Fantastic Fan install - no power :-(
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โOct-18-2020 12:10 PM
Unfortunately, when I plugged the camper into 110v, there seems to be no power to the wires in the vent opening. ๐ (The overhead lights worked, so I did have proper power)
Ed tossed out some ideas - maybe there's no fuse in place for something that hadn't originally been installed; or the wires aren't hooked to ??? on the other end. I didn't even look at the fuse box - it was dark and my back ached and I was getting crabby. Getting old ain't for sissies.
Tomorrow, I will contact Northstar and ask for advice, but I thought I'd throw my question out on this forum in case someone else knows the answer and I can start screwing down the fan.
Thanks for any suggestions!
Deb
Looking for a small Class C!
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โOct-21-2020 07:35 AM
Z-Peller wrote:
Glad you got your fan wiring sorted out!....thanks for letting us know!
When we bought this camper, the tent portion was heavily mildewed simply from condensation. Having had a previous TC with ordinary vent that "rained" on me one cold rainy night (condensation contacting the cold metal frame) - I swore that any future RVs MUST have a powered exhaust fan. IMO - it makes an enormous difference!
Thanks for your help!
Looking for a small Class C!
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โOct-21-2020 12:29 AM
After waiting for my 16 ga wire and Scotchloks to arrive, I set about trying to find a handy place to tap into the overhead wires. I removed a section of corrugated plastic wiring guard - and lo and behold, hiding inside there was a black wire not connected to anything!! I checked it for continuity to the in-place fan wires, and got a beep. ๐ So I simply Scotchlok'd it to a black wire next to it (apparently the neutral had already been connected) - and TADA! the fan runs like a champ!
Glad you got your fan wiring sorted out!....thanks for letting us know!
2017 Bigfoot 10.4 camper...2016 GMC 3500 4x4 Xcab Duramax Dually...
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โOct-20-2020 01:38 PM
Z-Peller wrote:
Hmmm....I think I would use a sharp point light tester and poke the black & green wires to make sure they all have power before tapping into them. Maybe one of them is the fan prewire to the fuse panel and is dead?... hard to say but just a thought.
You win!!! After waiting for my 16 ga wire and Scotchloks to arrive, I set about trying to find a handy place to tap into the overhead wires. I removed a section of corrugated plastic wiring guard - and lo and behold, hiding inside there was a black wire not connected to anything!! I checked it for continuity to the in-place fan wires, and got a beep. ๐ So I simply Scotchlok'd it to a black wire next to it (apparently the neutral had already been connected) - and TADA! the fan runs like a champ! So I spent the rest of the afternoon screwing the fan to the roof (the butyl tape had already pretty much locked it into place) and then drizzling Dicor over everything. Once that sets up for a couple of days, I'll add a rain cover.
In case anyone who has ever made an instructional video is reading this: THANK YOU! I watched a couple of videos showing "how to replace a vent with a fan" and they were invaluable!
Looking for a small Class C!
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โOct-19-2020 10:52 AM
2017 Bigfoot 10.4 camper...2016 GMC 3500 4x4 Xcab Duramax Dually...
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โOct-18-2020 07:28 PM
wopachop wrote:
No worries if youre over it.
But you should be able to remove the front of the electrical panel. Where ever your fuses are, the face of that panel should have screws holding it on.
Post a pic of the panel? How many spots dont have a fuse? Borrow fuses to fill the empty spots and use your meter to see if you have 12v to the fan now.
Each fuse slot had a fuse - there were 5 plus a master fuse for the 12v side; and 2 breakers for the 110v side. The entire "box" is about 12" wide x 8" tall x 6" deep. I unscrewed it from the cabinet and tried to pull it forward to see where the wires enter in the back, but I could only move the box about 1/2". Not wanting to yank on it and make something come loose....that's about the time I decided to Scotchlok into the wires I could see. I'm OK with using white vinyl tape to hide the fan wires as they run along the ceiling - this is still an old (but pristine!) TC.
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โOct-18-2020 07:12 PM
AnEv942 wrote:
If it would give enough room possibly changing knob to a crank arm handle?
I even have a spare crank handle from a previous RV, but nope. The thermostat knob has about 1/32" clearance, thank goodness. Fortunately, even at age 67, I'm still tall enough to be able to reach the ceiling ๐ I'll be putting a rain cover over the fan, so needing to close it won't be critical.
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โOct-18-2020 05:50 PM
But you should be able to remove the front of the electrical panel. Where ever your fuses are, the face of that panel should have screws holding it on.
Post a pic of the panel? How many spots dont have a fuse? Borrow fuses to fill the empty spots and use your meter to see if you have 12v to the fan now.
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โOct-18-2020 05:45 PM
Our camper projects page http://www.ourelkhorn.itgo.com
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โOct-18-2020 05:23 PM
I'm adding this next part in case anyone else is pondering installing an exhaust fan in an older popup TC (looks like the new ones don't have the same lift system): I'm glad I was setting the new fan in its hole from the top of the roof - when it wouldn't sit flat, I went into the camper, and wouldn't you just know it, the crank-up knob on the Fantastic Fan was hitting the bar that folds inward as the top is lowered. It's not a huge deal - I'll just have to keep the knob loose and use as needed.
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โOct-18-2020 04:12 PM
Then set to continuity and find the 2 wires in the distribution panel that beep.
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โOct-18-2020 02:10 PM
Looking for a small Class C!
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โOct-18-2020 01:49 PM
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โOct-18-2020 01:40 PM
2017 Bigfoot 10.4 camper...2016 GMC 3500 4x4 Xcab Duramax Dually...