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Old 03-16-2022, 09:10 PM   #1
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Adding a Roof fan to bedroom 12v sources?

Anyone own a Winibago Mini plus (I have a 2019) that's installed a 12v fan in the bedroom? I took the trim ring off the existing fan looking for an unused 12v wire. It's got wood studs around the vent no visible wires, I'm sure they put them in as an option just not this particular camper. The bathroom has the cheap fan I'm also going to replace with a MaxAir fan/vent Has anyone done this upgrade themselves? Is there a full-time 12v wire up there (not controlled by the light switch) I can get power from? I haven't pulled the speakers or AC vent yet to look. The only power I see is under the cover for the optional Roof AC.
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Old 05-02-2022, 07:11 PM   #2
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Are you saying that roof vent has no motor? What is the round thing in the center?



There is a 12VDC wire to that roof fan motor, it's behind the flashing, then running along a motor support to the motor.
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Old 05-02-2022, 10:16 PM   #3
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Looks to me like that “round thing” in the center is a knob to raise the cover. Not a motor.
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Old 05-03-2022, 01:46 AM   #4
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Yeah it's only a knob I want to put a fan in, can't find 12v around it.
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Old 05-03-2022, 01:49 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray,IN View Post
Are you saying that roof vent has no motor? What is the round thing in the center?



There is a 12VDC wire to that roof fan motor, it's behind the flashing, then running along a motor support to the motor.

That's a manual knob to open the lid no fan in this vent! I've removed the Trim ring nothing under it I can find, I'm hoping someone that knows what they are doing can tell me if a Wire is in the ceiling somewhere that was not used? If not I might have to run a conduit to it from another area to get power to it unless I run something on the roof to it. I don't want it to look rigged up, it will hurt the resale value, when I upgrade to a 5r.
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Old 05-03-2022, 08:10 AM   #6
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Consider a cable organizer to run 12V + and - to the opening: https://www.cableorganizer.com/categ...face-raceways/
IMO it will look like a professionally installed aftermarket installation.
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Old 05-08-2022, 07:20 PM   #7
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I added a bedroom vent/fan over the master bed where only ceiling existed before. To get 12v power I ran a power cable from the the bathroom fan over the exterior roof. Works great an we love the new ventilation over the bed.
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Old 05-08-2022, 07:24 PM   #8
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I was thinking of tapping into the 12v lights over the bed running a conduit to the fan, I'm trying not to run anything on the roof until after I get the solar panels installed. That's a hopefully soon future project.
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Old 05-08-2022, 09:02 PM   #9
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Maybe some more checking is worth the time?
We need to keepin mind that Rv are wired fart different than house wiring and that sometimes can work out to bean advantage. Sometimes not but worth a check, perhaps?

I assume you are saying the light near the vent is operated by a switch at some location?
I would want to check that light to make sure how it is wired as there are times when there is a hot wire there, even though it would not be in house wiring. Far different codes and practices on the two!

Some things I would want to check first:
1. If I take the light off the ceiling, are there ID "codes" stamped on the wiring if I pull several inches out of the ceiling?
Click image for larger version

Name:	f wire id.jpg
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ID:	182793

If you find the ID, try to use this chart to find what each wire does:

https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...ical_guide.pdf

You may get lucky and find a wire which is hot and then goes to the switch, so that it might be used there.
OR you may not be so lucky and need to do more.

One thing to consider is how much current that light is fused/ breakered to carry as the newer LED lights may have really small fuses.
But if the wiring to the light is large enough to also support the fan, there may be a method that is not quite as nice but can still work.

What if one needed to use that power but did notwant the light on all the time the fan was on? Can you see adding a small switch at the light itself to turn the light and fan on but turn the light off when you only want the fan? Or there may be times when you would turn both on at the switch but not want the fan running? That would mean a switch at the fan and possibly also at the lights but it can work with just a bit of extra thought and a couple two dollar switches to get it to work your way!

The big advantage is that none of this will jump out at shoppers and none of it is run on the surface as you only need to fish wires a few inches from the fan to the light.
I sharpen a wooden dowel to press through the insulation from point "A" to "B" as there is less danger of the dowel as it tends to not punch into things as bad as wires or a drill bit might! A hole drilled in the dowel can then let you pull something like a thread or thin wire back before tying on the real permanent wiring.

You are in a place where the prime need is to avoid damage! Not a good time for an electric drill as they can find wires to mess up, even when we can't see them!

EDIT:
Secondlook makes me ask what is under the cover just to the right?
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Old 05-08-2022, 09:10 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray,IN View Post
Consider a cable organizer to run 12V + and - to the opening: https://www.cableorganizer.com/categ...face-raceways/
IMO it will look like a professionally installed aftermarket installation.
Exactly! If there’s no wire nearby, I agree that will work best.
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Old 05-08-2022, 09:11 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Morich View Post
Maybe some more checking is worth the time?
We need to keepin mind that Rv are wired fart different than house wiring and that sometimes can work out to bean advantage. Sometimes not but worth a check, perhaps?

I assume you are saying the light near the vent is operated by a switch at some location?
I would want to check that light to make sure how it is wired as there are times when there is a hot wire there, even though it would not be in house wiring. Far different codes and practices on the two!

Some things I would want to check first:
1. If I take the light off the ceiling, are there ID "codes" stamped on the wiring if I pull several inches out of the ceiling?
Attachment 182793

If you find the ID, try to use this chart to find what each wire does:

https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...ical_guide.pdf

You may get lucky and find a wire which is hot and then goes to the switch, so that it might be used there.
OR you may not be so lucky and need to do more.

One thing to consider is how much current that light is fused/ breakered to carry as the newer LED lights may have really small fuses.
But if the wiring to the light is large enough to also support the fan, there may be a method that is not quite as nice but can still work.

What if one needed to use that power but did notwant the light on all the time the fan was on? Can you see adding a small switch at the light itself to turn the light and fan on but turn the light off when you only want the fan? Or there may be times when you would turn both on at the switch but not want the fan running? That would mean a switch at the fan and possibly also at the lights but it can work with just a bit of extra thought and a couple two dollar switches to get it to work your way!

The big advantage is that none of this will jump out at shoppers and none of it is run on the surface as you only need to fish wires a few inches from the fan to the light.
I sharpen a wooden dowel to press through the insulation from point "A" to "B" as there is less danger of the dowel as it tends to not punch into things as bad as wires or a drill bit might! A hole drilled in the dowel can then let you pull something like a thread or thin wire back before tying on the real permanent wiring.

You are in a place where the prime need is to avoid damage! Not a good time for an electric drill as they can find wires to mess up, even when we can't see them!

EDIT:
Secondlook makes me ask what is under the cover just to the right?
The cover is a 30a connection for a second AC, I'm not going to use the ceiling light in the photo it's switched on the wall not useful for this purpose, I have 2 12v LEDs over the bed I'm thinking of tapping into then running a conduit to the Ceiling cutout. The LEDs are reading lights. With full-time power. I can tap into one inside the overhead storage then drill a hole near the ceiling from there it's 2' to the vent.
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Old 05-08-2022, 09:12 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by saboken View Post
I was thinking of tapping into the 12v lights over the bed running a conduit to the fan, I'm trying not to run anything on the roof until after I get the solar panels installed. That's a hopefully soon future project.
I mean yeah, that will work. But then either your light must be “on” to power the fan, or you defeat the light, or add a switched light fixture in place of the one you have…

What’s under here in red? No power there? I also see an AC duct right there that you might be able to use to get a wire fished through and over there from the AC unit? Obviously would need a step down transformer to get to 12v but there’s plenty of space in the AC area for that…
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