Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Sunline RV Forum
Sunline User Photos

Go Back   Sunline Coach Owner's Club > Technical Forums > Modifications
Click Here to Login

Join Sunline Club Forums Today


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 06-08-2007, 07:01 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
pwb01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 945
SUN #258
pwb01 is an unknown quantity at this point
Vent fan installation

Being that we dry camp, I will install a Turbo/Maxx vent fan next week. It is supposed to install over the existing vent to make it easier. It seems that the challenge will be to get to power from a near-by light fixture. The fixture toward the front in my T-1950 is on a switch so I will try to connect to the fixture toward the rear of the vent. I haven't picked it up yet and I'm not sure how it fastens around the existing vent so I'm concerned about the rubber roof and what framing is around the existing vent. Any suggestions or pointers?

Thank you,
__________________

__________________
Paul & Sheri - Upstate New York - SUN-0258
Amateur Radio KD2KCY - VHF 146.520 MHz
2012 F150 F/X 4, 6cyl EcoBoost, Max Tow pkg
2013 Rockwood 8280WS 5th wheel
2006 Sunline Solaris T-1950
pwb01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-2007, 07:33 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Steve Collins's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 1,846
SUN #264
Steve Collins is an unknown quantity at this point
Paul,

I just browsed around Maxx Air's website a bit and looked at the Turbo/Maxx unit. Like all the other Maxx Air vents, this one fastens to your existing roof vent, and not to the roof itself.

When I put a Maxx Air on my trailer, I was worried about the same thing and was genuinely surprised and pleased with the mounting system. Think you will be too. They use an ingenious system of metal brackets that fasten to the metal shell of your vent and then connect to their vent body. Hard to describe but if you go to this link, you'll see what I mean: http://www.maxxair.com/Products/Turbo-Maxx.aspx

There's a link on that page for the installation guide, and it has step-by-step color pictures of how to install the unit. That should put your mind at ease about not having to puncture the rubber roof. The guide is only a half meg. so it will download pretty quick, even on a dial-up.

Now, for power, if you pull the plastic shell down from the inside of your existing roof vent, you should see wood framing on all four sides. You can also pull down the air conditioning vents and see up into the roof system pretty far, and since it is about a 3" hole, you can reach in there, too.

I think you won't have any problem drilling some 1/4" holes through the wood framing and snaking pair of wires from the light fixture over to the vent.

How far is it from the light fixture to the vent?

Speaking of dry camping, we're headed to Fish Creek Ponds on Monday for 10 days of dry camping. Yippee!
__________________

__________________

'12 F250 4x4 Super Duty PowerStroke 6.7 diesel
2011 to present: '11 Cougar 326MKS
1999 to 2011: '99 Sunline T-2453
SUN264 * Amateur Radio kd2iat monitoring 146.52
Steve Collins is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-2007, 08:57 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
pwb01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 945
SUN #258
pwb01 is an unknown quantity at this point
Steve,
Yes, I see what you mean. After seeing that I called Camping World back and asked for the vent cover from Maxx too so that I can match the turbo vent and put one over the bathroom. The power's only about 18" in either direction to a fixture to the front vent. Thanks for the info.

Fish Creek near Upper Tupper? Nice area. Last week was Hearthstone at Lake George and next week is Rogers Rock, same lake. Most of our time is spent on the Sacandaga river near Wells and almost always dry camping. 3 or 4 days is never a problem and and even more pleasant with a 12v vent fan to cool things down.
__________________
Paul & Sheri - Upstate New York - SUN-0258
Amateur Radio KD2KCY - VHF 146.520 MHz
2012 F150 F/X 4, 6cyl EcoBoost, Max Tow pkg
2013 Rockwood 8280WS 5th wheel
2006 Sunline Solaris T-1950
pwb01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-2007, 09:17 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Steve Collins's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 1,846
SUN #264
Steve Collins is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote:
Originally Posted by pwb01
Steve,
Yes, I see what you mean. After seeing that I called Camping World back and asked for the vent cover from Maxx too so that I can match the turbo vent and put one over the bathroom. The power's only about 18" in either direction to a fixture to the front vent. Thanks for the info.

