I was so happy with the success I had with installing a Fantastic fan I was considering replacing all my vents. Both other vents have issues. On the motor and crank screw are broken. It is also missing some parts so it will not crank up or down and it leaks. The other vent will not close all the way because the bar is bent. I tried to straighten out the bar but that was not working. Has anybody in the forums replaced all their vents with newer vents?
I replaced all three original vents with Fantastic Fans and added a thin fluorescent fixture next to each. Superior lighting and better air control, especially venting kitchen odors.
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Mark
1984 31' Excella, mid bath, king size bed
1998 Chevrolet Suburban K2500, 7.4L/454 c.i., 4WD, Pullrite Hitch
AIR No. 2375
I too have replaced all of the factory square vents in each of my coaches. I have no regrets, the Fantastic Vents are much more efficient than the factory originals -- and if you go with the model that has thermostat and rain sensor you can safely leave the vents open when away from the coach. These vents are a must-have if you ever attend rallys where the maximum electric is 3-AMP.
Kevin
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Kevin D. Allen WBCCI (Lifetime Member)/VAC/Free Wheelers #6359 AIR #827
1964 Overlander International/1999 GMC K2500 Suburban (7400 VORTEC/4.11 Differentials)
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.0 Metre/1975 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible (8.2 Liter V8/2.70 Final Drive)
We now have two Fantastic Fans in place of the chintzy replacements for the original vents. I think only two need to be powered, though. Any more than that, and you could get a swirling vortex of whatever is lying around in the trailer when you turn them all on.
I am sold on replacing all the vents. When I buy the new fans I will shop for some good replacement lighting where the old vents go. I do like the incandescent look. I am not a big fan (no pun intended) of Florescent lighting.
I am sold on replacing all the vents. When I buy the new fans I will shop for some good replacement lighting where the old vents go. I do like the incandescent look. I am not a big fan (no pun intended) of Florescent lighting.
Brian
A couple advantages to flourescent is they use less electricity, are cooler (important in Summer when boondocking), and usually last longer than incandescents. You can use white LED's for the same effect, but they aren't as bright.
Here's some pics of my vent changing progress...I've got all three of them replaced now. I installed recessed 'spot' type lights from Dr LED to replace the lighting fixtures that were part of the old vents.
I got my vents from Vintage Trailer Supply...they have the flat top type Fantastic fans in gray color, and include the inside trim piece that has a curve to match the AS interior...neat!
It's a real 'fun' job to get all the old 'gunk' off the roof! I finally got smart and use a heat gun to soften it up and it then came right off. Trimming the outer and inner skins to fit the new vents is an easy job if you pick up a couple of cheap type RH and LH cutting tin snips.
Now that it's done, I'm happy with the results. I used a fan with a thermostat in the mid bedroom area, a plain fan over the Galley area, and a vent without a fan in the forward area...I thought 2 fans would be plenty...I can crack the front window open, turn on the fan over the galley and get a nice cross breeze! My thinking was that the thermostat unit would work best over the beds, as it can cycle on and off in the evening when we're sleeping if its warm outside to get the air flowing...
I believe that Vintage Trailer Supply is the only company that handles the gray, flat top Fantastic fans...they give great service, and the price is competitive.
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Let us not be too particular;
it is better to have old secondhand Airstreams than none at all.
Mark Twain, updated
We swapped two of the original vents for the Fantastic variety last year. I purchased the grey colored, flat lid vents from Steve @ VintageTrailerSupply.com. I took them along with me to the International Rally and had the pros from Fantastic Fan install them at the Rally. Great opportunity to take advantage of their talents. They replace 100's of vents every year, so they know how to do it right. They also provide outstanding support if you have problems down the road. We replaced the lighting with Thin-Lites, which make more useful light and use less battery power.
Note: the Fantastic Fan vendors did NOT have the grey/flat lid style with them at the International last year. They were apparently a special order run just for Steve Hintgen.
We have one Fantastic Fan installed on our GlobeTrotter and two ready to be installed on our Safari. The GlobeTrotter's lid is smoked plexi and the Safari's are the grey - they didn't have the solid grey when we ordered the one.
The only two complaints I have are:
1) the plexi one is over our bed and lets campground lights in from above at night - it hits right on our heads.
2) the thermostat/automatic setting is very sensitive to moisture. It cycles on/off all night with heavy dew and is pretty noisy. So we don't really use it.
We will be replacing the plexi one with a grey one on the GT once we are finished with the Safari. The lids are not interchangeable, I asked.
Shari
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Vintage Airstream Club - Past President 2007/2008
WBCCI #1824 - DenCO Unit Past President (2005)
AIR #30 - Join Date: 2-25-2002
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