Is there an obvious or best spot for a roof vent?

I'm wondering if most people put the roof fan in a certain spot. Is there a cutout already?

Also, anyone putting 2 fans in?

I installed a Maxxfan in the rear of the van so it would be over the future bed. I also use it when I am loading and un loading. Fan in the rear would draw from the front windows and out the rear. I don't have any other windows I can vent. Unless you can vent the rear, if you put towards the front there would be little ventilation in the rear. With windows closed it does draw from a/c vents.

I went with Maxxfan because 1. can be used in the rain 2. fan can be reversed to act like a ceiling fan 3. has a remote control 4 10 speeds 5 thermostat that can open vent automatically and cool down. So far I am really liking this fan. No cut out and would look at other write ups on installation tips and how to handle the ribs in the sheet metal. Dave Orton ,Georgera and atulin are a couple that come to mind. Would recommend using the aluminum strips to keep the flange from cracking and using a step drill verses regular drill bit for the corners. Don't know if 2 fans would be worth it or not.

There was an obvious square spot over my rear bed for my Fantastic Fan on my 02. (Hole size seems standard in the rv industry.)

We hardly ever run the fan at higher than its low setting. Others have professed a need for a second fan. I'm happy enough with three slider windows to control the flow or just opening the sliding door to the screened porch.

Dan

I forgot that some years/models have cutouts. Mine only has a circular cutout towards the front.

I have a fantastic motorized fan vent in the front portion of the cargo area. I have a second vent without fan over the platform bed in the rear. CL Laurence vented side door window so there is plenty of airflow. No complaints.

We have a 2500 model with 170" wheelbase out fitted by SportsMobile. The beds are in the back with awning windows next to them and a Fantastic Fan aligned with the sliding door. We like this location since we have two full sized solar panels in rear and a roof air conditioner. The Fantastic on low or medium pulls a good airflow over the beds. We have slept in it many a night in Texas with lows of 72-75 at night and needed a light blanket with only the Fantastic fan. The solar runs this, led lights, TV and refrig without hookup with the two 100amp/hour house batteries We really wonder why we got the air conditioner and only use it during the day for 100 degree hot Texas days.

d_bertko said:

There was an obvious square spot over my rear bed for my Fantastic Fan on my 02. (Hole size seems standard in the rv industry.)

...Dan

Click to expand...

I found that the square of 2004 2500 standard roof was not at all where I wanted my vent. It was too far forward. I put the vent favoring the rear by cutting one partial rib out. Some have made up fancy spacers. I just beat down the rib and used sealant to keep everything water tight. Installation was in 2008. So far so good. vic

https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?p=37473#post37473

Aqua Puttana said:

I found that the square of 2004 2500 standard roof was not at all where I wanted my vent. It was too far forward. I put the vent favoring the rear by cutting one partial rib out. Some have made up fancy spacers. I just beat down the rib and used sealant to keep everything water tight. Installation was in 2008. So far so good. vic

https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?p=37473#post37473

Click to expand...

I ended up using a vise grip plier for sheet metal (wide flat jaw) and crimped it flat after cutting slits in the base of the rib. Originally I was going to fold the top of the rib back and then fold over the flange but with the alum reinforcement strips I didn't like the way it was going. Used JB Weld on the inside where I cut the slits after I flattened it out. The reinforcement strips allowed more torque on the flange bolts to flatten things out even more and allow good butyl tape seal.

Thanks all. It seems like one fan towards the rear would do for most common temps, and a opening window near bed area to create a breeze.
I don't have a Sprinter, so this is all blind planning.

I just had a Fantastic Vent installed in the forward position. I have some overhead shelving that precluded installing it in the rear spot.

Two problems with that location. First, headroom under it is reduced by an inch or so. If you're six feet like me, that makes a difference, and that's right in the prime stand-up space the way Frito's laid out.

Second, the overhead panel works like a fluorescent light in the mornings. In the long days of early summer that can be at 04:00.

If I didn't have the rear shelves, rear would be the way to go, IMHO.

Hey glasseye I painted my vent cover to help with the light coming through it, is that what you are referring to, the transluscence of the plastic cover? For anyone else painting their cover, I would remove it and thoroughly prep it first.

Yeh. That's the problem. A curtain would block the light, but that kinda defeats the vent. I might just darken it as you suggest. Thanks!

I bought a 2014 144 hitop, and the 7000k fan in white. I hope to install in a week. Also hoping the white fan won't let in too much light to affect sleep.

Any final tips on the fan install? i plan to cut the rib and slide the fan under it. Not sure what to do for sealant and interior framing.

There are 2 flat spots on 144” WB, A circle in the front and flat spot in the back. I picked the rear one. You can pick any spot except perpendicular ribs but you either have to flatten the protrusions or fill them with Styrofoam (Orion’s method). See these posts.
https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showpost.php?p=208456&postcount=114
https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showpost.php?p=208559&postcount=119
https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showpost.php?p=241499&postcount=283

George.

I did not use styrofoam. That was my buddy Orion's method.

If you are careful with the hole location it will fit in the back without cutting corrugations on a 144" WB Sprinter.

https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showpost.php?p=129813&postcount=1

I sleep across the back so that location gets air movement over sleeping platform. Also allows me to reach controls from platform. I cut a piece of 1" rigid insulation to block the vent at night if I am stealth camping under a street light. Also good for cold nights to reduce heat loss.

Manual model without a remote works best for me because of the location.

Forgot to mentioned that my sleeping arrangement is similar to Dave's and I followed his install.

George.

Looking for the best spot for a roof top AC (Coleman Mach 8 cub) on 2006 158 (installing Spring 2020). The best place to put it would be the 3rd section from the rear but I like the idea of putting it in 2nd section from the rear, looking for some advice. The metal is smoother on the 3rd section. I just installed my roof vent in the 2nd from front section where the circular hole is without a roof vent adapter, doubled up on the butyl tap and built a wood frame on inside to catch the screws. Wish I could post some pics...

Coast2Coast said:

. Wish I could post some pics...

Click to expand...

How to (with pictures):
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=467 <-- posting photos
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64377 <--- posting photos

The (usual) big secret is that it only accepts 900 pixel wide (or narrower) images.
.. and each one smaller than 500 kbytes as a file size.

--dick