2 fans vs 1. Anyone regret just 1 fan?

theDangerz

http://www.ZENVANZ.com
One Maxxair fan over the bed treats us just fine (though we plan to add hole/vent in the floor for those days over 100).

Im sure you could create tons of airflow with a second fan and one pulling in while one vents out... but you're still pulling the hotter air from on top of the van (rather than the cooler shaded air down below), and far more importantly one two fans are installed the real estate left on the roof of a 144wb for solar is minimal at best. :thumbdown:
 

BrendaB

New member
We are getting a 170 (not extended) to do a self-conversion. We are planning to install one Maxxair fan in the center of the van roof. (Our shower and cooking area will be in the center.) Also we will have an opening window behind the driver's seat, and one opening window (in a flarespace) by the head of the bed at the rear of the van. (Plus fixed windows in the slider door and rear doors.) And I'm thinking about one of those Sirocco II fans mounted over the foot of the bed, to point at us at night.

Do you think that'd be sufficient to keep us fairly comfortable? (Naturally we would avoid Arizona in the summer.) Thank you!
 

gltrimble

2017 170 4x4
We are getting a 170 (not extended) to do a self-conversion. We are planning to install one Maxxair fan in the center of the van roof. (Our shower and cooking area will be in the center.) Also we will have an opening window behind the driver's seat, and one opening window (in a flarespace) by the head of the bed at the rear of the van. (Plus fixed windows in the slider door and rear doors.) And I'm thinking about one of those Sirocco II fans mounted over the foot of the bed, to point at us at night.

Do you think that'd be sufficient to keep us fairly comfortable? (Naturally we would avoid Arizona in the summer.) Thank you!
I have a similar arrangement less the Sirocco fan. The centrally located Maxxair works great. I rarely operate the Maxxair higher than level 2 or 3, level 1 when sleeping.This creates a cool draft from whichever window is open. In the daytime the CRL awning window allows a draft across the table. At night the bunk windows, we have two, allow each of us to adjust our own cool draft. I had purchased a 6” exhaust fan for the shower similar to the Revel but the Maxxair fan worked perfectly being adjacent to the shower and the cooktop, so scrapped the shower fan idea. One less hole in the roof.

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marklg

Well-known member
We have one fan near the front and screened windows on both sides of the bed. It is comfortable, except of course here in Arizona. Cross ventilation is key though. With a window open in the front and the fan going it does not help the back at all. In fact, we usually close the windows and doors in the front half and only open the screened windows on the sides of the bed to get the most fresh air back there.

So you ideally want screened windows letting fresh air where you are, and a fan blowing out hot air away from where you are.

Regards,

Mark
 

adam7118

Member
Can anyone show a picture of the floor vents or the marine fans in the floor? I went with the FanTastic roof fan for my rig. Its actually a great fan but for the fact that it doesn't have a reverse option. My mistake.
 

Kajtek1

2015 3500 X long limo RV
For Fantastic Fan you not only can DIY reverse switch, but you can update whole front plate to thermostat and reverse switch.
Check ebay
 

DanAzon

Active member
Thanks for the input everyone. We don't want to do a floor vent as we'll frequently do short, deep water crossings. But, we're thinking of doing the fan up front and if we have the bunk windows open, it'll either pull or push air past us. Plus, our induction cooktop will be on the passenger side partway in the doorway. So, cooking fumes can be sucked up and out.

We're likely going with Rhino Rack for the modularity, and it sounds like Tourig will cut openings as needed. But, I still question whether we need to spend money on two fans given how much a single fan moves air.
I have a NCV3 170 we put the fan in the front over the galley to remove any cooking steam and such. We have the compact windows up high on either side of the platform bed in the rear. My thought was with the fan on exhaust up front we will get fresh air draw through the windows without having any fan hum over our heads. Sounds good in theory I will check back after we get it in practice.
 

TrackSprinter

2016 Motovan Boondocker
With a window open in the front and the fan going it does not help the back at all.

So you ideally want screened windows letting fresh air where you are, and a fan blowing out hot air away from where you are.
As I have a Penguin AC unit towards the rear (came with the van) I could only install the maxxair ALL the way at the rear. As I have a low roof, I was able to install a moonroof. With the moonroof open, you can feel a good amount of air being sucked in by the fan and it is cool in the front however, the rear still remains warm. Figure that out... Anyone whoever walks up to me and asks, I tell them to install two fans, if they don't plan on using side windows.
 

tompat01

New member
144" wheel base low roof. I have one fan over the bed in the rear and have two T vent windows when open they allow quite a bit of cross breeze. Also I just installed a Espar heater and with just the Espar fan on, taking cool air from the ground and having the roof fan on exhaust cools the van down very fast.
 

sparkplug

Well-known member
I never thought of using the heater as just a fan. Thanks.

My set up is one roof fan (MaxxAir) at the front. This is (roughly) above the cooker and works very well as an extractor fan.

I've then got a Caframo Scirocco mounted centrally on the ceiling at the foot of the bed (bed is by the back doors). This can rotate 360º so can either blow air from the back of the van towards the front to help cooking smells to go forwards towards the MaxxAir or we can switch it round so the MaxxAir draws air in and the Scirocco blows the cooler air onto us in the bed.

I've got one screened window at the rear and although it's a small one it makes a MASSIVE difference to the air flow. I'm really pleased I installed it.

The whole set up has worked really well to date.

I'm considering trying to make some DIY aluminium vents which I can use to place on top of the side windows in the cab (you open them a bit, place the vent on top then raise the windows to 'seal'). I've seen them advertised but never used them and they're quite expensive but I don't think they should be too complicated to fabricate.
 

RVBarry

2023 AWD 170 DIY CamperVan
Hi, an Espar D2/D4 can circulate inside air, but bringing outside air in would be a nonstandard and possibly unsafe configuration.
 

tompat01

New member
Still new to the Espar game, just installed it a few weeks ago. When it is on fan mode does it not still stuck air from the air intake?

Actually now that I think of it, the intake goes to the unit where it mixes, burns and is expelled out the exhaust. So yes it only does circulate the inside air. My mistake.
 

Midwestdrifter

Engineer In Residence
using a diverter valve to duct in outside air via the espar is occasionally seen in euro campers. Care to avoid dusty air or engine exhaust is needed.
 

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