How is a vent supposed to be attached to a roof? - Fiberglass RV
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Old 06-02-2010, 10:57 PM   #1
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We took our trailer in to (remains nameless at the moment), to have a fantastic fan (and heater) installed in our 76, 13' Trill and we're scratching our heads at the gobs of caulking used.

My understanding is bitchathane tape should be used with some kind of mechanical fastening finished with a thin bead of caulking. It looks to me like they have used the caulking as the preferred method of fastening.

Before we fire off emails, can anyone enlighten us to these fan retrofits and method of installs?


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The heater install is worse, (one thing at a time)
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Old 06-02-2010, 11:29 PM   #2
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I hate to sound negative, but that looks completely inappropriate to me.

How it should be installed is that you prepare the two mating surfaces (underflange of vent and mating camper surface) with something like acetone or denatured alcohol, and then, if you are using butyl tape, you apply the tape to the full width of the underflange of the vent. If using caulk, I would set the vent in place and then put blue tape on the camper outside of the flange contact area, to make clean up easy, and then lift the vent out again and put the caulk on the underflange, then set it back in place (because with caulk you want squeeze out -- but you *remove* said squeeze-out!).

Next, you install the fasteners (screws, rivets, or etc.), and tighten them in an alternating pattern. Then you clean up any excess sealant (remove it). Then you are done. There is no need or, indeed, desirability (IMO) for any caulk on the outside. The sealant underneath the flange is what does the job. Anything on top usually indicates someone trying to put on a band-aid vs. re-sealing properly (years down the line). In other words, you should basically see no caulk or sealant when the job is done (except maybe some that is slightly "holding up" the flange - but none on the outside).

I'm sorry your vent came back to you like that.

Raya
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Old 06-02-2010, 11:43 PM   #3
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Thanks Raya,

I found this link on Fan Tastic Vent installs.

http://www.fantasticvent.com/faq/knowledge...to_install.html

(I never use silicone like it looks they they are)

I prefer your method. Wait 'till you see the furnace.

(my kingdom for someone who knows what they are doing)
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Old 06-02-2010, 11:43 PM   #4
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Quote:
Before we fire off emails, can anyone enlighten us to these fan retrofits and method...
Here's a link to the installation guide at the manufacturer's site
http://www.fantasticvent.com/faq/knowledge...to_install.html

It's very common, (and recommended here) to daub sealant over the screw heads. There are probably fasteners under all that silicone, but I agree it's a sloppy job.

Regards,

Matt
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Old 06-02-2010, 11:48 PM   #5
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From another point of view: I come at it from a boating angle - in those installations (hatches, ports, cleats, etc.) we don't put caulking over the fasteners, and the aforementioned parts have to be able to withstand "green water" coming over them while pounding in a seaway. So I still feel that sealant under the flange is the way to go.

I don't meant to sound too opinionated, but it just galls me to see caulking globbed onto the top of something you just had installed.

Not that you should have to, but I'm sure you could make a tidy job of it yourself It's wonderful to find a skilled, conscientious craftsperson; but otherwise it can be the old "if you want something done right..."

Raya

PS: I am with you on the silicone - there is *always* a better sealant, in my opinion.

PPS: The furnace is... worse?!?
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Old 06-03-2010, 06:51 AM   #6
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Hi: Paul McEwan... Here's a couple of pic's of how I did My MaxxFan install.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie The last pic. shows a closeup of the mount screwed thru the fiberglass shell into the ply ring sealed with auto fender (butyl rubber)sealer tape. I hope they help!!! Alf
Attached Thumbnails
clamp_ring_in.jpg   MaxxFan_Finished.jpg  

MaxxFan_open.jpg   no_caulking.jpg  

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Old 06-03-2010, 10:01 AM   #7
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Paul are you saying they only fastened it with caulking no rivets or bolts? If thats the case I would go back and ask for at least a part refund - pay for the hole being cut out and forget the rest. Regardless of how they actually fastened it the caulking job is IMHO a pretty shocking coming from someone who is charging for their services. If it was mine I would then take it off and clean it up and re install it as it will come out a looking a lot nicer and probable a lot more leak proof. Trust me if I can do it you can do it! LOL

I installed mine last fall pretty well the same way Alf did his. Happy to report that it stood up to pounding rain this past week-end without a drop coming into the trailer.

Keep up your efforts it will all work out at the end of the day.
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Old 06-03-2010, 10:27 AM   #8
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Although i dont have pictures at the moment, but for what its worth, I just picked up our new 16' Scamp two months ago from the factory and that is excatly how my fantastic fan is installed. lots of beads and globs of silicone.

edit: Ok after looking at your pic a little closer i would say that they went way to heavy on the silicone. My fan has a small bead around the perimeter and a glob on every screw head.
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Old 06-03-2010, 10:41 AM   #9
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Quote:
Thanks Raya,

I found this link on Fan Tastic Vent installs.

http://www.fantasticvent.com/faq/knowledge...to_install.html

(I never use silicone like it looks they they are)

I prefer your method. Wait 'till you see the furnace.

