That's how we roll! : ) In September, we are doing a Ford Transit van conversion. I will be putting the same fan and vent in it, so I will be more confident. This will be a 4-6 month long RU-vid series. Be watching and maybe subscribe so you know when it is happening. We will two the Runaway with it.
Totally, reminds me of Xmas lampoon vacation. Where he burns down the house with those lights, wife was oh they look wonderful dear. U should build a road shower...
zedmak We love our new Runaway and I just started a conversion on a 2018 Ford Transit 250. It will have a shower in it. Check out my new videos about it. We will still use our camper with it.
Great video - thank you for this! I finally found your video and it shows the exact method for connecting the Maxxair fan to power bank that I had hoped to complete (I am fully electric-illiterate, but becoming intrigued as I tackle my van build). And the chainsaw bit at the end was hilarious! Thanks again for sharing!
Thanks. We have just finished our Ford Transit 250 van conversion. You might find this episode useful - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-e6vn0RaKSJE.html
I am suggesting that if someone does this to a pre-2020 Runaway, they should consider building a frame in the ceiling to receive the screws from above coming from the flange. The screws that come with the units are too long for a thin metal roof - even with the wood. Look at RU-vid videos of folks doing van conversions to see examples of the interior frame.
Really appreciate the how-to. Thinking of getting a Runaway one day when we upgrade to a proper tow vehicle. Runaway should offer this fan and vent as a factory install at some point.
Hot and muggy summers in Missouri, where I think this company is based. I've never owned an RV, and every time I've been 20 grand ahead, I plowed it into home improvements. But I'm getting up in years far enough that this looks like a good way to extend my years outdoors. I don't want to fool with tents, any more, and if my knees are griping, all I have to do is sit down and I'm in bed. Don't have to pitch a tent or sleep on the ground, and don't have to climb up the stairs to go to bed after, uh, cocktails. I can still be functional, even if old injuries flair up and my knees are killin' me.
I am suggesting that if someone does this to a pre-2020 Runaway, they should consider building a frame in the ceiling to receive the screws from above coming from the flange. The screws that come with the units are too long for a thin metal roof - even with the wood. Look at RU-vid videos of folks doing van conversions to see examples of the interior frame.
I am suggesting that if someone does this to a pre-2020 Runaway, they should consider building a frame in the ceiling to receive the screws from above coming from the flange. The screws that come with the units are too long for a thin metal roof - even with the wood. Look at RU-vid videos of folks doing van conversions to see examples of the interior frame.
You had to finesse the holes because you measured and marked the inside of the flange instead of the outside edge of the flange.....rookie mistake, lol. I would have probably done the same thing :). Thanks very much for showing this. My wife and I would love to get one of these cool campers.
No. I had to finesses the holes because I was being cautious and cut a little ways from the line on purpose. It is easier to cut than add! : ) I did the same thing on my current van conversion - on purpose. Now I am doing a van conversion on my 2018 Ford Transit 250 medium roof and 1`48" wheelbase. See the van build series here - bit.ly/3dwUQHm
I appreciate you and your videography. At risk of saying the obvious, you now have 2 fans plus an AC unit to cool your 5x8 ft camper; and wonder where you plan to travel for that much cooling to be necessary.
I have one fan and a passive vent and one AC unit. I would never use them all at once. If off shower power, I would run the MaxxAIr fan. With shower power the AC. Boom! : ) I sold the Runaway and now have a 2018 Ford Transit with the same MaxxAir fan and MaxxAir passive vent combo. It works great! No AC, but we do our best to avoid really hot weather camping.
Thanks. I’m not sure any of them are truly awesome, but I try to make them useful for other campers. I know the MaxxAir will be useful. My power set up now includes an Ecoflow Delta 1300 which can even run my ac for about 7 hours. That will be useful when we are on a long drive and stop overnight at a rest area or cracker barrel. And the Delta recharges back to 100% in a little over an hour. I recently posted a video review of the Delta, and I’m very impressed by it. We usually have shore power but at national parks we usually don’t. But since will be in the mountains the max air fan should be enough.
Deluxe job, Charles. Now that you have holes in your roof you might want to investigate Eternabond Tape and toss a roll in your mobile repair kit. I'd rather have it and never use it than need it and not have it is my motto.
Very nice job, Charles. My wife & I have been enjoying your videos. Do you have any plans to heat your Runaway? We're considering the smaller 4x8 CoolCamp and plan to camp when temperatures are in the 40s; do you think body heat is enough to keep warm or would you recommend another heat source?