Fish Creek near Upper Tupper? Nice area. Last week was Hearthstone at Lake George and next week is Rogers Rock, same lake. Most of our time is spent on the Sacandaga river near Wells and almost always dry camping. 3 or 4 days is never a problem and and even more pleasant with a 12v vent fan to cool things down.
Paul,

The ceiling studs are 16" on center in my '99 T-2453, and I suspect they're the same in your trailer. There should be wood framing around the vent itself which is also one of the ceiling studs, so you may only have to drill through that stud to get to the power. If it were me, I'd drill about a 3/8" hole to give myself some wiggle space. Drop the light fixture so you can get your fingers up in the ceiling space, and use a straightened out wire coat hanger that is much longer than the distance you need reach. Bend over the end of the coat hanger so you've got a nice smooth nose, and gently work it through the hole you drilled in the direction of your light fixture. If there is insulation in the space, try to keep the tip of the coat hanger on the ceiling material so it slides under the insulation rather than tearing through it. Once you've got the coat hanger all the way there, and out of the hole by the light, you now have a clear path and can pull your wires through by taping them to the coat hanger.

If there is a second stud, you may have to drill thru from the light fixture end of the path, and then try to work the coat hanger into that second hole. That will take some care and patience, but it can be done.

We've camped at Sacandaga SP Campground right there on RT 30 near Wells. It was a beautiful place, but our hearts are at Fish Creek. We try to get to Sacandaga every other year so we can spend some time in Northville.
__________________

'12 F250 4x4 Super Duty PowerStroke 6.7 diesel
2011 to present: '11 Cougar 326MKS
1999 to 2011: '99 Sunline T-2453
SUN264 * Amateur Radio kd2iat monitoring 146.52
Steve Collins is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-09-2007, 08:05 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
pwb01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 945
SUN #258
pwb01 is an unknown quantity at this point
Good idea. I'll pull the light fixtures and poke around a little this week.
We'll get up to Fish Creek one day. I have heard it's nice. My brother is a regular entertainer at the Wabeek in upper Saranac Lake.

Thanks for all the advice. I'm picking up the fan and hood for the bathroom vent at the new Syracuse Camping World tomorrow. I want to install them before a trip to Lake George next weekend.
__________________
Paul & Sheri - Upstate New York - SUN-0258
Amateur Radio KD2KCY - VHF 146.520 MHz
2012 F150 F/X 4, 6cyl EcoBoost, Max Tow pkg
2013 Rockwood 8280WS 5th wheel
2006 Sunline Solaris T-1950
pwb01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-10-2007, 05:29 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: New York
Posts: 153
SUN #105
mbart5fan
Paul,

I had a Turbo/Maxx fan installed for exactly the same reason as you. We dry camp and needed a fan powerful enough to exhaust hot air or draw in cool air. The power was retrieved from a nearby light fixture the same as you're planning. I've had Maxx/Air covers on all my trailers and would never be without them.
As for Fish Creek, here's a website loaded with information about it. http://www.fishcreekpond.com It's a wonderful CG but can get very busy in July and August. What does your brother do at the Wawbeek? We'll be at Rollins Pond next week and have dinner reservations there while in the area.

Mike
__________________
mbart5fan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-11-2007, 11:20 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
pwb01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 945
SUN #258
pwb01 is an unknown quantity at this point
Thanks Mike. I'll be installing the fan this week as well as a cover over the bathroom vent. I'll take power from the fixture toward the rear where there seems to be no obstruction with joists.

My brother plays guitar and sings there and has been for years, one man show.
__________________
Paul & Sheri - Upstate New York - SUN-0258
Amateur Radio KD2KCY - VHF 146.520 MHz
2012 F150 F/X 4, 6cyl EcoBoost, Max Tow pkg
2013 Rockwood 8280WS 5th wheel
2006 Sunline Solaris T-1950
pwb01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-12-2007, 10:21 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
pwb01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 945
SUN #258
pwb01 is an unknown quantity at this point
Steve,
Thanks, the structure was exactly as you said and it was a easy to run the wires to the fixture. The Maxx Air fan had great instructions and the whole process took only two hours, one on top and one inside with the wiring. There was no intrusion to the rubber roof and the fan really draws a good volume of air. Thanks for all your help.
__________________

__________________
Paul & Sheri - Upstate New York - SUN-0258
Amateur Radio KD2KCY - VHF 146.520 MHz
2012 F150 F/X 4, 6cyl EcoBoost, Max Tow pkg
2013 Rockwood 8280WS 5th wheel
2006 Sunline Solaris T-1950
pwb01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
to vent or not to vent while camper is just sitting here harbortj Repairs and Maintenance 12 04-08-2010 06:59 PM
MaxxFan Installation henryj Modifications 10 10-28-2009 05:20 PM
Slide Topper Installation Sunline Fan Modifications 2 07-13-2009 02:43 PM
Solar Fridge Fan Installation emam Modifications 10 06-17-2008 05:43 PM
DTV (Digital TV) Converter Installation Steve Collins Modifications 0 04-27-2008 04:46 PM


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sunline RV or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:20 AM.


×