Range Hood FAN Replacement

[pjay9]

Range hood fan replacement: the fan is very noisy and what are your suggestions?

Hole is just over 6".

[pjay9]

Now that is ingenuity!

[wnjj]

JimK-NY wrote:
This is another sad example of the junk we have available for RV parts. The fan on my vent is unusable due to the noise. In addition the outside flapper needs to be unlatched and I can barely reach it using a step stool. Once unlatched the flapper will flap and make noise in the wind. It is also not going to last very long unless it is latched for travel. The flapper on my vent broke after only a few uses. I stopped by the Northstar factory and they replaced it for free. They gave me two choices. For one style, the flapper "hinge" was a piece of duct tape. I certainly knew that was not going to last long. The other choice had 1/8" plastic pins that fit into holes and served as the hinge. That is the same style that broke after minimal use. I had the dealer install that style again and of course it broke within a few weeks of use. So I pull the stove fumes through the camper and out the ceiling with the fantastic fan. Of course that also means the fan and ceiling get greasy.

Refer to my post above for the interior latch mod I did. Also, the best way to fix the vent flap hinge is with a piece of 14-guage romex glued on where the plastic ones broke off. By bending the wire slightly before installing and the flexing it back once in, you can install from the outside without removing anything. I fixed mine several years ago after the only 2 year old original broke and no issues since.

[Itchey_Feet]

For the ones who would like the info on the fan it is --Components Inc. Model DCFAN-15 --- Axial Fan DC 12V --- Ball Brg. 108 CFM 36db

[pjay9]

WOW!! I just got back on the PC this morning and what a bunch of great ideas. My excuse for not being back sooner is that I was out being paid to play with boats. I will not go into the issues we have with the boats, it is 5 times worse than RV's in some cases. Don't get me started!!! THX everyone for sharing.

I will be reviewing in detail what I plan to do and post it in the thread. Rebuild is moving forward!

[covered_wagon]

I did this mod a long time ago but, also did this to the bathroom fan originally. Those rv fans jumped in the garbage by themselves.:)

[JimK-NY]

This is another sad example of the junk we have available for RV parts. The fan on my vent is unusable due to the noise. In addition the outside flapper needs to be unlatched and I can barely reach it using a step stool. Once unlatched the flapper will flap and make noise in the wind. It is also not going to last very long unless it is latched for travel. The flapper on my vent broke after only a few uses. I stopped by the Northstar factory and they replaced it for free. They gave me two choices. For one style, the flapper "hinge" was a piece of duct tape. I certainly knew that was not going to last long. The other choice had 1/8" plastic pins that fit into holes and served as the hinge. That is the same style that broke after minimal use. I had the dealer install that style again and of course it broke within a few weeks of use. So I pull the stove fumes through the camper and out the ceiling with the fantastic fan. Of course that also means the fan and ceiling get greasy.

[ticki2]

popeyemth wrote:
Here's the computer fan mod:

Fan

What is the brand name of the fan ? I would like to look up the specs but the pic is fuzzy .

[popeyemth]

wnjj wrote:
While you have the range hood down, install interior latches for the vent flap (scroll down below the water pump switch install):

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/24397265.cfm

Another great idea!
Thanks,Mike

[wnjj]

While you have the range hood down, install interior latches for the vent flap (scroll down below the water pump switch install):

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/24397265.cfm

[popeyemth]

Here's the computer fan mod:

Fan

Rough in

Lexan mount

Installed

[Joe417]

When you reduce the speed a bit it is much quieter. You can add a pulse width modulator which will allow you to go from zero to max speed. They are about $4 on ebay.

I've added them to two of my fans, the fantastic ceiling fan and our 12" O2Cool. Really reduced the noise.

Someone else on RV.net posted they had done that to there stove vent. It may be in the "what did you do to your TC today" post.

I haven't gotten to that vent yet, but it will be next.

[dfm]

Replaced the hood fan on my last trailer with a 140mm computer fan. It opened the exhaust flap fine and was almost silent. Would do it again but present trailer range does not exhaust tot he outside and I have a Fantastic fan above the stove in the roof.
There are a lot of different computer fan brands. Buy the highest cfm you can find. It's an easy fix for the noisemakers in most trailers.

[Itchey_Feet]

Am trying to post a picture, tried link, then lost everything. Yes it opens my flapper. plz send a PM and can send pictures to you that way.

[ticki2]

Itchey Feet wrote:
Yes, replaced mine with a large 12v computer fan.

Does it have enough CFM to open the air flap ?