New Window Vent Mod

[csevel]

I don’t even know when Airxcel (makers of the Maxxair Window/Maxx Louvered Window Vent) stopped production (maybe 2015) but I was one of the lucky ones who purchased a couple from Little House Customs for use on my Casita.  Right before putting OCD for sale, I removed them for use on the ILOVHER.  I consider myself lucky as there are still current threads about owners with radius style sliding windows who want the ability to open the windows in the rain for that much needed airflow.  The company apparently doesn’t see the need to start production and maybe our fiberglass market is just too small to justify a rebirth.  
Occasionally, I’ll see a couple pop up on Ebay but they go for a mint..sometimes upwards of $150 plus shipping!  

I have followed the topic with interest because one of my vents is spider cracking..probably from UV exposure and vibration over ten years.  It’s still hanging in there with a bit of FlexSeal tape!   I stumbled across a gentleman on Fiberglassrv who was 3D printing a drop-in two piece vent in three colors and sent me info on his prototype. Here is the link to the discussion and a picture of his 3D design:

https://bit.ly/3JNotT5

I was emailing him back and forth in September of 2020 but my understanding is that he’s dropped off the planet.  He was charging right around $80 for one.  I’m not sure how many people were able to purchase one but I never did.

I decided to put my mod brain to work and came up with the design below.  I will eventually make another one for the curbside.  I really enjoyed the process and it wasn’t terribly expensive to do!  (about $50) in materials.  PM me if you’re interested in the material list..

The vent is made out of a black boat louvered ventilator.  I got the idea from a friend who had something similar on the hood of his ATV.   I used a piece of ⅛” smoked plexiglass and the window screen as a template.  The plexi was cut with a standard Dremel tool cutting wheel.  The edges were trimmed with rubber edge trim and the vent is seated with a waterproof nanotape. 

The only downside is having to install the vent when it’s raining outside and removing it before travel…that’s where the Maxxair vent had the edge!  You simply slide the whole thing upwards into the upper track and it fits snug and water-tight.  The other bonus was that I didn’t have to add screening as the current screen still closes with it in place.

This was really fun to do and I’m super stoked to test it out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 18, 2022 by topgun2
Tried to put pix vertical

[csevel]

I tried unsuccessfully to rotate the pix!  Hopefully a moderator will step in and help me out! 

[Frank C]

That’s a great idea!   Nice work!  

[Mike and Carol]

You really did a great job on that!  You’ve got me motivated… Mike

[mossemi]

2 hours ago, csevel said:

I stumbled across a gentleman on Fiberglassrv who was 3D printing a drop-in two piece vent in three colors and sent me info on his prototype. Here is the link to the discussion and a picture of his 3D design:

I followed up on the information you provided me last September about the Maxxair Window/Maxx clones.  I posted this last month about the results.  And on a positive note, I received an email from eBay about 2 weeks ago about a new Maxxair Window/Maxx up for auction and purchased it for $100 with free shipping.  I haven’t installed it yet, but I do have it in my pile of this to do.

Mossey

[SeaDawg]

Very clever, @csevel! What a great idea, and really nice work.

Is this similar to what you used for the louver? 16.5" x 4.5", black abs.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/seort/734788131

 

[Frank C]

Found these on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J9TJ1ZI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_QWQ738ECJXPCGREKEK4W?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

[csevel]

2 minutes ago, FrankC said:

Found these on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077M9SCHH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_BW67RQDTJS8385VVSNF8?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

A list of the items I bought to complete the project.  

1.  https://amzn.to/3JVHMJU  

2. https://amzn.to/3MdT8dT

3. https://amzn.to/3uQgyjC

I also used some Duck Nano Tape from Walmart to hold the vent in place and to be waterproof.  I used these Dremel cutoff wheels https://amzn.to/3vjIjju, but you can use whatever tool necessary to cut the plexiglass.  Some people use a jigsaw for plexi, but I don't own one.  The Dremel with a long flexible shaft made the work easy, especially for the center cutout.  It did take some time to get the measurements correct but I went with 16.5" for the height.  I imagine you could make the width any size you want.   Please wear safety goggles and a mask as the plastic gets everywhere!

Good Luck.. I'm super excited in any interest.  Hopefully with the rain we're getting today, I can report back with positive results.  

