The fans! The fans!

[leslie]

Okay, we have stored our camper down south until we need it for Christmas. But, we have a problem with the fans in the main cabin part of it. The fan near the entry door and the high velocity fan in the kitchen are on the fritz.

The knob that lifts the outside lid just turns and turns and we cannot lift the lid. Fortunately, the lids are closed. So, my husband was thinking about pulling off the screen and adjusting the little gear.

Has anyone worked on these fans? He says he isn't sure about how to pull off the screen without damaging it. Or are will we just have to replace these fans?

The fans are what comes standard with the Camplite. We did not upgrade to Fantastic Fans. We were happy with the way these fans worked, until the day we had to put the camper in storage, and found that we had a problem...

[charliem]

[font size="3"]Possibly the fans were damaged by too much heat and humidity while husband was sitting outside   
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[daplumbr]

If they are the "turbo" fans installed by LL, the round frame and screen just screw out (counterclockwise) with a bayonet type mount. Easy. The lifting mechanism may just have a loose screw in the knob (phillips screw head) and that's easily tightened. If it's not just a loose knob screw, removing it and the knob will provide access to some of the mechanism to see what's wrong, but you will likely need to remove the fan/motor. That can all be done from inside the camper, no need to get on the roof. Remove the trim from the fan mount (#2 square drive screws) and you'll see how the fan assembly is removed. I'm about to replace another one of mine with a multi-speed fan so if you want photos, I can do that soon. Also, lube the lifting mechanism with silicone spray and it will all work much smoother. 

[leslie]

[font size="3"]Possibly the fans were damaged by too much heat and humidity while husband was sitting outside   
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LOL

[leslie]

If they are the "turbo" fans installed by LL, the round frame and screen just screw out (counterclockwise) with a bayonet type mount. Easy. The lifting mechanism may just have a loose screw in the knob (phillips screw head) and that's easily tightened. If it's not just a loose knob screw, removing it and the knob will provide access to some of the mechanism to see what's wrong, but you will likely need to remove the fan/motor. That can all be done from inside the camper, no need to get on the roof. Remove the trim from the fan mount (#2 square drive screws) and you'll see how the fan assembly is removed. I'm about to replace another one of mine with a multi-speed fan so if you want photos, I can do that soon. Also, lube the lifting mechanism with silicone spray and it will all work much smoother. 

Thanks, merlin. I think your description is very clear. We will follow your advice and see how it goes. Our youngest son will be joining us for Christmas. In addition to being a computer/electronics wizard, he is also handy with tools. We might also enlist his help.

[leslie]

[font size="3"]Possibly the fans were damaged by too much heat and humidity while husband was sitting outside   
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Once I finished laughing over your post, I started thinking about this. The heat shouldn't cause any problems. The kitchen countertop hasn't started to delaminate, it is just fine. However, the humidity could be another problem. I have the tip-out bunk and so far, no condensation on the walls. A "navy shower" doesn't last that long. Hmmm...

[pinstriper]

The way I read this thread, everyone is saying you have a nut loose in the camper.

[leslie]

So, we are in Florida. Really haven't needed the fans. Today we decided to make a work day for our camper. My husband took one fan down and looked at the gear that turns to raise and lower the vent cover. It looked fine. Then he tested the metal part of the gear that is connected to the part of the vent cover installed on the roof. It would not turn by hand. He got a pair of plyers and was able to raise and lower the vent cover with a whole lot of effort.

Upshot: we are going to Camping World next week, where we have an appointment to make the 2 fans work - vent covers and all, even if they have to replace everything. We will be "camping" in Camping World's  parking lot overnight, so we will be first in line for work. At least they don't charge for camping, so long as they are fixing the camper.

[daplumbr]

I'm sure CW will be able to fix you up, likely with new fans if you offer them the opportunity  . When I replace my single speed fans with 3 speed reversible fans, I thoroughly lubricated the vent raising mechanism. That made a world of difference in how easy the knob is to turn. Prior to lubing, it was a chore to get the vent all the way open and closed. Now, it's very easy. If you have them install new fans and vents, ask them to lube the new vent mechanism too. That way they will stay easy to open for a long time. 

[charliem]

[font size="3"]Leslie,

I also had trouble with the fan cover mechanisms. I lubricated with grease, no kidding real grease in a tube from the auto store. What a difference; no further problem with the vent covers. Looks like Merlin did the same. That said, I then replaced all three with FanTastics. Much better. CW can do this for you and you'll really like them.
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[mitch]

When you guys replaced the fans did you have to remove stuff on the roof and then install new and reseal the roof opening?  One of my big hesitations in working on my camper is breaking the external envelope.

[charliem]

[font size="3"]I took the [strike]chicken[/strike] easy way out and had CW do mine. They used a ton of Dicor. I also had them put on Fan-Tastic Ultra Breeze vent covers so I can leave them open in rain. TinkeringTechie did the whole thing himself so he's our resident expert.
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[daplumbr]

[quote source="/post/18092/thread" timestamp="1453949531" author="@mitch"]When you guys replaced the fans did you have to remove stuff on the roof and then install new and reseal the roof opening?  One of my big hesitations in working on my camper is breaking the external envelope.[/quote]Depends on how much is replaced! I did only the fan and motor and controls and that was all done from the inside. Took about 30 minutes per fan. I used the Heng's 3 speed reversibles to replace the original Heng's single speeds for both my fans. I didn't gain any quality, but the 3 speeds and reversibility is a wonderful improvement and they are only about $60 each. Replacing the fan with another brand (like Fantastic) does require replacing the housing and removing/replacing the parts on the roof. Like you, I didn't want to break the original seal until I had to, so I went with the OEM brand. As Charlie noted, the Fantastic fans are an upgrade in quality and Tinkeringtechie did his own R&R. 

[leslie]

Since we aren't sure what is wrong with the fan vent covers, and this is our first-ever RV, we decided to have CW do this and then we can learn from what they do. Also, if it is necessary to replace the in-roof components, neither me or my husband is going to get on that roof. Then there is the matter of sealing it up properly.

The technicians spent a lot of time talking to us about this, and they say they will only replace what they have to, which will keep our costs down, and also free them up for other work. They don't have to look around for things to do - they are backed up now.

We will ask them to grease those gears. We know from examining the fans that the plastic teeth on the inside are worn down from us trying to turn that plastic knob, so at a minimum that needs to be replaced.

[shortcircuit]

[font size="3" face="comic sans ms"]On our 14DBS, our roof vents were hard to open or close. I lubed the mechanism with anti-sieze lube (grey metallic looking grease) especially the parts that slide back and forth. The arm that connects to the roof vent door slides in a slot on the door metal bracket. That was the greatest source of friction. Once lubed, that freed up the crank mechanism.[/font]