Overland Explorer Expedition Cabin on 2020 Ford F350

[gregmchugh]

The biggest issue we have in the winter is the condensation into the MaxxAir, usually leading to a failure of the fan when the water gets into the electronics and the control panel. Have tried the method of sealing the circuit board but have still had failures. I keep a supply of replacement circuit boards and control panels to swap them out when needed.

 

[Trail Talk]

Very nice unit. I'm just down the road from you guys in Rocky Mountain House. Do you folks do any Nordic Touring?

Absolutely! The David Thompson is one of our favourite drives and we often travel through Rocky on our way to Lake Louise. Would love to hear about the nordic trails in your area. Are there groomed trail systems?

 

[Trail Talk]

The biggest issue we have in the winter is the condensation into the MaxxAir, usually leading to a failure of the fan when the water gets into the electronics and the control panel. Have tried the method of sealing the circuit board but have still had failures. I keep a supply of replacement circuit boards and control panels to swap them out when needed.

Wow, something to watch out for! I've done much winter tent camping and curse the constant struggle of condensation vs ventilation.

 

[gregmchugh]

Wow, something to watch out for! I've done much winter tent camping and curse the constant struggle of condensation vs ventilation.

Here is the possible fix but it didn’t work for me...

 

[Trail Talk]

Here is the possible fix but it didn’t work for me...

Curious to know why this didn't work for you?

 

[gregmchugh]

Curious to know why this didn't work for you?

Do not know. I treated two new circuit boards with conformal spray and sealed the connector in two new control panels for our two fans. Condensation stopped them again. Now I just replace the circuit board and control panel when needed with new ones.
You might have better luck with the fix.

 

[gregmchugh]

Here is where I buy the replacement parts for the Maxx fans...

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www.adventurerv.net

 

[Fatboyz]

Absolutely! The David Thompson is one of our favourite drives and we often travel through Rocky on our way to Lake Louise. Would love to hear about the nordic trails in your area. Are there groomed trail systems?

We have some limited groomed trails here in Rocky, but I was thinking more on the line of Light touring, not full on AT. There are some nice areas by Nordegg where you could stage from with your truck.

 

[Trail Talk]

We have some limited groomed trails here in Rocky, but I was thinking more on the line of Light touring, not full on AT. There are some nice areas by Nordegg where you could stage from with your truck.

Would love to explore the Nordegg area. Some pics of our favourite winter destination near Jasper...

 

[Victorian]

The biggest issue we have in the winter is the condensation into the MaxxAir, usually leading to a failure of the fan when the water gets into the electronics and the control panel. Have tried the method of sealing the circuit board but have still had failures. I keep a supply of replacement circuit boards and control panels to swap them out when needed.

We had two maxfans ready to be installed in our camper. After looking at them and seeing the non exciting insulation we knew that condensation will be an issue. We ended up not installing them. This would be super easy to avoid by offering a double pane lid.

 

[gregmchugh]

We had two maxfans ready to be installed in our camper. After looking at them and seeing the non exciting insulation we knew that condensation will be an issue. We ended up not installing them. This would be super easy to avoid by offering a double pane lid.

It would be nice if there were better options for a vent fan with a well insulated cover. I have a foam insulating plug that I can put into the vent fan from inside which helps some to keep the moist air out of the fan.

 

[Trail Talk]

Back from OEV yesterday. Our yo-yo weather has wreaked havoc with the local ski trails but at least made it pleasant to work on the camper. Today I installed the Lagun table mount and MaxxShade fan cover.



There must have been a change in hardware for the Lagun. The instructions were to drill 1/4" holes for the mounting plate, which turned out to be smaller than the supplied bolts. An easy fix. I still have to router out a notch so the floor hatch, which gives access to the water tanks, will clear the mounting plate when raised. Now we have many options for positioning the table, and it doesn't need to be dismantled before driving.



The MaxxShade was just the solution for adding some insulation to that hole in the roof. Not that impressed, however, with its flimsy construction. The spring-loaded shade is held closed by thin plastic tangs which are almost sure to break.

 

[DzlToy]

Pot the board on the MaxxFan and swap the junky OEM connector for a WeatherPack or Deutsch connector. This does not save the unsealed motor, however, which appears to be a known issue that is being ignored by the manufacturers.

A better option is to buy marine/yacht grade fans that are made to handle moisture and condensation. Yes, they may cost more up front, but you are investing in a quality product instead of replacing crappy parts over and over again. Fantastic Fans and MaxxAir fans seem to be de riguer amongst vanners and RVers, but I cannot count the number of horror stories I have heard in the last 10-12 years. I do not understand how either company is still in business.

0.02

 

[gregmchugh]

Pot the board on the MaxxFan and swap the junky OEM connector for a WeatherPack or Deutsch connector. This does not save the unsealed motor, however, which appears to be a known issue that is being ignored by the manufacturers.

A better option is to buy marine/yacht grade fans that are made to handle moisture and condensation. Yes, they may cost more up front, but you are investing in a quality product instead of replacing crappy parts over and over again. Fantastic Fans and MaxxAir fans seem to be de riguer amongst vanners and RVers, but I cannot count the number of horror stories I have heard in the last 10-12 years. I do not understand how either company is still in business.

0.02

What fan do you recommend to fit in the existing opening?

 

[DzlToy]

Marine fans are typically made to "hatch" sizes or require custom installation. Without knowing the size of the current opening, any specific product recommendations would be based purely on speculation. I do not know of a "take out a MaxxFan #245 and install Camframo Fan #594" type of solution, and would be surprised if there was one.

That said, check with Defender Marine, West Marine, Fisheries Supply or a local Chandlery, in the "ventilation" section of their respective website or store and look for hatches and fans made by Vetus, Camframo, Lewmar or other quality manufacturers.

Spending some time in sailboat forums will net you a world of knowledge, as ventilation is crucial on a sailboat, especially in common cruising grounds such as Florida and the Caribbean. Remember, sailboats, even small ones, typically have multiple hatches to keep air moving.