Vent by fridge question.

[Gordon Webster]

My new to me Contessa has a vent fan in the potty closet with a switch and one close to the fridge with no switch that I can find. It has a knob that looks like a temperature setting with colors going from red thru pink into light blue to dark blue.
How do I turn it on?

[Karl Welhart]

Gordon,

My switch for the vent by the fridge is under the overhead cabinet above the table.  Not sure how your unit may be setup for the switch.

[Joel Ashley]

There should be switches on a wall or under a cabinet for each.  Our '06 uses Multiplex 12 volt wall switches, but your coach may use rocker switches instead.  Check any bank of switches you know of for one that turns a fan on.  The fan in the bath should have a wall switch in that same room.

Yes, the colored rotating knob sets the temp. that the fan turns on at automatically.  Some units also have fan speed switches on the unit too.

Joel

[Gordon Webster]

I've been over every inch of every wall and under every cabinet at least 4 times and cannot find a way to turn that kitchen vent on. There must be one somewhere but doing my best CSI imitation has not found a clue.
I hope someone with a 2002 Contessa will come up with the answer. The previous owner for 9 years can't tell me where it is. I'm guessing he may have not used it.

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Gordon.
If memory serves me, I think the switch was on the fan plate itself in our 01 Contessa.
Steve

[LaMonte Monnell]

mine has a switch right on the housing.

[Paul Schwalen]

Gordon,

On our 03 Contessa the fan in front of the refer is controlled by the switches on the face of the fan itself.  There is no wall mounted switch.  If it is a similiar model as ours there are 3 knobs at the face.  One is to open the vent cover which must be turned for the roof cover to be raised so the fan can start.  One is a on/off speed controller which sets the fan speed from off to slow to med to high. The third is a thermostat that determines at what temp the fan will cycle.

Hope this helps.

Paul

[Gordon Webster]

Thanks Paul. Mystery solved. I would never have thought of it being manually actuated.
I considered opening it manually but it showed no pull or push indicator for operating it manually so I was afraid I would mess up the mechanism if I just forced it open.
This forum is sure a valuable source of info.
Thanks to all of you that have tried to help me.
My last two coaches were a 2000 American Dream and a 2008 American Tradition and this Beaver is very different in many respects. But a fun challenge.

[Joel Ashley]

I thought Gordon said his units didn't have those switches except one on the bathroom vent, and I presumed he was aware of the black push/pull knob.  I'm glad Paul was able to assist him.  It's amazing how many different versions and configurations of these vents that there are out there.  Ours have 4 on-unit controls, open/close, temperature control, fan speed, and on/off, and each has 1 to 2 wall control switches.  Some these days even have wireless remotes.

Gordon, look up the manufacturer's website (Fantastic Vent?) and check for a manual for your models, although determining your exact model can sometimes be a trip in itself.  If the coach sits for a long period without the vents being used, the first use should be with caution;  the lids have a tendency to stick to their seals with time.  To avert a stripped motorized vent lid drive mechanism, the first use should involve cracking the vent open manually by pulling the black knob down and turning it slowly clockwise.  Once free of the seal, the lid should open via the motor (push the knob up) without harm.  Going up on the roof and cleaning the lid seal and treating it with Aerospace 303 once in a while is a good preventive maintenance practice.

Joel

[LaMonte Monnell]

Yes Joel, that is a good practice to clean the vent seals or at least open and close them occasionally.

If they stay closed the heat makes them hard to get open the first time, of course I found out the hard way and had to replace one!