[csevel]

I have no idea how to rotate these photos for better viewing... they came from my Android phone ..so I apologize!

[mossemi]

47 minutes ago, csevel said:

I have no idea how to rotate these photos for better viewing... they came from my Android phone ..so I apologize!

I always try to edit a photo before posting, whether it’s an Android or Apple.  I open it in whichever’s photo folder and use the built in editor and do something like "enhance" and then save it.  It usually works for me.

Mossey

[John E Davies]

If I rotate a pic on my iPhone 13 Mini, it then uploads in the original sideways position. I have not quite figured out why, maybe because it always saves the original so you can Revert back to it? It did not used to do that…. If I open and edit it on my iMac, the change is forever.

As the years pass and I become More Senior these tech mysteries become deeper.

John Davies

Spokane WA

[csevel]

31 minutes ago, mossemi said:

I always try to edit a photo before posting, whether it’s an Android or Apple.  I open it in whichever’s photo folder and use the built in editor and do something like "enhance" and then save it.  It usually works for me.

Mossey

Thank you!  My new phone (Samsung S21 Ultra) has some pretty powerful editing and a strong camera.  I'm pretty computer and phone savvy but had no idea you have to edit or enhance before upload here!  Good to know!!

[csevel]

BTW, I did add some rubber edging to the inner part of the vent as well.  This way if you're too zealous in shutting the  stationary window, you'll have a bit of bumper.   Also, the vent can be kept inside a cabinet and is easily installed from the inside where you'll stay dry.  Here is a video of it in action. 

I will be at the rally in May if anyone wants to see it in person!  

Thank you all for your kind words!  I've been dreaming of this mod for a long time. 

[mossemi]

27 minutes ago, csevel said:

Thank you!  My new phone (Samsung S21 Ultra) has some pretty powerful editing and a strong camera.  I'm pretty computer and phone savvy but had no idea you have to edit or enhance before upload here!  Good to know!!

I had the same problem early on and I don’t remember if someone on the forum provided some guidance or I noticed on my own.  Try it, you might like it!😉

Mossey

[CnC]

30 minutes ago, csevel said:

BTW, I did add some rubber edging to the inner part of the vent as well.  This way if you're too zealous in shutting the  stationary window, you'll have a bit of bumper.   Also, the vent can be kept inside a cabinet and is easily installed from the inside where you'll stay dry.  Here is a video of it in action. 

I will be at the rally in May if anyone wants to see it in person!  

Thank you all for your kind words!  I've been dreaming of this mod for a long time. 

Very, very nice!

Charlie.

[topgun2]

30 minutes ago, csevel said:

BTW, I did add some rubber edging to the inner part of the vent as well.

You probably should have extended the edges of this "gutter" down the sides of the windows a bit in order to give the 3M tape a bit more surfaces to really secure it to the side of the Ollie.  If these "ends" of the gutter start to lift or separate from the Ollie, you can use an adhesive called E6000 ( like This) which is available at WalMart, Amazon, Lowes, Home Depot, Ace, etc. to reattach it.  A small amount of the glue and hold it in place for about 24 hours with some blue painter's tape and you are good to go.

Bill

[csevel]

4 minutes ago, topgun2 said:

You probably should have extended the edges of this "gutter" down the sides of the windows a bit in order to give the 3M tape a bit more surfaces to really secure it to the side of the Ollie.  If these "ends" of the gutter start to lift or separate from the Ollie, you can use an adhesive called E6000 ( like This) which is available at WalMart, Amazon, Lowes, Home Depot, Ace, etc. to reattach it.  A small amount of the glue and hold it in place for about 24 hours with some blue painter's tape and you are good to go.

Bill

I'm not sure what you're referring to as the 'EZ' RV gutter was installed prior to my ownership.   

I haven't yet affixed the rubber edging to the vent as I want to see how it drains.  The vent freely sits in the same channel as the stationary window so I imagine the water will go through the weep holes in the same way (as long as they've been cleared).    There is nothing it's secured to besides the pressure of the window against the edge.  It installs the same way the screen does..just upwards into the upper track and then down into the lower.

[Frank C]

18 minutes ago, csevel said:

I'm not sure what you're referring to as the 'EZ' RV gutter was installed prior to my ownership.   

