FOP SAM-1 Range Hood Fan Upgrade Kit

[davidmurphy02]

Originally Posted by Telescopist

I haven't installed mine yet. What size of bit did you use?

I found that the spot welds on the Hengs hood were really tiny and a regular drill bit, 1/8" or so, was all it took to remove them.

[Chotch]

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

I found that the spot welds on the Hengs hood were really tiny and a regular drill bit, 1/8" or so, was all it took to remove them.

Ditto, piece of cake!

[Telescopist]

Originally Posted by sclifrickson

I used one of these

Attachment 45895

KCC Industries Spot Weld Cutter Set (2 Pack) + 2 Replacement Blades & Storage Case https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073Z2L2C2..._g1FHEbZAQ6C20

But there were a couple of spot welds that were too close to an inside corner for that bit, so for those I used a 7/32” bit. You could easily use a 7/32” bit for them all.

Pretty nifty tool. I didn't know they existed. I've always used a drill bit. I think a 1/8th bit is where I'll start.

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by sclifrickson

Well, with an abundance of stay-at-home time, I’m finding myself getting around to things I’ve been putting off, much as many of us are, I would imagine.

Today I finally installed my SAM-1 fan, which had been lurking in a corner of the garage for quite some time.

Like it! Sad that they’re out of production.

Just got a reply from Scott Nehoda(adohen@aol.com) and says "there are a few left".

[Farmerdoug]

I Bought the 3/8" spot weld cutter from Harbor Freight for another project, drilling many spot welds from an old stainless steel soda fountain. It helped on the ETI range vent spot welds

[arniesea]

So I finally got around to doing this mod as well. I purchased the FOP SAM-1 fan way back in February 2019 before I even took delivery of our new 5.0 at the end of April 2019. It has been sitting in a box ever since. But with this "Stay at Home" order, I am finally getting around to projects that were on the back burner.

All the excellent tips and photos from others on this forum made the job fairly straight forward. I drilled out the spot welds, Installed the new fan, mounted the hood and turned it on. There was a rythmic noise. The squirrel cage fan was rubbing on something.

Take the hood down, remove the fan, look all around with a flashlight. Can't see anything wrong. The fan box is all smooth and even. No evidence of damage in shipping. So I decide to take it apart. I removed the motor, the squirrel cage, the cover. Nothing looks amiss. So I put at back together and pug it in to power. That's when I notice that it is as quiet as can be as long as it is in any position but the correct one with the fan facing down. There is enough play in the motor shaft that allows the fan to just come into contact with the bottom of the housing when the whole fan box is facing down. The best I can determine there is a slight misalignment that is not easily fixed.

By this time I am hungry, disappointed and tired. So I reassemble everything and the noise is still there. It is still much quieter than the stock fan, and the light is a whole lot better. But I don't have the whisper quiet fan that others have raved about.

After sleeping on it, I think I might have a solution. The motor has a thin foam gasket between it and the housing. If I got some gasket material and doubled or tripled the thickness, it would raise the whole motor / fan assembly up enough to clear the bottom of the housing.

Oh well, another back burner project. We aren't going any where soon, so no rush.

[rja52]

Hi everyone - looking to order a 21NE soon and was looking at all the different cooktop/range fan /vent options. It sounds like FOP went out of business but
Amazon is selling a SAM-1-81 Range Hood Upgrade Kit looks like the same item everyone is talking about. The URL is too long to put here but if you search "Fabulous operating products SAM-1" on Amazon, you will see it for $187.06. Is this the same range hood being discussed in this thread?

[Rossue]

That's it; they seem to be able to scrape up a few here & there still. Love mine.

[Donna D.]

Hummm, didn't ETI change the range hood to a different more quiet type/brand? IF so, you wouldn't need this.

[rja52]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Hummm, didn't ETI change the range hood to a different more quiet type/brand? IF so, you wouldn't need this.

Thanks Donna - it's been challenging for me as I research this trailer to know what brands/models of components ETI is currently using as compared to what was used before. I will definitely confirm when I speak with them.

