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build pages/roof vent

The roof vent selected was the Maxxair model # 6200K manufactured by Airxcel.  The fan has the smoke colored lid.  The fan does not have a remote.  I would lose remote or drop it.  Fan location makes it accessible from the aisle or from the bed platform.  The Maxxair has four features that are better than the Fantastic fan.  The lid can be open in the rain, the fan does not require a rain sensor, the fan has two support arms instead of one and a motor to close the lid is not required.  The Maxxair fan must be fully open or closed when driving or the lid opening gearbox will fail.


The fan has 10 speeds and can be controlled with the included thermostat.  The fan is reversible but I always have it set to exhaust.  The fan amperage changes for different speeds.  Speed # 1 = 0.2 amps, speed # 2 = 0.3 amps, speed # 3 = 0.4 amps, speed # 4 = 0.6 amps, speed # 5 = 0.9 amps, speed # 6 =1.2 amps, speed # 7 = 1.6 amps, speed # 8 = 2.0 amps, speed # 9 = 2.6 amps and speed # 10 = 3.7 amps.  I seldom power the fan.  With the floor hole and an open Maxxair a natural draft air flow is created.


The fan is located between two roof ribs about 21" forward of the rear door frame over the bed platform.  That location allows a single 300 watt 64 1/2" long solar panel to be mounted in front of the Maxxair.  The Transit has 14" between the roof ribs at that location.


Ford did not make it easy to install a fan.  The 14" square hole is easy.  The problem is the Maxxair flange holes are located over the roof rib flanges on the front and back and the side holes are located over the lower roof corrugations.  Had to have spacers on all four sides under the roof and on two sides on top of the roof.  Warning:  The Transit roof is very thin and dents easily.  I dented the rear of the roof by just leaning on the roof while my feet were on a platform built on my pickup.


     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maxxair 6200K Installation drawing # ODJ127-32                               


If you want more PDF menu choices the drawing can be saved to your computer and reopened with Adobe PDF Reader.  The Adobe PDF Reader is a better program to use for viewing.
 


BUILD PROCEDURE
1. Make a 14" square 1/4" plywood pattern with four 9/32" holes in the corners. They are located 7/16" from the edge of the plywood.  Put one 9/32" hole in the center.
2.  Hold the pattern up against the roof with a stick with pattern centered.  Drill the center hole and bolt the pattern to the roof.
3.  Drill the four corner holes in van roof.  The corner holes are the location for the electrician's 1/2" NPT knockout punch that will be used for each corner.  Remove the pattern. The punch is 7/8 " diameter.  Enlarge the four holes to 3/8" for the punch bolt diameter.  Punch the four holes and mark straight lines tangent to the four holes.
4.  Hang a cloth under the roof to catch cuttings from the jig saw.
5.  Put painters tape on outside of cutout line so jig saw does not scratch the paint.  Tape thin cardboard outside the painters tape to prevent cuttings from getting on the paint.
6.  Using a jig saw cut out the 14" square opening.  After each cut is made use duct tape to hold the panel in place.  Do that in three places so 14" square part does not drop. 
7. Deburr opening and paint the raw edge.
8.  I did not want to use the Maxxair provided sheet metal screws to attach the fan flange to the roof.  Bought 10-24 x 2 1/2" machine screws.  Made a 3/4" thick plywood picture frame to place under the roof.  Frame inside dimension is 14" and outside dimension is 16 1/2".  It fits between the two roof ribs.  The van ribs have a raised bump on the flanges and a deeper flange at the corners to go around the roof corrugations.  Glued a 7/16" thick x 1 1/4" x 13 of wood to the picture frame parallel to the roof ribs.  The sides of the picture frame perpendicular to the roof ribs and parallel to the roof corrugations are located below the steel roof.  Glued 7/16" thick x 1 1/4" x 13" pieces of wood to the sides of the picture frame to fill the gap.
9. Put three 13/64" holes in the frame so it could be bolted to the roof.  Used the Maxxair plastic roof flange to locate the three holes.  Two on one side and one on the other.
10.  Clamped the picture frame under the roof and drilled the three holes through the roof from below using the three holes in the picture frame as a guide.  Bolted the Maxxair plastic roof flange and the picture frame in place.
11. From above using the Maxxair plastic flange as a guide I drilled the other 13 holes through the roof and the picture frame.
12.  Removed the picture frame and painted the frame and the holes in the roof.
13. Made four 1/8" x 1" aluminum strips to distribute the screw head load.  Had been told that the plastic roof flange will eventually crack at the screw holes.  Strips should eliminate the cracking.
14.  Made two 3/32" x 7/8" x 16 1/2" Trex plastic wood strips to put in the roof corrugations to get a flat surface for the Maxxair flange.  Drilled the Trex for the flange holes and radius the corners to match the flange.
15. Put vent putty strips around the opening on top.  Two thicknesses on the sides.  One under the 3/32" spacer and one on top.  Used an awl to punch the screw holes in the putty.
16.  Bolted plastic roof flange down to the roof. The aluminum flats were installed on top of the Maxxair flange and fender washers and elastic stop nuts were used inside.
17. Used a putty knife to remove the excess putty.
18.  Used Dicor self leveling lap sealant # 501LSW around the flange, aluminum flats and covered the machine screw heads.
19.  Installed the fan.
20.  Later added four wood blocks spacers to the picture frame to provide for the garnish ring retaining screws.
21.  Wired with a 14 ga. cord from the fuse block.  Used a 5 amp fuse.
21.  The 10-24 flange machine screws protrude into the interior and might be a problem for some ceiling installations.  Screws would need to be shortened.
22.  A 1" thick flexible closed cell foam plug was made to block the light or to provide insulation.  It is slightly oversize for the opening so it stays in place.

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