Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 12, 2025 ...

If I do the by-pass, I would need to get to the wiring behind the thermostat.  I'd like to avoid removing the microwave.

I will check the DC breakers in the basement.  As for 12v getting to the old thermostat, how would I check that without getting access to the wires from behind (reason for removing the microwave.  I'm fine with bypassing the thermostat, since I have one in the new fan, but locating a DC wire and splicing into the circuit can be a big problem; I haven't seen many wires with  some slack.

I will check the DC breakers in the basement.  As for 12v getting to the old thermostat, how would I check that without getting access to the wires from behind (reason for removing the microwave.  I'm fine with bypassing the thermostat, since I have one in the new fan, but locating a DC wire and splicing into the circuit can be a big problem; I haven't seen many wires with  some slack.

As we have a center entry I wonder if your coach has a ce number is on the sidewall like ours has?

Sven,

You must have a rare coach!  I don't see a mid-entry U320 listed in the 2000 model year floor plans at beamalarm.com.  Congratulations!

I assume your Kool-O-Matic fan is/was located in the kitchen area, probably above your stove and microwave.  I went out and looked at our coach, which has that same general configuration.  If I needed a new 12 volt power lead to go the the kitchen vent fan cutout, I would take it off the hot wire and ground wire feeding the 12 volt light directly over the kitchen sink.  The double wire could run through the overhead cabinets until directly in line with the fan cutout.  You could drill a hole in the side of the fan cutout, horizontally through the ceiling foam, until you are above the cabinet ceiling.  That would only be about 4-5 inches in our coach.  Then punch straight up through the cabinet ceiling to intercept this hole.  Run your power/ground wire up into the cabinet ceiling hole and over until it comes out the side of the fan cutout.  Then hook up to the new fan.

Takes me longer to describe than it would take to do.  To tap into the hot and ground wires at the light fixture, you might be tempted to use a "vampire" crimp-on splicing connection.  See photo below.  I know I have used these things for years on cars and motorcycles, had pretty good luck with them, and thought they were great.  I have recently been introduced to a better solution:  the Posi-Tap.  Posi-Tap- No Crimp Tap
OR, you could use "Old School" solder and heat-shrink tubing...your choice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N64p6ndlTQ8

Take the thermostat cover off. The wires must be accessible  in order to change out the thermostat without having to remove the microwave. Check the voltage at the terminals

Out of curiosity, how do you prevent heat/cooling loss with the Kool-matic?  The Fantastic vent has a lid that can be closed and they make square pillows that can be placed into the opening when it isn't being  used.

Out of curiosity, how do you prevent heat/cooling loss with the Kool-matic?

A plastic cover was supplied that slides into tracks on the louvered face plate.  These covers are now getting VERY brittle due to age, and if you still have one, you must be extremely gentle when installing and removing it.  Ours is still intact (knock on wood).

Photo taken before we replaced the fridge and microwave.

I'm not familiar with a "ce number".

In our coach's string of identifying letters and numbers I came across the CE 27 part.
My understanding is that is Foretravels numbering for how many center entry coaches have been made.