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MaxxFan Deluxe Improves Trailer Venting

Originally Published in Trailer Life Magazine

Hanging out in a musty trailer is almost like being locked in a porta-potty at the county fair. Ordinary bathroom vents help release some stenchy air into the great outdoors, but an array of innovative upgrades over the standard hand-crank vent-fan combination are offered by MaxxAir. The company touts that more than 2 million of its RV ventilation products have been installed since 1988.

The newest offering is the MaxxFan Deluxe. This is a vent fan with an elongated power lid that functions as a rain shroud. The unit can operate with the RV in motion or stationary. A hand-held remote control is optional.

The heart of the system is a reversible 12-inch electric fan. It has 10 speeds, moving up to 900 CFM of air while drawing a maximum 4 amps of power. (Low speed draws only 0.2 amps.) The 10-blade fan functions as a get-it-out exhaust fan, a fresh-air intake and a lid-closed ceiling fan. The power lid is fully sealed to prevent air loss while running the furnace or air conditioning.

The MaxxFan Deluxe remote

The MaxxFan Deluxe has a remote that displays air temperature in addition to operating the fan.

The MaxxFan Deluxe also has an available remote control that displays air temperature. The remote contains an auto mode, which turns the fan on and off and opens/closes the power lid to maintain the specified temperature. The remote can obviously also control all functions on demand using its keypad.

The fan is covered by a two-year warranty, and the lid carries a limited lifetime warranty. Available colors are white and smoke, which provides a tinted-window effect for RV owners who want more ambient light inside.

Do-it-yourself installation is certainly feasible. The MaxxFan is manufactured to fit a standard 14-inch square vent opening. The kit comes with a trim ring that can be cut to fit roof thickness ranging from 1 1/8 inches to 6.5 inches. Carpentry work is required to adapt the MaxxFan to thinner roofs. The fan unit needs a minimum 8 inches of aft clearance on the roof for the power hatch to raise and lower without obstruction; overall length is 23 inches.

Wiring for a 12-volt DC/minimum 5-amp circuit also needs to be near the opening. Wire should be the proper gauge for its distance from the power source. The MaxxFan is a fairly easy retrofit for most existing vent fans.

The job requires roof sealant, which will need to be sourced by the installer. The sealant needs to be compatible with the MaxxFan’s plastic flange. Sealants that contain xylene, toluene, MEK, acetate, acetone, Thiokol or other incompatible solvents will damage the plastic. Butyl-type caulks such as Dicor Self-Leveling Lap Sealant have proven effective.

In all, the MaxxFan Deluxe is one of the most versatile, easy-to-install ventilation upgrades an RV owner can make. It helps vent a trailer automatically: rain or shine, parked or being towed.

Tools needed for installation

Tools needed for installation

Lesser-optioned MaxxAir models are available with such cost-effective features as a one-direction exhaust fan, manual-opening lids, an on-fan keypad control and various optional wall-mounted controls.

Time to Complete: 1 Hour
Tools needed: Putty knife, Phillips screwdriver, wire stripper/crimper, straight edge, hacksaw

MaxxAir Vent Corp.,
800-780-9893, www.maxxair.com

Hands OnRoof FanVenting

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