Slowing down a FantasticVent

Anything electric, AC or DC

Slowing down a FantasticVent

Postby shoeman » Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:49 pm

Got a question for the electrical wizards here. How can I slow the speed down on my Fantastic Vent fan? Even at the lowest setting it moves way more air than I need and is really too noisy for sleeping. I'm thinking a resistor in the DC+ feed, but have no idea if that is a good idea or what resistance to use. The fan is labeled as either 25 or 27 watts, I forget exactly which right now. Of course it's 12v too.
Any thoughts?

Geoff
99% of the way done with a Generic Benroy. Only because these might never be done if you like to tinker. But it's on the road!
User avatar
shoeman
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 162
Images: 22
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 7:03 am
Location: Bangor, Me.

Postby halfdome, Danny » Fri Aug 22, 2008 3:07 pm

If you open your windows and curtains all the way it will to reduce the resistance and lower the noise level. We only run the Fantasticfan in the exhaust position. We use a sleeping bag to regulate how cool we want to be. :) Danny
ImageImage
"Conditions are never just right. People who delay action until all factors are favorable do nothing". William Feather
Don't accept "It's Good Enough" build to the best of your abilities.
Image
Teardroppers Of Oregon & WashingtonImage
User avatar
halfdome, Danny
*Happy Camper
 
Posts: 5882
Images: 252
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2005 11:02 pm
Location: Washington , Pew-al-up

Postby Toytaco2 » Fri Aug 22, 2008 4:03 pm

I'm still in the building stage. Last weekend I ran my wires and hooked up the fan and lights just to make sure everything works so far. Like you, I thought the Fantastic Fan was pretty loud and fast, even on the lowest setting. At the time I thought it was mostly due to no roof insulation or roof skin yet. No doors are installed yet and the front window is still not installed. It would be nice to slow it down a bit and make things a little quieter.
User avatar
Toytaco2
500 Club
 
Posts: 540
Images: 368
Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2007 1:57 pm
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Top

Postby shoeman » Fri Aug 22, 2008 4:18 pm

Yeah, it's designed to move a lot of air through RV's and bigger rigs than we are messing with, so it's really overkill for a tear. There must be a way to slow the revs down.
I've had the windows wide open as Danny suggested but it's still not enough.
I'm thinking slow like a ceiling fan here. As delivered the lowest setting is more like a bathroom vent fan... too fast.
99% of the way done with a Generic Benroy. Only because these might never be done if you like to tinker. But it's on the road!
User avatar
shoeman
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 162
Images: 22
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 7:03 am
Location: Bangor, Me.
Top

Postby mikeschn » Fri Aug 22, 2008 4:21 pm

The Northern Breeze has a slide control on it, and one can get it running nice and slow.

Of course, I don't have a Northern Breeze handy right now. I just swiped the fantastic fan out of the Escape Hatch, and if you guys can tell me how to slow it down, I'll use it, other wise, I'll be looking for another Northern Breeze.

Image

Mike...
The quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten, so build your teardrop with the best materials...
User avatar
mikeschn
Site Admin
 
Posts: 19202
Images: 479
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 11:01 am
Location: MI
Top

Postby Mary K » Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:01 pm

Yeah, it does move some air. :lol: What about a dimmer switch?

Mk
Mary K

I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve. Bilbo Baggins
User avatar
Mary K
6000 Club
6000 Club
 
Posts: 6425
Images: 44
Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2006 3:07 pm
Location: Florida, Pensacola
Top

Postby Steve_Cox » Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:22 pm

Classic truck part. A heater fan rheostat would do nicely, and you won't loose any high speed from fixed resistors, just in case you want to exhaust the air quickly because of too much campfire chili. :lol:
Steve
User avatar
Steve_Cox
4000 Club
4000 Club
 
Posts: 4903
Images: 196
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2005 8:46 am
Location: Albuquerque New Mexico
Top

Postby mikeschn » Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:32 pm

Where do I get this "heater fan rheostat"? What do I ask for?

Mike...