[davidmurphy02]

In recent build photos it does look like ETI is using a different range hood. It is more angular and I'm not sure that the SAM-1 would be adaptable to it. I think the new hood probably still has the same basic fan as the old one and the design change is just cosmetic, but you should probably wait and see how you like it. If you are unhappy with the fan, you might need to also purchase a different basic hood that would accommodate the SAM-1....not all that expensive, but certainly worth checking out the new hood for performance first.

We love our SAM-1, having three speeds on the fan is wonderful and having the ability to open and close the damper from inside rather than having to go out and unlatch the flap is really convenient. The light is nice too, but I have heard that the light has been improved quite a bit on more recent factory vent hoods.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

In recent build photos it does look like ETI is using a different range hood. It is more angular and I'm not sure that the SAM-1 would be adaptable to it. I think the new hood probably still has the same basic fan as the old one and the design change is just cosmetic, but you should probably wait and see how you like it. If you are unhappy with the fan, you might need to also purchase a different basic hood that would accommodate the SAM-1....not all that expensive, but certainly worth checking out the new hood for performance first.

We love our SAM-1, having three speeds on the fan is wonderful and having the ability to open and close the damper from inside rather than having to go out and unlatch the flap is really convenient. The light is nice too, but I have heard that the light has been improved quite a bit on more recent factory vent hoods.

We like ours simply because the fan works. It exhausts all cooking odors and smoke, and does so quietly. The tin box fans in most of these range hoods don't really move any air at all. They just make noise. Whether the fan is hanging from your ceiling, in a computer, or under your range hood, it's quality is measurable by two basic things: noise and air volume (cfm) moved. By that measure the SAM-1 is the best mod we've done.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by rja52

Thanks Donna - it's been challenging for me as I research this trailer to know what brands/models of components ETI is currently using as compared to what was used before. I will definitely confirm when I speak with them.

The differences are the Sam 1 is a squirrel cage which is quieter also comes with 3 speeds and 2 led lights one nice an bright the other for a nice night light , both of the lights are led . Pat
Want to add our 1979 class C had a squirrel cage instead of a prop blade . So not new tech just cheap exhaust fans to save a buck . Pat

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by rja52

Thanks Donna - it's been challenging for me as I research this trailer to know what brands/models of components ETI is currently using as compared to what was used before. I will definitely confirm when I speak with them.

This is what I was given for the Escape 19 as of 6/6/2020

Component - Make - Model #
Air Conditioner - Dometic - 640310CXX1C0
CookTop 2-burner - Suburban - SDS2-RV
Fridge 5cuft - Dometic - RM2554
Fridge 6cuft (option) - Dometic - DM2683LB
Furnace - Atwood - DFSD 12131
Oven with 3 burner cook top - Atwood - 50422
Rangehood - Heng - ROLP4500C
Awning - Carefree Fiesta - Manual
Awning (option) - Dometic - 9500E
12V Battery - InterState - Group 27
6V Batteries (option) - InterState - GC2 ECL UTL
Converter - WFCO Electronics - WF-8955PEC
Inverter - Go Power - GP-ISW1500
Transfer Switch for inverter - WFCO Electronics - WFCO T-30
MaxxAir - MaxxFan - 5100
Hot Water Tank - Suburban - SW6D
2-way Hot Water Tank (option) - Suburban - SW6DE
Kitchen Faucet - Sunrise Pipe - Utopia Bristol Series 268W0612BN
Kitchen Sink - Heng - SSS1315-5-22
Water Pump - Surflo - 4008-101-A65
Tires - Rainier - Class D, ST205-075R-15 8 ply

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by TTMartin

This is what I was given for the Escape 19 as of 6/6/2020...

Rangehood - Heng - ROLP4500C

And it certainly doesn't help that the range hood company (Heng's) doesn't even list that part number in their catalog or on their website. They do list a "R0424500-C", but that is likely the old range hood which is the same one in my 2015. I'm assuming the "LP" in the part number Escape gave you stands for "low profile". The new hood is definitely a wedge shape with the skinny end toward the cabin and the fat end on the wall. Heng's unfortunately does not have any description or photo of such an item. I emailed them to see if they could provide a link and a photo, as well as a proper part number.