Upgrading the bathroom Fan

[WhatDa]

So it looks like the folks that make the Maxxair Deluxe in the main area are now making a 6" fan, that should fit in the same opening at the Ventline fan in the bathroom.  https://amzn.to/3dpDaeI

Here is a video of it running: https://youtu.be/bkh37arD9P0?t=147

 

Manual: https://www.airxcel.com/docs/default-source/maxxair/11-90056_mxr-maxxfan-dome-iom-09-24-2019.pdf?sfvrsn=64261a6b_2

Looks like the same 6 1/4" opening as the ventline and similar power draw.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

 

 

 

[Townesw]

Sign me up. I’m willing to try it. Don’t care for the Ventline. Was going to replace mine when I get home anyway. 

[WhatDa]

I am sitting in the dinette area listening to the ventline now, and my original idea of fix it when it breaks or leaks is drifting toward replace it with the Maxxfan dome now.  The only downside is the Maxxfan is centrifugal, so it won't run in reverse.  I had the idea to reverse the Ventline so it would pull air in the top and push air out the window if open and out the toilet if not, so it would serve as a booster to the composting toilet fan if we need a little extra dehydration there and it's not too humid outside.

Edited June 22, 2020 by WhatDa

[AndrewK]

I have been looking at the Maxxfan Dome fan as well but I haven’t read anything that convinces me it would be significantly quieter.

i also like the exterior dome cover can be white instead of black, like the Ventline.

Andrew

[WhatDa]

Here is etrailer's video on the ventline to try to make an apples to apples comparison: https://youtu.be/QsE2vakSyYo?t=70

In their video the noise difference is apparent compared to the above video with the Maxxfan.  I'm definitely going to test the Maxxfan on the bench before I bother installing it.

 

[AndrewK]

Please let me know what you find out.  I am very interested if it is actually quieter.

Thanks!

Andrew

[SeaDawg]

I wish both published db testing, as FanTastic used to. But the Maxxfan dome does seem remarkably more quiet in the videos. It's about time someone gave Ventline a competitor.

Even if it turns out to be almost as noisy installed, stats show twice the cfm (200 vs 100) for a half amp more power (2 vs 1.5).  So, at least only have to hear it run half as long?

I'll look forward to your testing, too. We're on our second Ventline. First died about 8 years in. When it's time to replace it again, I was hoping to find something more quiet, like the marine solar vents on our boat, but they're all currently sized for much smaller cutouts, 3 to 4.7 inches.

Sherry

Edited June 22, 2020 by SeaDawg

[WhatDa]

In full transparency, I haven't purchased yet as I am still working out the screws into the roof part of the install...  The other thing I am thinking is if I install a PWM controller to be able to dial it back as well - whether for noise or just not needing hurricane force winds inside.

[bhncb]

I added a PWM controller to slow the fan down and added a 3" vent through the vanity into the closet. 100 cfm seems way more than necessary for such a small area. I figure the combination of the additional vent and what can be drawn through the heat duct,  with register dampers removed, is about 60 CFM. This is is still plenty and enough to prevent the fan from drawing black tank gases past the toilet seal. A side benefit of this setup is that the closet now has flow-through ventilation as well. 

My Ventline was still pretty new when I did this and the motor brushes had not yet seated. Initially at lower speeds the motor made a really annoying high pitched rotational chirping sound. This has subsided after a hundred or so hours and the fan is now nearly silent in the lower quarter of the rpm range.

I also looked into the Maxxair but figured the additional cfm was unnecessary and undesirable. It also looks to have a plastic housing but not sure about this.

[SeaDawg]

2 hours ago, WhatDa said:

In full transparency, I haven't purchased yet as I am still working out the screws into the roof part of the install...  The other thing I am thinking is if I install a PWM controller to be able to dial it back as well - whether for noise or just not needing hurricane force winds inside.

That would be likely. Even the ventline creates a lot of suction if it's left on without opening a door or window. Not even sure the window would be enough with 200 cfm.

[Townesw]

bhncb

Please post more info on the PWM controller installation for your Ventline fan. 

[bhncb]

5 hours ago, Townesw said:

bhncb

Please post more info on the PWM controller installation for your Ventline fan. 

Okay I'm working on a detailed writeup with pictures for my trailer's documentation package. I'll post this writeup, in it's entirety, on this topic. But be forewarned, I made my project way more involved than what others might deem necessary. That's just how I operate. 

[Townesw]

1 hour ago, bhncb said:

... I made my project way more involved than what others might deem necessary. That's just how I operate. 

Oh, I fully understand. I operate the same way. If you’ve seen my screen door handle mounting plates you’ll agree. Thanks. 

Edited June 24, 2020 by Townesw

[Townesw]

That MaxxAir fan is also available without the LED light ring

https://www.amazon.com/MAXXAIR-VENT-00-03810W-White-Maxxfan/dp/B07TVQF5QD

 

 

[bhncb]

On 6/23/2020 at 11:58 AM, Townesw said:

bhncb

Please post more info on the PWM controller installation for your Ventline fan. 

Okay, I decided to start from scratch. What I have is a six page Word document with pictures. Anyone care to provide assistance with getting the contents into a reply?

