Vista 31KE Fantastic Fan

Rdavies54 · 06-05-2018, 07:05 PM

Hello! New member here. My 31KE did not come with a fan in the main cabin roof vent. I would like to install a Fantastic Fan. Does anyone know if the coach is pre-wired for adding a powered fan in this location?

Phil-T · 06-05-2018, 07:13 PM

That would be an excellent question for Winnebago Support. They are very helpful.

Rdavies54 · 06-05-2018, 07:22 PM

Thank you. I did email Winnebago. Is there a website for support? I am a new Winne owner. I was Jayco towable for 20 years

LarryW · 06-05-2018, 08:24 PM

How close is the nearest light? Could use that power source. PS - you’ll like the Fantastic fan. I have two. Very quiet. I hear good things about Maxxair too.

Rdavies54 · 06-05-2018, 08:38 PM

Thanks for replying. The nearest ceiling light is about 3 feet from the vent.
Rob

Phil-T · 06-06-2018, 03:57 AM

Winnebago's support page.

W6LMJ · 06-06-2018, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rdavies54

Hello! New member here. My 31KE did not come with a fan in the main cabin roof vent. I would like to install a Fantastic Fan. Does anyone know if the coach is pre-wired for adding a powered fan in this location?

Adding a fan is a great idea. Are you going to use the existing vent and in lieu of the vent, or to the existing vent? You might want to take the nearby light apart and see if you can get the wire to that light and possibly splice in a new wire and guide it over to the vent for power for the fan. A stiff antenna stinger could be used to push the wire if the roof can accommodate that approach.

BirchyBoy · 06-06-2018, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by W6LMJ

Adding a fan is a great idea. Are you going to use the existing vent and in lieu of the vent, or to the existing vent? You might want to take the nearby light apart and see if you can get the wire to that light and possibly splice in a new wire and guide it over to the vent for power for the fan. A stiff antenna stinger could be used to push the wire if the roof can accommodate that approach.

The closest light is likely switched, so the fan would be dependent on the light being on.

W6LMJ · 06-06-2018, 04:56 PM

Good point.

BirchyBoy · 06-06-2018, 06:32 PM

I’m trying to think of my 31 has seems in the ceiling or not. If so, it would be fairly easy to tuck a wire in there. This is something I’d like to do with mine as well.

Donmcf · 07-05-2020, 02:48 PM

Replying to this old thread from Rdavies54 regarding installing a Fantastic Fan into a 31KE. I don’t see a resolution to your question. Did you end up installing the fan? Where did the power come from? Are you pleased with the result?
Thanks!

SLOweather · 07-05-2020, 05:33 PM

Donmcf, if you remove the 4 corner screws and the crank screw from the inside vent bezel, it will pull down and you can see if there is wiring already in the roof.

SLOweather · 07-05-2020, 06:09 PM

I just pulled mine down.There is, indeed, a hole in the roof foam on the passenger side with prewiring in it for a fan.

Donmcf · 07-06-2020, 08:39 AM

Thanks! I will check that out today.

Donmcf · 07-06-2020, 07:30 PM

I pulled off the inside frame and screen but found no wiring. Here’s a picture.
I can only check above the insulation if I pull the vent off the roof, but I’m hesitant to do that until I know I’ll be able to install the vent fan and connect to wiring somewhere.
Any other suggestions on where to look?

Donmcf · 07-13-2020, 05:45 PM

SLOweather, I took a closer look and there is no ore wired source in my ceiling. I contacted Winnebago customer support and was told they couldn’t /wouldn’t make suggestions for “liability reasons” since the powered fan wasn’t an option ( and therefore wasn’t prewired) on my rig.
I remain interested in how Rdavies54 resolved his/her effort to accomplish the same thing, but don’t know how to make that contact.
Thanks for any suggestions.

JLUSoCal · 07-13-2020, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donmcf

SLOweather, I took a closer look and there is no ore wired source in my ceiling. I contacted Winnebago customer support and was told they couldn’t /wouldn’t make suggestions for “liability reasons” since the powered fan wasn’t an option ( and therefore wasn’t prewired) on my rig.
I remain interested in how Rdavies54 resolved his/her effort to accomplish the same thing, but don’t know how to make that contact.
Thanks for any suggestions.

I have a similar model but the 29ve. My fan was very close to the AC ducting so here's how I did it. I ran the wires through the AC duct, the positive to behind the wiring panel, and used a scotchlok TTap to tap a wire in there - the negative (or vice versa, can't recall) I ran to a light that was nearby, again via the AC duct. My son bought me a fiberglass wire puller from harbor freight that comes in sections and made punching through the styrofoam pretty easy and by pulling 2 of the vents down I was able to use the rod in a few places but not really noticeable - in other words, you can't really see the wiring laying in the ducting unless you take off the covers.

Might that work? I don't know your layout but the fan was the one in the kitchen area for me and not far from the wall where all the gauges are (and lots of wires to tap into). Now if I could just figure out the wire coding on the wires themselves.

Donmcf · 07-13-2020, 08:03 PM

Thanks for your suggestion. My switch panel is about 7’ from the vent, so your suggested approach is way beyond my comfort level. I think this project is headed to “go to the professionals” .

JLUSoCal · 07-14-2020, 07:36 AM

Agreed with the distance you have to traverse. It's worth the dollars to get some fresh air circulating and these fans are quiet.

Donmcf · 09-30-2020, 08:04 PM

Just to close out this thread, I ended up having my local RV shop do the install. There was no preexisting wiring to the vent, so they had to tunnel through the insulation to the closest ceiling light and from there they tunneled to the wires in the cabinet above the TV. Took them 2 hours total ( at least that’s what they charged).
The fan is a little louder at max speed that I’d hoped, but it does move the air.
Case closed.