FantasticFan switch

[Adam Hicklin]

We just got back from a short trip and I continue to come across bugs in the Beaver system.  I have several questions for you more knowledgable folks which I'll do under separate threads to keep things straight. Now the fantasticfan question. I have two fans.  One in the kitchen and one in the bathroom.  Both have the requisit controls on the fan itself.  However, there is a remote switch for each of them.  I thought this remote switch was a master control switch, but it seems to have no affect on the fan.  They open and close at will regardless of the position of the switch.  Is this a wiring mistake or am I misunderstanding the function of these switches?  One switch is above the kitchen table, with the water heater/generator cluster and the other is in the bathroom with the water pump switch. It would be nice to be able to turn the fans off (really, keep them from openingor closing) since there are times I don't want them open or closed regardless of the temperature setting on the fan.  Any thoughts?

[Joel Ashley]

Not sure which model of fan you have, Adam, but the wall switches are for convenience when you or shorter persons don't want to or can't reach the controls on the vent unit itself.  It sounds like your temperature knob, on each unit, is set to automatically open the vent at a given temperature, perhaps too low for your needs.  Turn it clockwise to a redder color to increase that setting temp. so it doesn't come on as often.

But to fully understand your controls and operation, go to Fantastic Vent's website and print a manual, or call them and ask for one.  They may not list your model if its older, but there may be similar ones.

http://www.fantasticvent.com/operating/how_to_operate.html

Joel

[Gerald Farris]

Adam,
It sounds like someone has changed the wiring on your fan or you have a malfunction in the control board in the fan. The fan was originally wired in a manner that made the fan switch on your cabinets a master switch that closed the fan and then turned the power off, regardless of the thermostat setting. However, there are two power wires to the fan, one through the switch, and one additional wire so if the fan control board malfunctions, it can operate totally independently from the cabinet mounted switch.

Gerald  

[Adam Hicklin]

Joel, I have it dialed in to the hottest setting but there are times I don't want the cover deployed regardless of the temperature. There is no way to kill power to the unit, which it seems there should be.  I think Gerald is correct.  There is a wiring snafu.  Any ideas on how to make it right?  Gerald, you spoke of the two power wires.  If one bypasses the switch, doesn't that automatically make the switch useless?  

[Roy Warren Co-Admin]

Adam,
I don't know if your Fantasticfan works like mine or not, but the cabinet switches only work the fans when the switches on the fan itself have the fan off.  If the fan is not operating and we want it to operate, we turn the cabinet switch on and the fan works.  On the fan, we either want ours on or off, so I set the temperature controller to the area where it will operate full time.  If we want it on, we go to the coldest setting.  If off, we go to the hottest setting.  We always leave the fan speed on, either 1, 2, or 3.  As any water falling on the fan sensor will close the fan, we leave it on whenever we leave the coach.  Must mention we have a cat so when not using AC we don't want the interior to get too hot for the animal.
Roy

[Adam Hicklin]

The only controls on the fans themselves are a fan speed dial, to control the fan speed, and a thermostat dial which controls the opening and closing of the vent cover.  On my model there is not an on/off switch that controls the whole thing.  The vent cover is always active.  The biggest annoyance and problem is that it gets warm, so the cover automatically opens.  Within a couple minutes the probe cools so the cover closes automatically.  A few minutes later it gets warm again and the cycle repeats.  I can't just turn the whole thing off. I will have to figure out how to wire all the power through the wall switches.  

[Tom and Pam Brown]

Adam,

Sounds like an issue with the fan circuit or probe.  Call the fantastic vent company and they will ship you a new one for the price of shipping.  I would go ahead and do both at the same time.  The new version has a on/off switch on the fan itself.

[Jim Gill]

If all else fails and you really don't want the fan(s) to turn on automatically, regardless of the indoor temp, reach up and pull the fuse holder located on the face of the fan. But don't misplace the fuse and the fuse holder...you may want the fan to operate again.

[Gerald Farris]

Adam,
There are several different ways that a Fantastic Fan can be wired. The people at Fantastic Fan technical support are the ones that you need to talk to. They can help you determine if you need to change the way that your fan is wired, or if you have a bad control board in your fan. Also most fan speed control switches have four settings, 0, 1, 2, and 3, with this switch 0 usually turns the fan off.  

I have mine wired so that the dome opens only when the wall switch (cabinet mounted switch)is turned on, and stays open unless the rain sensor gets wet at which time it closes, and will not reopen until the sensor dries. The fan motor is controlled by the thermostat, so the fan runs if the temperature is higher than the thermostat setting only when the dome is already open. My fan will never open unless the wall switch is turned on.  

Gerald

[Joel Ashley]

As I said, there are many different models, so I referred you to the company website.  Yours doesn't have the on/off switch on the unit itself like mine has.  As noted, the "0" position on the fan speed turns it off, but not the lid.  The website infers that turning the thermostat knob fully clockwise on at least some models should be the lid power "off" position, as Roy mentions.  Gerald may be right that yours has been rewired or is faulty.  As he and I advised, check with the company for some clarification on what you need to do.

Joel

[Adam Hicklin]

Thanks guys.  I'll talk to the Fantastic people and see what they have to say.  Gerald, the way yours are wired is what I want.  I want to control when and if it opens, not the thermostat. Thanks for the input.    

[LarryNCarolynShirk]

Adam,

At Fantastic Vent, ask for Larry or Bob.  They worked with Beaver when your coach was built, and they know how to fix your problem.  We tried several different solutions, but the one that stopped the constant up and down, was when a tech. from Fantastic Vent came to my coach at a rally.  He took apart the whole fan and adjusted an internal thermostat to make the temperature gap wider between turn on and turn off.  It was not an easy job, and I do not think I can remember all the steps.  There was a small screw adjustment he turned about a quarter turn, and it worked.  The guys at Fantastic can walk you through installing a separate switch on the fan to kill all the circuits when you want the whole thing to not operate..  I think Bob Begatia is a vice president of the company, and very knowledgeable.  Larry and Bob may both be retired by now though.  Good luck repairing your fans.

Larry

[Edward Buker]

Bob Beretta's phone was 800-521-0298 when I called him several years ago. I found my notes on what he had instructed. There are 4 orange wires, two to the thermostat and two that go to the wall switch. He indicated to cut the orange wire that goes to the thermostat from the board which takes it out of the circuit and disables it. You can put a single pole single throw small switch in where you cut the wires and mount it by drilling the plastic which is what I did. The other option is to tape it off which is a good idea also seeing I have not wanted to put the thermostat back in operation using the switch. I think the board senses the thermostat contact state and when open runs the fan. We are just maintaining that status with the cut wire.

I cannot remember if I did anything beyond this wiring change for the bathroom fan, I do not think so. It has been awhile so check with Bob to be sure. My system gets left with the main on off switch on, the speed set to 1, and the thermostat set anywhere given it is out of the circuit. The wall switch simply turns the unit on and off which is the way we like it. The rain sensor is still active. The thermostat being in the cooling fan flow and the dome being in the sun is a bad design given it will cycle too often and wear things out. We discussed using an IR sensor in todays world and have it watch the floor level for temp, seeing those systems are inexpensive now, but changes at this stage of business are hard to do.

I changed my living room to a remote control version with a kit from Fantastic Fan that I purchased from camping world and I have been happy with that. My wife has been very happy given she could not reach the controls. The remote offers more fan speeds and a better air flow vs noise compromise. Hope this helps.

Later Ed