If we have shore power, we use a small ceramic heater and/or an electric blanket. If we have no power, we have a great 12v heated mattress pad that we run off our Jackery 500W lithium battery pack. I have a review of that unit here on my channel - great product. Thanks for watching. We loved our 4x8 2016 Navigator, but now do longer trips and wanted more room.
great video !! next time you need to use a lap seal and dont want to lol , you should try Eternabond Roof Seal its a tape that will seal the seam and screws and look good doing it
Can you tell me why you decided to add the fans? My understanding is that the company doesn't offer them because its a risk for leaks. I have not purchased a runaway yet but I plan on getting a cool camp. I don't know anything about campers but I've seen videos that condensation can be an issue. I'm just trying to plan what I need in my camper. Thank you! Sending ❤ from MI.
We had a few situations last summer camping out west at Capitol Reef National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park where we did not have shore power in the campgrounds within the parks. I refuse to haul my generator again, so we did not have AC. We did run small battery fans at night, but it would have been great to have more air moving though our Runaway. Then we had a 2016 4x8 Navigator - now a 2020 6x8 fiberglass Runaway RangeRunner. With this fan in the front and the passive vent in the back (along with our three windows) we have LOTS of air movement. I'm good without AC in ht weather as long as I have ir moving and that problem is nw solved. With my Jackery 500 lithium we can run it easily. I have zero concerns about leaks. Zero. I installed them well and will always check them to make sure the sealant is holding well and I will touch them up if needed down the road. I had always heard they would automatically leak and that is just not true if properly installed and maintained. I am not part of Runaway, but I think their reasoning was that some people would not maintain their fan and the seals around it well enough, and so leaks "could" become a problem. By the way, they DO now install fans on their off-road model - the Venturist. That option is not yet being offered for the CoolCamp and RangeRunner and I have no idea if that will change. Only a call to their sales office will tell you that. About condensation - ALL campers and RVs (and tents) can have condensation depending on the ambient temperatures and number of people, etc. We only have had some in colder weather and it is not too bad with windows cracked. With the MaxxAir fan we could run it very slowly to pull out condensation and still stay warm with our blankets and heated mattress pad. We love our Runaway and you will too. Be safe and blessings!
@@Imgone2024 Yes, it is a standard job. If a van conversion shop or builder was near you, I would go with that kind of shop. If I did not do my own, I would have gone to Red's Custom Designs about an hour or so from me here in southern Indiana. He drops those in vans all the time and has never had a leak. He knows what he is doing and does framing underneath the fan for support because van's have a thin metal roof. If you were my neighbor, I would do it for you! I am putting LED lights on a friends 4x8 tomorrow. Good luck! If you have it done, just be sure to always do normal maintenance - which means inspect all seams, caulking, tires, bearings, etc. on a routine basis. I know that sometime down the road, I will decide to clean off all of the lap sealant and make it fresh again, But that will not be needed for quite a while.
Hi Charles! I'm thinking of buying a Runaway.... how are you liking the newer model made with the new materials?? Anything you noticing like contracting from temperatures changing ect. At the corners or anything?? Thanks enjoy your videos.
No movement - no contraction, These are VERY solid fiberglass composite panels. They also are giving us some insulation values too. And they cannot rot!
The walls and floor are all the same fiberglass/pvc composite panels. Waterproof. The 2021 model roof is a one piece cap made of solid fiberglass and is like what boats are made of. No wood anywhere.
Hi there!! Been enjoying your videos you for a week now as I prepare to purchase my Cool Camper… You’re a wonderful teacher! Question: do you feel it’s necessary to have BOTH the 5100 deluxe AND the passive air vent? I ask for ( what else? ) budgetary constraints; I was thinking just the 5100 would do the job in a 4x8, while adding rain guards over the windows and door would be my passive ventilation. Would love to hear your thoughts, would also love to just put ONE hole in a perfectly good roof👍🏻
Just the fan is enough with windows cracked. I did do both on our Ford Transit and it works great. Our RR roof was the composite material like the walls. All new ones are like a boat hull , but I know some have installed a fan successfully. If you are on one of the Facebook Runaway pages, you can find someone who can give you tips. Have fun and blessings!
I wanted to move a lot of air in that camper. And I felt the larger one would work better and was just as easy to install. And I was right, and it worked really really well. There are always options aren’t there? Thanks for watching.
