Maintenance & Restoration

Legacy Posts · 02-24-2003, 07:09 PM

I am on the hunt for information re the installation of an after-market ceiling vent(with fan) to be installed in a 13 foot Boler(76).If there has been a previous discussion on this please send me there.If not these fans(Fantastic) are installed in Scamps and I'm sure in others but I need ideas how to install based on their inherent depth and the fact our ceilings only need a small portion of the 2 plus inches of allowance built into their design.Can they be trimmed or do you take up the extra depth above the roofline or am I doomed to play " hit the forehead".Anyway if someone or someones has ideas(pictures would be great) that would assist me I would appreciate the info.Thank you all.

Legacy Posts · 02-24-2003, 07:17 PM

Hi Rob ... hey, call Fantastic Fan direct and ask them.

I believe they offer a "low profile" collar piece for proper installation in the shallow ceilings of our little rigs. 800-521-0298 or 810-724-3818

Trouble is, places like Camping World don't install enough in our little fiberglass wonders to know about the shallower piece, so often tell folks it can't be done.

Someone, I believe Pete D ... also just trimmed down the collar to fit.

You'll have to snake some 12 volt wiring under the wall/ceiling covering up to the vent opening, since it's doubtful Boler ran wires to the vent (but you never know!)

I don't have Fantastic Fan's 800 number handy ... maybe someone has the information in their information packet.

Legacy Posts · 02-24-2003, 10:57 PM

Rob K., We installed a Fantastic Fan in an older Casita. The installation instructions included how to cut the collar to fit.

It seems like the collar was just cosmetic, anyway. If you don't like it (can't get it narrow enough to suit you), you could probably fashion something else out of trim molding or some such.

:cblob

Legacy Posts · 02-25-2003, 05:32 AM

Sometime in the fall of 2002, I posted a message and picture of a Holmes Twin Fan I mounted in the escape hatch of our 13' Scamp. If you use the search feature of this site you can view it. Search topic
"13' Scamp Ventilation Fan". This fan is not 12vdc but is hard wired into 110vac, is remote controlled with several programmable speeds and intake/exhaust modes. It does a great job. Hope this helps. NCL

Legacy Posts · 02-25-2003, 09:49 AM

I'm having problem understanding here.
Rob K wants a fan in his low ceiling TT (me too)
it sticks down so we get an adapter to raise it?
whats this Charles is talking about *also just trimmed down the collar to fit*? an outside/inside trim? maybe there is a section the fan fits into that is too small? well I told you I was confused.

Legacy Posts · 02-25-2003, 10:58 AM

Jana, The fantastic fan doesn't stick down, or at least not more than a small fraction of an inch. I just checked the installation instructions that Casita Enterprises left for us (among the other operating and installation manuals for the other appliances) but, alas, there is no picture of the ''collar'' (they call it a garnish!)

The one we installed in our older Casita was approx. 2 inches deep. It was a square thing, same dimension as the vent hole, and as I said, about 2 inches deep. It had a perpendicular flange, along the bottom edge. Stick the collar (garnish) up into the vent hole, after installing the fantastic fan, and screw or glue it in place. (Our current one must be glued, because the screw holes are open.)

If your TT roof to ceiling ''sandwich'' is less than a 2 inch thickness, the collar (garnish) will need to be trimmed so that it's not so deep (otherwise it will hang down too low). I think we accomplished this by scoring it and breaking; it snapped apart cleanly. (We followed the instructions which came with the fan we installed.) The ''literature'' I just looked at said if your installation is DEEPER than 2 inches, contact Fantastic Fan corp. for a deeper ''garnish.''

Jana, does this make sense? If not I can try to draw you a picture... :laugh

:cblob

Legacy Posts · 02-25-2003, 12:01 PM

Oh I would love a drawn picture,:wub but to be fair I understand and hope to get one for Buttercup. Sounds really easy.

Legacy Posts · 02-26-2003, 04:49 PM

Here's a link to Fan-tastic vent's web page with install instructions & pictures.

http://www.fantasticvent.com/help/knowledg...to_install.html

Legacy Posts · 02-26-2003, 05:50 PM

Thanks, Jim!! That's very good of them to post their installation instructions on the web!

