Argosy 24' rear roof vent replacement

[mprokop87]

I am in the middle of replacing my rear roof vent with a new [to me] fantastic vent. I already have the hole cut on the outer shell and will be cutting the inner tonight. The issue that I have having is that the old vent had rounded corners with a pair of power wires ran around. Since the new vent is squared I need to stretch those wires. Has anyone come across this at all? It did not feel like there was much room to give on these wires and I believe the vent is as far forward as I can get it without hitting the rib.

I need to use the RV on Friday for a 4 night trip so any advice would be appreciated! Thank you!

[overlander63]

A Fantastic Story

[mayco]

When i installed my Maxxair vent fans there was plenty of wire to make the connection and then tuck them away to clear the fan frame. But if im not mistaken, when i reached up in the ceiling cavity to see how much wire i had to work with, the wires had been folded over a couple times and taped in a bundle. Take a look, it may be the same with yours. Otherwise you may have to splice some pig tails on to extend the wires. I hate additional splices but..........

[mprokop87]

That is one option. The other thing I was thinking is to mount the vent slightly off center. It would be maybe 1 inch to the drivers side, which would give me enough space to get around the wire and it would be barely noticeable. I would have to place a small patch on the passengers side of the hole, but thats not a big deal.

[ventport]

Originally Posted by mprokop87

That is one option. The other thing I was thinking is to mount the vent slightly off center. It would be maybe 1 inch to the drivers side, which would give me enough space to get around the wire and it would be barely noticeable. I would have to place a small patch on the passengers side of the hole, but thats not a big deal.

Don't patch the roof, splice the wires to keep it centered over the old hole.

[DryFly]

Originally Posted by mprokop87

That is one option. The other thing I was thinking is to mount the vent slightly off center. It would be maybe 1 inch to the drivers side, which would give me enough space to get around the wire and it would be barely noticeable. I would have to place a small patch on the passengers side of the hole, but thats not a big deal.

Just splice the wires - it's easier, faster, and won't increase the leak possibility from a patch. For the best splice, solder and use a heat set shrink wrap specifically made for wiring. Alternatively you can use a wire nut and electrical tape, although a lot of people on this forum eschew that approach.

[mprokop87]

Well I didn't end up doing any of those suggestions! After pulling a bit of the ceiling down I found enough slack in the wires to allow the fan to fit, YAY! I laid down a few strips of sealant on the roof and screwed it back in. Everything looks good and fully operational!