Cool DIY RV Vent Fans for Under $50!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ค. 2024
- This video is about installing low-cost but efficient computer fans in the existing vents of your trailer, camper or RV. They use very little energy but work great!
IMPORTANT NOTE: This modification is only intended for those with electrical wiring experience. Improper wiring can cause damage to your fan or electrical system. Please seek the advice of an electrician.
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I am always impressed with anyone that can do mechanical stuff. I have 10 thumbs when it comes to building/modifying anything. Good job, and great video!
A great solution, well executed too. I like how you have the airflow pointing outward, otherwise you’d be getting bug guts between your fan and screen.
I just did this mod on my bathroom vent. I used a 200mm instead of the 230mm. And the LED is always on (unless I rewire it and add a switch). I used the acrylic sheet like you did. What a great idea. Thanks so much for the inspiration !
This is such a well done video, and great modification! I can’t wait to do this to my 1978 truck box camper. I was considering forking up the money on new vents with fans but there’s nothing wrong with my current vents! As you mentioned, I also don’t need that much air flow. Thank you for this tutorial.
I really like al the cool modifications you have made to your Aliner. You are one of my favorites!
That is a great option! Thank you for sharing!
Ok...this video did it....I subscribed! I'm watching all your videos I'd not even considered this type of trailer so thanks! You've opened up a whole new class of possibilities!
Finally a useful TH-cam diy RV video.. Well done...
You must do endless research on projects. Fantastic Fan/Computer Fan. Necessity truly is the mother of invention.
Great idea Slim. I just may try these on my travel trailer.
Nice job on the video! a professional looking DIY project!!
just got done camping with my Aliner, nice video, great idea.
Great solution. I agree with you that the fan tastic and the maxx fan can be overkill for smaller volume campers.
Great job....and good idea...and it still lets a lot light come through!
You do a better job at instructional videos than other channels that do them exclusively
I sure am glad to see this video , I am going to add this to my small TT Thanks a lot. Great video !! & saved me a lot of work & money ! Thanks again .
Our toilet room has a very small fan in the vent. I'm going to see if one of these computer fans will work to replace it. Thanks for the idea!
What a great idea! I had thought about doing something like this but I don't think I would have thought of the plexi glass.
So cool I’m looking now for a van and everything is so expensive to equip. This is a great option to start or as a second vent and since the vent is probably 14 inches
I could up grade later if needed. Thank you
Great idea! Thanks for all the detailed instructions.
Fantastic video Slim... Very cool.
Great video. As soon as I saw your TShirt for " Stax Records" I immediately knew I was going to learn something great!
Saved & thank you! I may do this in my Silverstreak!
Cool Idea, but as previously mentioned, I am impressed and jealous of anyone who can do all this stuff,, and it helps to have the right tools for the job and a place to do the cutting, etc,, cool lighting by the way,,
I'm with you slim on not wasting $$$.
Hi, very good job, thanks for sharing
i just had the same Idea, i will use a super silent noctua fan , because it is positioned exactly on the top of the bed.
You are a "Jack" of many trades. Good idea.
Cool trick I love a how to video that saves 💰
Cool idea. Appreciate you sharing
Neat thanks for your time.
I am with you on not wanting to spend so much money on the "fantastic fans". Loved your idea so decided to give it a shot. I started the project this weekend and all that is left is mounting and wiring the 2nd fan (isn't being delivered until Tuesday). 1st one is working great, can't wait to try it out on the next trip which just happens to start next weekend for a week. I have a disc golf tournament in Charlotte, NC the following week so decided to save some money and camp in Waldo (our Aliner). Anyways, thank again for your awesome ideas. Love your videos
Hi frzbgolfer, happy to have helped. As one viewer noted, make sure you do not mix the positive and negative wires. The rest is easy. Thanks! SP
That was awesome! Thank you!
Awesome job! I had the same idea and bought similar computer fans last year but haven't got the chance to put it in:)
To note they do make fan that are use in automotive applications for cooling engine related things. Thoes will run on 12v but just have to look at the amp draw if running off solar with a battery. Amps is what drain batteries so more needed faster they discharge.
