Bathroom Fan

[gunworks]

Has anyone had a problem with bathroom fan. My 94 Land Yacht has a fan controlled by two switches below the sink. One switch opens/closes the vent, while the other turns the fan on and off. I tested both switches and there is no voltage going to either switch. The breaker is good, and the pump, H/W heater and light all work. Wiring will be tough to follow as it goes down under the floor to the front of bonnet, but not below the chasis. This was a sudden thing as one day, poof, it no longer functioned. Any suggestions?

[Tinsel Loaf]

Can we assume that you have voltage at the 12 volt breaker, both sides? If you do not have 12 volts at the switches, tested to a good ground, and there are no other fuses, and the power wire runs direct to the switches which does not power anything else, it's open somewhere in it's run. Since replacing the original wire would be almost impossible you may have to pull another 12 volt wire somehow. The other way would be to abandon the old wire and take 12 volts from the lights in the bath or pump circuit to your switches. You have a real puzzler there. Good luck.

[gunworks]

I did not check voltage at the breaker since the light, pump and H/W heater are on the same circuit and get power through the same breaker. I'm thinking lack of ground, but can't locate it. As you say, in the long run it might just be easier to pull power from the other switches.

[Tinsel Loaf]

OK, now it sound like you have a faulty connection where the factory tapped the 12 volts from the pump switch or water heater. Ohm out the wire from the fan switch to the heater/pump switch, you most likely will find an open connection, maybe, and TA DA! problem would be solved.

[gunworks]

The problem has been located. Switch that opens/closes the fan hood has no continuity in either position. 12V power and ground are good, so switch must be bad. Seems the fan motor picks up the ground from the hood ground at the overhead location. Ohm'd out both switches and the fan switch is good. Now to locate a two position, nuetral center, 12v switch! Let you know where I find one.

[Paul Dobbin]

You guys seem to be good at that electrical diagnosis stuff. Have you fiqued out how to get a Fantastic Fan in that hole and keep the power cover? I really like that unit but keep the Airstream one because of the power cover. Any ideas?

[gunworks]

Paul,
I got on the roof and removed the insulated cover topside. Wife (1.0) stood on stool and pushed motor with fan blades attached in from below. Wiring was a bit tricky and had to cut and re-do terminations. I will look at it again in daylight and see if I can elaborate. My fan blades were broken when I bought the coach, so I e-mailed Fan-Tastic Vent and they sent me a whole new assembly (motor also) at no charge. Anyway, you have to install from below and above with two people. took about two hours to remove old motor and install new one. (yea, I'm slow, but I just like doing things once). It should be easier if you are installing a whole unit, I would think. Just make sure you don't crimp any wires along the vent edges. If you go to their website at www.fantasticvent.com you will see the power cover comes with the fan.

John

[Tinsel Loaf]

gunworks
Glad you got that turd wrestling fan switch working.
Just a note on something interesting I discovered on fantasticvent fan covers. Our fantasticvent would shut and then after a few minutes open again, just drove me crazy. We live near the ocean, and the salt and dust settling over time added with a little evening moisture in the air will cause this. When the rain sensor gets moisture from damp evening air (clear skys) it will trigger the cover to close. When this begins to happen clean the rain sensor located on the top inside the cover. Who wadda thunk!!

[gunworks]

I don't have rain sensors that I am aware of. Someone at later time from manufacture placed insulated aerodynamic covers over all the roof vents. Covers still open and close as advertised, but we get less dust & debris inside covers as a result and they stay cleaner. It was probably an attempt to stay warmer here in the north country. Great addition. Thanks someone!

[gunworks]

This is a good news/bad news post. First the good news: I contacted the switch manufacturer, Sigma in Elkhart, In and they UPS'd me two new switches at no charge. The bad news: The new switch makes no difference and the fan still does not work, so back to square one as to where the problem lies. This one is going to drive me nuts!

[gunworks]

It lloks like the small motor which controls the fan blade just had enough vibration as I turned on the switch and got up there and wiggled the wires where they connect to the motor. Motor started to work the quit. More wiggle, more stop. Went to this site and got a replacement motor and now all is right with the world. I know its long but just copy it and paste to browser.
http://www.rvlifestyles.net/ItemPage...2-8ce674b4fc83

It is very hard to locate that motor without extensive search of their site. Very fast to ship.

[Tinsel Loaf]

There are two styles of motors for that type of Ventline turd wrestling fan. One shaft is grooved and there is a half moon shaft. Be sure to replace the fan at the same time as the motor. The sunlight makes the fan brittle over time and they will break easily when your cleaning the blades while doing routine maintenance. You are doing routine maintenance aren’t you?

[gunworks]

Of course I am...sortof. Anyway the fan motor with the half moon is no longer made, (this from ventlinesite) so the fan blade (not brittle) had to be drilled out to fit the new larger shaft. Not a big deal. Anyway it works now.