Maxxfan 7000K voltage regulator

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by casejh

Just wondering, are there any LED lights that are voltage regulated and fit the dent in the ceiling?

The only other brand that I have found that somewhat matches the Sunlink is the Facon lights. They are not exactly the same size but close.

The problem is they are not voltage regulated either.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Facon-12V-L...-/301712528249

[dmtooo]

tdf-texas
Thank you. you have been very helpful.

Doug

[DaveInIowa]

So, the power wires connect to the side of the board that has VO print.
And the wires to the fan connect to the side of the board that has VIN print??
I'm an idiot...assume VIN means voltage IN and VO means voltage Out.
Think I fried the board, then looked at your picture.

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by DaveInIowa

So, the power wires connect to the side of the board that has VO print.
And the wires to the fan connect to the side of the board that has VIN print??
I'm an idiot...assume VIN means voltage IN and VO means voltage Out.
Think I fried the board, then looked at your picture.

VN on the board is the positive voltage in and VO+ on the board is the positive voltage out. GND for either the VN or VO+ is the negative voltage connection respective.

Note: the voltage regulator is a lot more robust than the Maxxfan control board - reverse the voltage on the Maxxfan board and it will immediately fry.

Whoever was the engineer that designed the Maxxfan control board really hasn't a clue of how it should be done for RV service.

[cpaharley2008]

While we are here discussing the fan, it seems, if my memory is correct tha the high voltage from the solar source is impacting these voltage sensitive appliances. Would it be safer to turn off the battery bypass switch? That way, while plugged in to power, you will have 12v and 120v and the DC is clean 12v from the WCFO. While unplugged and strictly on solar you run the risk of exposing the fan to higher voltages if the solar kicks in an equalization cycle and the fan is on?

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

While we are here discussing the fan, it seems, if my memory is correct tha the high voltage from the solar source is impacting these voltage sensitive appliances. Would it be safer to turn off the battery bypass switch? That way, while plugged in to power, you will have 12v and 120v and the DC is clean 12v from the WCFO. While unplugged and strictly on solar you run the risk of exposing the fan to higher voltages if the solar kicks in an equalization cycle and the fan is on?

With the battery bypass switch turned off, the WFCO converter voltage should be OK except for the V3.8 boards if the converter goes into bulk charge mode where it's output voltage is 14.4 volts.

On the newer V3.9 replacement boards, 14.4 volts is just within spec but is 0.7 volts over spec for the V3.8 boards that were installed in all the Maxxfans Escape sold.

0.7 volts is enough to let the magic smoke out.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_smoke

[DaveInIowa]

Originally Posted by tdf-texas

VN on the board is the positive voltage in and VO+ on the board is the positive voltage out. GND for either the VN or VO+ is the negative voltage connection respective.
.

Bear with me please.

Your picture shows the copper coils in lower left corner.
Holding my board in the same configuration;
Print on board from left to right for the lugs is:
Top Side:
VIN,VIN,GND,GND,GND,EN
Bottom side: Copper coils left corner....
VO+, VO+,VO+, GND,GND,GND.

Without consulting your photo; I hooked the RV power/neg wires to the VIN lugs and the fan wires to the VO side.
Snap, smoke, no led light on board, fuse blown.

Looked at your photo; that shows the RV power/neg wires connected to the bottom (copper coil) side of board that on my board is listed as VO+

At this time I connected the wires exactly as shown in your photo.
Which means my RV power wires are connected on the VO+ side of the board I have.
Now the board led light shines but no voltage transfers through.
I assume I fried it.

Is my board printed wrong??
Thank you for your assistance.
I have two more on the way and want to get it right this time.
Dave

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by DaveInIowa

Bear with me please.

Your picture shows the copper coils in lower left corner.
Holding my board in the same configuration;
Print on board from left to right for the lugs is:
Top Side:
VIN,VIN,GND,GND,GND,EN
Bottom side: Copper coils left corner....
VO+, VO+,VO+, GND,GND,GND.

Without consulting your photo; I hooked the RV power/neg wires to the VIN lugs and the fan wires to the VO side.
Snap, smoke, no led light on board, fuse blown.

Looked at your photo; that shows the RV power/neg wires connected to the bottom (copper coil) side of board that on my board is listed as VO+

At this time I connected the wires exactly as shown in your photo.
Which means my RV power wires are connected on the VO+ side of the board I have.
Now the board led light shines but no voltage transfers through.
I assume I fried it.

Is my board printed wrong??
Thank you for your assistance.
I have two more on the way and want to get it right this time.
Dave

Look at the attached pic. The input wiring from the converter fuse is the red /black on the left. The output wiring to the Maxxfan control board is white / white red stripe on the right. The wiring to the Maxxfan control board was too short and I added the white / white red stripe to extend it. The Maxxfan control board wiring is a positive black wire and a negative white wire.

