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04-12-2021, 09:45 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 544
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Beware Maxxair Vent Fans
I had a Fantastic Vent die on me ... frog got caught in the fan, froze the motor - tried a new motor but still didn't work, so opted for the Maxxair Maxfan Plus 4500K. On paper it looked good - two arms supporting the lid, came with a remote control - sadly I didn't read the fine print before installing it. Problems: 1) the remote is IR (infra-red) so works only a few feet from the unit - I mean, what's the point? An RF remote would work from anywhere - lying in bed for example. 2) The rain sensor is a one time deal - once it shuts down, it won't restart without operator action. This means if your RV is in storage and you count on the ceiling vent to keep air moving, every time it sprinkles you have to go down and re-set it. Both are really stupid ... a useless remote and a rain sensor you have to baby sit. I would never have purchased this had I known how poorly thought out it was. The Fantastic Fan rain sensor waits a while, and keeps trying again until it's dry out. There was no remote, but since I have to be close to it anyway using the built in controls was the same exact thing. Be aware ... this is a poorly designed system.
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04-12-2021, 10:38 AM
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#2
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Senior Member/RVM #90
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Columbus, MS
Posts: 52,083
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Yup, I would never replace with anything except another Fantastic Fan!
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Joe & Annette
Sometimes I sits and thinks, sometimes I just sits.....
2002 Monaco Windsor 40PBT, 2013 Honda CRV AWD
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04-12-2021, 10:54 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2,392
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Or, get the MaxxAir with the built in rain hood and just keep it going in the rain. Or, put an old-school rain cover on it so it can run in the rain.
We had the rain detect feature on our Fantastic Fan and it worked just like you're saying - once it shut down it stayed shut down. A 5-minute drizzle shut it down, and the FF wouldn't come back on till we came back to a hot coach.
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Richard
1994 Excella 25-ft (Gertie)
1999 Suburban LS 2500 w/7.4L V8
1974 GMC 4108a - Custom Coach Land Cruiser
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04-12-2021, 12:19 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,180
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Never had an IR devise that only had a couple feet range.
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04-12-2021, 01:12 PM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 47
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I think the reason to get the MaXXair deluxe is to get the one with the integrated rain hood. You can have it open and the fan on while it's raining and it requires no additional clearance over a regular fan lid when closed and less clearance over a regular fan lid when open.
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2020 Breeze 33BR " Bertie" towing 2016 Jeep JKURHR using Blue Ox and Invisibrake
510w Solar, 448ah AGM batteries
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04-12-2021, 01:23 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,283
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richard5933
We had the rain detect feature on our Fantastic Fan and it worked just like you're saying - once it shut down it stayed shut down. A 5-minute drizzle shut it down, and the FF wouldn't come back on till we came back to a hot coach.
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I had a FF with the rain sensor on a previous coach. Would drive us nut's about 5am when the dew would cause it to repeatedly open and close until I got up and shut it off  !
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Ben & Sharon
2008 43' Holiday Rambler Scepter PDQ
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04-12-2021, 03:14 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Powell Butte, Or.
Posts: 1,418
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tcgoetz
I think the reason to get the MaXXair deluxe is to get the one with the integrated rain hood. You can have it open and the fan on while it's raining and it requires no additional clearance over a regular fan lid when closed and less clearance over a regular fan lid when open.
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Put this on another MH we had and it worked quite well. Unfortunately, Fantastic Fan does not have the same reputation it used to have.
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2017 Tiffin Allegro Red 33AA
Cummins ISB 6.7 L
2008 Jeep Wrangler Sahara
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04-12-2021, 06:36 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2021
Posts: 263
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04-12-2021, 06:52 PM
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#9
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Junior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: All Over the US
Posts: 18
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On the other hand... I've had no problems with my 4+ year old Maxxair vent (it has the built-in hood). I find the screen easy to remove and the fan blades can be taken off and cleaned, which means I can clean more of the unit from inside the RV.
I find the 2 Fantastic Fans that came with the rig awful to maintain. The tabs on the screens break if you try to remove them when it's very cold, and the fan blades are not removable (FF should either make the damn hole bigger or the fan smaller by about 1/4"), so they're VERY hard to clean.
One of my FFs has the rain sensor, and yes, morning dew or evening fog can cause it to think it's raining. I have found cleaning the pollen off the sensor make it a bit more dependable.
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04-12-2021, 07:34 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Ohio
Posts: 463
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Had a FantasticFan on my second trailer (bought 16 years ago), and absolutely loved it. Had one put on my third trailer too (7 years ago), but they had changed them. The new style motor they're using makes an awful high pitched whine. Since I still had the old trailer, I swapped them. I got 15 years out of that old FF. Knowing that FF aren't what they once were, I went with MaxxAir on my new RV and am very happy I did. The MaxxAir are still well made fans.
I've always had hoods on them, so no rain sensor.
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2021 Thor Four Winds 26B on Chevy 4500
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04-12-2021, 07:51 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 4,212
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tcgoetz
I think the reason to get the MaXXair deluxe is to get the one with the integrated rain hood. You can have it open and the fan on while it's raining and it requires no additional clearance over a regular fan lid when closed and less clearance over a regular fan lid when open.
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Agreed. I bought a pair of Maxxair 700K's. The IR remote works well for us because all we use it for is to control the fan without my wife needing a stepstool.
Ray
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2020 Forest River Georgetown GT5 34H5
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04-13-2021, 08:37 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,292
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It all depends on how you plan to use your fan. We have had both in multiple rigs and find the Maxair with integrated hood to be much better than the original fantastic fan. They move way more air and are much quieter. For us the remote is located in bathroom area in reach of toilet so you can turn on if needed while pooping. In our area we use a dehumidifier year round when unit is stored. To much humidity to leave window or fan open for air flow. Fans are easy to put in and if your that unhappy replace it. Safe travels
Enjoy the journey
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Full timed in 2008 Newmar Essex. Currently part time in Entegra Esteem 29v tow Jeep Wrangler
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10-10-2021, 10:41 PM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2020
Posts: 1
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Which model?
Can anyone link a MaxxAir model with a hood that they recommend? From reading the thread, it seems best to avoid the rain sensor and instead get one with a rain shield to use while raining, but I am not sure which model that would be...or which one would have a remote that is not IR.
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10-10-2021, 11:12 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Damon Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Clovis NM
Posts: 4,356
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https://smile.amazon.com/Maxxair-00-...3925492&sr=8-2
I purchased this one for the bathroom. No remote, full control from keypad on fan, manually open/close
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2006 Damon Daybreak 3276 35'with 5 Star Tuner. 3 200 Amp Lithium batteries and 2000 watt PSW inverter/charger. 2013 Elantra on a Master Tow dolly.
Retired USAF
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