Excellent idea. I would use polycarbonate (lexan) instead of Plexi, though. Scratches easier, but much less brittle and easier to drill without breaking.
Great video
I just looking for this.. nice work!
Well Done!
i really like this money saving idea, tnx for sharing 👍
Thanks for the info.
All kneel to the master of the camper.
Great Job!
Yeah...vents for trailers are extremely expensive! In this way you get good saving! Thanks for the hint!
I have wire dangling from roof vent. What is the best way to secure that. My Aliner is a 98 and most of white tape used here and there is coming loose probably from the Minnesota summer heat. What is a good tape to use that will stay. I'm 68 yr old gal trying to fix up the camper by myself. Thanks for the great videos.
I will say man. I've been digging for a better option price/performance wise and I cannot come up with one. Thanks for doing all the research. I may just start trusting your videos out the gate. I'll put a single fan in my one and only roof vent. If that's not enough I'll build another for my kitchen window. ✌️😎
Nice job
I love the calibrated paper towel anemometer! I was wondering about the cfm rating.
I like seeing alternate methods. This is a nice clean install.
I have been thinking that automotive radiator fans may also work in some applications. Probably noisier but used could be cheap or free. Most would be too large for a vent but could work in a window or other hole that an older rv might have.
The ad under your video is for a fan-tastic fan. Hilarious !
You'll have to go off the specs of the fan itself.
great idea! Fantastic Fans are incredibly over priced
I like this idea. I'm going to do same in my trailer. With my portable Breeze fan no need to install AC.....I just place an order so u may get some $$
just liking and commenting and favoriting for yt recommendations
Very cool (pun intended)!
I bought 2 Spectre Pro's a few days ago and I tried to do the same thing, I started with one of the fans by connecting the + and - wires directly to the 12v leisure battery in my campervan, it worked for a few times at low speed and finally the fan stopped working. Did I do something wrong by connecting the wires to the battery?
i recently installed an aftermarket Radiator Fan for a Honda civic in my Vent spot .
Nice option and well done video. I would recommend small clips for the wiring and not glueing the connectors to the vent. going to be a PIA when one fails. Also you can get blade connectors and install one fan at a time.
I'd make a few adjustments and you can do it cheaper and/or better.
A lot of these DIY videos seem to have massive downsides, but this is really ingenious and very well executed.
Hi Scott, I use these fans constantly, every time I'm camping. Handy, inexpensive and easy to install. Thanks!
I just received my 200mm Spectre Pro RGB. It has a 4 wire ribbon and a 3 wire ribbon cable. You mentioned a video showing more detail on the wiring. Any info appreciated! Thanks!
Thank you I needed something chip when I reach
Another low cost alternative to the Fantastic fan or MaxxFan option is a Heng's 90046-CR. Currently it is about $50 and replaces the lower portion of the vent structure.
I just installed a Heng's Vortex II (90046-CR) in my trailer and it's a HUGE upgrade from the stock bathroom fan. For a few bucks more than this would cost you, you get 3 forward and 2 reverse speeds. Definitely a worthwhile investment.
However, I'm debating doing this mod for my bedroom and bunkhouse roof vents due to the fact that the Case fan should be a bit quieter than the Vortex, and the clear plexiglass will still allow decent light in compared to the solid plastic frame of the Vortex fan. Now I just need to figure out if I can attach these to a speed controller and reverse them, so I can have the same basic functionality of the Vortex.
EXCELLENT.
nice red lights look like evil eyes same as Amityville house horror. Great job.
Retail price for Fantastic Fan in Sweden is 360USD. =/ So this video is great inspiration for saving some money! =0)
Nice video! Do you have links to the camco vent and plexiglass?
Slim Potatoe Head, you are a genus, love your ingenuity. Can you come to the US and fix us please, we need help?
Very nice video and great idea. I'm/ thinking of doing this for the rear pop out window in my van. How much draw on the battery do you think there is? Also I'm thinking to install a thermostat.