Steve_Cox wrote:Classic truck part. A heater fan rheostat would do nicely, and you won't loose any high speed from fixed resistors, just in case you want to exhaust the air quickly because of too much campfire chili. :lol:
The quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten, so build your teardrop with the best materials...
User avatar
mikeschn
Site Admin
 
Posts: 19202
Images: 479
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 11:01 am
Location: MI
Top

Postby Steve_Cox » Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:48 pm

Found one on Ebay. Fan switch Image
Steve
User avatar
Steve_Cox
4000 Club
4000 Club
 
Posts: 4903
Images: 196
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2005 8:46 am
Location: Albuquerque New Mexico
Top

Postby Dean_A » Fri Aug 22, 2008 7:23 pm

Ohmite has a great selection of rheostats, along with matching hardware (knobs and such). They also have a good PDF on rheostat selection.
http://www.ohmite.com/

It shouldn't be too much trouble to rig up an extra knob on the fan. Here's a good photo of one of Ohmite's rheostats sold as a computer fan controller:
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/sirh25wa.html

Let us know how it goes. I have a Fantastic, but I haven't installed it yet.
User avatar
Dean_A
Gold Donating Member
 
Posts: 597
Images: 55
Joined: Sat Oct 21, 2006 5:24 pm
Location: San Diego, CA
Top

Postby planovet » Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:01 pm

I was planning on buying a Fantastic Fan soon. Is the fan speed that much of a problem? Is it that loud when you are trying to sleep? Is the Northern Breeze a better fan? Seems a little more expensive to me.
ImageMark (& Cindi)
Visit our website: Little Swiss Teardrop

I was wondering why the water balloon was getting bigger... and then it hit me.

ImageImageImageImage
User avatar
planovet
The Cat Man
 
Posts: 5583
Images: 3
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2007 4:48 pm
Location: Plano, Texas
Top

Postby Larwyn » Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:26 pm

planovet wrote:I was planning on buying a Fantastic Fan soon. Is the fan speed that much of a problem? Is it that loud when you are trying to sleep? Is the Northern Breeze a better fan? Seems a little more expensive to me.


The three speed Fantastic Fan seems fine to me. But then I slept under one regularly in my 5th wheel, so I may just be more adapted to it (or maybe more deaf...LOL). The one in my TD actually seems quieter and probably is, I know it is a newer model. The rheostats discussed above would be okay if you really need to slow it down, if you use a rheostat, be sure to leave clearance around it, they can get rather hot. Personally I like my fan the way it is. :thumbsup:
Larwyn

Keeper of the Most Out Of Control Shop (2005)

I feel bad for the man that cannot spell a word more than one way. Mark Twain
User avatar
Larwyn
Mad Kilted Texan
 
Posts: 1658
Images: 210
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2004 12:06 pm
Location: Kerrville, Texas
Top

Postby halfdome, Danny » Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:16 pm

planovet wrote:I was planning on buying a Fantastic Fan soon. Is the fan speed that much of a problem? Is it that loud when you are trying to sleep? Is the Northern Breeze a better fan? Seems a little more expensive to me.

We've had a Fantastic fan in two teardrops now and we enjoy it very much. The air capacity and sound were never an issue and still arn't. I did notice the fan in our new TD is a bit quieter. The drone of the fan actually puts me to sleep and I stay asleep. Ear plugs should help if your noise sensitive. I'd rather hear the fan than a bunch of noisy campers in the next campsite. :) Danny
ImageImage
"Conditions are never just right. People who delay action until all factors are favorable do nothing". William Feather
Don't accept "It's Good Enough" build to the best of your abilities.
Image
Teardroppers Of Oregon & WashingtonImage
User avatar
halfdome, Danny
*Happy Camper
 
Posts: 5882
Images: 252
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2005 11:02 pm
Location: Washington , Pew-al-up
Top

Postby Mary K » Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:57 pm

planovet wrote:I was planning on buying a Fantastic Fan soon. Is the fan speed that much of a problem? Is it that loud when you are trying to sleep? Is the Northern Breeze a better fan? Seems a little more expensive to me.


I like my fantastic Fan. It looks good......But I do also wish I could turn the speed down some. I like to have a fan running when I sleep, and on cool nights, on low, it pulls to much air in for me. And it is a little loud. I could wear ear plugs, but I want to beable to hear if something is going on outside the TD in the middle of the night. If ya know what I mean.

If I knew then what I know now, I would have gone with the Northern Breeze, even if it was more expensive.

Mk
Mary K

I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve. Bilbo Baggins
User avatar
Mary K
6000 Club
6000 Club
 
Posts: 6425
Images: 44
Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2006 3:07 pm
Location: Florida, Pensacola
Top

Postby Steve_Cox » Sat Aug 23, 2008 4:47 am

I too like my FantasticFan just the way it is, the thermostat shuts it off when the temp drops to the desired setting. I might feel different about it though if I lived in Maine. :D
Steve
User avatar
Steve_Cox
4000 Club
4000 Club
 
Posts: 4903
Images: 196
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2005 8:46 am
Location: Albuquerque New Mexico
Top

Next

Return to Electrical Secrets

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests