Are there better range hood fans?

[Willowflowage]

Is there a replacement for a rv range hood fan that's powerful and maybe reversible to double for air circulation and not just cooking exhaust?
The hole is there so why not a better fan like a smaller Fan-tastic fan? Or just wishful thinking...

 

[Rene T]

Is there a replacement for a rv range hood fan that's powerful and maybe reversible to double for air circulation and not just cooking exhaust?
The hole is there so why not a better fan like a smaller Fan-tastic fan? Or just wishful thinking...

That’s a great idea but I’ve never heard of one. They would have to devise a special door on the outside that would keep bugs and rain out.

 

[canuckrv]

I'm thinking of replacing ours with an appropriate sized computer case fan.

 

[Ex-Calif]

I measured my hood and bought an appropriate one on eBay or Amazon, I forget. I did note that the wall penetration on my coach had a swinging one way valve (butterfly valve) - You might check yours. If its a louvered penetration you may be able to do what you want.

I have mounted 12V fans on a lot of cabinets and just wired them into nearby lighting circuits. I swapped out all the incandescent lights to LED fixtures as well so the #12 wiring can certainly handle the loads.

 

[NY_Dutch]

I'm thinking of replacing ours with an appropriate sized computer case fan.

That's what I used to replace our original noisy fan. The computer case fan I used is quiet and moves a lot of air. In fact it's so quiet we found we were sometimes forgetting to turn it off, so I added a small red LED next to the switch to remind us.

This is the fan I used:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008VQ2Y2M/

 

[Henry J Fate]

Range hood fans are restricted by the venting. In most cases, the range hood is fine. The vent needs to be updated/repaired.

Reversing a range hood vent sounds like a logical design but given the complexity, adding a separate wall vent would be more practical. This will keep the range hood and the new wall vent focused on their designed tasks

 

[Great Horned Owl]

Not only would you need to invent a new type of vent, but fan blades are designed to work only in one direction. A bi-directional fan blade could be designed, but it wouldn't be very efficient in either direction.

Joel

 

[Martian]

Fabulous Operating Products part #SAM-1-81 @$199. Put one in our last camper and loved it. 3 speed fan and two level light. Fairly easy install and a major improvement. The fan only blows out but we never saw a need to blow air in. Open a window and turn on the fan and you have air blowing in. Really want to put it in the current trailer but the fan is quiet so it is not on the top of the want list.

 

[CharlesinGA]

Fabulous Operating Products part #SAM-1-81 @$199. Put one in our last camper and loved it. 3 speed fan and two level light

Those were the replacement fans created and marketed by Adohen Supply/Scott Nehoda at RVvent.com but he was a one man business mostly focused on Fantastic vent fans and replacement parts. Once Dometic ceased selling most replacement parts his business was no longer sustainable. He either retired or passed away, and the range fans are no longer available.

EDIT: They are still listed on Amazon, so I guess they are selling off the remaining stock. On some hoods they may require a lot of cutting and fitting, on others, they are an easy bolt in fit. I may just buy one and put it away for a future RV (current vent hood is moderate volume and looks like a lot of metal cutting to fit it)

I bought a new frame for the fantastic fan on my motor home and talked with him on the phone, very nice fellow.

Charles

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

There are range hoods (and microwaves) that vent outside, but obviously you need the ducting for that, and the "flapper" door to cover the outside vent. High end rigs often have them, but the low & mid range stuff usually just recirculates to the interior of the RV. It's all about money and what buyers are willing to pay for,

 

[NY_Dutch]

Not only would you need to invent a new type of vent, but fan blades are designed to work only in one direction. A bi-directional fan blade could be designed, but it wouldn't be very efficient in either direction.

Joel

There are a great many reversible fans in operation quite successfully around the world. Including the popular Fantastic vent fans common in the RV world.

 

[Larry N.]

Not only would you need to invent a new type of vent, but fan blades are designed to work only in one direction. A bi-directional fan blade could be designed, but it wouldn't be very efficient in either direction.

Joel

Aircraft solved that long ago, but that's not practical for this purpose. However, reversing the DC polarity allows many motors to be reversed which will, of course, reverse the airflow -- no need to reverse the blade pitch.

But other solutions mentioned above are likely preferable.

 

[Willowflowage]

That's what I used to replace our original noisy fan. The computer case fan I used is quiet and moves a lot of air. In fact it's so quiet we found we were sometimes forgetting to turn it off, so I added a small red LED next to the switch to remind us.

This is the fan I used:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008VQ2Y2M/

So it works fine on 12v? I think I'll try one. It says it's also a variable speed.