Fantastic Vent Fan or similar? (1 Viewer)

[Lizi]

Just thinking about how we can cool the van next summer and wondering if anyone has fitted one of the fantastic vent fans or the Fiamma ones or indeed anything similar. Are they worth fitting or would they be no better than say an endless breeze fan?

 

[Jim]

@eddievanbitz has fitted vent fans to help keep their dogs cool. If they are any good I'm sure he'll see this and let you know

 

[funflair]

We have the omnivent or whatever they call it, it's thermostatically controlled so once you get it set it works great, we pull all the blinds closed when we are out and just leave a cool side window on the catch to pull air in and set the fan to draw out, it keeps the van at very close to the same temperature as the shade so don't think you can do much better than that without air on. It would need power up at the roof vent though.

Martin

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[2657]

We have one of the Fiamma ones that fit in the rooflight and are reversible to act as an extractor.

It works quite well as a ventilator but not, from what others have said, as well as the endless breeze, it does not work that well as an extractor but does work( like aeroplane propellors they are at their best in one direction).

In the instructions for the Fiamma fan it says that they cannot be left in place whilst in motion but ours has been fine in the larger Dometic Seitz roof vent, unconnected though.It will only fit in the smaller roof vents when they are open.

We got ours from John's Cross to avail ourselves of the Funster discount

 

[sallylillian]

I had fantastic vents on the RV and I specified them on the new Flair, had some hassle getting the Germans to fit the model I wanted but they did in the end. The air throughput is really cooling and if you only open the windows on the shady side it just sucks in the cooler air. They also have rain sensors which really work, so you can leave them running whilst away or at night.
Recommend them.

 

[Forestboy]

Had one fitted above the bed a few months ago during some refurb work.
Brilliant in Sicily in seriously high temperatures in fact some nights it got the van too cool for me.
We're seriously thinking of having the aircon unit removed and replaced with a second fan.

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[GWAYGWAY]

Had one on the chausson and it was OK but it was a bit noisy above the bad. You can use it whilst driving to increase the outflow, we did as we had no aircon on that van.

 

[sdc77]

The most usefull thing we have in hot climes is the silverscreen. fans are great but the screen cover stops soo much heat.

 

[PeteH]

Likewise in the USA, we found that covering the windscreen with Reflective insulating material was very effective at reducing daytime interior temperatures. Parts of Texas can be Very hot in the summer!. even with 2 Aircon units on!. The Vent fan is only effective IF you leave a window open elsewhere to create a through flow of air. And that could be a security issue in certain places?.

BTW. some alarms will trigger if there is a window open too.
Pete

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[Our Bumble]

We have one of the Fiamma ones that fit in the rooflight and are reversible to act as an extractor.

We too have the same unit. As a fan, it pushes the air around and therefore helps keep it at little cooler. Its not bad but not brilliant.

 

[sallylillian]

Likewise in the USA, we found that covering the windscreen with Reflective insulating material was very effective at reducing daytime interior temperatures. Parts of Texas can be Very hot in the summer!. even with 2 Aircon units on!. The Vent fan is only effective IF you leave a window open elsewhere to create a through flow of air. And that could be a security issue in certain places?.

BTW. some alarms will trigger if there is a window open too.
Pete

And some alarms will trigger with the aircon blowing, same difference.

 

[icantremember]

We have a Fantastic Vent over the bathroom area and have found it very useful to cool the moho and while showering to reduce condensation.

There is quite a large gap under the bathroom door so it draws right through the van even with the door closed.

The fan is three speed, reversible & thermostatic ... on fast speed it drags a lot of air so lowers the temperature fast but is noisy ... once turned down to slow speed it is much quieter to sleep with.

Only disadvantage I see is that we loose natural light over the basin when it's turned off and closed.

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[Lenny HB]

We have a Fantastic vent over the kitchen, brilliant bit of kit. In Greece last year we had night time temps of 30 deg with the fan on low extracting and rooflight over bed on vent a nice cool breeze is drawn over the beds. When temp drops thermostat turns off the fan.
Very low on power on 1 less than 1A, on max less than 3A.
We have ordered one on the new van, wouldn't have a van without one now.

 

[Armytwowheels]

First thing we did when we got this van last year was fit a Fantastic Vent, it was a second hand one but works fine and wouldn't be with out it. In fact we have just fitted a second one over the cab area, we can have a push/pull thing going on to help keep the van and the dog cool.

Our thinking behind the positioning of the new fan is that at night we can have the roof light over the bed open and the FV at the front of the van pulling air through, but the noise of the vent is not directly over the bed. This 2nd vent has also come with a remote control.

 

[JimJams]

Seriously the only decent roof vent intergraded fan option is the Fan-Tastic vent models.. Either the 4000R or the 6000RBT auto/rain sensor option.. I have three in the roof of my RV and Ed also has 3.. they are coming standard now on new RV's from the states with the optional wall control but I personally wouldn't bother going for this as you can happily reach your roof if you have a European motorhome this is?

