Maxxfan Failure

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Escape told me the only warranty would be with the manufacturer vs with them for the first 2 years. However I think that is the way it is now for everything.

It has always been that way with everything. Components with manufacturer warranties are covered by the component manufacturer, from the beginning; the ETI warranty only covers ETIs work (building the shell, etc).

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Reace and Tammy would try to help you if they could before sending you to the manufacturer, but not on the deluxe model.

It seems like Reace and Tammy would help with at least some items that were not actually covered by the warranty, at least for the warranty period.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

I interpret the numbers and dates that I see as the board being manufactured in 2018-7-18 and then used in 04-2019 to make the finished board. So does that put it in the group that had problems?

Ron

the 2018 date is the date that board was designed. the 2019 date on the sticker on the other side is undoubtedly the manufacturing date.

[Ron in BC]

I received my new circuit board for the Maxxfan from Airxcel. Good of them to stand behind their product. Best way to contact them is by email, not phone.

I think that my problem was moisture related not the more common over voltage situation. The new board appears to have a different voltage regulator, 1117 which I think is good for 20 volts. I'll have to ask my brother-in-law about that.

It could be good to have a higher rated one especially if something like the solar controller runs amuck.

Ron

[cpaharley2008]

Maybe I should get a new one as a spare, once verified Ron. please post the item# for replacement so I can get the higher voltage one. It is just a matter of time when I will go out to the trailer and the fan will be running amok......

[Ron in BC]

It wouldn't be running amok, it would be either dead or giving off an annoying chirp every few seconds.

Yes, if this one can tolerate higher voltages I'll post that info.

Ron

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

I received my new circuit board for the Maxxfan from Airxcel. Good of them to stand behind their product. Best way to contact them is by email, not phone.

I think that my problem was moisture related not the more common over voltage situation. The new board appears to have a different voltage regulator, 1117 which I think is good for 20 volts. I'll have to ask my brother-in-law about that.

It could be good to have a higher rated one especially if something like the solar controller runs amuck.

Ron

Here is a link to the spec sheet.
https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/sbvs001d/sbvs001d.pdf

and from the specs -
ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM RATINGS(1)
Input Voltage +15V

Better - but still not as high as I would like.

[cpaharley2008]

If one could make a resettable fuse for these issues, that would make things easier, similar to a circuit breaker.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by tdf-texas

Here is a link to the spec sheet.
https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/sbvs001d/sbvs001d.pdf

and from the specs -
ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM RATINGS(1)
Input Voltage +15V

Better - but still not as high as I would like.

Thanks for that. It's a 1117GC. Is that the same one as the specs or does the GC mean it has different specs?

Ron

[Upfisk]

Our Maxx fan just started acting up. Unless on slowest setting it does not reverse, once it decided to move into turbo jet mode on it's own, sometimes it is non responsive to any buttons, once it went into temperature set mode, green light. We are positive this is from our winters in humid, salty air Mexico and not Escape's fault nor Maxx fan's fault. How much is a circuit board and how do we decide which one to order?

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Thanks for that. It's a 1117GC. Is that the same one as the specs or does the GC mean it has different specs?

Ron

There seems to be a discrepancy between different manufacturer spec sheets for the 1117.

Here is a spec sheet that list the 1117 max voltage at the 20 volt limit that you mentioned earlier.

http://cms.nacsemi.com/content/AuthD...1117-R1.20.pdf

My guess is unless you knew who made the chip, it would be hard to determine what the voltage limit would be. Also, other components such as capacitors can limit the input voltage.

To sum it up, the 15v limit should be good for all 1117 but with the possibility that higher voltages could be tolerated. Anyway you look at it, you now have a much better board than the one the Maxxfan came with.

The GC just means how the chip is rated - G = Green Mode, Halogen free and C = MLCC Applicable (MLCC = Multi-layer Ceramic Capacitor).

[cpaharley2008]

I see 2 dates on Ron's picture 6/12/2019 and 01/2020?? are these pertinent? and where do we order these?

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by Upfisk

Our Maxx fan just started acting up. Unless on slowest setting it does not reverse, once it decided to move into turbo jet mode on it's own, sometimes it is non responsive to any buttons, once it went into temperature set mode, green light. We are positive this is from our winters in humid, salty air Mexico and not Escape's fault nor Maxx fan's fault. How much is a circuit board and how do we decide which one to order?

Which control board you need depends on the Maxxfan model you own. Here is a link to the parts list.

https://www.airxcel.com/docs/default...vrsn=1cc016b_6

Below are two part numbers depending on the model and where I have purchased boards from in the past.

10B21275K (auto lift, remote control - 7000, 8000 series)
https://www.adventurerv.net/printed-...t-p-41749.html
10B21276K (manual lift - 5000, 6000 series)
https://www.adventurerv.net/printed-...t-p-41753.html

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Upfisk

Our Maxx fan just started acting up. Unless on slowest setting it does not reverse, once it decided to move into turbo jet mode on it's own, sometimes it is non responsive to any buttons, once it went into temperature set mode, green light. We are positive this is from our winters in humid, salty air Mexico and not Escape's fault nor Maxx fan's fault. How much is a circuit board and how do we decide which one to order?

I wouldn't give up on it yet. Try taking a hair dryer or heat gun and give the circuit board a really good warm up. In addition to the chriping our push buttons became non-responsive, couldn't turn it off etc. After a good warm air drying it worked again.

Ron

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

I wouldn't give up on it yet. Try taking a hair dryer or heat gun and give the circuit board a really good warm up. In addition to the chriping our push buttons became non-responsive, couldn't turn it off etc. After a good warm air drying it worked again.

Ron

And if you want to keep it from doing it again, seal that hole right above the board that the motor leads come through and coat the board with a good conformal coating.

Condensation seems to be the Achilles heel for the manual lift models whereas condensation AND high voltage seems to get the remote control models.

[CADreamin]

Our Maxx fan had issues earlier this year while we were in Arizona and we ended up having a new board put in. Unfortunately, haven't been able to test out it since then. (I posted about our experience here: https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...fan-16999.html.)

[Ron in BC]

Found the Data Sheet for the new voltage regulator:

http://htckorea.co.kr/Datasheet/LDO/LM1117.pdf

I'm happy.

Ron

[Upfisk]

We have had myriad problems with our MaxxFan since June. It worked, then would not, then alarmed, then needed a push start, then would just flutter and alarm. Since 4th of July the MaxxFan has been silent with no movement. We contacted MaxxFan by email and said we thought it could be the circuit board. They wrote back and wanted a street address not a P.O. box to send us a new circuit board. 3 weeks went by, no circuit board, so we called them. We were assured that a circuit board was on the way. 3 more weeks...we now try to buy a circuit board from MaxxFan but they are out of stock. We buy a new circuit board from e trailer for 2x the price from MaxxFan.

Today we installed the new circuit board using Jonny Hung's great instructions. Everything goes great, his instructions tell us exactly what to disconnect when. As we connect the power cords we hear a slight beep. Great. Finally everything is hooked up correctly. White to white at the 2 wire connector, pos+ on circuit board to red in the cabin. We are good. We push the "ON" button and hear a satisfying beep, and then nothing. The fan will not move!

Any ideas?

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Upfisk

We have had myriad problems with our MaxxFan since June. It worked, then would not, then alarmed, then needed a push start, then would just flutter and alarm. Since 4th of July the MaxxFan has been silent with no movement. We contacted MaxxFan by email and said we thought it could be the circuit board. They wrote back and wanted a street address not a P.O. box to send us a new circuit board. 3 weeks went by, no circuit board, so we called them. We were assured that a circuit board was on the way. 3 more weeks...we now try to buy a circuit board from MaxxFan but they are out of stock. We buy a new circuit board from e trailer for 2x the price from MaxxFan.

Today we installed the new circuit board using Jonny Hung's great instructions. Everything goes great, his instructions tell us exactly what to disconnect when. As we connect the power cords we hear a slight beep. Great. Finally everything is hooked up correctly. White to white at the 2 wire connector, pos+ on circuit board to red in the cabin. We are good. We push the "ON" button and hear a satisfying beep, and then nothing. The fan will not move!

Any ideas?

There is a limit switch that make sure the fan cover / lid is in the open position when the fan is running . Possibly the limit switch is bad . I would jumper out the limit switch and see what happens. Simple enough to do.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

There is a limit switch that make sure the fan cover / lid is in the open position when the fan is running . Possibly the limit switch is bad . I would jumper out the limit switch and see what happens. Simple enough to do.

I replaced the lift gearbox on mine, and I sure don't remember any limit switches, I think it relies on mechanical limits and current sensing to shut off the motor (when you mechanically stop a DC motor, its current goes way up)

to Upfisk, I would get out a digital volt meter and triple check the voltage and polarity of the incoming power wires.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

I replaced the lift gearbox on mine, and I sure don't remember any limit switches, I think it relies on mechanical limits and current sensing to shut off the motor (when you mechanically stop a DC motor, its current goes way up)

to Upfisk, I would get out a digital volt meter and triple check the voltage and polarity of the incoming power wires.

I know on our Casita if you turned the roof fan to the on position with the lid closed the fan just sat there . When you cranked the lid open , when it hit a certain point the fan motor would start up . I assumed it was similar to a commercial exhaust fan where the dampers have to be driven to the open position before the fan motor is allowed to start