Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: Carol & Scott on April 14, 2017, 09:27:43 pm

Title: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Carol & Scott on April 14, 2017, 09:27:43 pm
Is the vent fan in the basement adjustable?  Either fan speed or temp control.  We r dry camping and this stinken fan keeps blowing. 

85F outside, bay door open,. 92F at the heat sensor box.

Very tempted to temp. Disable the fan.  Guess I could install a switch.

Thanx. 😃
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Michelle on April 14, 2017, 09:37:50 pm
Is the vent fan in the basement adjustable?  Either fan speed or temp control.  We r dry camping and this stinken fan keeps blowing. 


Is this the one in the bay with the electronics and HWH controls?  I would hesitate to disable it lest those components get over temperature and have other issues.
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Carol & Scott on April 14, 2017, 10:23:29 pm
Yeah - I know.  The sound is driving me crazy and it's burning power.  Argh.

My guess it's a bad sensor. 

Sensor temp is 83F.  Should be off, I would think.
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: toyman on April 14, 2017, 10:24:13 pm
I'd look at the temp sensor, seems like 95° is pretty early for it to come on. Maybe a call to FT ?
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Carol & Scott on April 14, 2017, 10:25:19 pm
Maybe burning 3amps?
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Carol & Scott on April 14, 2017, 10:44:59 pm
Any one know that p/n for that sensor?
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Carol & Scott on April 15, 2017, 12:04:24 am
Couldn't stand it anymore.

Pulled off the cover plate and on the back of the sensor there is a dial - temps on the dial that can be adjusted from 90F to 120F.  Mine was set at 95.  So........ should start when temp in bay gets to 95F.  Fan off now after I reconnected it.  We shall see.
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Carol & Scott on April 15, 2017, 12:06:48 am
BTW -. Trimetric shows fan was using 4 amps.

It's quiet now,.....😁
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Carol & Scott on April 15, 2017, 12:10:14 am
I'll take a better look at it tomorrow.  Maybe I can blast it with air and get some dirt out of it.  Maybe Corrosion X?
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Old phart phred on April 15, 2017, 12:13:07 am
Any line voltage cooling only thermostat should do the trick at 3 amps. Exhaust fans are NOT component cooling fans unless properly ducted and sealed.  they only exhaust whatever air is about 2" in front of the intake of fan because air is stupid. Don't believe me, try the match "trick" pretty easy to blow out a match or candle 4" from your lips, Now try to suck out the flame at 2" from your lips. As far as "sensitive" electronic components many are  rated at 105 F or more. Think of your laptop that you just grabbed out of your 130 F. Car or the Vehicles CPU. Dell has a server that is rated and Warrantied for about 30 hours per year when the cold air intake side of  unit the reaches 113 F. Kinda off topic but relavent
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Carol & Scott on April 15, 2017, 12:32:23 am
Good point OFF.

Our Prosine 2.5 and  the AquaHot is also in that bay behind a panel.  Prosine says operating temp is 0 to 50 deg C.  That's 32 to 122F.

I reset to 95 - will try to clean it out tomorrow. 
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: John Morales on April 15, 2017, 08:29:09 am
Yeah - I know.  The sound is driving me crazy and it's burning power.  Argh.

My guess it's a bad sensor. 

Sensor temp is 83F.  Should be off, I would think.
Can you put a wireless digital thermometer inside the space to monitor the temperature.  Then you can compare it to your sensor temp setting.

John M
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: George and Steph on April 15, 2017, 09:08:13 am
Scott, following on John, if I remember your coach you have the accutemp.  Tape a remote next to the area and set the monitor/alarm. 
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Carol & Scott on April 16, 2017, 09:51:01 am
Upon further review, the sensor starts the vent fan fine.  It just doesn't know how to turn off.  Will call FT tomorrow and get a replacement.  In the meantime will disconnect power when temp gets below 90ish.
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Dick S on April 16, 2017, 11:45:21 am
I think you can turn it off temporarily by holding an ice cube against it.
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Carol & Scott on April 16, 2017, 04:03:08 pm
Hey Dick -

Haven't  tried that.  ;D
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Michelle on April 16, 2017, 04:31:49 pm
Upon further review, the sensor starts the vent fan fine.  It just doesn't know how to turn off.  Will call FT tomorrow and get a replacement. 

Per my info, it's probably a White-Rodgers switch, likely this one WHITE-RODGERS Switch,Fan Control - 4E116|3F05-1 - Grainger (https://www.grainger.com/product/WHITE-RODGERS-Switch-4E116)

Seems to have been discontinued, but any HVAC supplier should be able to cross-reference.
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Carol & Scott on April 16, 2017, 04:36:26 pm
Thanx Michelle -

I'll track it down.

Hope you guys r OK.  😃
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: craneman on April 16, 2017, 04:41:30 pm
Zoro has it

Value Brand Adjustable Fan Switch, 90-130 6UEE1 | Zoro.com (https://www.zoro.com/value-brand-adjustable-fan-switch-90-130-6uee1/i/G3923787/)
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Carol & Scott on April 16, 2017, 05:20:11 pm
Craneman -

Nice find.  ^.^d
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Old phart phred on April 17, 2017, 08:24:45 pm
Zoro has it

Value Brand Adjustable Fan Switch, 90-130 6UEE1 | Zoro.com (https://www.zoro.com/value-brand-adjustable-fan-switch-90-130-6uee1/i/G3923787/)
Appears to have a 20 degree dead band. Check out a normal cheapo home cooling thermostat for a 2-3 degree deadband.
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Carol & Scott on April 17, 2017, 08:37:19 pm
Dead band?????
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Carol & Scott on April 17, 2017, 09:07:18 pm
I guess I still don't understand - Dead Band.  Seems if you set it to go on at 95F it just goes on????  And goes off when the temp is below 95F.  No?
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: craneman on April 17, 2017, 09:28:33 pm
I guess I still don't understand - Dead Band.  Seems if you set it to go on at 95F it just goes on????  And goes off when the temp is below 95F.  No?
If you set it for 90 it will go turn off at 70 set for 110 it will turn off at 90 20 deg. spread. Read the specs on the link. If you wanted it to turn off at 95 you would set it for 115.
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Carol & Scott on April 17, 2017, 09:33:33 pm
WOW!
Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: prfleming on April 17, 2017, 10:18:08 pm
Is the vent fan in the basement adjustable?  Either fan speed or temp control.  We r dry camping and this stinken fan keeps blowing. 

85F outside, bay door open,. 92F at the heat sensor box.
Scott:

Consider this adjustable thermostat (https://www.zoro.com/columbus-electric-line-volt-mechanical-tstat-120-to-277vac-etd-5s-6s/i/G1179403/), this one was installed in some Foretravels to control the basement cooling fan. The SPDT relay can be wired to either open or close on temperature rise. You will want close on rise for a cooling fan.

Title: Re: Basement vent fan.
Post by: Old phart phred on April 18, 2017, 12:09:34 am
Lots of line voltage cooling only tstats available out there, Honeywell makes a ton of different of flavors that are very rugged and very dependable for commercial applications. Pick and choose your on & off points. Zoro may well be a good source as they are rumored to be the online division of the industrial supplier Graingers at discounted prices. Adjustable temps and deadband prevent short cycling and premature fan motor failure, or the equipment you are trying to protect. So check the specifications of the item you are "cooling"  Dell fresh air  computer servers are happy with the "cold aisle" intake temps of 95 and are Warrantied to 113 intake temps for a certain number of hours. So these server rooms do not have to have expensive dedicated HVAC units. I am in the HVAC industry and I  sell value, with many repeat
Customers.