Bathroom power vent out of reach

[dpgllg]

Hello,

Just finishing the prep and testing on my 5th wheel for the season. We picked the 5th wheel up last summer but due to health issues only got to use it once for almost 2 weeks.

The bathroom power vent is out of reach to me as I am vertically challenged.I never tried working the vent until today.

I can use a yard stick to turn it on and off but what can I use to turn the crank to open the vent? Ladders and step stools do not work well for me due to balance issues.

Hope to be on the road soon!

Dave

[magic43]

Fabricated 2" section of 3/4" PVC pipe, two PVC caps, bungee hook, and a wire loop on the round handle.

[gkainz]

laknox wrote:

gkainz wrote:
I have this one Kwik Stick on Amazon but got it through "friends and family" ... my best friend's son designed and sells it.

I see Camco sticks on etrailer for ~$10.

Tell your friend's son to read some of the comments people have left. Sounds like it could use some tweaking. :B

Lyle

Thanks for the heads up. I see one bad review and a number of good reviews ... has a 4.2 out of 5 (82%) rating on Amazon. I'm not defending it, as I don't have a horse in that race, but I haven't experienced the issues that the one reviewer who said "horrible product!" experienced.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Is the knob a crank or fluted round plastic knob?

Do any of you have issues that prevent the use of both hands?

Stability? Yeah I got lots when standing on the floor and gripping a hand rail. A length of EMT steel tubing with adapters on both ends would allow the use of a cordless screwdriver. A real cheap one to limit torque.

Before getting all worked up about how to adapt it a cheap Harbor Freight socket adapter can be spot welded to one end at any muffler shop. I've done this and the shops seem to be compassionate about helping the handicapped.

But the vent side needs to be designed for the knob.

Zaaaaaap

Another strip of bent sheet metal.

Slip some shelf liner around the rod and stick it and it won't look like an S&M appliance. One battery charge should last a couple hundred operations and can be done single handedly.

Handy helpers -- makes one handed life tolerable.

Now if I can come up with a set of trainer wheels when I am walking...

[laknox]

gkainz wrote:
I have this one Kwik Stick on Amazon but got it through "friends and family" ... my best friend's son designed and sells it.

I see Camco sticks on etrailer for ~$10.

Tell your friend's son to read some of the comments people have left. Sounds like it could use some tweaking. :B

Lyle

[dpgllg]

SoundGuy wrote:

dpgllg wrote:
The bathroom power vent is out of reach to me as I am vertically challenged.I never tried working the vent until today.

I can use a yard stick to turn it on and off but what can I use to turn the crank to open the vent? Ladders and step stools do not work well for me due to balance issues.

You've got an almost new 5th, representing a substantial investment, so it seems to me that rather than fool around with any of these mechanical methods of operating the vent fan controls the obvious better, long term solution would be what has been suggested - invest in a remote controlled vent fan that will do what you want at the push of a button. 😉

OP Here,

I would love to put in a remote controlled fan but looking at the cost it is not financially feasible right now. I'm on a fixed disability income so a $300 purchase must be planned for. In addition because of my disability I would need to have a RV Tech perform the installation as there is no way I'm able to get up on the roof any longer. So the cost would be even more. At $300 to $400 that's a lot of camping that can be done. I can spend the money and not go camping or use one of the alternatives and enjoy my 5th wheel.

Thanks to everyone that responded. I will start out by modifying a PVC pipe to perform the task for now and maybe someday upgrade the fan.

Dave

[Bobbo]

I feel your pain. My Airstream has a thick piece of foam glued to the door frame at the top of the entry door on the inside. I have discovered why. (Came that way from the factory.)

[wa8yxm]

Take the screw out of the center of the knob. and replace it with a LARGE EYE screw (Large eye not large screw) you might need a touch of locktite GREEN on the threads

Now use your awnin rod in the eye of the screw.

At 6'+ This is not a problem I have.. My problem is 6' transoms. I keep taking a "header" on the Header.

[Bobbo]

laknox wrote:

dpgllg wrote:

Johno02 wrote:
BTW, we usually leave the bath vent open, it has a Maxair cover, so open and closing is not as important as the on-off switch. A piece of left-over plastic and a short piece of rubber hose does the trick cheap.

I actually have a brand new cover but cannot install it because it would take my overall height to above 12 feet. I'm at 11'10" without it. The reason being is I store it in an old limestone mine over the winter and the max height allowed is 12 feet.

I am looking at this but it is also kind of pricy

Barker Stick

I don't need anything fancy just something that works

Dave

Look good, but the reviews aren't so good.

Lyle

I tried those. Broke 4 before I wised up and told DW that she would just have to call me to open them. Fortunately, they came in 2 packs, I only had to buy 2. (She was too short to reach them.)

[Dusty_R]

Our vent covers have a crank on them to open them. The broom handle is hollow and my wife uses that to turn the crank, 1 tool 2 jobs.

[Dutch_12078]

How about no cost except a little time?



Get a Handle on the Fan Crank

[laknox]

dpgllg wrote:

Johno02 wrote:
BTW, we usually leave the bath vent open, it has a Maxair cover, so open and closing is not as important as the on-off switch. A piece of left-over plastic and a short piece of rubber hose does the trick cheap.

I actually have a brand new cover but cannot install it because it would take my overall height to above 12 feet. I'm at 11'10" without it. The reason being is I store it in an old limestone mine over the winter and the max height allowed is 12 feet.

I am looking at this but it is also kind of pricy

Barker Stick

I don't need anything fancy just something that works

Dave

Look good, but the reviews aren't so good.

Lyle

[gkainz]

I have this one Kwik Stick on Amazon but got it through "friends and family" ... my best friend's son designed and sells it.

I see Camco sticks on etrailer for ~$10.

[myredracer]

Bobbo wrote:

The problem is not the power switch. In the very first post, the OP said a yard stick fixed that problem. The problem is that the knob that must be turned to open/close the vent is out of reach.

I agree with the suggestions to get a PVC pipe of the correct diameter and cut grooves in it. If it is a knurled knob, it may take 4 or 5 grooves. If it is a knob offset on a 3" arm, 2 grooves to go over the arm. You can use an elbow to put a handle on the bottom to give you leverage to turn it.

Ah, on re-read, correct. The Maxxair fans don't need any kind of stick tho.

[Bobbo]

myredracer wrote:
In a previous TT, I added a wall switch and ran the wire inside the wall and ceiling space. If you have an existing switch on the bathroom wall, there'll be a hole in the wall's top plate (the horizontal 1x2 or 1x1 piece) that you can use for new wire. Easy project and def. worthwhile...

Putting a switch way up on a ceiling is such a dumb idea but that's what they do. If you have an arched ceiling (like we do), it's even harder to reach up to the ceiling. FWs are even higher still. We now have a Maxxair fan in the bathroom and bedroom with remotes. Can't imagine not having them now.

The problem is not the power switch. In the very first post, the OP said a yard stick fixed that problem. The problem is that the knob that must be turned to open/close the vent is out of reach.

I agree with the suggestions to get a PVC pipe of the correct diameter and cut grooves in it. If it is a knurled knob, it may take 4 or 5 grooves. If it is a knob offset on a 3" arm, 2 grooves to go over the arm. You can use an elbow to put a handle on the bottom to give you leverage to turn it.