Maintenance & Restoration

Kurt in BC · 07-24-2007, 11:53 PM

Got a Fantastic Fan used and it appears to be the basic model with no instructions

I am going to install it and observed there are 2 wires. I tried it on the battery today and observed that by switching the wires from + to - I can reverse the direction of the fan (pulling air in vs pulling air out). I want to keep this feature and seeing I am not too knowledgeable on electricity I assume I can by some sort of switch at the hardware store to reverse the polarity/wires?

Does anyone know? thanks!!

- Kurt

Chester Taje · 07-25-2007, 08:53 AM

Is there no reverse switch on fan.Mine has a switch.

Kurt in BC · 07-25-2007, 09:31 AM

not on this one. I can upgrade the unit's panel off the FantasticFan website to add the remote, reverse switch and thermostat even but figured I could add the remote switch myself. Just not sure what one looks like.

Chester Taje · 07-25-2007, 09:56 AM

I have never seen one wih out the built in switch.Good luck.

Larry&Carrie · 07-25-2007, 10:31 AM

Quote:

not on this one. I can upgrade the unit's panel off the FantasticFan website to add the remote, reverse switch and thermostat even but figured I could add the remote switch myself. Just not sure what one looks like.

Go to your local auto parts store (not a chain store, but the one that supplies your local jobbers)

and find the knowledgeable dude there. Explain to him what you want to do. This is the same theory that your auto power windows use. (Reversing polarity with a switch) There should be a toggle switch in their stock that will do the trick.

If you run into a blank wall, I'll draw up a schematic and send to ya.. Larry

Morgan · 07-25-2007, 06:30 PM

Kurt,

You need a double pole, double throw (DPDT) switch rated for 5 amps DC.

That's a switch with two sections that operate together. Each section has a common connection and two ON connections; one on each side.

Wire as shown here:

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Larry&Carrie · 07-25-2007, 06:59 PM

[quote]Kurt,

You need a double pole, double throw switch rated for 5 amps DC.

That's a switch with two sections that operate together. Each section has a common connection and two ON connections; one on each side.

Wire as shown here:
Attachment 9120

I knew someone else would draw it out for ya and I would get out of doing it...

THANX Morgan.... Larry

Morgan · 07-26-2007, 01:42 AM

Quote:

I knew someone else would draw it out for ya and I would get out of doing it...

THANX Morgan.... Larry

de nada, Larry.

Kurt, you may be able to find a DPDT switch that snaps in to replace the ON-OFF switch on the fan. In that case you would need a three position DPDT switch; ON-OFF-ON. Still use the same wiring diagram.

If the price of the replacement panel from Fantastic Fan is not too far out, you might want to consider it along with the thermostat. I find the thermostat control useful.

Pete Dumbleton · 07-26-2007, 02:45 PM

Umm, quit screwing around and call fantastical fan tech support -- They will tell you what you have and might even send you the upgrade switch for nothing -- They have just about the best customer service policy in existence, which is one of the reasons why the fans are popular. I have never heard of an ff without the reversing switch....

Joe MacDonald · 07-26-2007, 06:12 PM

I put my own in with a switch from princess auto. I was too cheap to pay the extra 50 bucks.
The switch cost me 5.00 and the time was about 10 minutes

Kurt in BC · 07-30-2007, 02:01 PM

I have had them order one up but how do I wire the switch? The fan has 2 wires off it but the switch has 4 connectors. I understand the concept but a little confused how I get the 2 wires into 4.

thanks.

tracy.c · 07-30-2007, 02:15 PM

i'm glad to see your post, as I am about to order the basic FF model.

is this the one you got?

FANTASTIC POWER VENT - 3 SPEED WITH REVERSIBLE FAN

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-vents/62466.htm

seems nutz to not have a switch with it!

tracy.c · 07-30-2007, 02:19 PM

looks like the switch is in the lower left corner and the turn knob to manually open/close the lid is in the upper left

at least on the one I plan to order. sale ends tommorow 7/31, so I have to decide. $139. is a good price for what i need to get the hot air out.

Kurt in BC · 07-30-2007, 02:38 PM

Mine is the model 8000 so no reverse switch included (got mine used on EBay). I can add the $5 switch just need to know how to wire it up

tracy.c · 07-30-2007, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Mine is the model 8000 so no reverse switch included (got mine used on EBay). I can add the $5 switch just need to know how to wire it up

phew - i was afraid that is what I was getting. I just ordered mine which looks to be the 4000r fan.

yours has no reverse on the fan at all as far as I can tell. hope the wiring will reverse it for you.

http://www.fantasticvent.com/products/mode...model_8000.html

Brian B-P · 07-30-2007, 05:20 PM

Quote:

I have had them order one up but how do I wire the switch? The fan has 2 wires off it but the switch has 4 connectors. I understand the concept but a little confused how I get the 2 wires into 4.

The answer is back in Morgan's post #6, but it may not be clear to someone who doesn't read wiring schematics like a second language...

In this drawing, the big grey box is the switch, which has six connectors - if you only have four, you might have a double-pole single-throw (DPST) switch, or you might have the cross-over connections (see below) already done for you inside the switch. The terminals shown in the middle are the "common" or output connections; moving the switch to one direction or the other connects these terminals to the right-side input terminals, or the left-side. Hopefully there is centre position in which nothing is connected - that's the centre-off or three-position switch you want. The vertical bar connecting the two little switchblades means that the switch has two "poles" (the "double pole" aspect), which move together; the fact that it can be "thrown" to two different connections makes it a "double throw" switch... thus it's a DPDT.

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The incoming power wires (shown black and grey, because white doesn't work on a white background!) go to one pair of inputs, and cross over each other to connect to the other pair. The fan wires (shown in dashed lines) connect to the common terminals.

**Mary F** · 07-30-2007, 08:29 PM

Quote:

looks like the switch is in the lower left corner and the turn knob to manually open/close the lid is in the upper left

at least on the one I plan to order. sale ends tommorow 7/31, so I have to decide. $139. is a good price for what i need to get the hot air out.

Tracy, the open/close knob is in the lower right corner. The switch in the upper left is for changing the fan speed.

tracy.c · 07-31-2007, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Tracy, the open/close knob is in the lower right corner. The switch in the upper left is for changing the fan speed.

thx mary! i haven't gotten mine yet. should get it in 3 days. I'm just glad it has switches

Pete Dumbleton · 08-01-2007, 06:53 PM

BTW, here's a simple mod that I did on the open/close knob, because I sometimes leave the vent open enough that rain would get in and since the knob has the hollow side up, it would fill with water which would drip down my arm when I tried to turn it. Simply drill a small drain hole out near the end of each of the four arms of the knob.

Brian, knowing the customer service reputation of fantastical fan, I wouldn't be at all surprised to find them sending a $5 switch for free; they were very quick to send me a free grommet for the thru-roof installation, plus an extra gasket.