A cheapo fan solution

[Jim Marshall]

Wally, that is a neat set up you got. We are going to Wal-Mart tonight and pick up a couple of them for our camper. Thanks for the heads up buddy.

[wanders]

Having now tried this rig in 90 degree weather, set it up to blow on you. Exhaust through the roof vent doesn't get it!

Rechargeable battery went all night the 1st night and then died setting off a scramble for D cells for night 2! No 110V at campsite..

[southpennrailroad]

I bought one of the O2Cool AC/DC units at Big Lots a year ago and love it. I am looking for another as I paid just $10.00 back then. Hope to see more show up at that store soon. Run it off the trailer battery and conserve the D cell batteries for emergency back up.

[b.bodemer]

Walmart often has these O2 fans bottom out on price towards the end of the season. I already had mine and found a few of the models down to $7.

Just keep an eye on the clearance racks.....both in camping and where the regular house fans are too!

barb

[KevinS]

I found the D cell battery fan discused in this thread in the Wal-Mart tent camping section, not the RV section.

[tearhead]

I have an O2Cool question that is really small potatoes, but maybe someone will have an opinion. Background: We have a Lil Traveler that has a 12v fan built in. Fine, we like it, but then it hasn't been all that warm in Wisconsin this summer so haven't really put it to much of a test.

In the fan aisle at our local small Walmart they are selling 2 types of O2Cool fans. One runs only on D batteries and is in a pretty small box--maybe 7 inches. No electric or 12 volt. That one is FOUR BUCKS! (talk about cheapo!)

The other one is bigger, more of the kind of thing you're talking about here. That one is also cheap, around $13. So neither one will break me.

My question relates to size. The existing (exhaust) fan is built into the shelf area above our feet and it vents into the galley. If the windows are cracked open a bit, it works great, but then it hasn't been that warm out. I'm thinking I would like to supplement the existing fan by suspending the second fan from the ceiling, to get more air moving through (we only have the two windows that are in the door). Of course, then we might bump our heads on it.

I'm thinking I like the size of the smaller one, since it only needs to supplement the built in fan. But is it too cheapo?

[Alfred]

When we went tent camping in Myrtle Beach last month, I used one of these with the 8 D-cell batteries for two nights, all night long. Worked great, runs quiet, moved the air around the tent. I am going to use in my camper, in addition to the Fantastic Vent Fan I already have. I plan to hang in front of one of the windows, as needed.

AL in Asheville

[godskid]

Are we talking about the 5" unit or the 10" one? I'm looking on amazon. I only find the "rechargable" in 10" size, and it sounds like the built in batteries aren't great. So maybe the AC/battery unit is just as good .... and that one comes in either 10" or 5". Which size do you folks like best for the teardrop?

[bobhenry]

I posted this not to long ago .....

I never installed a roof vent for ju$t that reason. That and the fact I could not bring myself to cut a hole thru my see thru roof. I have never missed it either. I purchased an O2Kool fan from Wally world and simply hang it in front of an open window. If it is raining I put it in the down wind window. If I want to simply vent I point it out if it is hot inside I point it in to help cool off the interior. $25.00 and it is ac , dc , and internal powered or batteries. Weighs nothing and can be used anywhere. Alas it died at the end of last season after bouncing off of something for the umpteenth time. Being the ever curious frustrated tinkerer I pulled it all apart to find the rather delicate control board was cracked. I sawed out the fan cage and motor from the base and battery portion of the fan , wired it for 12 volt and guess what my dead fan lives again. By using a double pole double throw switch with center off position you can controll the rotation to provide a moderate vent out and a great fan at the flick of a switch. They make a 12- 15 dollar model without the battery back up option also. I am only guessing it is 12 volt as well.

I have installed the rather compact fan cage and motor in the ceiling cavity of my barn build and left the insulation out of one truss bay. The O2Kool air is drawn from the Gambrel kickout up thru the truss bay and exhausts into the trailer. In vent mode it is exactly opposite. There is no reason a powered vent can not draw or exhaust thru the floor or a side wall while it does not have the aid of natural convection it will work almost as well and the air might be a little cooler in the shade under your rig.

SO>>>> even when they die they still run. The 2 cheaper models simply dont have the battery capability on board. They simply use a small ac to 12 volt dc transformer built into the power cord.

[TENNJIM]

My question relates to size. The existing (exhaust) fan is built into the shelf area above our feet and it vents into the galley. If the windows are cracked open a bit, it works great, but then it hasn't been that warm out. I'm thinking I would like to supplement the existing fan by suspending the second fan from the ceiling, to get more air moving through (we only have the two windows that are in the door). Of course, then we might bump our heads on it.

I'm thinking I like the size of the smaller one, since it only needs to supplement the built in fan. But is it too cheapo?

I have a similar exhaust fan setup in a Hunter on a timer and it vents(exhausts) great with the windows open as yours does-no top vent or fan. I have used the 10 inch, $25, O2 Cool with AC, DC, internal battery, D-cells for three summers and it works well. I think the smaller one might not move enough air to make much of a difference. I have found that a quiet fan to blow air across a person is the trick to sleeping instead of running the vent fan. I use two plastic over-the-door hooks from Wal-Mart to hang it from the facing board on my back top shelf. It is quiet and I use it to blow air across the bed when the night is hot. It has run all night off the teardrop battery using the DC plug with very little battery drain. Wal-Mart sometimes has the better O2 fans in the Home section instead of the Sports or Auto section.

Jim B / Utah

[dh]

Hi,

Guess I need to go take a picture...I'll try to do so soon.

As I recall, I used a stainless steel band clamp to hold the motor portion, then riveted the clamp to an angle bracket.
The angle bracket was screwed to the brace that holds the crank to open the vent.


Rob

I might have to get one of these and tinker with it. I love figuring all this stuff out before building.

What type of switch would I use to get fancy and put a fan speed controll on the wall?

[dh]

What type of switch would I use to get fancy and put a fan speed controll on the wall?

Never mind, I looked around some more and found my answer under "Slowing Down a Fantastic Fan"

[Shadow Catcher]

I used two Antec three speed 120mm case fans (pictures in the album). very low current draw, very quiet.

[Ageless]

Got it; removed the battery tray and plastic back, so have a nice slim unit. Being 12V DC, should be able to reverse wiring and it will run reverse . . .correct?

[Alfred]

Until I get to the point I need to install it in the camper, currently have mine in the garage, keeps me cool while I'm camper-buildin'.

AL in Asheville