I think it is around 0.2 Amps. Extremely little. SP
i used to have 6 12v PC fans stuck to some cardboard on my bedroom window. ( this was connected to a speed controller) and in hot weather they used to work really well, it did make some noise when the fans were on full power but it was worth it just to keep me cool.
I was wondering just that, a pack of five Anker fans is available on Amazon for $25. I am sure 4 of them together would move enough air without drawing too much current or making much noise. Coupled with a thermostat and speed controller, one could keep the insides well ventilated without it sounding like a jet engine. LOL
I had this idea also I'm glad to see it working. If I'm not mistaken but those fans should be reversible. That can be done with wiring at the source through switches but I have no idea how that's done. When can I add a rheostat for variable speed. I also considered one of these fans for a low profile ceiling fan. I presume it could be mounted from the ceiling with only a half inch Gap. Or producing a personal box fan.
Hi Wes, these particular fans are NOT reversible. Reverse the polarity you might destroy the fan. SP
Could a larger (12" or 16") radiator fan be used ?
It would be nice to wire it so you have the option of reversing the fan direction.
Would it make a difference if you change direction of fans? Like, if one blows in while other blows out. Or both blowing in? I have two vents on my roof of small sprinter van with no windows. I was thinking about installing a fan on one of the vent. Is better for fan to blow in or out? Or should I get two fans, one blows in one out? Any ideas?
Hi Johny, blowing out at the roof is best. That allows fresh air to come in through lower vents or windows for full circulation. Hot air travels up. Thanks!
Wow never seen computer fans that big before.
Very cool! Ha.
nice , dont think there water resistand so you might want to put some sort of louvre fan shrouds over the top of them so rain cant hit it
red lights prolly atracts moskito's
How about mounting one fan pulling air in; and another pulling air out ? I'm finishing a box van into a camper waited to install a fan just for this reason....Thanks Slim
Yes,that works! Not two in the roof though, one in the vent and one by the floor. I sometime use one for my door vent. Thanks! SP
I wonder if we add a boost converter you could up the voltage which would up the speed if you needed more air. I might try this in my build. Thanks for the vid.
Maybe a motor controller
Thanks for the question. As the rated voltage is 12V, I would be hesitant to go any higher without risking damage to your motor.
Good job. I would have wired them on separate switches.
Hello there, I'm in Canada, did you had any issues with humidity with those fan? As dust would build up on the fan the humidity will go in the dust... Any electric issues also?
Hi papa54321, no issues with humidity, dust or electrical. Used them almost non-stop the last few days as I was boondocking the West in a heatwave. Very little current draw. Thanks!
By chance has anyone found a speed control switch you could use on it?
I got a fan like yours. They seem to have 2 connectors. One with 2 cables and one with 3 cables. Which one is for power to the fan and which one is to the LED lights?
Nice video! /greetings from Sweden
I believe some fans will have 5V or 12V capability. Wish I could tell you more.
Hey Slim, I have been unable to find the on/off switch. The box said it is sold separately and indicates it is a BitFenix Hydra on-the-fly on/off switch ( BFA-HDR-K9-RP). Did you order it separately, or is your red button a different one for the on/off switch for the LED lights? I have the platform built and am ready to install. Just waiting on the on/off switch for the LED. But, can't find it on Amazon, E-Bay, or Best Buy. Any ideas on where I can get the little read switch?To start and stop the fan itself, I bought a 6 PIN dual polarity switch. This switch should allow the fan to pull in air by turning the switch one way, and push air out by turning it the opposite.
The red switch shown in this video is just an SPST ON/OFF push button switch. Here's a link: www.active123.com/54125-Pushbutton-Switch-Red-SPST-OFFON-3A-250VAC-Prodview.html It is NOT included with the fan, and for my purposes is only for turning the lights off. Thanks!
Darn! 20.00 to ship a 1oz plastic button!! Wow. I think I will check out my local hardware store.
Get the fans in the vents going in the van 😌😌😌 took me twice to read it right as a third language lol
Can this fan run on both directions? I did something similar with a few reclaimed small PC fans but they only go on one direction 😔
Flip the fan over.
