frickin flappin vents ....

[Herb P]

I spent most of the afternoon inside the 1700 today and there was a bit of a wind blowing... I had the two roof vents open and there is some slack in the 'wheel' and the track it rides in so whenever the wind gusted, the vents would go "whack/whuck" up and down... When both of them got going it was a royal cacaphony ....

I dare think what that's going to be like to sleep through...

What does everyone else do about it?

[jack maloney]

We put an Aero Flo vent cover over our FanTastic Fan vent, never had a problem with wind or rain.

[Doug Mager]

...enact plan B:

MOVE (nuff said )

Really though, these 'things' can be down right annoying and sometimes costly to repair damage from, and the aero-vent is one product that would be very usefull!

[Pete Dumbleton]

If they are flapping, I would suspect that something in the crank mechanism is worn enough that there is too much slack. If so, you could try replacing one of the mechanisms to see if that helps. Or get some small bungee cord (WestMarine or a good camping store) and rig up something that will keep some tension on them.

[Alf S.]

Hi: We added a MaxxAir (white) cover over ours last year... took all of 20 min. to install and then the wind doesn't affect the vent and you can leave them open in the rain...etc!!! Cost about $35.00!!! I just this month replaced the entire roof vent with a MaxxFan 12v. powered roof vent/fan cost about $330.00 and doesn't require the addition of a cover... WAY COOL!!! Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Herb P]

Those vent covers are those things that approximately double the height of your trailer right? :-)

I see now why everyone is going the maxxfan route and so forth...

Pete: I don't think it's the mechanism. There's a slot that a little white vinyl wheel rides in. There's slop between the wheel and the slot which allows the vent to move about a half inch up/down hence the noise ....

I actually liked the little aluminum vent on the 13...

I left the vents open last night and it's raining now... sucks to be me.

[Brian B-P]

I have not noticed a problem with my B1700 vents flapping, but it may be that I just haven't been inside during the right wind condition... since we haven't camped in Southern Alberta outside of parks in sites with protection from trees. Out in the open, perhaps it would be different.

The rear vent (a replacement, but I think of the original style) seems secure when closed, with the free play removed. When open - even fully open - it does seems free to rattle (even with no play in the crank/gear mechanism). In this design, I believe that the white plastic "wheel" is just a washer to keep the arm in the slot; the slot is in a thin metal arm, not something a wheel could really run in.

My front vent is a MaxxFan. I suppose it could rattle a bit if partially open, but when fully open (and there's no need to have it only partially open) there's no free play.

[Frederick L. Simson]

If they are flapping, I would suspect that something in the crank mechanism is worn enough that there is too much slack.

My roof vent isn't very old, and it flaps (as discussed) in the wind. It's not the crank mechanism, but the way the lifter arm rides in the groove in the lid. It wouldn't open at all without a little slack, and yet a little is just enuf to make a loud plastic flapping noise when it's breezy. Makes me look forward to the onset of deafness.

[Alf S.]

Hi: EH!!! Wha...djeau say??? My wife says I need a hearing aide!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Herb P]

My last question on this thread is why didn't you people tell me this would happen before I spent $40 buying new vent covers?

:-)

I may have to put a hole in the screens and hang a basket of fruit from each vent... My son, who will be sleeping in the upper bunk, will be under strict instructions to shut the vents if he gets woken up by a flying papaya.

Is there anything else you're not telling me? I also just realized that the kitchen window and dinette window don't have screens. That means I can't open them for air-flow.

[Chester Taje]

Hi Herb
We like to see people spend money.Its good for economy. Also its good to see people finding out more about the fine trailer they just bought.It makes life interesting.
Please don't bump your head on hanging fruit baskets as we do not give first aid lessons.

[Brian B-P]

I also just realized that the kitchen window and dinette window don't have screens. That means I can't open them for air-flow.

I will have to look at my kitchen window (jalousie type) tonight, but all of the other openable windows, meaning all of the sliders and the small top-hinged bathroom window, definitely have screens. Is one screen just missing, Herb?

I realize that the B1700RG (rear gaucho, like mine) and B1700SG (side gaucho, like Herb's) have some detail differences, and that might include window types. What type are the "kitchen" and "dinette" windows, Herb? My front dinette is surrounded by screen-equipped radius-corner sliders on each side, and a fixed glass window on the front. One thing the trailer does not lack is cross-ventilation opportunities.

You may prefer while cooking to run the hood vent over the stove and supply air from elsewhere, rather than the kitchen window. Someone (Roger? Chester?) realized that running a reversible power roof vent to pull air in works well (in combination with the stove hood) to clear cooking fumes.

[Penny Taylor]

I have MaxxAirs on mine, so they don't flap or let rain in. Penny, TX

[Herb P]

I will have to look at my kitchen window (jalousie type) tonight, but all of the other openable windows, meaning all of the sliders and the small top-hinged bathroom window, definitely have screens. Is one screen just missing, Herb?

I realize that the B1700RG (rear gaucho, like mine) and B1700SG (side gaucho, like Herb's) have some detail differences, and that might include window types. What type are the "kitchen" and "dinette" windows, Herb? My front dinette is surrounded by screen-equipped radius-corner sliders on each side, and a fixed glass window on the front. One thing the trailer does not lack is cross-ventilation opportunities.

You may prefer while cooking to run the hood vent over the stove and supply air from elsewhere, rather than the kitchen window. Someone (Roger? Chester?) realized that running a reversible power roof vent to pull air in works well (in combination with the stove hood) to clear cooking fumes.

Maybe I'm missing a screen.. My kitchen window slides left/right as does the window across from it by the door and neither of them have screens... So the only two screens I have are the big rectangular louvered ones for the side-gaucho and front facing... It's possible SWMBO removed them before my memory engaged.

As for cooking, I tend to do most of my cooking outside anyway. 90% of all food gets BBQ'd including bacon and breakfast sausages... The only thing that gets made on the stove generally is hot water for my coffee and for washing dishes (but now that we have a hot water heater, not even that probably)...

Those MaxxFanAir things seem like the way to go but I'm already oozing money into this thing and that's a bit much for my taste.

I guess it'll take a few camping trips to work the bugs out...

[Alf S.]

Hi: It seems that you weren't properly "screened" in the first place... Most everything we own is a "Black Hole" when it comes to $$$$'s. Homes, Mobile Homes, Tugs, Et Al just suck in the $$$$'s. The trick is to enjoy what you are doing when you are doing it!!! Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Brian B-P]

Maybe I'm missing a screen.. My kitchen window slides left/right as does the window across from it by the door and neither of them have screens... So the only two screens I have are the big rectangular louvered ones for the side-gaucho and front facing... It's possible SWMBO removed them before my memory engaged.

The screens on my Hehr windows are mounted on the inside, and slide like the glass if you want, although the window is operable without moving the screen. Since they are removable, it seems likely that they were there at some point. Although Hehr is still around, this series of windows is not, so I don't have any good ideas for replacement screen sources.