Cool DIY RV Vent Fans for Under $50! 

A great solution, well executed too. I like how you have the airflow pointing outward, otherwise you’d be getting bug guts between your fan and screen.

I am always impressed with anyone that can do mechanical stuff. I have 10 thumbs when it comes to building/modifying anything. Good job, and great video!

This is such a well done video, and great modification! I can’t wait to do this to my 1978 truck box camper. I was considering forking up the money on new vents with fans but there’s nothing wrong with my current vents! As you mentioned, I also don’t need that much air flow. Thank you for this tutorial.

I just did this mod on my bathroom vent. I used a 200mm instead of the 230mm. And the LED is always on (unless I rewire it and add a switch). I used the acrylic sheet like you did. What a great idea. Thanks so much for the inspiration !

What a great idea! I had thought about doing something like this but I don't think I would have thought of the plexi glass.

I really like al the cool modifications you have made to your Aliner. You are one of my favorites!

Ok...this video did it....I subscribed! I'm watching all your videos I'd not even considered this type of trailer so thanks! You've opened up a whole new class of possibilities!

Great idea Slim. I just may try these on my travel trailer.

You must do endless research on projects. Fantastic Fan/Computer Fan. Necessity truly is the mother of invention.

Great solution. I agree with you that the fan tastic and the maxx fan can be overkill for smaller volume campers.

That is a great option! Thank you for sharing!

You do a better job at instructional videos than other channels that do them exclusively

Our toilet room has a very small fan in the vent. I'm going to see if one of these computer fans will work to replace it. Thanks for the idea!

Finally a useful RU-vid diy RV video.. Well done...

Great job....and good idea...and it still lets a lot light come through!

So cool I’m looking now for a van and everything is so expensive to equip. This is a great option to start or as a second vent and since the vent is probably 14 inches I could up grade later if needed. Thank you

Great idea! Thanks for all the detailed instructions.

just got done camping with my Aliner, nice video, great idea.

I sure am glad to see this video , I am going to add this to my small TT Thanks a lot. Great video !! & saved me a lot of work & money ! Thanks again .

I'm with you slim on not wasting $$$.

Nice job on the video! a professional looking DIY project!!

Fantastic video Slim... Very cool.

Great video. As soon as I saw your TShirt for " Stax Records" I immediately knew I was going to learn something great!

Cool Idea, but as previously mentioned, I am impressed and jealous of anyone who can do all this stuff,, and it helps to have the right tools for the job and a place to do the cutting, etc,, cool lighting by the way,,

Saved & thank you! I may do this in my Silverstreak!

You are a "Jack" of many trades. Good idea.

Cool idea. Appreciate you sharing

Awesome job! I had the same idea and bought similar computer fans last year but haven't got the chance to put it in:)

That was awesome! Thank you!

Cool trick I love a how to video that saves 💰

I just looking for this.. nice work!

My aliner look identical to yours. Love it

Nice job

i really like this money saving idea, tnx for sharing 👍

Thanks for the info.

I am with you on not wanting to spend so much money on the "fantastic fans". Loved your idea so decided to give it a shot. I started the project this weekend and all that is left is mounting and wiring the 2nd fan (isn't being delivered until Tuesday). 1st one is working great, can't wait to try it out on the next trip which just happens to start next weekend for a week. I have a disc golf tournament in Charlotte, NC the following week so decided to save some money and camp in Waldo (our Aliner). Anyways, thank again for your awesome ideas. Love your videos

Great Job!

All kneel to the master of the camper.

Well Done!

Neat thanks for your time.

Hi, very good job, thanks for sharing i just had the same Idea, i will use a super silent noctua fan , because it is positioned exactly on the top of the bed.

Great video

To note they do make fan that are use in automotive applications for cooling engine related things. Thoes will run on 12v but just have to look at the amp draw if running off solar with a battery. Amps is what drain batteries so more needed faster they discharge.

I will say man. I've been digging for a better option price/performance wise and I cannot come up with one. Thanks for doing all the research. I may just start trusting your videos out the gate. I'll put a single fan in my one and only roof vent. If that's not enough I'll build another for my kitchen window. ✌️😎

Excellent idea. I would use polycarbonate (lexan) instead of Plexi, though. Scratches easier, but much less brittle and easier to drill without breaking.

i recently installed an aftermarket Radiator Fan for a Honda civic in my Vent spot .

