Vent removed

[joesuspense]

I'm in the process of replacing my 9x9 ceiling vent on my Trail Mite. I removed the old vent and this is what I'm looking at. I had to use a heat gun and putty knife to remove the vent, and the vent came off in pieces. My plan from here is to clean up as best as I can with a scraper, then use butyl tape to attach the new vent. I was going to use acetone to clean it up, but I'm having second thoughts on that.

It looks like the grey is where the paint and possibly gelcoat have come up. Is this right? Is it OK to mount the vent right on there?

[deryk]

I would enlarge the hole (14"x14") and go with a MaxxAir hatch so you could have it open while its raining outside...and the fan works when its closed if you just want to move the air around. That was one of my new projects this year!

I got it shipped to me off of Amazon for $204!

[joesuspense]

I considered this, but the Trail Mite has a channel that runs down the middle of the roof, so the vent is offset to the side. I think that enlarging it would cause problems due to the curve of the roof.

[David Tilston]

Looks like you could come another 5" away from the channel. Reinforce the opening with a fibreglass frame made of this stuff:
DYNAFORM Sq Tube,ISOFR,Gry,1/8 T x1 In OD Sq,5 Ft - Fiberglass Square Tube Stock - 4ATN8|870860 - Grainger Industrial Supply

This will reinforce the opening, and recess the controls, so you don't bump your head.

[joesuspense]

Enlarging the opening to 14" for a fan isn't an option in a Trail Mite. There is a channel/hump that goes down the center of the roof on the outside. In a Trail Mite, the cabinets are actually fiberglassed into the walls, so there isn't enough room to extend 5" the away from the center either. While I'd love to put a fan in, the ceiling isn't going to be an option. I may eventually try to put one behind the stove as I've seen on the other Trail Mite that's being refurbished in another thread.

That all said, I did get the vent replaced. I cut a frame out out of 1/2" plywood for a spacer on the inside. I then stuck that to the ceiling and the vent to the roof with butyl tape. I did have to build up layers in areas to account for the curvature of the roof. I then drilled SS screws through the roof into the plywood spacer and squeezed it tight. Here's a picture of how it turned out (I painted the spacer to match the cabinets). The spacer doesn't stick out too much and hasn't been in the way yet when working in the camper.

We've had some crazy downpours here in the past week and the vent has held up dry as a bone. No more leaks between the wall into the cabinets!!

[Steve L.]

That looks like a very tidy job!

[Harlequin]

It's hard to tell in photo, but it looks like you have a bunch of caulk\silicone left on there. I'd start by cleaning that off and seeing what you have after that. (We had decent luck getting stuff off with Motsenbocker Lift Off ("2" \ Adhesive,Grease,Oily Stain Version is what we had)

[Spanke]

Here's a photo gallery of how I enlarged/reinforced and glassed in a spacer on my Trillium. I wanted to raise the new Fantastic Vent so that the controls did not protrude on the inside ceiling space.

You might be able to modify to fit your needs.















Still need to Bondo and paint, hope this might give you some ideas. The fiberglass work is really not hard at all as several others here have testified.

Good Look

Spanke

[Seth and Desiree]

Originally Posted by Spanke

Here's a photo gallery of how I enlarged/reinforced and glassed in a spacer on my Trillium. I wanted to raise the new Fantastic Vent so that the controls did not protrude on the inside ceiling space.

You might be able to modify to fit your needs.

Attachment 71731

Attachment 71732

Attachment 71733

Attachment 71734

Attachment 71735

Attachment 71736

Attachment 71737

Still need to Bondo and paint, hope this might give you some ideas. The fiberglass work is really not hard at all as several others here have testified.

Good Look

Spanke

This is great....looks like this technique could be used for a variety of modifications!

You mentioned you still need to apply the bondo? I've never dealt with fiberglass filler product before, but is the fiberglass filler material not enough to sand smooth and paint that? The ceiling crank vent in my scamp is larger than 14x14 and I'm unable to find an electric fan big enough to fill this hole, so I may have to do a build-up to make the opening smaller in order to accept a new 14x14 electric fan.

Thanks for the feedback!

-seth

[David Tilston]

It is possible to get it right with just the glass, but Bondo is easier to work with, (sand) and helps smooth out the grooves.

Since your vent is 17" x 24", can't you cut a 14" x 14" hole in it? I would use a quick disconnect plug for the fan, since what you actually have now is an escape hatch. You don't want to interfere with that function.

[Seth and Desiree]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

It is possible to get it right with just the glass, but Bondo is easier to work with, (sand) and helps smooth out the grooves.

Since your vent is 17" x 24", can't you cut a 14" x 14" hole in it? I would use a quick disconnect plug for the fan, since what you actually have now is an escape hatch. You don't want to interfere with that function.

Hmm. I'm not sure I follow. What do you mean cut a 14x14 hole in it? Here's a pic of what I have....the hand crank is in the center of the black frame, and that raises the white lid.

How would cutting a 14x14 hole in this be a solution? Thanks for clarifying

-seth

[David Tilston]

Well, you would remove the crank, and screen. You would probably have to install some kind of latch to keep it closed. Then cut a 14" x 14" hole in the escape hatch and install the fan in that hole. The fan will have it's own screen. Kind of a bubble gum and bailing twine solution, but you would still have an escape hatch.

I am assuming that the whole thing kinda pops out, so you can escape. Sorry, I'm mostly a Trillium guy.

[Spanke]

Originally Posted by Seth and Desiree

This is great....looks like this technique could be used for a variety of modifications!

You mentioned you still need to apply the bondo? I've never dealt with fiberglass filler product before, but is the fiberglass filler material not enough to sand smooth and paint that? The ceiling crank vent in my scamp is larger than 14x14 and I'm unable to find an electric fan big enough to fill this hole, so I may have to do a build-up to make the opening smaller in order to accept a new 14x14 electric fan.

Thanks for the feedback!

-seth

Seth,

The fiberglass on its own is quite rough and is pretty difficult to sand really smooth. The Bondo fills in all the little nooks and crannies and allows one to really true the surface to receive paint without showing through.

Spanke