(my kingdom for someone who knows what they are doing)

To bad your in Vancouver if you were on the island I could help you out.
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Old 06-03-2010, 12:15 PM   #10
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Thanks everyone. I just wanted to make sure because it is so deliberate. coming from a construction background i am now in marketing, living in the city it bugs the hell out of me that time and space limit me to having inferior work done. i strongly believe in maintaining as a green approach to ownership and if i had the space for the tools and work area, i would do it myself. is that the only way to refurbish these beauties? a change in entire lifestyle? i'm looking to re-build our van and camperize it too. vehicles don't need to be thrown away every 10 years but i am finding this too something DYI centric. (lack of capitalization and spelling errors to be blamed on the phone's keybord) cheers!
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Old 06-03-2010, 01:20 PM   #11
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If you don't mind, allow me to toot my own horn. Check out my website, and this recent thread: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/index.ph...38632&st=30

If I can be of any help, let me know.
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Old 06-03-2010, 05:10 PM   #12
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Thanks everyone. I just wanted to make sure because it is so deliberate. coming from a construction background i am now in marketing, living in the city it bugs the hell out of me that time and space limit me to having inferior work done.
Which is why I do most of our home and trailer repairs and remodels. Most of those in the construction/handyman trade go for cheap and easy, not what's aesthetic or built to last. They're not craftsmen.
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Old 06-03-2010, 05:21 PM   #13
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I would demand at least a partial refund AND ask for them to pay to clean that mess up!

Thats the poopiest job I have ever seen from a "professional".
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Old 08-20-2010, 04:04 PM   #14
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Hi-we are trying to install our Fantastic vent fan ourselves, and I have searched the threads and there is often a reference to wood for screwing into, your photo and thread mention a plywood ring...was that ring something you added yourself? How did you affix it to the ceiling? We are scratching our heads , the factory customer service told us to build a wood trim to screw into , much like the threads I have searched here...but no one is saying how to affix the wood to the fiberglass ceiling...we are feeling real stupid right now. Can someone give us some advice, direction or encouragement?
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Old 08-21-2010, 07:50 AM   #15
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Our basic question is how do you attach the plywood ring for vent installation to the ceiling? or do you just have someone hold it in place until you finish screwing down into it through the vent flange? I know, I know, we are so ignorant but we don't want to do this wrong and have more problems down the road....literally! Thanks for any guidance here.
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Old 08-21-2010, 08:20 AM   #16
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There is no wood framing on your 13' Burro, only fiberglass. You will have to make a wood frame to go on the inside of the roof to screw the vent into. You will have to screw through fiberglass down in to the plywood to secure the vent on top. Also the trim for the inside of the vent will also attach to the wood to make a clean look for the install. You can use a construction adhesive or have someone hold it until you have it secured with the screws.
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Old 08-21-2010, 08:46 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by Rose Feys View Post
Hi-we are trying to install our Fantastic vent fan ourselves, and I have searched the threads and there is often a reference to wood for screwing into, your photo and thread mention a plywood ring...was that ring something you added yourself? How did you affix it to the ceiling? We are scratching our heads , the factory customer service told us to build a wood trim to screw into , much like the threads I have searched here...but no one is saying how to affix the wood to the fiberglass ceiling...we are feeling real stupid right now. Can someone give us some advice, direction or encouragement?
Rose,
Make a ring out of 3/8" or 1/2" plywood that has the same dimensions as the flange on your fan. The flange sits on the roof (with putty tape between,) screws run through the holes in the flange, through the roof, and into the plywood ring. You end up with a sandwich, plywood ring on the bottom, then the fiberglass roof, then the flange sitting on top. A little hard to visualize, hope this helps. Feel free to email me with further questions.

Mike
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Old 08-21-2010, 09:19 AM   #18
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Rose, see Alf's post with pics (post #6) in this thread. It shows the wood you're talking about. FanTastic Vent - How To Install
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Old 08-21-2010, 09:33 AM   #19
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Great Thread as i need to install a Fantastic Fan into a Hi-Top Conversion Van and had no idea about the plywood ring inside..... I'm plenty handy and just need to be shown once and this really helped.

Paul who originally posted: I have to admit that silicone looks really sloppy and if you get no help from the installer maybe you could just go vertically with a razor-knife around the outside perimeter (being careful not to cut into the gelcoat) and peel away the outside of that cut to get a neater look.
Joe
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Old 08-21-2010, 09:37 AM   #20
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Thank you so much everyone!! We have been bickering over the installation for the last couple of days and your responses clarify it all...Thanks again! Now out to install it.
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