Disintegrated vent lids

[MSgt Rick]

Hi all,

We just returned from a trip from SW Oregon to Yellowstone, about 850 miles each way. At our first stop in Vale, OR I discovered that the front vent lid appeared to be shattered (it was not left open), so I figured something must have hit it. When I got up to inspect it, the remaining plastic was so brittle it was as if old vents that have been sitting in the desert sun for years were installed! Of course with my luck, it's the one time I forgot to bring duct tape I waited until our second stop and taped it up. The back vent cover shattered on the way home!

Has anyone else experienced this? It's mind boggling as to how plastic can get so brittle in such a short amount of time. This is our 4th trailer in 20 years, and never lost a vent cover on any of the 1st three.

Side note: Big shout out to Red Rock RV Park in Island Park, ID for their eagerness to help. When I mentioned what happened and asked where the nearest store was to buy duct tape, they handed me a roll of Gorilla tape and said that someone would bring a ladder down, and one employee went as far as to cut a piece of plastic to cover the vent. THAT, my friends, is customer service!

[KAS]

I had the same problem after 4 years, my camper is usually parked in full sun. I had to tape mine up also until I got home. I replaced the vent with a MaxxAir, which is covered (great if it rains, too). Works great!

[Skip12]

Mine disintegrated after a year. It's just a 2018 model. I put rows of duct tape on if for now while we travel. I do.like the idea of putting a MaxxAir over it.

[Gumpster808]

Yep ours got real brittle as well. Got lucky and just happened to be at storage lot when hail went through one.

Replaced with polycarbonate ones and am adding the max air covers as well.

[MSgt Rick]

Originally Posted by Skip12

Mine disintegrated after a year. It's just a 2018 model. I put rows of duct tape on if for now while we travel. I do.like the idea of putting a MaxxAir over it.

Same with mine, 2018. I can understand an older rig, but after only a year?!? I wonder if the vent cover manufacturer made a bad batch of plastic, or just don't give a sh..., uh, poop (which seems to be more the case these days in the RV world).

I plan on replacing with polycarbonate lids and Camco hoods, which are half the price of MaxxAir and have good reviews on Amazon, unless I hear otherwise from the wise ones in the forum. What say ye, oh wise ones?

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000EDQQ...v_ov_lig_dp_it

[valleyduo]

I learned from a pair of enclosed cargo trailers bought in the early 2000s that those vents need to be covered. Neither one of the cargo trailers' vents made it to two years. Have since covered those with Maxx Air and still going strong on the replacements. Didn't waste any time covering the ones on our fw. I can't speak for the Camco covers. The Maxx Airs are what I've used and like.

[Denny B]

Make sure to use the MaxxAir vent cover. Not the other brand.

I purchased the other brand from Camping World because it was on sale. I lasted 2 seasons before crumbling. The origional maxxAir vent cover on the bathroom exhaust fan on our 2016 2304KS still looks new. Needless to say, I used a MaxxAir to replace the front one! And it still looks like new.

[Bill and Gail]

I used the Camco covers. They have been on for over 3 years, and are still in great shape.

[dcheatwood]

Typical of oem covers. Replace with camco Unbreakable covers. Much thicker and stronger. I've had to replace 3 of mine while still under warranty.

[MSgt Rick]

Thanks for the all of the input. It looks like MaxxAir has come down in price on Amazon, so I have decided to go with those when I replace the vent lids.

[Charles Firth]

replace vent covers and install a Max Air vent .

[MSgt Rick]

Originally Posted by Charles Firth

replace vent covers and install a Max Air vent .

Just ordered two polycarbonate vent lids and two MaxxAir vent covers from Amazon. Putting them on this weekend!:

[rjshiflet]

We had this happen on a previous fifth wheel so our last two have had MaxxAir vent covers to protect the vent lid from becoming brittle. And, allows us to have them open during rain if we so choose.

[Oaklevel]

Unfortunately all of our campers from the 1973 to the 2013 have done this. As has been mentioned covers help.

[jd50i]

I went with metal ones on my TT and enclosed trailer. I have LED lights in the enclosed trailer and a skylight in the TT so didn't care about having sunlight through the vents.