case in Chicago where we can indeed get many days in sequence that are overcast, especially in the winter. And then there is the pollution-induced haze during the summer which further contributes to filtering.
 Again referencing the Chicago area, the covers are a bear to put on not only because they are unwieldy, but because the nearly constant 10 mph-and-up wind exacerbates the process. Additionally, unless you have a custom-fit tight-fitting cover, the wind will whip around looser-fitting areas and tear the cover. At our storage "farm," have personally seen two covers fatally ripped in less than eighteen months.
 Those in urban areas generally have to park their units several miles away (in my case, 17 miles), preventing the level of checking necessary to see that the solar panel is doing its job and the cover is performing appropriately.
 Agree with you that two-to-three waxes are minimal (but we can't really wax in Chicago between November through April anyway), especially on top surfaces, like the Ford hood.
 Have seen much mention regarding Finish First. Sounds like a dynamite material. Where can the product be obtained?

Ronald Chicago - 2001 Red RK
Cover for our Lazy Daze
Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 23930
Ronald,

I can understand how in the Chicago area a cover could be more of a problem with the solar panel keeping the batteries charged in winter.
I would imagine even without one they could have problems with that! In summer the heat as well as the pollution could affect their performance also. It gets hotter up there than down here in Fl in the summer and Fl is still considered a "clean air" state mostly due to the competing sea breezes.
 We generally have 10mph or more breezes here as well and I've had no problem putting the cover on by myself in 15-20mph breezes. My cover isn't a custom made one. It's an Adco DuraVent cover (now called SFS AquaShed) and I let my wife talk me into the 26-29' size when the 23- 26' would have been plenty long enough. When properly covered per the instructions they don't have the problems you talked about. The problem is most people don't read and follow the instructions and then end up with problems. I've had a couple tears in it from not padding areas that I didn't think would cause problems but they give you repair material and if you protect those areas they work fine.
One problem is that when I bought mine they didn't have a guide to let you know which material type was good for the area you live in.
The type I got isn't recommended for use in FL! They recommend at least the Tyvek for this area and of course the Sunbrella type are best suited. My cover is still usable but had it been on my LD more during the past 2.75yrs I've had it I don't think it would be usable anymore! "Have seen much mention regarding Finish First. Sounds like a dynamite material. Where can the product be obtained?"
 There are several dealers for it on the internet. I don't know of any stores that carry it. The one I bought from was: http://www.finishfirstpolish.com

There is another one that Mike S used who has discounted prices on most Liqui-Tech products called Show Shine Finish and they have some LD specials as well as will put custom package pricing together for you. They have a couple URLs you can use.
http://www.finishfirstusa.com

That is a pointer URL to: http://shop.store.yahoo.com/showshinefinish/index.html

You can also do a Google search and check other sellers and prices. I have never used a polish that was as good as Finish First and I did at one time use the Poly Wipe that LD recommended or still recommends under a new or different name made by Finish Kare. It's a good product that's better than any wax I've ever used but doesn't come close to the quality, performance, or durability of Finish First. It does cost less but there are reasons it does!

Mike R.
Cover for our Lazy Daze
Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 23939
Mike R.

Thanks for the tips.

Really appreciate your thorough analysis and response.

Will follow through Finish First.

Ronald Chicago 2001 Red RK
Re: Cover for our Lazy Daze
Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 23953
Allen,

Lots of places sell the canopies even Wal*Mart, Kmart, & Target but not all places sell large ones. In this area many of the flea markets have someone selling them in many sizes. Florida has lots of flea markets! I know Cabela's sells both standard and industrial models and has them large enough for up to the 26.5' models but you will need to modify the height. You can also make your own to a custom size and height.

Mike R.