I haven't yet affixed the rubber edging to the vent as I want to see how it drains.  The vent freely sits in the same channel as the stationary window so I imagine the water will go through the weep holes in the same way (as long as they've been cleared).    There is nothing it's secured to besides the pressure of the window against the edge.  It installs the same way the screen does..just upwards into the upper track and then down into the lower.

The EZ gutter above the windows was added by the previous owner of your trailer.  If I recall correctly from your previous posts, you bought your trailer from the Rimer family after Ron Rimer passed away.  Ron was a great guy who helped us in our decision to buy our Elite II.  Ron had added that EZ gutter and during our visit with him to see his trailer he commented that fixing the lifted corners on the EZ gutter was on his to-do list.   Based on Ron’s experience, when I added my EZ gutter I ran it around the top and all the way down the sides of the windows.  
 

[topgun2]

48 minutes ago, csevel said:

I'm not sure what you're referring to as the 'EZ' RV gutter was installed prior to my ownership.   

My bad - that's what I get for being in a hurry.  Certainly it was not the gutters that you were talking about.  In FrankC's photo above of his gutters it is probably not necessary to extend the gutters down that far on the sides of the windows unless you like them that way. 

I think that I see that we both got your pics turned around.

[csevel]

43 minutes ago, FrankC said:

The EZ gutter above the windows was added by the previous owner of your trailer.  If I recall correctly from your previous posts, you bought your trailer from the Rimer family after Ron Rimer passed away.  Ron was a great guy who helped us in our decision to buy our Elite II.  Ron had added that EZ gutter and during our visit with him to see his trailer he commented that fixing the lifted corners on the EZ gutter was on his to-do list.   Based on Ron’s experience, when I added my EZ gutter I ran it around the top and all the way down the sides of the windows.  
 

Yes, you are correct.  It was a bittersweet transition for Char Rimer as this was to be their retirement.  The good news is (and I told her this) that she couldn't have sold the trailer to someone more passionate about fiberglass and that I would do everything to keep ILOVHER in the best shape and send her photos of my travels!

[csevel]

11 minutes ago, topgun2 said:

My bad - that's what I get for being in a hurry.  Certainly it was not the gutters that you were talking about.  In FrankC's photo above of his gutters it is probably not necessary to extend the gutters down that far on the sides of the windows unless you like them that way. 

I think that I see that we both got your pics turned around.

I may someday attempt to remove and re-apply new gutters and move them further down the sides of the windows...and thanks for your assistance in the repositioning of the pix!!  

[CnC]

16 hours ago, FrankC said:

That’s a great idea!   Nice work!  

Two of these DIY vents (a left and a right) would allow choices for "directional" in/out air flow via the ceiling fan in the Ollie in the raining season.  Love the idea of it being installed in the area needed and then removed and easily stored when not needed.  Too bad we didn't have this during shifting winds and rain for eight straight days in Colorado last year.

Charlie.

[Mike and Carol]

45 minutes ago, csevel said:

I may someday attempt to remove and re-apply new gutters and move them further down the sides of the windows...and thanks for your assistance in the repositioning of the pix!!  

This was my second application of gutters.  The first time we had a 50 degree weather change the day I applied them and the ends lost grip.  It’s been several years since the second installation.  You don’t need to go down too far.  I taped them with masking tape overnight to ensure good adhesion.  Mike

 

[csevel]

28 minutes ago, CnC said:

Two of these DIY vents (a left and a right) would allow choices for "directional" in/out air flow via the ceiling fan in the Ollie in the raining season.  Love the idea of it being installed in the area needed and then removed and easily stored when not needed.  Too bad we didn't have this during shifting winds and rain for eight straight days in Colorado last year.

Charlie.

My plan is to replace the curbside Maxxair vent because it's failing after ten years.  I have two installed now (curbside and dinette) and you're correct in needing more than one for multidirectional air flow. I'm waiting to test my new vent for any tweaks before I attempt to make another one.  

I would consider window vents as one of my most loved and needed mods as I've lived in my trailer for up to four and a half months at a time in all kinds of weather! 

One of the things that's nice is hearing the rain, having a breeze and not using that foghorn of an air conditioner!  Lol