My First Upgrade - Adding Reverse to my Fantastic Fan

[gmclean]

When I purchased my RV it came with 2 Fantastic Fans but neither had the reverse function. A little research on the internet showed that upgrade kits were available but at over $100.00 it didn't seem worth it. After more research I found out all I needed to do was install a DPDT ON/ON switch Turned out to be a lot easier than I thought it would be.







Took me most of the day and $10.00 in parts but now both fan reverse.

[sgtlm17]

Great mod how exactly did you hook wires up

[gmclean]

The wiring is fairly simple, find the wires coming from the fan.These wires need to be cut so leave enough to reach your switch position, mine were white and red those wires get attached​ to the center of the switch.
The remaining wires are attached to the 4 remaining terminals. So for mine that was red/blue + wire to lower left & upper right and the white - wire to the remaining terminals as per this diagram.



Hope that makes sense. You can find a more detailed write-up here. www.allthingsmclean.blogspot.ca

[Tapex]

Fantastic mod, what a great shared post gmclean!!!

[hybridlife]

And the purpose of this would be to draw the outside air to the inside of the trailer?

m

[gmclean]

One drawing in, One pushing out makes for a nice breeze.

[Leprechauner]

I just use the bathroom fan with the fantastic fans, the bathroom fan is already an exhaust fan . Creates a nice breeze throughout the coach.

[doc73]

I did the reverse switch as well some time ago. I do not know the fan maker but I was surprised it did not do more.. Guess the fan blades are optimized to suck and not blow? I dunno.. But I only have one fan in the bathroom. I ended up using a SPDT switch from the HD I think and some wire.

[safrog]

Be careful, if your fanis near your black water tank vent, it msy draw in the air from the tank.

[A32Deuce]

I changed the one in the bath to multi speed in or out. Other three roof vents had fans added also. Open windows a little, turn fans out and create a nice draft.

[SidecarFlip]

Did mine last fall. The (not so) Fantastic overpriced fan pulls much better than it draws in. They are way overpriced and I'm on my 3rd motor in 2 years. They replace it no charge but it's junk.

[ddbck]

Great MOD! Great write-up!

[rollscanardly]

Speaking of Fan-tastic Fans, has anyone bought a new one, lately?

I want to upgrade my dinky bathroom fan vent with one, but of the reviews that I've read lately, many people complain that the new ones are quite noisy as compared to the older ones.

Any input on this?

Rich

[SidecarFlip]

Originally Posted by rollscanardly

Speaking of Fan-tastic Fans, has anyone bought a new one, lately?

I want to upgrade my dinky bathroom fan vent with one, but of the reviews that I've read lately, many people complain that the new ones are quite noisy as compared to the older ones.

Any input on this?

Rich

If you read the thread, you'd see that I have had multiple failures (of the motor / fan assembly). While they (Lippert Industries) replaces them, it's a PITA to take apart and replace.

They are not 'noisy', well any fan is noisy on high, they are quiet on low, moderate on medium and a jet on high..

It's a Lippert product, produced as cheaply as possible (read made in China motor and electrical components) and sold at a greatly inflated price. If I were you, I'd look at a Hengs.Vortex. Much less money, probably Oriental too but at least the asking price is 1/4 of the Lippert offering.

My 2 cents as a Fantastic Fan owner. My unit came with. If it didn't I would have installed the Vortex instead.

[rollscanardly]

Originally Posted by SidecarFlip

If you read the thread, you'd see that I have had multiple failures (of the motor / fan assembly). While they (Lippert Industries) replaces them, it's a PITA to take apart and replace.

They are not 'noisy', well any fan is noisy on high, they are quiet on low, moderate on medium and a jet on high..

It's a Lippert product, produced as cheaply as possible (read made in China motor and electrical components) and sold at a greatly inflated price. If I were you, I'd look at a Hengs.Vortex. Much less money, probably Oriental too but at least the asking price is 1/4 of the Lippert offering.

My 2 cents as a Fantastic Fan owner. My unit came with. If it didn't I would have installed the Vortex instead.

Thank you for confirming that. I was going to do that anyway, but was reminded that the Fan-tastic fans are the "Cadillac" of fans. The Vortex ll is about the same price as an entry level Fan-tastic fan.

I didn't realize that there was a previous Vortex model fan that is quite a bit cheaper than the Vortex ll.

Thank you for sharing your experiences.

Rich

[SidecarFlip]

No problem. Yours may run forever, mine didn't. My unit also came with a Fantastic fan and the first motor died about halfway through last sseason. It started making noise and quit so I took it out (no easy task because you have to cut the wires and remove the top screws from the topside 9on the roof).

I'm pretty handy so I got to looking at the motor thinking I could take it apart and repair it. No way. The motor case is spot welded together instead of thr normal through bolts. I called Lippert and they had no issue sending me a replacement, but in the mean time I wacked the dead one with a mallet and it came to life again, which told me the brushes were hanging in the brush holders.

When the second one came, I sent the first one back (they provided me with a shipping label), installed the second one and it would not run at all so that one went back as well and the third one is still in there.

When and if it dies, I will grind off the spot welds and dissect it, hopefully fixing the issue....for good.

Not sure the Vortex is any better but it is cheaper. It's probably Asian too.

My opinion is the Fantastic Fans are way overpriced for the quality of the components. I'm sure the builders get them for maybe 25% of retail

I had a Max-Aire fan unit in my old unit that ran flawlessly for years. probably should have taken it out and traded units as I had both units in the yard at that time.

Just my experience and it may not be yours.

[rollscanardly]

Point taken...thank you.

Rich

[AbdRahim]

I just installed a Vortex ll fan in the bathroom. It is a reversible people fan.

[rollscanardly]

Originally Posted by AbdRahim

I just installed a Vortex ll fan in the bathroom. It is a reversible people fan.

What's your first impression of it? Is it as annoyingly noisy as I've read about?

Rich

[SidecarFlip]

Originally Posted by rollscanardly

What's your first impression of it? Is it as annoyingly noisy as I've read about?

Rich

I'm curious as well. I want another for the back vent and don't want a Lippert product.

FYI, the FF sound like a jet plane on high... It whines loudly. (like my DW...lol)