I love the calibrated paper towel anemometer! I was wondering about the cfm rating. I like seeing alternate methods. This is a nice clean install. I have been thinking that automotive radiator fans may also work in some applications. Probably noisier but used could be cheap or free. Most would be too large for a vent but could work in a window or other hole that an older rv might have. The ad under your video is for a fan-tastic fan. Hilarious !

I like this idea. I'm going to do same in my trailer. With my portable Breeze fan no need to install AC.....I just place an order so u may get some $$

Nice option and well done video. I would recommend small clips for the wiring and not glueing the connectors to the vent. going to be a PIA when one fails. Also you can get blade connectors and install one fan at a time.

Yeah...vents for trailers are extremely expensive! In this way you get good saving! Thanks for the hint!

just liking and commenting and favoriting for yt recommendations

EXCELLENT.

great idea! Fantastic Fans are incredibly over priced

Very cool (pun intended)!

A lot of these DIY videos seem to have massive downsides, but this is really ingenious and very well executed.

nice red lights look like evil eyes same as Amityville house horror. Great job.

Another low cost alternative to the Fantastic fan or MaxxFan option is a Heng's 90046-CR. Currently it is about $50 and replaces the lower portion of the vent structure.

Slim Potatoe Head, you are a genus, love your ingenuity. Can you come to the US and fix us please, we need help?

Thank you I needed something chip when I reach

I just received my 200mm Spectre Pro RGB. It has a 4 wire ribbon and a 3 wire ribbon cable. You mentioned a video showing more detail on the wiring. Any info appreciated! Thanks!

I have wire dangling from roof vent. What is the best way to secure that. My Aliner is a 98 and most of white tape used here and there is coming loose probably from the Minnesota summer heat. What is a good tape to use that will stay. I'm 68 yr old gal trying to fix up the camper by myself. Thanks for the great videos.

i used to have 6 12v PC fans stuck to some cardboard on my bedroom window. ( this was connected to a speed controller) and in hot weather they used to work really well, it did make some noise when the fans were on full power but it was worth it just to keep me cool.

Nice video! Do you have links to the camco vent and plexiglass?

It would be nice to wire it so you have the option of reversing the fan direction.

Wow never seen computer fans that big before.

I had this idea also I'm glad to see it working. If I'm not mistaken but those fans should be reversible. That can be done with wiring at the source through switches but I have no idea how that's done. When can I add a rheostat for variable speed. I also considered one of these fans for a low profile ceiling fan. I presume it could be mounted from the ceiling with only a half inch Gap. Or producing a personal box fan.

Good job. I would have wired them on separate switches.

Retail price for Fantastic Fan in Sweden is 360USD. =/ So this video is great inspiration for saving some money! =0)

I bought 2 Spectre Pro's a few days ago and I tried to do the same thing, I started with one of the fans by connecting the + and - wires directly to the 12v leisure battery in my campervan, it worked for a few times at low speed and finally the fan stopped working. Did I do something wrong by connecting the wires to the battery?

Very cool! Ha.

Very nice video and great idea. I'm/ thinking of doing this for the rear pop out window in my van. How much draw on the battery do you think there is? Also I'm thinking to install a thermostat.

Get the fans in the vents going in the van 😌😌😌 took me twice to read it right as a third language lol

nice , dont think there water resistand so you might want to put some sort of louvre fan shrouds over the top of them so rain cant hit it red lights prolly atracts moskito's

I wonder if we add a boost converter you could up the voltage which would up the speed if you needed more air. I might try this in my build. Thanks for the vid.

How about mounting one fan pulling air in; and another pulling air out ? I'm finishing a box van into a camper waited to install a fan just for this reason....Thanks Slim

Could a larger (12" or 16") radiator fan be used ?

Computer fans are underrated.

you should sell those. most of us nomads dont want to haul tons of tools around. would have been great to show us dummies how to hook it up

I got a fan like yours. They seem to have 2 connectors. One with 2 cables and one with 3 cables. Which one is for power to the fan and which one is to the LED lights? Nice video! /greetings from Sweden

By chance has anyone found a speed control switch you could use on it?

I would have probably installed a cluster of 4 120s in each window. Would probably get you a better flow.

