Bathroom Fan...Again

[a602pmcc]

I am finally turning some attention again to my Escape 21 after a long hiatus. The exhaust fan in the bathroom is not working, and troubleshooting reveals no power to the unit. I had a small water leak through the fan housing so it's possible that there was a short somewhere, but the fuses are all good, and I have power to lights including the bathroom light and the MaxxFan. Just no power at the wires coming into the exhaust fan.

In reviewing previous threads regarding this fan I saw one or two other posts with the same issue. Recommendations seemed to be that the best bet is to pull new wires over from the light fixture in the bathroom. My question is: Has anyone done this? Though I have not removed the fan yet, it looks like tight working space. If anyone has solved this particular annoyance, guidance based on experience is welcome.

Of course, recommendations, suggestions, and comments from others are welcome too

Thanks,

Paul

 

[rubicon327]

Not sure where you tested for power but the fan motor has its own thermal fuse. You might want to check that out.

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f38/bathroom-fan-22536-2.html#post431552

 

[JohnK-ESC]

Not sure where you tested for power but the fan motor has its own thermal fuse. You might want to check that out.

What rubicon327 said.

I made the mistake of changing out our fan motor only to realize that it was the thermal fuse which needed to be replaced. That would have made the repair much easier. A simple continuity check of that fuse will tell you if it's good or bad.

If you do need to replace the motor you'll need to access it from both on top at the roof and the bottom in the lav. The fan itself is a tight fit on a small splined shaft and pulls off with some jiggling.

I found my fuse folded in half, doubled up in such a way that made me wonder if the fuse got too hot partly as a result of being folded in half. You're right Paul about the tight space in there which in my option is how the fuse got folded in half in the first place - at the factory.

John

 

[a602pmcc]

Hi John and Dave. Thank you for your responses, but the problem is not the thermal fuse. Or at least if it's a problem it's not the main problem. I've dealt with problems with this fan in the past, including replacing the fuse and the motor.

No, the problem this time is there is no power to the lines bringing current to the unit. I have cut and stripped them back (one white, one black wire) to ensure that I'm getting good contact with my multimeter probes. Those wires come into the unit through a small hole (approx 1/2") in the side of the fan housing with a protective grommet roughly in the direction of the bathroom light. I get no or very low reading at those wires. I get 12.5 -- 13 V at the light fixture.

I'm afraid my only option is to try to fish new wires over to the fan and am looking for any thoughts and suggestions on the best way to do that. However, my knowledge of wiring and electrical circuits is pretty limited, so if I'm overlooking an easier way I'll be happy to hear it.

Thanks for your suggestions so far,

Paul

 

[brroberts]

Not they’re looking at it, but if you drop the light, and by continuity test ascertain that those wires indeed come from the light, then make good connections there to get juice. If the wires are physically damaged, maybe you can use them to pull new wire. One way or another, sounds like you need to find the other end of that wire and check connections and / or use it to pull new wire.

I don’t know where the juice comes from, so I’m no t sure how to be more helpful there, but sometimes ETI parts and service can tell you what a typical wiring install there would be for a place to start looking. You might also try to hit up Kosta.

Sounds like a frustrating problem.

 

[rubicon327]

No, the problem this time is there is no power to the lines bringing current to the unit. I have cut and stripped them back (one white, one black wire) to ensure that I'm getting good contact with my multimeter probes. Those wires come into the unit through a small hole (approx 1/2") in the side of the fan housing with a protective grommet roughly in the direction of the bathroom light. I get no or very low reading at those wires. I get 12.5 -- 13 V at the light fixture.

I'm afraid my only option is to try to fish new wires over to the fan and am looking for any thoughts and suggestions on the best way to do that. However, my knowledge of wiring and electrical circuits is pretty limited, so if I'm overlooking an easier way I'll be happy to hear it.

Paul: Can you detach the light fixture from the wall and ascertain whether there is a connection for the bath fan that might be accessible? I would carefully pull on the wiring to see if a junction is evident behind the wall. A call to ETI to see how they wire the fan might be in order.

FWIW I was able to fish wiring over the bath shell to the fan location because we converted from original static vent. It is likely easier though because it is a 19 with the adjacent wardrobe which is where I made wiring connections and housed the wiring in loom.

 

[a602pmcc]

Paul: Can you detach the light fixture from the wall and ascertain whether there is a connection for the bath fan that might be accessible? I would carefully pull on the wiring to see if a junction is evident behind the wall. A call to ETI to see how they wire the fan might be in order.