Jana - Step 11 shows the ''garnish'' and says:

Quote:

Install interior garnish. Garnish may need to be trimmed. Score with utility knife, cut corners to the score line & break away. Exact sizes are available. When the roof is less than 1” thick, insert a spacer to finish the interior nicely. Spacers are available by calling Fantastic-Vent.

:ola

Legacy Posts · 02-26-2003, 07:39 PM

Jim
Thanks for link.Excelent.:wave

Legacy Posts · 02-26-2003, 09:36 PM

My thanks to all for their help.Jim excellent site-appreciate the direction and my forehead is breathing easier.

Legacy Posts · 02-28-2003, 01:40 AM

I trimmed the molding with sheet metal shears, notched out for the controls, then drilled mounting holes in the sides. Fit it up tight to the ceiling, push the carpet back with a screwdriver and screw it in place. Fits flush. :)
<img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3e5f11479f426Casita fan shroud removed.jpg/>

<img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3e5f11830bc3dCasita fan shroud.jpg/>

Legacy Posts · 02-28-2003, 05:43 PM

I'm not dead sure about this, but I believe fantastical fan has two models, the standard one and one where more of the housing, vent and motor stick up higher outside the roof for thin RV applications like ours. Call them and ask, as they are very helpful.

There are also variations on the interior garnish and an interior spacer for the thicker roof applications.

Pete and Rats

Legacy Posts · 04-30-2003, 04:04 PM

Fantastic vent offers two types of bases. One is a high profile base- more of the vent sticks out of the roof therefore less inside.
The other is a low profile base-- less sticks out of the roof more inside.

For thin crossectional roof to finished ceiling dimensions of 1" or less a high profile base is better if outside height clearance is a problem. Sometimes a using a flat dome instead of the standard dome gives just enough height clearance in some circumstances.

Fantastic does offer a filler piece if the vent housing protrudes down below the ceiling however sometimes it is actually better to make a picture frame out of wood and paint it or cover it with naugahyde,etc. That way the outside mounting screws have more to grab then 1/4 inch fiberglass and the inside trim has something to screw into.

Got other questions--please feel at ease contacting me about Fantastic Vents.

Legacy Posts · 04-30-2003, 10:06 PM

Oh! a factory man, Thanks Scott. We kind of like those Fantastic Vents.

Legacy Posts · 05-01-2003, 12:31 AM

I just put one in the Compact Jr. last week. I didn't realize that they offered a high profile model, just bought the regular fan. The price seems to have gone up on these fans in the last couple of years, mine was $170 US, after 30% discount. It sticks down about 1 1/2", I got the spacers from FF, and epoxyed the garnish (after trimming), in place. I wish that I had made a wood spacer, and may still modify it, especially since the CJ has a sagging roof (seems to be the norm in CJs). I will put some sort of flexible conduit around the wires, as they have to have extra length to allow for the pop-top roof.
Blossom
I just read Scott's post, and wish I had know about him 3 weeks ago before I bought mine!!!! I would have gotten the high profile, and saved money, d**m.:o

Legacy Posts · 05-01-2003, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Orginally posted by Thomas and Janifer

Oh! a factory man, Thanks Scott. We kind of like those Fantastic Vents.

Hi Jana,
I am not employed by Fantastic Vent Corp. I do sell Fantastic Vents though. I am glad you like your Fantastic Vents. Most people that have them like theirs too. We specialize in Fantastic Vents and will entertain questions some of you or others might have about them.

Legacy Posts · 05-04-2003, 07:21 PM

We just installed a Fantastic Fan in our Trillium 5500 and the picture frame idea is what we used. The fan only extends 1 inch down from the ceiling, and does not affect head room at all.

This is our second Fantastic Fan installation using this method and it works well.

We think these are great fans... quiet, move lots of air, well made and durable. In our 5500, even with 10 opening windows, the Fantastic really makes a difference in air flow.

Shaun Browne
Trillium 5500