Tips on fan-Tastic fans - Montana Owners Club

harleyrider · 04-07-2005, 06:36 PM

Just had 2 of these installed when I picked up my Montana from the dealer.This is the one with the rain senser,I believe its model 6000A.Any do`s or dont`s on the use of these fans?Thanks for your time and help.

ken · 04-08-2005, 04:05 AM

Just make sure they are on Auto mode and the rain senser will work. It won't on manual. Their grreat.............
Ken and Velda Taylor

Dahlgren Va
2005 3475 Montana
2000 Ford F350 Diesel

carlson · 04-08-2005, 04:31 AM

Something you may have to do after storage or none use for awhile.
I went to open mine after 2 months and it would not open in Automatic.
I got the step ladder out and moved the handle to manual mode and opens it.
What happens is that the lid seated onto the gasket and needed a little manual pressure to open.
What you do it take the knob and push it to manual mode and all it does is dis-engage the gear from the motor
Then I closed it and it worked fine.
Just FYI

Charlie · 04-08-2005, 06:17 AM

They sell a filter at CW for about $20. Very easy to install and will help on dust sticking to the blades and housing.

Chester · 04-08-2005, 06:48 AM

Our new Montana has the Fantastic fan and I have put a Maxaire (one for the Fantastic fan) over it. I like to leave the vents open most of the time to let air move through the trailer even in winter. Can the fantastic fan open without having the fan on?? I tried but it seems it will only work with the fan.

tweir · 04-08-2005, 07:37 AM

Chester,
Good question. I'll find out this weekend. I do know if you have the little thermostat "doo-hickey" for the Fantastic fan and turn it to the max temperature setting, the lid will open but the fan will remain off until it gets pretty hot. If I'm not mistaken, you can open the vent manually even with the switch on the "off" position.

harleyrider · 04-08-2005, 05:21 PM

Charlie

JC Whitney has those same filters you are talking about for 6 bucks cheaper then camping world.I have already ordered 2 of them.Thought they would be a good purchase.I was also thinking about those maxi-air covers for the fan-tastic fans.They sell ones just for the fan models.But I guess with those installed the rain senser feature would not be used.

patodonn · 04-08-2005, 08:02 PM

In order to have the vent open without the fan running, you can either open the vent to the desired amount using the manual position of the open/closemknob on the fan assembly itself, or, alternatively, you can open the vent from the thermostat controls and either have it in Manual or Auto for temp control. In Manual, select the most counterclockwise setting on the dial...that gives no fan. In Auto, select the hightest temp..same result.

If you want the vent open only part way (high tail winds, for example) and have the fan running, open it fully using either Auto or Manual on the thermostat selector, set the fan as you want it, then go to the the fan assembly itself and pull down on the manual open/close knob, (puts it in manual) and use that knob to close the vent to the desired position with the fan running. Just remember to reset that manual open/close knob to the auto position when you want to close the vent and shut off the fan. Use the fan thermostat switch to OFF to shut the whole thing down. Sounds complicated, but isn't really.

Montana_2785 · 04-09-2005, 03:09 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by harleyrider

Charlie

JC Whitney has those same filters you are talking about for 6 bucks cheaper then camping world.I have already ordered 2 of them.Thought they would be a good purchase.I was also thinking about those maxi-air covers for the fan-tastic fans.They sell ones just for the fan models.But I guess with those installed the rain senser feature would not be used.

Has anyone installed the MaxAir cover on the Fantastic Fan with the self powered lid? I don't give two hoots for the rain sensor. I would MUCH rather be able to have the vent open and the fan running during rainy conditions. Will the cover burn out the motor on the lid, or does it quit when it bumps up against something???

Eric

sreigle · 04-09-2005, 01:16 PM

Eric, if by 'self powered lid' you mean me raising or lowering the lid, then "yes." I installed a fantastic fan a few months ago, along with the special MaxxAir cover for fantastic fans. Ours does not have the rain sensor nor the thermostat. I crank the lid open and turn the switch to 'in' or 'out' and turn the knob for fan speed. Like you, I want to be able to run the fan in the rain. Thus the cover.

Chester · 04-09-2005, 03:47 PM

Yes, As you can see in my above note I put the Maxaire over the fantasic fan. My fan has the rain sensor and is automatic as well. I like to leave the vent open all the time including winter to let air move through the trailer. That is why I was trying to find a way to open the lid without having the fan run. Thanks to those that offered the solutions.

Regarding a Maxaire on an auto fantastic fan...you must buy a specific maxaire. The regular ones to no give enough room for the lid to open nor do they let air out fast enough for the fan.

