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Old 08-08-2016, 05:15 AM   #1
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Replacing Roof Vent Cover

I just bought a 2003 Sunline Solaris. The roof vent cover (for the refrigerator, I presume) is cracked and needs to be replaced. My question is this: Is this a universal size? Any advice regarding removing the old vent or installing the new one? I need to purchase butyl tape, correct?

I am brand new to this. Thank you!
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Old 08-08-2016, 10:26 AM   #2
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If it were me I'd take the old cover off. Go to the RV store and buy another. Just tell them the brand and serial number of your fridge and show the cover. Do not mention Sunline. Good luck.
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Old 08-08-2016, 11:40 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MandoLinda View Post
I just bought a 2003 Sunline Solaris. The roof vent cover (for the refrigerator, I presume) is cracked and needs to be replaced. My question is this: Is this a universal size? Any advice regarding removing the old vent or installing the new one? I need to purchase butyl tape, correct?

I am brand new to this. Thank you!
Jim's advice is spot on. All the RV manufacturers use one of the two or three standard roof vents available. Just take the broken one with you to the RV store and don't mention Sunline. I've expounded on that repeatedly in other posts.

If you look at the cover closely, you will see some dabs of caulk. Pry them out and you'll find screws. Remove the screws and the cover comes right off. No need to replace the entire vent assembly, just the cover. So if that is the case, you won't need butyl tape.

You will need a #2 square drive to remove the screws. They're readily available at hardware and home improvement stores.

You will want to caulk over the screws when you're done. This is one of the very, very few places on and RV that a silicone caulk is OK if that's what you have lying around the house. Just don't use latex as it will dissolve in the rain over time.
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Old 08-08-2016, 06:21 PM   #4
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Camco makes a universal fridge vent cover. It is made to replace any vents with instruction and hardware supplied. Most RV parts stores will have it.
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Old 08-09-2016, 07:20 PM   #5
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Thank you for all of the advice, it was spot on. I purchased a Camco cover and it fit fine. I did have to wrestle with removing the old screws, they were very difficult to remove. The original cover was very brittle. While I was up there, I cleaned around the vent and re-caulked around the vent with lap sealant. I applied the sealant to the new screw heads. I'd attach a photo but my phone is not cooperating.

Thanks again for the advice!
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Old 08-10-2016, 09:27 AM   #6
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Sounds like you did what anyone else would have done. A good and complete job.
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Old 08-10-2016, 05:03 PM   #7
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One little tip. I mounted 2 4" computer fans on the vent screen and dropped the wires to a bat switch in the access compartment wired to the 12 volt block. It's amazing how much those 2 little fans venting out the heat help in the efficiency of the refrigerator

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Old 08-11-2016, 03:54 AM   #8
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I had mounted two 3" fans at the bottom of the fridge opening. Ran power wire thru a push/pull l2Volt light switch. Since the fridge on my 2363 is under the awning it made no difference, fan or not, if I only extended the awning. Maybe the fan at the top, and bigger, would make a difference.


What the computer pancake fans did do was make the fan quieter than the bathroom vent style fan that had been installed by previous owner.




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Old 08-11-2016, 05:01 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim-Bev-2363 View Post
I had mounted two 3" fans at the bottom of the fridge opening. Ran power wire thru a push/pull l2Volt light switch. Since the fridge on my 2363 is under the awning it made no difference, fan or not, if I only extended the awning. Maybe the fan at the top, and bigger, would make a difference.
My Cougar has the fridge in a slide-out, thus no roof vent. What I have is a second outside access/vent panel directly above the regular one near the top of the wall of the slide-out. In this pic, you can see the wiring and thermal switch at the top of the pic by the vent fins. The fan is horizontally mounted by bottom of the panel opening, pulling hot air up and out of the upper vent/access. The single fan is effective, but if I wanted to improve the ventilation, it would be a simple matter of adding a second fan.


What most folks do for better venting of the backside of the fridge is place the fan in or just under the roof vent assembly. The kits sold for this purpose specifically mount in the roof vent assembly.

Perhaps relocating one or both fans to the top of the fridge would work better.
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Old 08-11-2016, 07:07 AM   #10
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The only reason I have not moved the fans is the fridge werks great as it is. Even here in the Florida heat we have a cold fridge. Maybe "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".


I do have a 110V fan at the top of the vent but it is so noisy I don't use it. The noise is why I even tried new pancake fans and it did solve the noise issue but seemed a waste of time.


One thing the previous owner had done is open the louvered cover by placing a four inch length of hose to prop it open. That allowed more air intake for the vent. Again, we never found the need for even that. Our food/drinks/ice stayed great without doing anything. Maybe we just do not open the door as much as other people do but for whatever reason the need for more "werk" isn't there.


Glad you found your answer.
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Old 08-11-2016, 09:50 AM   #11
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The only reason I have not moved the fans is the fridge werks great as it is. Even here in the Florida heat we have a cold fridge. Maybe "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".


I do have a 110V fan at the top of the vent but it is so noisy I don't use it. The noise is why I even tried new pancake fans and it did solve the noise issue but seemed a waste of time.


One thing the previous owner had done is open the louvered cover by placing a four inch length of hose to prop it open. That allowed more air intake for the vent. Again, we never found the need for even that. Our food/drinks/ice stayed great without doing anything. Maybe we just do not open the door as much as other people do but for whatever reason the need for more "werk" isn't there.


Glad you found your answer.
Do you monitor your refrigerator temp.? I have a two part thermometer, 1 part stays inside refrigerator while the second part stays outside. That way I can keep an eye on internal temperature. The best way is a food tempature probe. While 45° may seem cold to the touch, it's in the danger zone. Refrigerator should be at least 40°, lower is better with opening and closing door. I can drop my internal refrigerator temp. by 5-7° on a hot day bu turning on the fans.

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Old 08-11-2016, 06:35 PM   #12
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I don't know the temps. I do know that Wifey hasn't complained about anything spoiling and drinks are always cold. That is good enuff for us.
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Old 08-11-2016, 06:59 PM   #13
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DW was in food service for a long time . She always very aware food storage tempatures

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