ewarnerusa
Helena, Montana
Senior Member
Joined: 12/20/2011
View Profile
 Offline
|
Our brand new TT surprisingly did not come with a bathroom vent of any kind, much less a fan. I'll avoid getting into too much information, but let's just say we need a bathroom vent with fan! I've gone back and forth between installing one myself and having the dealer do it and I've decided to do it myself to save some money. I ordered up a Fantastic Vent with 3-speed fan and reverse (model num 4000R), some Dicor, as well as an installation kit for a rubber roof (some butyl tape and screws?). I'm hardly a handy man, but I do have some skill and experience doing things on my own. I've got a power drill and a jig saw, as well as access to other power tools if needed. And I'm quite comfortable doing 12V electric stuff. The bathroom has a 12V light in what seems like a convenient spot for getting at the wires to tap into. The ceiling is vinyl board, R7 fiberglass insulation, 16" OC rafters, 3/8" roof decking, and rubber roof. There is an A/C duct in there, but I don't think it will be in the way at all.
Anyone else done this that can provide some encouragement or advice?
Thanks.
Ed
|
Charltons
Battle Ground, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 02/06/2012
View Profile
Offline
|
Make sure the light you hook to is not operated off the wall switch only or the fan will only work when the light is on. My neighbor did this and we had to re-run the power to a different cable, would not have been a big deal except he had already put the entire unit together, caulked it up and such. We had to pull almost the entire unit out to fix.
2012 Dodge Ram 2500 Crew Cab 4X4 TCD
2012 Keystone Sprinter 311BHS
|
ewarnerusa
Helena, Montana
Senior Member
Joined: 12/20/2011
View Profile
Offline
|
Charltons wrote:Make sure the light you hook to is not operated off the wall switch only or the fan will only work when the light is on. My neighbor did this and we had to re-run the power to a different cable, would not have been a big deal except he had already put the entire unit together, caulked it up and such. We had to pull almost the entire unit out to fix.
Thanks for the heads up. This light fixture is actually controlled bo BOTH a wall switch and a switch on the light itself. To be honest it is annoying because I forget about the wall switch and wonder why the light won't turn on when I use the switch on the light fixture itself. I assume this will mean that the fan power can be controlled by the wall switch regardless of the state of the switch on the light fixture? So I can have the fan on but the light off like the scenario you mention?
|
old guy
Oregon (pronounced Or e gun)
Senior Member
Joined: 03/15/2006
View Profile
|
I put the same fan you just bought into my TT. I used a separate switch to turn on the fan. I ran wires inside the wall and came out the hole the light switch uses and made the hole large enough to handle the other switch. When you take off the old vent use a plastic putty knife not metal. get as much of the old sealant off as you can. then clean it up with a wet cloth and try not to use the drill or saw. you will just put a hole in the roof , then you are in trouble.
|
ewarnerusa
Helena, Montana
Senior Member
Joined: 12/20/2011
View Profile
Offline
|
No old vent, that is the issue. I'll be cutting a nice big square hole in my brand new TT roof for this project. Thus the request for encouragement!
|
|
|
BillyW
North ID
Senior Member
Joined: 10/08/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
Sounds like you've pretty much thought of everything. I added a vent and fan in my trailer a few years ago. You described my situation almost exactly. It was really quite easy and only took a couple hours. I used Eternabond instead of Dicor. I felt it was easiest to start inside and drill/cut my way upward.
'97 F150 4X4
'04 Pioneer 18T6
|
anoldman
Middle Tennessee
New Member
Joined: 10/08/2011
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
If I was in that situation I'd be cutting a hole all right. You'll need to be super cautious about it or things could go very badly. First thing I'd do is run a stud finder on the ceiling to locate the joists, etc. Next I'd cut a small opening and use a mirror to get a good view of the inside. That'll give you an opportunity to adjust the location if necessary or move wires that might be in the way. Once you get the inside hole cut it should be easy enough to transfer through the roof. You'll also need to box in the opening and that'll be a real job with the ceiling in place too. Still, ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do.
Good luck!
|
ewarnerusa
Helena, Montana
Senior Member
Joined: 12/20/2011
View Profile
Offline
|
BillyW wrote:Sounds like you've pretty much thought of everything. I added a vent and fan in my trailer a few years ago. You described my situation almost exactly. It was really quite easy and only took a couple hours. I used Eternabond instead of Dicor. I felt it was easiest to start inside and drill/cut my way upward.
Did you have to box in the hole like the other poster mentioned?
Thanks.
|
westend
all over
Senior Member
Joined: 11/17/2011
View Profile
Offline
|
Yes, you should box in the new opening with lumber. If you don't add in some support the roof will sag from the weight of the vent and you will create a low area that is perfect for leaking.
If it was me, I'd cut two pieces of lumber that fit between the rafters that are adjacent to the opening. Glue both ends of these two, from rafter to rafter at the edge of the new opening. Cut two more pieces that are placed between the first two, at the edge of the opening. These last two should be glued and screwed to the first pair. The ceiling liner and roof sheathing are then nailed/screwed/stapled onto the pieces you've installed. If you are not a proficient woodworker, buy enough material so that if you miss a cut, you'll have material available to make another. 2" x 2"s are around $1 for an 8' length, last time I checked. If possible, it would also be a good idea to wrap some window installation tape around your new frame, sealing the roof membrane. In the event that there is a leak underneath the new vent, any water will have nowhere to go but down the sides of the sealing tape to the interior, not into the ceiling cavity.
Good luck with your project!
'03 F-250 4x4 CC
'71 Starcraft Wanderstar -- The Cowboy/Hilton
|
TUCQUALA
Kennewick, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 10/29/2003
View Profile
|
Suggest contacting the trailer mfg, and finding out if the roof is already "roughed in" for a vent. A lot of them are. Then you only need to find the joists and cross supports and cut!!
And, yes, if not roughed in, you should add to the framing to make a "box" for the vent.
'10 Jayco JayFlight 24FBS
'99 K2500 SUBURBAN 7.4L
'03 EXCURSION V10
WENONAH Sundowner 17
|
|
|
