[foxharp]

most of the folks here seem to choose a maxxfan, but a couple seem to like fantastic fans, as do some of the commercial converters (roadtrek?).

when i read their websites a month or two ago, i came away thinking "maxxfan", but i'd love to hear from others why they chose one over the other.

specific features that i think i'd like: remote control, being able to leave it open while raining, ability to buy matching units with and without fan (i.e., passive vent).

thoughts?

paul

 

[orton]

The most important Maxxair feature is the ability to leave it open when raining. That feature also eliminates the need for a rain sensor.

I also prefer the two actuator arms instead of the Fantastic one. It can be open while driving in the full open position. It will destroy the gearbox if driven with vent partially open.

I have no need for a remote because vent is located where it is easily reached from the bed platform or standing in front of the bed platform.

If you want it to be very effective without needing to be powered, a hole in the floor of the van works very well. Air from under van flows up and out of the open vent without fan running. I seldom power mine.

Floor hole:

http://www.ortontransit.info/floorvent.php

 

[EddieZ]

...
specific features that i think i'd like: remote control, being able to leave it open while raining, ability to buy matching units with and without fan (i.e., passive vent).
paul

In addition to being able to leave the MaxxFan open while it's raining, you can also leave it open while driving. OTOH, it's a lot more visible than other fans. Those are the primary tradeoffs. Take your pick.

 

[cargovanconversion]

As already said the Maxx fan has several 'advantages' over the Fantastic fan; exposure is one of its drawbacks.
I'll soon be installing one myself in my Ford Transit and I haven't not finished researching, but I have found much more (after-market) options for the Fantastic.
Different color bezels, high/low mount options and most important a double pane dome. The latter may be a good insulator, especially in winter. I haven't seen much of that for the Maxx, but I may be wrong.
Don't forget, there are still other fans available: no brand, Chinese, etc. Quality....? I don't know, but worth looking into.

Van Williams

 

[orton]

For insulation on the Maxxair I just cut a piece of 1" thick polyiso rigid insulation to fit in the opening. Used duct tape around the edges. Cut it so it has slight interference fit. Works well.

 

[Zyzzyx]

Maxxfan. Being able to leave it open and not worry about it, that was key for me. Go for a drive, in the rain, no problem. Nice to leave it open for much of the year, get some passive ventilation

 

[skagitstan]

Ditto for the Maxxair, plus the low profile when it's down.
It's also pretty quiet at the lower speed settings, but still circulates nicely.
The remote is coming in handy while I'm building Annie. Don't know if we'll need it once we are camping.

I can't compare it to the newer Fantastic fans. The ones I had in the past were the OEM cheapo 3 speed units. Those were pretty noisy even at low speed.

 

[JAD]

I have no experience with these things, but one thing I am curious about is whether or not these remote control fans emit a hum when on low (something you do not hear on fans without remote control). I've noticed such a hum with remote control house ceiling fans and they drive me crazy. So I only have fans with pull strings in the house.

 

[skagitstan]

Can't say I've heard a hum with Annie's fan.
That could be due to me just not hearing that well after a lot of years in very loud recording studios control rooms.

Or it could be due to the fan is just not as noisy as a PWM/dimmer drive dependent on 60Hz, like most home fans.

I will need to go and make some measurements.

Stan

 

[Wmillette]

My custom maxxair

I installed a led kit in mine!

 

[Wmillette]

Inside fan

 

[foxharp]

excellent recommendations, everyone. sounds pretty much unanimous. i think Longboard used Fantastic Fans, but that might have been for stealth, which isn't an issue for us.

i'm definitely interested in the hum question: it's the kind of thing that would drive me nuts.

is the remote an IR remote (line of sight) like a TV? or can it work if there's something in the way? current plan is to hoist the bed to the ceiling, which will block the fan by sight, even if leaving room for airflow.

oh -- and how tall is the fan when open? i don't see that on the website. i guess being able to lower it from the driver's seat of a high roof van might make the electric opener feature worth it, the first time i come to a 10' underpass.

paul

 

[foxharp]

I installed a led kit in mine!

whoa! i'm not sure how to react to that. it's a neat idea... i think!

i only realized today that the blades are transparent -- that's clever thinking on some designer's part.

 

[jethaden]

I do not hear any hum due to my remote MaxxFan. The remote is IR. To block IR signal, in order to go directly from open running to open not-running, for example, which is something the fan and remote will not do by design, I stick the remote into my side to block the light. Doing less than sticking into my fat belly sometimes does not work at blocking the signal and the fan still closes on the fan-off signal I am trying to block. That said, fairly often from the front seat, the fan does not get the signal, not that I try that very often. Need to hit the open or close button twice, point the remote better.

Aside: to go from fan open and on to fan open and off, you need to block the remote and turn the fan off (which will normally close cover), then unblock remote and hit fan open (but off) button. Fan takes last signal and does what you want: fan remains open but turns off.

I do feel that there is excessive vibration noise in the fan blades. At certain speeds there is a clear harmonic vibration. It changes whether the fan is set to air in or air out. 20% power is the quietest acceptable speed (IMO, but depends on what you consider quiet). Any higher is noticeable.

 

[foxharp]

so, from what jethaden says, it seems like the remote, and its display, could pretty easily get out of sync with what the fan is actually doing. if you block the IR, and bump the speed, presumably the display changes, but the fan speed doesn't? does the remote's display get out of sync if you use the keypad on on the fan itself to make changes? (i'm actually hoping it _does_ get out of sync, because that means communication is just one-way, and not bidirectional. that, in turn, means i can almost certainly use an IR extender as are sold for home theater systems, to control the fan while it's hidden above the raised bed. (feel free to chime in if you think that won't work.

 

[jethaden]

It seems to me that the last command given is the one accepted. Never tested with speed, just the on-off open-close functionality. It is definitely not bidirectional. The remote is the the cheapest design you could find, like from an portable A/C unit a decade ago. I have thought about decoding the signal and building a smarter one (univeral remote or voice activated), but such a plan is way too low on my priority list to get done.

 

[foxharp]

that old and cheap, eh? i hope a modern IR extender will work. thanks for confirming it's unidirectional.

 

[foxharp]

one more maxxfan question: white vs. smoke? reviews on amazon imply that one gets more light inside with the smoke cover than with the white cover. true?

paul

 

[Longboard]

i think Longboard used Fantastic Fans, but that might have been for stealth, which isn't an issue for us.

I had two low profile Fantastic Fans in my Sprinter because that was Sportsmobile's default.
I was very impressed with the units, but even more so with the six years of incredible tech support I got from Fantastic.
I had hour long conversations with their tech rep and received numerous free replacement parts.
I decided to go with the same for the Transit, but was told incorrectly by several dealers that the low profile mounts as well as the flat rather than domed lids were no longer available, so had the standard mounts with domed lids installed. For the first time ever I was confused with being a motor home by most observers that bothered to stop and chat.
A call to the company verified that not only are they still available, but they shipped me two new mounts and two flat domes FOR FREE!
It's never been called a motor home since.
For me stealth is a major concern, and I am very pleased with the rain sensor system in the newer models.
The tech support is still incredible, never seen anything like it.

 

[foxharp]

longboard -- thanks for the feedback. i do love me some good customer service.

but i think the ability to have the vent open and/or fan running while it's raining with the maxxfan is the deal clincher for us. plus, there'll probably be a bike rack on the hitch most of the time, which pretty much blows any pretensions at stealth right off the bat.