I did what I did and it worked. I’m not sure who has declared that is what I’m “supposed” to do. Not to be rude, but how people do something is how they do it. Did I end up with a great result? Absolutely. So it makes no difference that I did not do it the way that someone says I’m “supposed” to do it. Everyone can choose their own way of doing things.
Were you happy with the location of the fan at the front of the camper? I like to sleep with lots of air movement and have my bed located in the back of my rangerunner. Would it make a bigger difference to mount in the back?
I’m not sure how to answer that, but I do know that it worked really really well in our Runaway camper. It certainly would still pull air through if you switch the position of the fan. When you crack the windows and turn the fan on you can pull the curtains. Works really well. And now we have the same combination in our Ford transit that we just finished converting.
Thanks Charles for sharing ... it is very helpful. Also, thanks for the work you do in creating and sharing all your videos. Regarding the MaxxAir fan and vent, can you describe why you selected the orientation/layout that you utilized ... with the fan in the front and the vent in the back? Did you consider utilizing just the fan in the back and then utilizing the AC fan (no compressor) to pull in fresh air and then out the backside using the maxxair fan? Also, do you primarily utilize the maxxair fan to push air out or pull air in? I'm especially interested how you handle hot weather since I live in Texas and usually battle heat vs cold. Just trying to pick your brain on how you planned and now utilize the fan and vent. Thanks!
We did not want a fan over our heads, so that explains the design. We use the MaxxAir to pull air out drawing air through eh MaxxAir vent. I do not want to use the AC fan becauseI can be crazy more efficient by using 12v only. I can run that MaxxAir for ridiculous hours with the Jackery 500 and now I have an EcoFvow Delta 1300 as well. I will run it on very slow even in cold weather to pull condensation out. It works great. We are going on a two week trip to Colorado later this summer and we will likely never come close to ending an AC - which I hate anyway. If I have air moving - even in hot weather - I am good. Thanks for watching.
Alright then. Last question (maybe)! What is the height of the lid when all the way open? I have ladder racks and was gonna put it on under the solar panels that I will install in the future
Are the new composite campers now manufactured without the aluminum skin? Also I noticed the trim pieces on the roof. Is the roof made in different sections requiring those trim pieces?
No aluminum skin - the entire camper is made of the fiberglass/pvc composite panels. Our 2020 RangeRunner roof is made of three sections of the composite panels and trim sections hold them together. We have the #001 model and it is solid. Going on a three week camping trip this month to Colorado. I am happy I installed the MaxxAir fan and MaxxAir passive vent for air movement. I also have a Ecoflow Delta 1300 lithium power bank and it can run the AC for about 7 hours. And it only takes 1.5 hours to full recharge it. See my video review of it on my channel. Also one on my simple solar set up - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-TUrZMk9cBow.html
We wanted air moving over us, but not the fan right overhead. It is quiet and nice white noise, but we felt it would be more comfortable to just have air drawn over us and we were right. We are now in the middle of a 2018 Ford Transit 250 van conversion and I did the same thing. See it here - bit.ly/3553YzX Episode #30 will go up today sometime. Thanks for watching.
Thank you for the info and showing both fans but I do have a question. I am thinking about buying the small 6 by 8 camper ( Rouser) from Runaway Camper. Have been doing research on the campers and everyone talks about condistation issues in their campers. Do you think one of the MaxAir fan would be enough for the small camper of 6 by 8 size or still two like your ranger? Did see one gentlemen have two fan set up like yours but in a van. Fresh air coming in and venting out from the other. So I am thinking about buying this fan and maybe having Runaway install it in for me. This would be my first camper so I am trying to figure things correctly before getting in too deep..lol. Also could I ask you for links to where you bought your all the fan products. Sorry for the long comment but very excited about getting the Runaway. Appreciate your time and feedback. Take care! Jess☺️
One fan is enough with a window cracked open. Condensation is not a Runaway only problem - it can happen in any small camper. I don’t think you mean the rouser do you? The rouser is the biggest 6 x 8 they make. I bought everything like the fans from Amazon. But other places sell them as well.
@@charlesmoman Thank you for your feedback. The Rouser is the model I am thinking about buying from Runaway. Just when I started looking at campers everyone was talk about condistation being a issue in any camper. So when I saw what you were doing and the van build that I saw, I like to set up for resolving the issue. Like I said this would be my first camper so I am learning a lot from everyone's feedback. I will take a look at Amazon. Thank you again! Jess
@@jessicagalvin363 this condensation topic comes up periodically. Someone has it because they don’t understand about basic science. Then they complain that the Runaway is defective, when in fact they just don’t understand what’s happening. You can have condensation in a half million dollar class A. Or even in your own house. It’s really much ado about nothing, as long as you ventilate. I think another problem is, people want to go camping but they want their environment to be exactly like a house. And that cannot happen. I can almost guarantee in a month or so somebody else will bring this topic up again and declare that they are an expert and that Runaway is selling defective Campers. I can assure you it will come up again and again. Good luck.