The magic smoke getting out of your Maxxfan control board was probably because you may have hooked the wiring to the control board with reversed polarity. The Maxxfan control board cannot handle reversed voltage. If you hooked it up with the white to positive and the black to negative - you need a new control board.

[DaveInIowa]

Originally Posted by tdf-texas

Look at the attached pic. The input wiring from the converter fuse is the red /black on the left. The output wiring to the Maxxfan control board is white / white red stripe on the right. The wiring to the Maxxfan control board was too short and I added the white / white red stripe to extend it. The Maxxfan control board wiring is a positive black wire and a negative white wire.

The magic smoke getting out of your Maxxfan control board was probably because you may have hooked the wiring to the control board with reversed polarity. The Maxxfan control board cannot handle reversed voltage. If you hooked it up with the white to positive and the black to negative - you need a new control board.

Got it.
So, why do you have 2 sets of red/black on the left side?
Both are from the converter?

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by DaveInIowa

Got it.
So, why do you have 2 sets of red/black on the left side?
Both are from the converter?

All the ceiling lights, the Maxxfan, the bathroom light, and the bathroom fan are all on the same circuit. The Maxxfan happens to be in the middle of the wire run so one pair of wires in incoming - the other is going out to the next device.

[DaveInIowa]

I just noticed that your original Amazon link does not direct to the actual unit you describe.
Here is what is now presented:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

While identical looking; is it the same thing you have
Dave

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by DaveInIowa

I just noticed that your original Amazon link does not direct to the actual unit you describe.
Here is what is now presented:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

While identical looking; is it the same thing you have
Dave

Yes, that is the same one I purchased but....

I have bought all the others from this vendor since.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-DC-Conve...QAAOSw8d9UwSMI

[DaveInIowa]

10-4
Thank you

[DaveInIowa]

All hooked up and operational!

[DaveInIowa]

I'm not a polished and professional reviewer/tutorial artist, but here is a video I made of my install.
https://youtu.be/fbWuiF2JSXs

[tdf-texas]

Thanks for posting the link to the video. Good work!

I was curious how you found out about the voltage regulator on the Escape forum as you don't own an Escape trailer so I googled "Maxxfan voltage regulator". Amazingly, my post comes up first on the search list. More amazingly, there are page after page of other forums discussing also adding voltage regulators to the Maxxfan because of the voltage fail problem.

The RV industry seems to not know what they are designing their devices for. Here is a list of other devices that are just as badly designed.

Per the manufacturer's recommendations:
Suburban SW6DE 10.5-13.5 volts
Maxxfan 7000K 10.6-13.7 volts (14.4 for V3.9)
Atwood AFSAD12 10.5-13.5 volts
Dometic 9500 10.5 – 15.5 volts

Since a RV with solar can have voltages as high as 15.6 volts, this doesn't make sense to me that the manufacturers don't design their devices for a higher voltage rating.

[Oldtimer]

Since a RV with solar can have voltages as high as 15.6 volts, this doesn't make sense to me that the manufacturers don't design their devices for a higher voltage rating. [/QUOTE]

That would require thought n common sense on their part

[DaveInIowa]

Originally Posted by tdf-texas

Thanks for posting the link to the video. Good work!

I was curious how you found out about the voltage regulator on the Escape forum as you don't own an Escape trailer so I googled "Maxxfan voltage regulator". Amazingly, my post comes up first on the search list. More amazingly, there are page after page of other forums discussing also adding voltage regulators to the Maxxfan because of the voltage fail problem.

The RV industry seems to not know what they are designing their devices for. Here is a list of other devices that are just as badly designed.

Per the manufacturer's recommendations:
Suburban SW6DE 10.5-13.5 volts
Maxxfan 7000K 10.6-13.7 volts (14.4 for V3.9)
Atwood AFSAD12 10.5-13.5 volts
Dometic 9500 10.5 – 15.5 volts

Since a RV with solar can have voltages as high as 15.6 volts, this doesn't make sense to me that the manufacturers don't design their devices for a higher voltage rating.

Thank you!
I am a heavy research guy and there are a ton of MaxxAir installation/review videos on YouTube but not one mentions this issue.
However; adding voltage or circuit board to the search parameters does bring up circuit board failure replacement videos but again, no reasoning for the failures.
I think I googled "MaxxAir Shuts down voltage" or something like that lead me to your forum page.
Brother, am I glad I found it!
With a blast of high heat in Iowa yesterday, I put them through their paces and they performed magnificently for about 48 hours straight.
Too funny, on full speed the fan in the bathroom slams the door shut!
Reminiscent of the whole house fans of a bygone era.

[cpaharley2008]

That would require thought n common sense on their part ...... a prevalent issue in today's world......

[sherminator]

It is very hard to find good component level design engineers nowadays. I don't know if the newly minted EEs are all going into programming or systems design or what, but our automation company has had a hard time finding engineers with that skill set anymore. Only old guys, and they are all retiring.