What if you dont have that type of tool to cut it out? Is there a equivelent tool I could use to cut the circle?
Hi James, a coping saw would do it. These are usually only a few dollars. Thanks! SP
Nice vid, one question though: If you are down south or like me here in Australia, how do you protect your fan system from high outer temperatures and intense UV? A camper standing in the sun over here can reach outside temperatures well over 60 degrees Celsius not to mention the inside Temperatures as you will agree.
Hi Mickey, why on earth would you want to camp at 60 celcius? SP
@@SlimPotatohead well lucky that we sleep at night when its cooler.
as I ponder cutting the hole in my small van for a vent, I'm wondering if 12v 3amp is just too much draw on my 70AH 120RC battery and I can just get away with 5v .5amp fan(s).. the difference is being able to run the fans overnight as well as being able to run them off a small solar panel directly (no battery) during the day. Here in Florida (I THINK) a single 200w solar panel and a 20amp controller (overkill I know, but more about being more receptive on cloudy days) with built in 5v 2amp usb ports would run those fans even late into the day or on a cloudy days
Not sure where you got that these fans are 3 amp. More like 0.3 amps. Very low current draw. USB fans are usually not very powerful. Thanks! SP
Yes! meant the Fan-tastic and MaxxAir fans everybody is putting in those 14x14 vent openings these days. Totally get what you are doing, adding to your points with benefits of low amp draw.
Are you able to provide a link to the SPECTRE PRO FAN - 230MM on Amazon? Thanks
Scroll down on the video description and you will find it. Thanks! SP
Hello,I don't know if you will read this, but I bought a red spectre pro fan. I went on my roof and drilled out the rivits of old tiny fan and made holes to fit this fan, and bolted it in with 2 bolts. It fits in the old frame perfect. I wired it, but with shore power, or the battery 12 v power it doesn't turn on. The button switch on the old plastic frame worked before I wired it. Not wanting to replace the switch also. The wires sparked when brushed accidently so I believe there is power going to the fan. I am not sire because you didn't go into depth on how to wire this to old wires. Do you have any advice? I know red is white, pos. blk is gonna be ground always. There was the light gismo and that just plugged into other stuff. I don't understand unless I got a bad fan?
Can you help me? I was worried because I have camper plugged into house power and it is a 12 v fan I burnt motor out. You don't plug into shore power, so maybe that is my problem? Any help would be great. Thank you
Hi Victoria, I really wish I could help you more, but it seems you missed the two key points that I included in the other two responses I sent you previously. Seek out a person with electrical knowledge, as this is NOT like changing a light bulb. You MUST test the voltage of the circuit BEFORE installing the fan. Both for polarity and current. If you saw sparks there is a good chance you have shorted the motor. Do you own a voltmeter? Using old wires is a big risk, as they could easily be the cause of your first fan failing. Also, test your switch. NEVER assume which of the existing wires is positive or negative, TEST them first. SP
"The wires sparked when brushed accidently" is called a "short" You have probably blown a fuse in the system somewhere when the wires shorted. As Slim said, if you dont have much electrical knowledge, it would be best to get it checked out by someone like an auto electrician. It actually might be a cheap fix if its just a blown fuse. Best of luck with it. Peter
Computer fans are underrated.
Could you mount 1 for blowing in and 1 for blowing out and use a switch for each
Hi Michael, I'm sure you could. I prefer blowing out as it forces the cooler air from below up. I am looking at installing a 3rd fan in my door vent to further increase the flow. Thanks!
Slim Potatohead fan above cook area blow out fan above shower blow in. You get help with steam cooking and blow in would help dry shower. Or am I over thinking. Love you vids 👍
Ahh, got'cha. Unfortunately the roof above the shower is covered by the front roof half in folded down position, so no clearance for a back roof vent. The door vent fan (which will be blowing in) should force the humid air up and out and allow the shower to dry quicker. I can also just take the shower curtain outside and dry it in the sun. Thanks!
