Exhaust Fan

[djspynn]

Im a newbie so forgive me...

Yesterday after opening up my pop up and setting it up was trying out different things...

I have it hooked up to a 120 outlet just to learn the basics...

Yesterday I tried the exhaust fan and even after opening the vent it would not turn on. I went through the fuse panel at 9pm last night and found a 15 amp fuse that was blown... I replaced it however since it was cold i did not retry... Is there anything else that i can try once I get home incase the fuse was not the issue??? I checked the fuse on it as well...

[djspynn]

Here is the fan i have

[pgandw]

The fan, all interior and exterior lights, water pump, propane and CO alarm, stereo, heater, thermostat, operate on 12V, not 120V. Fridge controls on the inside of the camper need 12V, controls accessed through the outside vents generally do not. Water heater may or may not need 12V, depending on model (automatic ignition does need 12V).

Basically, everything except the converter, air conditioning, microwave, and stuff plugged into the household outlets take 12V or no electrical power at all.

In a pop-up, 12V stuff in the roof (vent fan and lights) runs through a safety switch to prevent being powered when the roof is down. That switch makes a connection when the galley is set up (in most models). In Forest River A-frames that safety switch is located at the port forward corner of the box, and makes the connection when the forward roof panel is lifted up. The safety switch would be among the list of things to check.

The vent fan usually has a safety switch to prevent fan operation if the vent cover is closed. On my A-frame that switch doesn't allow the fan to come on unless the cover is opened a couple of inches.

In your photo of the fan, there is a fuse (I think mine is 3 amp). It's located to the top and left of the fan control in your photo.

In your fuse panel, usually one of the fuses (not circuit breaker) is for all the stuff in the roof. Probably a 10 amp fuse for most pop-ups.

Trouble-shooting:

• You must have a charged battery installed, or the trailer must be plugged in and the converter working. Measure voltage at the battery cables to confirm 12V-14V. The figure will be 13V+ if the converter is charging the battery.
• if you have 12V power, see if the overhead lights and/or fan works. If one works but the other doesn't the problem is the one that doesn't.
• If you have both fan and overhead lights not working, check the safety switch mentioned earlier.
• If the safety switch is good, check the fuse panel for the fuse that controls the fan and overhead lights.

hope this helps
Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time

[djspynn]

Fred,
That does so basically your saying since I dont have a battery hooked up the Fan wont operate and thats perfectly fine cause ill have a battery soon to tey it...

[pgandw]

Originally Posted by djspynn

Fred,
That does so basically your saying since I dont have a battery hooked up the Fan wont operate and thats perfectly fine cause ill have a battery soon to tey it...

Your converter SHOULD power 12V without a battery. The converter is powered from 120V when you are plugged in (otherwise it does nothing). The converter converts 120v to 12V to run 12V stuff and recharge the battery.

If you are plugged in and nothing 12V works (no lights, including porch light, and no fan), the converter is not providing 12V. The converter is powered through a circuit breaker on the AC side of your panel (looks like a home circuit breaker), usually the 2nd circuit breaker. 1st circuit breaker is power coming in.

Fred W

[djspynn]

Hi Fred,
The outside orange & roof lights worked. When i plugged in the ac it turned on and provided cool air....

Where abouts on a tent pop up is the converter??? I have all the manuals just not sure where things are

[pgandw]

Converter is behind the fuses in your electrical panel. In FR pop-ups that use a WFCO converter, the WFCO electrical panel and converter are all in one unit. Bigger TT have converters that can be replaced separately from the panel.

If the battery is not installed, and 12V stuff (lights) is working, your converter is likely working just fine.

If the interior roof lights are working, you have 12V going up to the roof. The fan itself could be broken, the fan fuse could be blown, the vent safety switch that shuts off the fan if vent is closed could be at fault, or there could be a broken wire or wire connection.

Both of my pop-ups had the vent, but no fan. I made sure I unzipped a little bit of window in each section of the camper, and cracked the vent open to prevent condensation from building up - especially in wet or cold weather. I guess I'm trying to say it's not the end of the world if the fan doesn't work.

I would check the fuse first, open the vent wide second, and then just feel for a broken wire or wire connection (I'm assuming fan wiring is embedded in roof. If wiring is surface mounted, then tracing wires is a lot easier).

Glad most stuff appears to be working.

Fred W