Quote:
Originally Posted by Shaneajanderson
So here's what I think I'm going to do.
I need some of this roof coating for my camper anyway, so I'm going to get a bucket of that. Then I'll get some automotive paint in a few colors: I'm thinking red and blue (a light and dark variant of each), black, and white. I'll get some test coupons of some thin aluminum from work, paint each color on one of them, and coat one with the roof stuff. I'll let them sit in the sun for about 3 hours (or until they all reach a steady temperature) and record their resting temp.
Any input on this test? should be some interesting data.
Edit: I will paint ONE color on each coupon.
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Tests are always welcome around here, but this one might not tell you much about what you would actually experience in your vehicle: the greenhouse effect from all the glass and closed interior as well as the cooling effect on the metal of hurtling down the roadway at X mph are not accounted for in this planned test and they will effect actual heat and comfort in the car.
I can touch the inside of my black roof from my driver seat through a hole where the sun visor used to connect before I deleted it. I have tested repeatedly the temp difference between how it feels when I first step in on a sunny day and how it feels when I have been driving. It's often the difference between scorching hot and cool to the touch.
I don't doubt your test can find differences in temps correlted to color. I have seen the tests that show higher temps inside a black car than inside a white one after a few minutes, even after a few minutes of subsequent AC use to bring temps down. But such tests assumes we get into a 130* car and just sit there with the windows and doors closed for 10 minutes sweating while the AC slowly brings the temp to 85*. Who does that? No, we open the windows to let the hottest air out and start driving. The ambient temp comes down fast as hot cabin air escapes and the metal temps on the exterior of the car also drop (how fast?), regardless of color.
I think light colored interior is where it is at, though. Anyone who has driven a car with black leather seats knows they do not cool off, like ever.