This is Fan tastic....Great stuff Slim. You ever travel on the East Coast?
I've taken my Aliner to Florida, but not upstate on the east coast yet. Thanks! SP
I think you would love the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Vermont, New York, Even PA and West Virginia are beautiful. Happy travels bro.
Do you have problems with the wind turning your fans in the opposite direction? Has this caused the fans to burn out from the resistance?
Hi Colin, never had that problem. If the wind was high enough I would use the windows for circulation instead of the vent fans. Thanks! SP
Slim Potatohead thank you, I really enjoy watching your videos. Even though you focus on the US and Canada, I feel I can relate your advice and experiences to my camping throughout Australia. I have only just recently bought a chalet aframe camper and I have already implemented some of your tips and we love it.
I would have probably installed a cluster of 4 120s in each window. Would probably get you a better flow.
And be a lot louder
Slim, I ordered 2 of these fans today. How did you hook up the lights.
The light connections are merely a plug connector. Just wire them to a single on/off switch as no additional power connection is needed. Good Luck with your project! SP
@@SlimPotatohead Thank you so much
Hi How do I read the CFM rating on these fans couldn’t find it in the description of product any thoughts
Bee, this is an older video. Not sure the fan is available any more. Sorry! SP
This one is about 175 CFM. You would have to check manufacturer specs before you buy.
Maybe it's just me, but, what would be wrong with putting up one fan at a time, and using connectors on the wire between them?
You could, I just prefer not to have a big lump under the tape where they would join. Cosmetics and one less joint to deal with. Thanks !
I'll probably put the connector(s) inside the vent housing.
If that fan has RGB your Alight would run faster.
Plexiglass.. AH HA.. very nice.. this way The fan is more efficient too. You are basically making a replica of that Heng Vortex one. I think it would be quieter too. Now all I have to do is how to find a push button potentiometer to control fan speed and pushbutton to turn it on and off. I probably need a controller.
auto radiator fans also run on 12v but are much better at moving air.... And they're cheap as well
you should sell those. most of us nomads dont want to haul tons of tools around. would have been great to show us dummies how to hook it up
I bought a fan like that, red to boot. I have a 2004 rv, with 1 vent, and it's in the bathroom. I think it's a 2.5 or 3 inch fan and doesn't hardly move any air. And it's in the bathroom.
I don't want to hassle with cutting plexiglass as there is an existing rail that the old fan is sitting on and wiring is already to tap into.
I just am unsure how to get this bigger fan into a hole with a t crank for vent roof, and a piece of metal going through the middle where the old fan sits. I think metal cutting is gonna have to happen, but then I have no secure structure to mount the fan to. As it's not made for this hole. Unfortunately it also is the ONLY roof vent and fan in this camper a fault to be sure. And like you indidnt want to pay 150. For a fantastic fan, but I may have to if infant figure out how to put this in. A project I plan to attack tomorrow.
Also, i will need to cut the wires on the fan to connect to the existing wires up in the hole. I want the light to come on, don't kniw why it's in the toilet, but it will be a cool night light on hot nights. If I keep door propped open. Can I converge all the wiring down to just 2 wires, (wish u had shown that part) and lights still work. There is no light switch I don't think. U must have made that. And perhaps that switch is 1 of the extra set of wires with mire connectors that will need to be cut.?
Hi Victoria, In my vent the fan sits below the metal bracket that holds the crank. I have about 1 1/2" of space to mount the fan. Yes, I added the on/off switches. One for the fan, and one for the light. The connection that is a loop is to turn the LED light on or off (pins out it's off). I cut this loop to install the LED switch. The 3-wire pin is the one that supplies the power to the fan. With the side that has the label in the center facing you, and the wires coming down from the center, the first (left) wire is ground, the center is positive and the 3rd is not needed. Do you have someone with electrical experience that can help you with this? I really need to stress that any modifications on the electrical system of an RV should only be attempted by someone with basic electrical knowledge. Hope this helps! Thanks, SP
I'm curious.. Are your fans still in operation?? How are they runnin?
Not sure. I changed campers two years ago. SP