Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

OCBINVA wrote:I was thinking I would wire in a reverse and speed control.

That's the way I would do it.
I used 3" PVC for ducting the bathroom fan.

This is the blower fan we used in ours:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FXHVSIC/re ... TPAREKMDLA

This guy mounted a fantastic fan in the side with apparent success.

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=6 ... 5#p1174160

Noise can drive me nuts, check for that.

Floor mount make sure to seal while motor running!

As others have said already, do it right and no worries about leaks... ever. The ceiling is the best place for the fan.. any other place is a compromise. Get some good dicor tape for the seal and dicor self leveling sealer to go over screws and perimeter... and it will not leak.

I do not get why folks are so concerned witk roof leaks. If done right... no leaks.

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Best butyl tape

http://shop.marinehowto.com/products/bed-it-tape

The whole idea of converting, is to do it Your-way.

I love our trailer, but I wish the builder paid attention to our 'Specific' order and didn't cut a HOLE in the roof for another piece of junk (Vent or AC) to be maintained for life.
We've owned several RVs, manged and owned RV parks, and experienced the shortcomings of 'Typical' RVs. The last thing we'd want is to build an RV-like trailer.

To each his own.

Well I appreciate everyone's ideas and insight. I have three vintage camper that I have always tried to keep as period accurate as possible. If you seen my builder journal forum I can across this little trailer by happenstance. Not ideal but it is ideal for trying something new at minimal impact to the pocketbook. I am able to afford to go buy a new one off the lot; but what's the fun in that!

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We use PC fans (140mm) and love them. We have a ducting system in the front of our camper with the ports located underneath. The ducts go from the very top of the camper to the bottom. Each duct has two fans (actually 3, but only 2 are for the cabin). Duct #1 brings fresh air into the camper. Duct #2 exhausts the air. No roof holes. Each duct is individually controlled. Since air under the camper is normally cooler than that in the sun, then the intake is cooler. Having the ports in the bottom, they are always open, but covered with a screened louver facing backwards. As we drive, the natural movement of air pulls air into the wiley windows and out through both ducts, without the fans running. The wiley windows never leak, even during Hurricane Irma.

One the other two duct fans, one is used to cool the dorm fridge and the other to cool the electronics station. Yes, 6 fans that are very, very quiet. Each uses 0.2amp at 12v. Each is rated at 60 cfm, but in reality it is probably about 30. So if all 6 are running we are only pulling 1.2 amp, total. Each section is individually controlled. The two equipment fans, the two intake fans, the two exhaust fans. Plus, on each wiley window we have a 10" O2 fan that can do further cooling.

For almost all PC fans, they cannot run in reverse. You can buy good ones for about $10 each. The O2 fans were about $20. Most nights we can just turn on the exhaust duct and it is fine.

dave

daveesl77 wrote:We use PC fans (140mm) and love them. We have a ducting system in the front of our camper with the ports located underneath. The ducts go from the very top of the camper to the bottom. Each duct has two fans (actually 3, but only 2 are for the cabin). Duct #1 brings fresh air into the camper. Duct #2 exhausts the air. No roof holes. Each duct is individually controlled. Since air under the camper is normally cooler than that in the sun, then the intake is cooler. Having the ports in the bottom, they are always open, but covered with a screened louver facing backwards. As we drive, the natural movement of air pulls air into the wiley windows and out through both ducts, without the fans running. The wiley windows never leak, even during Hurricane Irma.

One the other two duct fans, one is used to cool the dorm fridge and the other to cool the electronics station. Yes, 6 fans that are very, very quiet. Each uses 0.2amp at 12v. Each is rated at 60 cfm, but in reality it is probably about 30. So if all 6 are running we are only pulling 1.2 amp, total. Each section is individually controlled. The two equipment fans, the two intake fans, the two exhaust fans. Plus, on each wiley window we have a 10" O2 fan that can do further cooling.

For almost all PC fans, they cannot run in reverse. You can buy good ones for about $10 each. The O2 fans were about $20. Most nights we can just turn on the exhaust duct and it is fine.

dave

That sounds interesting. Have any pics? I have been leaning to a bilge fan to this point. This is a micro camper and is my testbed for bigger and better things down the road.

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Hader wrote:shortcomings of 'Typical' RVs. The last thing we'd want is to build an RV-like trailer.

Standard RVs are very build very shoddily. To me the whole point of DIY is getting it right, building something far better than anything off the shelf.

As many are saying, if you want good ventilation without creating a science project, a MaxxAir or Fantastic fan in the roof is the way to go.

And done right should not need rebedding for decades, if ever.

Putting deck plate / fan portholes in the wall or floor, sure can be made to work, but need careful design and a lot more DIY efforts, and need the same quality installation as the above in order to not leak and be low-maintenace.

Obviously each of us do what we like, just my 2¢

I'll put some pics up later. In my build section there are some shots on the ducting system. As to a bilge blower, while they can push a massive amount of air, they are really, really noisy, like vacuum cleaner noisy. Positive is you can control their speed with a PWM and also reverse their flow.

dave

Just to clarify!
We used the bilge blower only for the bathroom. Located it in the insulated AC hot well cabinet (floor).

This a view looking down at the uncovered AC cabinet: viewtopic.php?f=42&t=67319&start=105
You can see the duct into the bathroom wall.

The reason I said a bilge pump is I have a smaller one in my tracker and it is not too bad. But I guess when in a small box it will be amplified. I however do still like the idea of floor or sidewall venting.

Like I previously said I tend to over think and I do my best when I dive in. I am not against a roof fan but the way mine is constructed I just rather not. All my ribs are steel channel, only 1/2 thick. The aluminum on top only is connected at the edges. And free floats otherwise. I am still brainstorming how to mount some wood on the steel ribs it so I can have something to screw in tongue and groove too.

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Are you going to insulate?
How thick?