Aluminium Canopy Ventilation

I have a muller vent attached to the top of my canopy and it seems to help minimise dust entry and also circulates air in there too.

https://www.indrub.com.au/white-pvc-muller-vent.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7ryRx_bh6QIV0KuWCh3Y2wwbEAQYBCABEgL9bvD_BwE

It is not too high and might work for you.

Duncan

Duncan
Not sure what the front face of the canopy is like for clearance but a horizontal C shaped channel of aluminium can be pop rivetted to there with an entry ( like a spout POP) protruding into the C space. Then no water gets in but air will be forced in while moving. Filter it if you wish. Also the fitting of a computer fan at the exit to inside and having the air fed firstly to the condensers of both fridges. That will ventilate the fridges with coolest air and if fan is running most of the time, all the time in tropics, it will lessen the run time and power demand of both fridges because the condensers can get rid of the heat they pump out, instead of stewing in their own hot exit air and lengthening run times. The slight forced air flow will also ventilate the canopy and make it a bit cooler inside. I presume it is not totally airtight.

Slopokin
In all my canopy's & campers, slide on, etc. I always fit a electric fan & marine solar vent to the head board end (less dust to pick up & a 12volt computer fan works well) so when the ignition comes on it starts this does 2 things it helps pressurise the canopy etc. so no dust comes in & helps cool/move air in the canopy (most canopy’s will leak air out/in somewhere) & all I use is the std Air conditioner gauze to filter the incoming air & I just wash it out from time to time, the solar vent is there working when parked also get some marine engine bay insulation (peel & stick) & put as much as possible to inside canopy & specially around fridge as to help with the radiant heat, my present slide-on has a Davis craig fan with Holden air filter, good luck what you decide

Im also keen to listen,,ive an ex telstra canopy up in cairns. Have done 6 mths on the road along top end. Dust proof the priority. Google pressurising/cooling canopy explor oz ,cant copy link. The roof of yours with the tent provide significant protection rather than vents im considering going down the insulation road.

I ventilated my canopy for a different reason. We have a dog. I have an inside outside wireless temp monitor from Jaycar, a small sliding window with screen and a vent from whitworths marine fitted into the roof under the roof rack. I also fitted a computer fan to the vent for those times when we are stationary. No dust or rain ingress and inside outside temps are the same.

Avoid a door on the rear. From my experience, any rear opening door will suck dust past the seals, or you get covered in dust accessing stuff through it.

I had a fully sealed canopy on a 79series for 8 years. Ran 2 engels. Never let in dust and it didn't get hot. It was painted white and the aluminium transmits heat well.

I have a solar vent which has a fan extracting air on the roof towards the rear and on the front face of the canopy about half way down I have a vent which lets air in so I get flow so it would work better than something that just has an extraction vent by itself. I put a piece of sponge foam in the vent to catch dust which I wash out every now and then done it about 4 - 5yrs ago I think. I live in Mackay it all works fine the next best thing would be a 12v fan maybe on a timer.

Also insulation in the roof of the canopy makes a big difference I haven't done the sides or doors yet My canopy stays around a similar temp to the cabin of the vehicle when not driving I have checked it a few times with a digital temp gauge.

I’ve got an alloy canopy on my s/cab 79 series, and added 2 of ARB plastic vents to the canopy, to get some airflow for the fridges. Also have a sliding window on the offside, for added ventilation when on sealed roads.

The ARB vents were about $70 a few years ago, and can be closed if necessary, say in torrential rain. I’ve not worried about any filtering system as yet, as I rarely drive in anyone’s dust, except for oncoming traffic. Regular checks inside the canopy show very little ingested dust, unless you’re high level OCD! Have seen vans with far worse dust problems.



One vent, per photo, is adjacent to both fridges, and has survived many kms in scrubby tracks without being ripped off the canopy door. The other vent I fitted to the front wall on the offside, and despite “measure twice-cut once”, I still managed to fit the vent where it is prevented from being opened fully. Plenty of marine type vents advertised here.

Just watch your weight with the canopy! Not hard for the kilos to add up quickly, especially if you don’t have a GVM upgrade. Did a 10K km trip into SA, WA & NT in ‘18, and with full fuel, water, tucker & my skinny arse in the seat, I was right on the GVM, 3900kg!

Good luck,
Bob