This is Fan tastic....Great stuff Slim. You ever travel on the East Coast?

Would it make a difference if you change direction of fans? Like, if one blows in while other blows out. Or both blowing in? I have two vents on my roof of small sprinter van with no windows. I was thinking about installing a fan on one of the vent. Is better for fan to blow in or out? Or should I get two fans, one blows in one out? Any ideas?

Plexiglass.. AH HA.. very nice.. this way The fan is more efficient too. You are basically making a replica of that Heng Vortex one. I think it would be quieter too. Now all I have to do is how to find a push button potentiometer to control fan speed and pushbutton to turn it on and off. I probably need a controller.

A lot of campers have an electrical wire next to the vents just for this purpose.

Nice vid, one question though: If you are down south or like me here in Australia, how do you protect your fan system from high outer temperatures and intense UV? A camper standing in the sun over here can reach outside temperatures well over 60 degrees Celsius not to mention the inside Temperatures as you will agree.

What if you dont have that type of tool to cut it out? Is there a equivelent tool I could use to cut the circle?

as I ponder cutting the hole in my small van for a vent, I'm wondering if 12v 3amp is just too much draw on my 70AH 120RC battery and I can just get away with 5v .5amp fan(s).. the difference is being able to run the fans overnight as well as being able to run them off a small solar panel directly (no battery) during the day. Here in Florida (I THINK) a single 200w solar panel and a 20amp controller (overkill I know, but more about being more receptive on cloudy days) with built in 5v 2amp usb ports would run those fans even late into the day or on a cloudy days

have to say the red looks awesome from outside

auto radiator fans also run on 12v but are much better at moving air.... And they're cheap as well

Can this fan run on both directions? I did something similar with a few reclaimed small PC fans but they only go on one direction 😔

Hello there, I'm in Canada, did you had any issues with humidity with those fan? As dust would build up on the fan the humidity will go in the dust... Any electric issues also?

Are you able to provide a link to the SPECTRE PRO FAN - 230MM on Amazon? Thanks

Could you mount 1 for blowing in and 1 for blowing out and use a switch for each

Yours is one of my favorite channels, however, it is frustrating when you show us projects to try. You make it look so eady BUT most of us do not have a fully equipped workshop. Maybe show alternatives for those of us who are less equipped.

I bought a fan like that, red to boot. I have a 2004 rv, with 1 vent, and it's in the bathroom. I think it's a 2.5 or 3 inch fan and doesn't hardly move any air. And it's in the bathroom. I don't want to hassle with cutting plexiglass as there is an existing rail that the old fan is sitting on and wiring is already to tap into. I just am unsure how to get this bigger fan into a hole with a t crank for vent roof, and a piece of metal going through the middle where the old fan sits. I think metal cutting is gonna have to happen, but then I have no secure structure to mount the fan to. As it's not made for this hole. Unfortunately it also is the ONLY roof vent and fan in this camper a fault to be sure. And like you indidnt want to pay 150. For a fantastic fan, but I may have to if infant figure out how to put this in. A project I plan to attack tomorrow. Also, i will need to cut the wires on the fan to connect to the existing wires up in the hole. I want the light to come on, don't kniw why it's in the toilet, but it will be a cool night light on hot nights. If I keep door propped open. Can I converge all the wiring down to just 2 wires, (wish u had shown that part) and lights still work. There is no light switch I don't think. U must have made that. And perhaps that switch is 1 of the extra set of wires with mire connectors that will need to be cut.?

saweeet fan videos....

Hey Slim, I have been unable to find the on/off switch. The box said it is sold separately and indicates it is a BitFenix Hydra on-the-fly on/off switch ( BFA-HDR-K9-RP). Did you order it separately, or is your red button a different one for the on/off switch for the LED lights? I have the platform built and am ready to install. Just waiting on the on/off switch for the LED. But, can't find it on Amazon, E-Bay, or Best Buy. Any ideas on where I can get the little read switch?To start and stop the fan itself, I bought a 6 PIN dual polarity switch. This switch should allow the fan to pull in air by turning the switch one way, and push air out by turning it the opposite.

Slim, I ordered 2 of these fans today. How did you hook up the lights.

good deal i too believe fan tastic fans co$t way too much.