fresh Air Vent

[ukuleleblues]

I am finally getting back to finishing my Teardrop. I want to put a vent in the back wall so I don't die from lack of oxygen. Would a small 3 inch diameter vent be sufficient?

[bobhenry]

I have experienced oxygen deprivation in a teardrop and it was a bit unnerving to say the least. I sat up dizzy and disoriented and tossed open the door to the 12 degree outside air and in less than 30 seconds the fog lifted. I think you would need a bit more volume of air exchange than a single 3 inch round opening could provide. Perhaps if you paired them high and low to get a chimney effect and a natural flow it might help. A very small computer fan could provide forced air as an option.

My windows open, and I leave a 1 1/2 to 2" opening across a 10 inch wide window winter and summer and a fan to move the air.

[pohukai]

Although not in the back wall, I added 2 x 3" holes in the front; on on each side. Air is brought in from under the trailer so leaks shouldn't be an issue. The fans are computer case fans ~$8.00 each.

This works well for me even when powered with my 12V drill batteries; they can be run all night.

front air

air.jpg (64.71 KiB) Viewed 1280 times

[Dale M.]

Just a construction note, if you are going to suck or push air into the sleeping area, you also need a exhaust or inlet port to insure "flow"... If you are using convection then yes one low vent for inlet and one high vent for exhaust is fine.... IF you are using powered fan location is probably not critical, but you still need both inlet and outlet.... Its difficult for a fan to push against a high pressure area (sealed sleeping chamber) as it is difficult for a fan to pull air out of a sealed chamber also...

Always like the idea of roof vent slightly open, and window slightly open for "flow" also keeps condensation down some what, its amazing what two warm bodies breathing in a space will expel a lot of moisture while sleeping...

Dale

[deleted]

I just picked up my tiny trailer a week ago but have already endured multiple torrential rain storms, simple showers, and a white out hail storm. I can say from experience that having two passive vents on opposite walls will be appreciated when the rain is coming down hard enough to come through the top vent/fan or blow in sideways through the windows. There was one night when I had to shut everything down to keep the rain out and had my builder (Alaska Teardrop here on the forum) not put them in not only would I have felt deprived of oxygen, the condensation build up in the trailer would have been really bad by morning.

This image shows one of the passive vents. The passive vents on each side were the only ventilation source that didn't allow water to blow into the trailer during the worst storms.

[les45]

I'm glad to hear that someone on the forum has experienced rain coming in through their vents. When I advocated in a previous post the Ultrabreeze for the Fantastic Fan as a solution to that problem, no one had ever had rain come through their vents. Well I did and that is why I bought this unit. I now leave my vent wide open all the time without worry about rain, even when driving. I've experienced several heavy rains with no leakage. I also leave it wide open during cold weather. The nice thing about the Ultrabreeze is that you can pop it on or off with four quick release pins. I like the way it looks on my weekender so I just leave it on all the time.

[working on it]

Although not in the back wall, I added 2 x 3" holes in the front; on on each side. Air is brought in from under the trailer so leaks shouldn't be an issue. The fans are computer case fans ~$8.00 each.

This works well for me even when powered with my 12V drill batteries; they can be run all night.

air.jpg

The first ventilation sources I installed were also based on using computer case fans/rainproof venting as well. I put two closable butterfly vents (6" dia) protected from rain by commercial semi-trailer style weatherproof outside vents, and have swing-away computer case fans (12vdc) for use when the A/C or main fan are not needed. Since the outside vents were originally designed to be roof mounted, and laying flat and still waterproof, I see no chance of water entering when they are side mounted and vertical (there is an inner shield inside it, also). The 12vdc case fans are made to blow out thru the vents, but can be swung away from them to circulate air towards the inhabitant of the cabin (me), and the butterfly closures can seal up tight if desired. And the main fan can be swiveled forward or down as needed, and of course, two Lil Bear crank out windows. I have tested the trailer for air tightness (it is, very) due to extremely tight fitting doorseals (automotive), and every seam sealed with PL adhesive. The windows are sealed with OSI-Quad. I'll have to crack a vent when in camp, no matter what the weather is, since it is so air-tight. No water test yet, but I have faith....

[atahoekid]

I'm glad to hear that someone on the forum has experienced rain coming in through their vents. When I advocated in a previous post the Ultrabreeze for the Fantastic Fan as a solution to that problem, no one had ever had rain come through their vents. Well I did and that is why I bought this unit. I now leave my vent wide open all the time without worry about rain, even when driving. I've experienced several heavy rains with no leakage. I also leave it wide open during cold weather. The nice thing about the Ultrabreeze is that you can pop it on or off with four quick release pins. I like the way it looks on my weekender so I just leave it on all the time.

Glad I tripped across this thread! I have had water drip into the Road Foamie through my slightly open Fantastic Vent during some heavy rain storms in the redwoods of NorCal and along the Oregon coast. I might have to get an Ultrabreeze although with my side windows open we got plenty of ventilation and no incoming rain