  

[Ray and Susan Huff]

On 6/22/2020 at 12:10 PM, AndrewK said:

I have been looking at the Maxxfan Dome fan as well but I haven’t read anything that convinces me it would be significantly quieter.

i also like the exterior dome cover can be white instead of black, like the Ventline.

Andrew

I believe Oliver is now installing the Maxxfan on 2021 models.

[Ray and Susan Huff]

On 6/27/2020 at 5:20 PM, bhncb said:

Okay, I decided to start from scratch. What I have is a six page Word document with pictures. Anyone care to provide assistance with getting the contents into a reply?

  

I don't know about getting the document onto the forum, but if you are a member of the Oliver Trailer Owners FB group you can save it in the "Files"

[SeaDawg]

So, our ventline exhaust fan started leaking into the shower area, especially in the gully washer downpours we've had lately.

To replace the thin, tired  foam weatherstripping type of "gasket" requires disassembling everything. (Replacing  caulk would have probably solved a lot of the issue, but not all.)

Since the Ventline is over 5 years old, though it still "works," I ordered one of the MaxxFan domes today, with the led light ring, as a replacement.  This time, we'll do the install ourselves, and either cut a neoprene gasket, or and/or use butyl for bedding.

There's a little bit if camber in the roughin area. We'll see what it looks like when we get it. Hopefully,  it will indeed be more quiet than the ventline.

I  was really hoping to replace the ventline with a marinco stainless solar vent, (they're so quiet, and supply their own power. We already have several years of experiencewith them on the boat.)

But, the existing 6.25 rough opening for the ventline is just too big. It would require making up a cover plate on top, and a plate in the shower,  from star board, or repairing/building back the rough opening with fiberglass layup. to accommodate the smaller trim ring. Plus an extension for the area between the hulls.

  We looked at all the possibilities,  and, discussed it. Even though we have a couple marinco vents (rough in is so much smaller) in the archives,  we just gave it up and ordered the maxxfan dome.

So, I've got a 6 inch hole, covered with a plastic lid and duct tape, waiting for the new fan. 🤔 Hoping for not a lot of rain in the next 10 days 

[topgun2]

Quote

3 minutes ago, SeaDawg said:

So, I've got a 6 inch hole, covered with a plastic lid and duct tape, waiting for the new fan. 🤔

I'll bet that is really classy 😁.

Slightly off-topic but still regarding bath exhaust fans:  There is a foam gasket on the exterior cover that helps seal the stock fan when it is closed.  This summer, that seal basically fell apart (my Oliver is a 2016).  When talking to Jason E. and the Service guys they said that they would replace that seal (with a better one) under warranty.  Certainly I couldn't argue with the price and it saved me a trip onto the roof.

Bill

 

[SeaDawg]

Yup, it's really "classy."

At least Paul and I are the only ones who see it. And then, I  have to get on a ladder. Or, climb onto the boat trailer, parked ahead.

Out of sight, but definitely not out of mind.

[SeaDawg]

We installed the maxxair dome plus yesterday.  Since Paul had already removed the old ventline and cleaned up the caulk on the roof, the install took less than an hour. (Would have been even less, but I inadvertently dropped the  four screws for the interior trim ring into the shell and turf blocks where we park the trailer. Took a good five minutes to find them.)

We bench tested the fan and light in the workshop before installing. It is indeed much quieter than the old ventline and the led light is very, very bright. The screen is indeed removeable from the inside for cleaning, but requires removing four tiny screws to do so. 

The handle for opening and closing is much beefier (our first ventline handle cracked), and it has a button to release. That motion is a bit sticky.

The interior trim ring is almost 3/4 inch deeper, to accommodate the light, which might be important to taller people. I  don't know about the trim ring on the unlit fan.

We bedded the van with grey butyl tape before Paul fastened the screws. He added some extra at the curve of the hull. We'll run a bead of caulk around the ring when we do some other caulking.

We did need the provided extension tube to reach through the two hulls. Paul cut it to length.

We were able to use the original rough opening, without enlarging it, though it was very tight. The trim rings are larger in diameter than the ventline,  so all original screw holes are covered .

Maxxair provides a real gasket to seal the opening dome to the unit when closed, much superior to the foam weatherstripping of the Ventline.

The unit itself is all plastic, but a thicker guage than the Ventline, and everything is white, inside and out.

Hopefully,  the quiet operation will last. I've read some reviews that the fan became louder with months of operation. We'll see.

I ordered ours from rvupgrades. The price for the fan with light was just $4 more than amazon price for the fan without the light. Free shipping on $99 or more, so I  bought a new water filter cartridge  instead of paying $10 shipping.

Sherry

 

[SeaDawg]

A few photos, and a video of the fan running.

We had a good rain this morning,  so I  could check for leaks. Everything looks good.

 

Edited November 30, 2020 by SeaDawg

[Townesw]

@SeaDawg how has your MaxxFan Dome held up? Has it remained as quiet as is was when new? I’m sitting here listening to my Ventline rattle and replacing it has been on my list since this thread was started. 

[SeaDawg]

)

So far, so good. Only a few months of use, but just as quiet as when installed. 

Here's a short video. You can see how close the camera was to the fan, so kind of (my) head height, standing.

[Townesw]

@SeaDawg does the MaxxFan Dome stay closed while underway?

This is how we keep the Ventline closed