Inline Duct Fans

[mahu]

Has anyone tried inline duct fans running on 12V to distribute air rather than a large roof fan?

The idea would be to have two round 4 inch air inlets on each side of the van and use the inline duct fans to suck in air and use ducts to distribute air to a few spots such as the kitchen and the bed area. Vents in the wall panelling would be used to and could be selectively opened or closed. 

 

One option:

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Attwood-Turbo-In-line-Blower/737470.uts?productVariantId=1184776&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=42-107206711-2&WT.tsrc=CSE&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=02243741&rid=20

 

Pros: 

- Better fresh air distribution throughout the van with half a dozen or so vents

- No need to cut 12x12 inch hole in roof

- No big MaxiFan cover on the roof

 

Cons:

- Requires some duct work in between insulation and careful pre-planning where vents are located.

- Potential concerns about condensation along ducts (?)

 

Any thoughts?

 

[Chris_CommercialManager]

i will tell you that some inline fans can make some noise.  However, what you suggest seems feasible.

 

Only thing I will say.....and this is coming from tinkerer who can't leave his hands off of anything, and genuinely thinks I can always come up with a better design.....

 

When the overwhelming majority of people do things a certain way there is probably a reason for it.  In this case I couldn't say what that reason is but I'd sure bet there is one.

 

Being this requires permanent modification I personally would find another project to re engineer.

[wollip]

I've got to go along with Chris on this. Part of picking and choosing your battles.

I was determined not to have a roof mounted AC unit - AC being a necessity for anyone living in the South. I researched and schemed for weeks before I gave in, just got it over with, and went with what has been proven to work by thousands of installations - a rooftop AC unit. Have I ever regretted it? No - because it does not use ANY interior space. And as you already know, every cubic inch of space on these vans is vital.

But it's a lot of fun making your build unique. So,if you make it work, be sure to let us know.

[mahu]

Thanks guys for the feedback! Appreciate it! Will brainstorm a bit more on this. You both make very good points!

Wollip what kind of roof mounted AC unit did you get and how is it powered? Thanks!

[wollip]

I went with a Coleman unit mainly because it emphasized how low profile it was. But the Dometic Penguin units look nice also. Also installed the optional heat strip. Best if you turn the heat strip on while you go elsewhere for 20 minutes or so while it warms things up. I don't use that feature much and probably wouldn't go to the extra expense again. I'm actually using a $20 heater from Walmart which is smaller than a football and stores well. I did install the wall mounted thermostat which I think provides better control of the unit (AC or heat) and keeps you from having to get up and fumble with the control knobs on the ceiling assembly.

This is all powered up by a shore power plugin -AC 30 amp.

I installed mine close to the back of the cargo area thinking that it looked better back there. The downside is that the air blows over you from that position. Guess I'm spoiled by the memory of the ducted air system in a previous motorhome.

Go with the lowest btu rating you can find - it doesn't take much in such a small space if you have insulated well.

Installation was ridiculously easy. It came with the seals in place and even had "depth gauges" to let you know when everything was tightened up properly.

There is one important consideration that needs mentioning. An AC unit adds 100 lbs to your roof - which the NV is fully capable of supporting. But you are also adding 100 lbs to the fulcrum - if I'm using the correct term. If you have added upper cabinets and any other weight to the upper region of the cargo area, stability might become a concern. So I installed a Roadmaster active suspension system from strutmasters.com and have already had occasion to be glad it was there.