@@charlesmoman Yes I have seen a few videos of people commenting on this and that Runaway has issues. I just realize with anything you have in property etc that how you care for it and general maintenance goes along way. To be honest I have researched a few other companies and still think Runaway looks like a great company. Been in contact with them and they have answered all my questions that I have had. Plus I now see how many videos you and wife have done on them. Which I really do appreciate learning from them. Well it was nice talking to you and thank you for the help. Have a good night! Jess
Charles, I emailed Runaway asking how the 3 roof sections are joined. Specifically if the panels are just mechanically joined or if there is some chemical bonding agent or technique to cause them to become "fused" to eliminate joints that could leak. I am not sure how one would re caulk those joints if that is how they are joined. I suppose curiosity killed the cat but I really like the older technique with a one piece aluminum skin covering the entire roof with no seams. I never received a response to my email. Could you shed any light on this construction? Thanks....
You may have seen my factory tour video - back when they made the wood and aluminum versions band that video had a lot of detail in it. I will not be doing a factory tour of how the new fiberglass models because there are some proprietary issues involved in the assembly of the new fiberglass models. Sorry. The sections are connected and also they are caulked on the top seams as well. If you look at the video again, now and then you can see the seams and will see that they are caulked. We are packing today to leave tomorrow for a camping trip to Colorado for a 2.5 week trip to RMNP, Montrose, Ouray and Colorado Springs.
@@charlesmoman Thanks for the quick reply. I think I would be more comfortable knowing what kind of construction is involved and if the information is proprietary then I will seek out a manufacturer with more transparency. If it's caulked up top there will eventually be leaks, unfortunately. I may try and find a pre-2020 model with the aluminum seamless skins. I look forward to future videos of your trip. Be safe.
Woodrow Bryan I have zero worries about leaking because I do routine checks and now and then, I will strip the caulk and reseal them. People tell my MaxxAir fan will leak, but again, I do my due diligence. As far as the proprietary issue, we all buy products that I am sure have those issues. Each manufacturer decides what to make known and that is their prerogative I think. Not trying to argue with you. Happy shopping.
@@charlesmoman Charles, after sending a second request for information to Runaway concerning the roof construction I almost immediately received a reply with apology for losing my original email. It happens. The explanation of the joinery and adhesives was detailed enough to allay my concerns. I doubt you will ever be up there worrying about the caulking situation for leaks at least not from the roof. I suppose you could always touch up the fan and vent installs from time to time. I'm on board for the new composite construction and will concentrate on the 2020 models. Looking forward to hearing about your new adventures out west.
I am suggesting that if someone does this to a pre-2020 Runaway, they should consider building a frame in the ceiling to receive the screws from above coming from the flange. The screws that come with the units are too long for a thin metal roof - even with the wood. Look at RU-vid videos of folks doing van conversions to see examples of the interior frame.
Excellent question! I am assuming you want to know because you want to know if kayaks or a Thule-type box will fit. Well - the answer will be different depending on what roof racks someone has on their camper. On my camper, these are custom racks made for Runaway Campers. So . . . I laid a 2x4 across the racks and it extended across the full length of my camper. The result? The back mini vent is under the roof racks - the 2x4 laid cleanly above that passive vent - no issues. The powered fan on the front - no clearance opened or closed, as expected. When the rain hood is fully open - raised up, it extends about 5 inches above the roof rack level and about an inch or so when fully closed. I am sure you could still put a kayak on the outside edges of the rack, as well as Thule box - depending on the size. And one could position these fans/vents more to the side and they would still be effective IMHO. So, in other words, each person has to plan this installation out well. Good luck!
@@charlesmoman Thank you. Yes, it'll be for a kayak that I'll be getting in a few months, and hopefully will get the CoolCamp next spring. Kayak on one side and cargo box on the other, that might just be a good idea.
@@willgreen9936 We put our Thule on our Dodge Grand Caravan. Some cargo boxes are narrower than others. Just measure it all out to see what would work - do not take my word! : ) We loved our 4x8 and are really;y like the fiberglass 6x8. Great company and people. Be safe and blessings!