FWIW I was able to fish wiring over the bath shell to the fan location because we converted from original static vent. It is likely easier though because it is a 19 with the adjacent wardrobe which is where I made wiring connections and housed the wiring in loom.

Hi Dave,

Thanks for these suggestions. I have removed the light fixture. Unfortunately the hole in the ceiling of the bath shell that the wires come through to the fixture is only about a 1/2 inch in diameter, too small to see anything. I will need to enlarge that opening if that's where I need to connect power to the fan. Not sure how to do that without risking damaging the wiring.

Probably best to take Randy's suggestion above and contact ETI to see if they can give me any guidance on whether there is likely a junction of some sort at or near the light fixture. If so, perhaps it has come loose and can be reattached rather than having to fish a new wire.

Thanks to you and Randy for your help.

Paul

 

[brroberts]

One thing ETI has done is put crimp splices in inaccessible spaces that are poorly done; and consequently, fail. I have places where ETI simply added 6” of wire with two splices so they could make a connection. I’m guessing bad connections above that light. I’d consider carefully how you could carefully create a hole that the light would still cover to get in there. I’d say talk to ETI first.

 

[JohnK-ESC]

Even though I much prefer to leave things visibly original, I have been tempted to cut a coverable aircraft wing style inspection/access hole in the ceiling of the shower module. Contemplating a doubler for hardware fastened solar panel mounts is one reason. I’d maybe also consider it as a last resort to rewire an inoperative bath exhaust fan.

John

 

[escape artist]

I am finally turning some attention again to my Escape 21 after a long hiatus. The exhaust fan in the bathroom is not working, and troubleshooting reveals no power to the unit. I had a small water leak through the fan housing so it's possible that there was a short somewhere, but the fuses are all good, and I have power to lights including the bathroom light and the MaxxFan. Just no power at the wires coming into the exhaust fan.

In reviewing previous threads regarding this fan I saw one or two other posts with the same issue. Recommendations seemed to be that the best bet is to pull new wires over from the light fixture in the bathroom. My question is: Has anyone done this? Though I have not removed the fan yet, it looks like tight working space. If anyone has solved this particular annoyance, guidance based on experience is welcome.

Of course, recommendations, suggestions, and comments from others are welcome too

Thanks,

Paul

Hi: a602pmcc... When my vent fan quit working it was the push on push off switch. Cost a couple of bucks and a few min. to replace. Voila back to spinning, my biggest fan!!! :whistling: Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

 

[Mike G]

I can't say that I'm a big fan, but sometimes I might be a blowhard. :whistling:

 

[SA54]

Just remove the useless, Canadian government required thermal fuse in the fan housing and make a solid connection. It'll solve all of your vent fan problems. The fuse is not required in the U.S..

 

[rubicon327]

Just remove the useless, Canadian government required thermal fuse in the fan housing and make a solid connection. It'll solve all of your vent fan problems. The fuse is not required in the U.S..

That was our problem but unfortunately the OP indicates in post #7 that he does not have power on the wires that feed the fan.

 

[a602pmcc]

Just a quick update: I took Randy's advice above and contacted ETI and got a reasonably prompt call back from Pat in after sales support. Though he was not at ETI in 2015 when my trailer was built, he said that in his experience the exhaust fan feeds from the Maxxfan if you have one rather than the light fixture in the bathroom.

He suggested that if I remove the garnish ring from the Maxxfan I would find a splice or junction. I removed the ring but found only the red and black incoming wires to the fan through a very small hole in the plywood next to the fan bracket. Tugging gently on that wire got 2-3 inches of play in the wire, but no splice or junction.

So, looks like I'm back to trying to fish a new wire over from the light fixture.

 

[a602pmcc]

Problem Solved!

Hi All,

Just a quick update on my experience with this issue. When I finally got around to tackling this problem in earnest, the first task was to remove the fan housing in order to make enough room to work. That involved removing the cap, trim ring, and old caulk on the roof, a big task in itself; not complicated but takes a lot of elbow grease.

When I finally got the housing out, the solution turned out to be much easier than anticipated. As Randy suggested above, the problem was in one of the butt-joint connectors between the fan wires and the trailer feed wires tucked in behind the housing, and not in the feed wires themselves. One of those crimps had come loose. (I was checking power on the wires at the motor rather than directly at the feed wires since those weren't accessible until the housing was removed.)

The fan feed wires were live, so cut out the old bad crimps, made new (good) ones, tucked everything in, and reinstalled the fan. Everything works as designed. Took a two-week trip soon after the repair, and the fan worked fine for the entire trip.

Rare for a fix to be easier than expected, but this was one of those times.

Regards,

Paul