Montana_2785 · 04-09-2005, 03:56 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Chester

[...]

Regarding a Maxaire on an auto fantastic fan...you must buy a specific maxaire. The regular ones to no give enough room for the lid to open nor do they let air out fast enough for the fan.

Chester, exactly which MaxAire model do I need for the automatic opening Fantastic fan? This is the magic bit of information I've been looking for.

Eric

Montana_2785 · 04-09-2005, 04:01 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

Eric, if by 'self powered lid' you mean me raising or lowering the lid, then "yes." [...]

Steve, Good to have you back on-line. I didn't have as much to read the past few weeks.

But, no. I mean the fully automatic opens-and-closes-itself with the rain sensor fan. My worry is that I will get the wrong cover and the electric motor that opens the fan will burn out if it can't open as far as it needs to.

If I had installed the fan, it would have been the simpler one that you have. That is the style that I installed in our old TT. Our pre-loved Monty already had the rain sensor one installed when we got it.

I want to put another fan in the bathroom in the vent just outside the shower. I'm thinking of getting the MaxAir cover that has the fan built into it. That way we can vent the steam from the shower better. I would also think that it will keep some of the fan noise out of the rig.

Eric

sreigle · 04-09-2005, 04:35 PM

Eric, ours is in that vent in the bathroom. We decided on that location since the controls are on the fan and we'd have to use a stool to reach it in the kitchen vent. Plus it's very accessible for exhausting moisture when showering.
This is the vent cover we are using:
http://www.campingworld.com/browse/s...13655&src=SRQC

I bought it and the fantastic fan at the RV Surplus store in Elkhart, IN, during the rally last September. I think they're the one someone posted the url to --

www.rvsurplussalvage.com

I haven't recently compared their prices to CW on this item.

Montana_2785 · 04-09-2005, 10:57 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

Eric, ours is in that vent in the bathroom. We decided on that location since the controls are on the fan and we'd have to use a stool to reach it in the kitchen vent. Plus it's very accessible for exhausting moisture when showering.
This is the vent cover we are using:
http://www.campingworld.com/browse/s...13655&src=SRQC

[...]

Steve, since you have a manual opening Fantastic Fan, you can't really answer my question "Will the Fantastic Fan with the rain sensor open automatically with that vent cover and not burn out the motor that opens the lid?"

Oh Chester.....

Eric

harleyrider · 04-10-2005, 01:01 AM

Eric

I asked that same question on the fan-tastic web site.Haven`t heard back from them yet on the answer for the fan/mate 800 model.I`am sure though that the rain senser will not come in to play with that cover over the fan-tastic fan.

patodonn · 04-10-2005, 06:08 AM

Re using the fan during rainy conditions, esp with a Max Air hood installed, no problem..the rain sensor has an override switch right on the fan assembly. I guess just for that purpose, or maybe to allow you to open the vent (electrically)during "damp" weather.

Best regards,

Chester · 04-10-2005, 02:49 PM

Folks, the MaxxAire 400 Fan/Mate or 800 Fan Mate is the unit to use on the Fantasic Fan. We have the 800 on our new Monty. Take a look at it on the link below from RV Parts Outlet.

https://www.rvpartsoutlet.com/newsto...2C%2DB9DE54B6C

I'm not sure I understand the issue of the rain sensor. With a cover over the fan, rain won't be a factor so the rain sensor will not work but why would you want it to?

Montana_2785 · 04-10-2005, 03:20 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Chester

Folks, the MaxxAire 400 Fan/Mate or 800 Fan Mate is the unit to use on the Fantasic Fan. We have the 800 on our new Monty. Take a look at it on the link below from RV Parts Outlet.

https://www.rvpartsoutlet.com/newsto...2C%2DB9DE54B6C

I'm not sure I understand the issue of the rain sensor. With a cover over the fan, rain won't be a factor so the rain sensor will not work but why would you want it to?

Chester,

I know that with a vent cover the rain sensor is worthless. But I think that the Fantastic Fan with the rain sensor is the only one with the electrially operated cover. In any event, that is what we have and my wife wouldn't be able to reach the vent. She needs to be able to use the wall mounted controls to open it. I just wanted to confirm that the MaxAir cover does not burn out the electric motor that opens the vent.

Thanks

Eric

Chester · 04-11-2005, 01:14 PM

Eric, I think I saw you got the answer to that in another post. The Maxx Air 800 we have allows the fan to fully open so will not cause a burn out.

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