Keep cool and go green!
Maybe it’s a nice 75 degree summer day outside but the beaming sun can cause temps to rise inside your RV. It’s easy to flip on your RV air conditioner and have it run all day long to stay cool. You probably say, “Why not? Electricity at my campground is free.”
That may be true but a high-powered vent, like those offered by Atwood Fan-Tastic Vent, could easily move 1,000 cubic feet of air per minute while only using 1-3 amps of 12-volt power. The high volume of air movement can drop the temperature inside your RV to the outside ambient temperature in a couple of minutes while being environmentally conscious at the same time.
Most air conditioners are limited to a 20 degree drop in temperature and don’t bring in fresh outside air like a vent. They continuously recirculate the air in your RV. This can be very annoying if there is stale air or cooking odor inside. It is very beneficial to first run a 12-volt fan to get the interior temperature down to the outside ambient temperature as well as bring in fresh air. This cuts down on how hard the air conditioner has to work and saves electricity!
Winnebago Industries uses Fan-Tastic Vents made by Atwood Mobile Products, LLC in their Winnebago, Itasca and Era motorhomes. There are a wide range of models available so that you can be sure to have a vent that will accomplish exactly what you’re looking for. Here are some of the features offered on the various Fan-Tastic Vent models which include the 6600R/417, 6000RBTA, 5000RBT, 4000R, 8000 Create-A-Breeze, 800 and 900:
- 14 fixed or automatic thermostat actuated speed settings
- Three fan blade speeds (low, medium, high)
- Reverse airflow by setting the blade direction (OUT – exhaust or IN – intake)
- Thermostatically controlled: the fan blade motor operates when the thermostat calls for cooler air. Once the thermostat is satisfied the fan automatically shuts off, maintaining a consistent temperature inside your coach.
- Automatic Opening: Powered dome lid that lifts by a 12 Volt DC motor
- Rain Sensor: When moisture contacts the built-in rain sensor, the dome will close, turn the fan blade off and then reopens and turns the fan blade back on once the sensor is dry.
- Hand-Held Remote: Control the operation of the fan from anywhere inside or outside your coach!
- Non-Powered Vent
Many RV manufacturers do include high-powered vents in many of their coaches. However, to save money, they only include one high-powered vent in one location and they may include an additional static, non-powered vent. These non-powered vents provide limited benefit versus a high-powered unit so replacing them will allow the RV to effectively ventilate and cool while only using the fraction of the electricity of an air conditioner. Using a little more electricity (1-2 amps) for a vent is a far cry from the 36 amps required to run two, 15,000 BTU air conditioners.
While air conditioners have their place in an RV, using high-powered vents in conjunction with those air conditioners can dramatically decrease the use of 110-volt power. Adding high-powered vents cannot only help you cut electricity costs but is just one additional step to “going green” and helping the environment.