2020 Classic 33 AC Vents are not removable

[ghaynes755]

So today I was going to take a look at the AC vents to see there was any better airflow with them removed or bending the fins as other have done.



Well they aren't going to fall out of the ceiling anymore. The inner plastic grey ring now is secured to the ceiling with two pop rivets. You can see them if you rotate the plastic louvers to see through the hows at the one end of travel and then slowly rotate the plastic and metal louvres until you see the rivets.


The metal louvers are riveted at the center to the plastic so these aren't going to fall out unless you drill out the rivets.

[Piggy Bank]

I too found this to be true, at least for the one over my bed.

Unfortunately it is riveted incorrectly and the inner gray ring will not rotate on mine. So I get hardly any airflow shooting down on my side of the bedroom.

[BAB]

I can imagine the dialog: "owners are complaining about these expensive new vents falling down."

"That's an easy fix, we'll just rivet them so they CAN'T fall out.

(I had a couple that did fall out.....about 30 seconds with my handy heat gun on the plastic bump outs to move them just a bit further out towards the aluminum roof edge -- no more problems."

Gary, that's how YOU would have fixed it if they'd let you!

Barry

[uncle_bob]

Hi

The outlet vents have been riveted in for a while now. Mine are from 2017 and they aren't falling out any time soon. The intake vent still snaps out (as it must for cleaning the foam filter).

Indeed mine are a bit random in terms of assembly. You really need a flashlight to see how to adjust them for max airflow. I've considered using tape to hold them all in the "correct" position .....

Bob

[turk123]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

The outlet vents have been riveted in for a while now. Mine are from 2017 and they aren't falling out any time soon. The intake vent still snaps out (as it must for cleaning the foam filter).

Indeed mine are a bit random in terms of assembly. You really need a flashlight to see how to adjust them for max airflow. I've considered using tape to hold them all in the "correct" position .....

Bob

I agree Bob. The vents are horrible and not really functional as they could be. You are constantly spinning and looking and turning to get them open. The two pieces are independent and just cause me to go crazy sometime.

It is to the point that I may try to make my own.

# 1. You do not need to shut them off, just redirect them. The AC is not that powerful. I find myself checking that they are always wide open.

# 2. Why is there 4 in my bedroom? You need two.

# 3. Even wide open they are very restrictive. In my old 27' International I use to pull the vents out and let them run full power. It cooled a lot faster.

# 4. Bob, I will sell you a set of Turk's fantastic vents for nothing when they are completed. Hey, I'm a good guy.

# 5. I have too much time on my hands.

[kendrick.l.j]

Wow, I feel really bad for anyone who has the new riveted in place vents. I’m not a fan of the directional vents. IMO they were way too restrictive and condensation was always forming and made the AC work harder so I took all mine out and replaced them with the round plane mesh vent covers that were in a different model. Huge improvement. Here’s a website that has what I use. $12.00 and problem solved.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/09...pen_screen_tab

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Ok, there's a bit of confusion here. The vents I have are riveted in place. ( = there is a rivet rather than a screw at the center of the assembly). They do not (easily) come out of the ceiling. The older vents (mounted with screws) could be taken apart easily. I've sort of *assumed* there is a way to snap the riveted vents out of the ceiling.

Both types of vents are adjustable for direction and flow volume. They spread the air flow out over a wide space so you don't get the "blast of cold wind" effect from the older setups. If you miss that, a fan is your friend. Even if you don't miss that, a fan is still a pretty good accessory.

One side effect of combining the well known AS attention to detail with a vent that can go together "wrong" is that some number of riveted (or screwed) vents arrive out of alignment. The little adjust arm *should* be at max air flow on one end of the travel and min air flow on the other end. It also should be bent "just enough" that there is some friction in the setup. They sort of get it right.

Given the cost of putting in a new ceiling in the AS, I have not attacked one to see if there *is* a way they snap out. Maybe there is ..... Maybe once they are out there is a magic way to disassemble them .... maybe .....

======

You get a ton of vents in the bedroom to *try* to focus the rear A/C unit on that end of things. What really would be ideal is to spread those out a bit. Putting one in the wardrobe and one in the shower .... hmmm..... Maybe one in the middle of the rear skylight .... hmmm..... They just plain ran out of places to put them.

Bob

[ghaynes755]

Bob, on mine there are actually rivets securing the plastic to the ceiling. They are not removable. So no confusion at least for the 2020 Classic that I am sitting in.

Still the same vents, I can see the tabs. And had the same vents in my older 2017 Classic.

[Phantom98]

Originally Posted by ghaynes755

Bob, on mine there are actually rivets securing the plastic to the ceiling. They are not removable. So no confusion at least for the 2020 Classic that I am sitting in.

Still the same vents, I can see the tabs. And had the same vents in my older 2017 Classic.


Attachment 351761

Mine are the same as yours. I am thinking about replacing mine with a screen type vent. Will they come out if I drill out the rivets? Thanks

[Spartanguy]

Originally Posted by turk123

I agree Bob. The vents are horrible and not really functional as they could be. You are constantly spinning and looking and turning to get them open. The two pieces are independent and just cause me to go crazy sometime.



It is to the point that I may try to make my own.

It’s a shame that Airstream had this figured out and then changed them immediately mid year of the first year of ducted to the heavier, less aesthetically pleasing falling out rotating ones. I am so thankful to have the early vents, maybe you can replace with those if you can find some. Rumor is the change was about customer demand, but once they went adjustable they made fewer vent holes

[BigSxyWhtGuy]

I love those mesh ducts. I never have a need to close off vents or redirect air.... get the airstream cold please! Are they available for purchase anywhere?

[wulfraat]

Originally Posted by BigSxyWhtGuy

I love those mesh ducts. I never have a need to close off vents or redirect air.... get the airstream cold please! Are they available for purchase anywhere?

Airstream no longer carry them. I actually called just yesterday to see if they had any new old stock and no go.... there is another thread active right now on this topic