They draw very little power in comparison to alternative options and more importantly they are incredibly quiet.. yes you may wish to leave windows slightly cracked to create a flow throughout the van however having myself two fans one front and one at the rear I have one sucking in and one drawing out to create a flow through the van.. (the third fan is in my toilet before anybody comments!)

A fan isn't of course gonna work as well as an air-con unit but of course we don't always park on campsites on mains hook-up so as a 12v system they are brilliant.. Yes they are equally expensive but you pay for what you get in my opinion!

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[Lizi]

Can this Fantastic vent be fitted in the usual size roof window vent thing? I don't mind opening windows as usually we sleep on campsites (though may try aires and wild camping this summer if it feels right). Last summer in the Tarn we had every window in the van open to get cool enough to sleep. We also use the silver screen things which are great at keeping sun out in the day.

 

[JimJams]

Can this Fantastic vent be fitted in the usual size roof window vent thing? I don't mind opening windows as usually we sleep on campsites (though may try aires and wild camping this summer if it feels right). Last summer in the Tarn we had every window in the van open to get cool enough to sleep. We also use the silver screen things which are great at keeping sun out in the day.

If you are intending on using an existing roof vent then it would need to be the traditional sized 40x40cm..

Obviously another hole can be cut if there isn't a vent to suit possibly.. The added advantage by using an existing vent is that when you possibly decide to sell the van and change for a new one then you can remove the Fantastic vent and transfer to the new van, and then re-install the vent that was removed previously..

 

[2657]

Undoubtedly the Fantastic Fan Vent is more efficient than the Fiamma fan but at around £50 as opposed to around £200 and easily fitted inside the existing vent I'm afraid that my money went in that direction

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[Lizi]

Thanks folks will have a think. It is expensive but we were a bit uncomfortable at times in the summer and next year want to go to Italian lakes, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria and have no choice but to do it in July and August as I have school holidays to stick to (till I retire!!)

 

[Jagtazman]

How easy are fantastic vents to wire up?

 

[Lenny HB]

Easy they just need a 12v supply, they only draw about 3a on max, I would use 1.5mm sq cable as it will probably a fairly long run back to your distribution unit, that way you minimise volt drop.

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[Fletton]

How easy are fantastic vents to wire up?

+ & -

Soz couldn't resist...

And it is late...

 

[JimJams]

How easy are fantastic vents to wire up?

honestly hardest bit is channeling through the roof for the cabling to drop it into an overhead cupboard or wardrobe..

you may be lucky and have a channel there already. fingers crossed

 

[Jagtazman]

honestly hardest bit is channeling through the roof for the cabling to drop it into an overhead cupboard or wardrobe..

you may be lucky and have a channel there already. fingers crossed

We are in the process of getting a dog pick her up easter weekend.
As we are going to Lake garda in August looking at options to cool van. This seems to be best so far.
james I assume the auto vents ones although cost more a worth it? Would you also recommend two one over bed a day or even at front.
Would you have fans running same direction. Or different ie intake and an outtake.
If different which one where and are can they be changed easily?
Is it as which matter of ousting fan in upside down or is there a switch to change direction?
Apologies for all questions

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[JeanLuc]

Having thought long and hard about this matter a couple of years ago, I decided against using the only 40x40 roof vent since it is over the bed and I like to see the sky above in the mornings. It has also, in the past, been my emergency hatch out onto the roof for repairs when away - had to put a temporary seal around the large central roof-light in Italy one year.
Having tried a couple of 230V desk fans via the inverter, (OK but not brilliant) we finally bought the 'Endless Breeze' 12v portable fan last year and it's great. Made by Fantastic Vent and can be positioned where we want it. Obviously no thermostatic control but it has three speeds.
If I had a spare 40x40 vent (or room to cut a new one) I would go for the Fantastic Vent though.

 

[Lenny HB]

honestly hardest bit is channeling through the roof for the cabling to drop it into an overhead cupboard or wardrobe..

you may be lucky and have a channel there already. fingers crossed

I wouldn't want to do that.
You could surface run the cables in something

 

[Peter JohnsCross MH]

You can convert a Fiamma Roof vent to have a fan

http://www.johnscross.co.uk/products/fiamma-turbo-kit.html

All the vents are here for comparison

http://www.johnscross.co.uk/fiamma-roof-vents-and-turbo-vents.html?sort=featured&page=1

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[JimJams]

I wouldn't want to do that.
You could surface run the cables in something

depends what kind of look and finish you are going for?

 

[Reallyretired]

I have a fiamma fan vent over the bed. Its the one with the thermostat. During the day it is on extract to remove the hot air from the high level and at night reversed to draw in cool air. The thermostat turns it off once the temperature drops sufficiently.
We find it brilliant and it can be used while moving if required. On low speeds it is very quiet.

 

[Lenny HB]

depends what kind of look and finish you are going for?

More concerned the damage that an unskilled person could do, high density styrofoam is not the easiest stuff to get through but if it's only polystytrene probably quite easy.

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