Sun Roof Sunroof Option, Those Who Have It Like It?

D

drjenk

Newbie
Hi,
To those who have opted for the sunroof, was it worthwhile? It seems like it would be nice to look up outside at night, and maybe have a bit more natural ambient light in the daytime, as pros I can think of. But I can think of possible cons too, like potential leaks, dripping condensation as someone has mentioned in the forums, and somewhat less insulated cabin (not sure how much if any). Also it seems like with the bug screen in front of it, and the fact it's also tinted (true?) that you maybe wouldn't see much looking out at night anyway? I'm thinking there's probably plenty of light in the daytime coming in through the other windows as to not be too dark without it. What's been your experience?

Thanks
 
I have the 560 with the sunroof. I thought it would be nice to look up at the stars at night. I'm sure it would be, if I ever got to sleep with the curtain open. However, my wife doesn't want to be awakened by the sun in the morning, so the only contribution the sunroof has ever made to our camping experience was dripping on my face.

The sunroof does no good if it is covered all the time, so in our case we could have done without it. You are correct that there will be some condensation from the sunroof, and that a certain amount of heat will be lost through the uninsulated portion of the roof. In addition, there is the potential for a leak to develop. This happened to us after three years. It should be noted that Camp-Inn resealed the entire sunroof at no cost to us during the last CICO. Whether on not Camp-Inn stands behind their product is not an issue at all. They do! But in our case, the sunroof has been more hassle than it has been worth.
 
The light is nice during the day but not a necessity with the big windows on the 560, I think I agree with Evan...it's probably the one option I would say I regret....
 
Like the sunroof, you betcha!

Mostly used for getting up in the morning, we both like to have natural light wake us up.

Regrets, none.

Recommend it to others, not really. It is a part of the trailer that has a high risk for failure; to mitigate the risk will require a lot of attention and maintenance.

If you are not up to the effort, don’t make the investment.
 
I like mine for a couple of reasons:

1) When the bunks are set up and my kid has every stuffed animal that he can't sleep with out, his pillow, his down sleeping bag, and a bag of books up there, we get very little light coming in from the front windows. I know this is a temporary problem until he is too long or too old to sleep in the bunks, but we have had 3 years of extra light, and that is good for mom's mental health.

2) I do open the sunroof on particularly hot days to let heat out of the cabin at night and to help vent the place. We do not have the AC so pulling cool air in is always helpful. The fan does a good job, but extra openings are good too. Plus, with heat rising, the child eventually gets too hot with every stuffed animal he brings, his pillow, his down sleeping bag, and his pile of books (which eventually find their way to my face...we need to rethink hard backs for sure).

3) In the off chance I am starring in an action movie and the bad guys have both of my doors blocked so I can't get out, it makes for an extra door and we can escape. I have sleepless nights, especially during full moons, and think of everything.

We have had one leak. It was last year. Due to heat, then cold, then heat, then cold the caulking had pulled away and let water in. We caught it pretty early on, and there was no damage to the trailer. Cary gave us some advice, and Mick pulled the frame out, recaulked everything, and we have had no trouble at all since. We check it often now when we have the trailer outside. The cover offers some protection as well when it is parked.

That said, it is really a matter of what you prefer.
 
I'm very please with the sun roof so far, mostly because of the natural light it allows when it's raining or overcast. Waking up in the morning and seeing birds singing in the tree branches overhead is a great experience, too.

I wouldn't want a sun roof in a vehicle, but it is great in a camper. Since my wife and I can't stand direct sunlight, it seems to be more of a moon or cloud roof for us.

The only leaks we have had always turned out to be leaf stems caught in the seal.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top