Alpine ceiling fan worthless?

[purebred]

Just wondering how many others out there feel about the factory ceiling fan in their coaches? Ours seems to close to the ceiling to get a good airflow. I ended up getting two small fans from wally world and using them instead.

[bearcat77]

Agreed. The ceiling fan in our Montana High Country is useless. We use a couple fans on the floor as well.

[purebred]

Agreed. The ceiling fan in our Montana High Country is useless. We use a couple fans on the floor as well.

Just another item to raise the msrp for people to pay for. Along with key tv, and the rest of the so called improvements. Too bad a person couldn't get a 30 day money back guarantee with their rv's. Maybe that would make rv engineers more in tune with their so called improvements. Don't get me wrong we like our new Alpine but dang it seems a lot of these brilliant ideas they have just don't float.

[Javi]

I'm actually glad to have my fan.. is it the best fan in the world... No

But it does help move the air around... and it's one less thing sitting on the table or in the corner..

[flybouy]

Just wondering how many others out there feel about the factory ceiling fan in their coaches? Ours seems to close to the ceiling to get a good airflow. I ended up getting two small fans from wally world and using them instead.

If you think about it, a fan sticking down from the ceiling on a pole (like on a vaulted ceiling in a home) would end end up on the floor. Either the head thumping or the earthquake of rolling down the wonderful highways of America would rip it from it's "flimsy" mounting in the ceiling.

[purebred]

If you think about it, a fan sticking down from the ceiling on a pole (like on a vaulted ceiling in a home) would end end up on the floor. Either the head thumping or the earthquake of rolling down the wonderful highways of America would rip it from it's "flimsy" mounting in the ceiling.

How right you are. Exactly what I'm saying about certain items installed in rvs now. If they worked they would be great.

[chunker]

2 previous RVs had the ceiling fans and I liked them. The 2011 Raptor 300MP had a 120v fan and while it wasn't a huge air mover, it did distribute the heat and cooling in the trailer. In the Itasca motorhome, there were 2, 12V models and they did the same thing. Don't expect residential performance, they just are not big enough. But they can stir up the air to keep the heat from being at the ceiling and mix it up. If you want a steady breeze on you, get a floor fan and sit beside it.

Current RV the Raptor 356 doesn't have any so I put an occulting fan on a night stand in the BR to move some air around. May have to add something to the LR for the same purpose. Be glad you have one.

[purebred]

2 previous RVs had the ceiling fans and I liked them. The 2011 Raptor 300MP had a 120v fan and while it wasn't a huge air mover, it did distribute the heat and cooling in the trailer. In the Itasca motorhome, there were 2, 12V models and they did the same thing. Don't expect residential performance, they just are not big enough. But they can stir up the air to keep the heat from being at the ceiling and mix it up. If you want a steady breeze on you, get a floor fan and sit beside it.

Current RV the Raptor 356 doesn't have any so I put an occulting fan on a night stand in the BR to move some air around. May have to add something to the LR for the same purpose. Be glad you have one.

If you would have read my whole post you would have seen where i added two fans. Sheeese

[chunker]

If you would have read my whole post you would have seen where i added two fans. Sheeese

If you would read my whole post then you would know you need to use RV features within the limitations they have. Ceiling fans in RVs will never have the performance of one in a real house but that doesn't make them worthless.

[purebred]

It's pretty well worthless if it doesn't move the air.

[chunker]

It's pretty well worthless if it doesn't move the air.

I agree but we need to view things as RV not residential. Like the water heater. At home we can probably take long showers and not worry about running out of hot water. Not something I can do with any RV I've owned. The ceiling fans I've had in RVs had puny performance when comparing to my house. Right now I'm sitting in the Raptor in Grand Forks ND and it's in the 30's outside. I've got the fireplace going and with no fan in the LR, the heat is all at the ceiling not where my feet are. I wish I had an "air mixer" but as you did, I'll need to add an oscillating fan someplace. Trust me I've been giving it some thought.

[purebred]

Chunker I appreciate the comments and understand very well the weather conditions you are experiencing right now. When we went full time in our alpine last year and experienced our first winter i thought what in the h__l did we do. It definitely wakes a person up and helps a person to understand what the weather does to happy campers. Hopefully being close to south padre this winter will help. At least until a hurricane shows up. If that happens then who knows what.

[flybouy]

How right you are. Exactly what I'm saying about certain items installed in rvs now. If they worked they would be great.

If you made a list of things that don't perform well in an RV it would be very long. The manufacturers only do this because the customers demand it. The demand is reflected in the sales.

It's the same demand seen in cars, home appliances, etc. The consumers are so ingrained with the idea that everything is disposable that they no longer are concerned with quality. Consumers want the "newest and greatest" gee whiz do dads to show off and bragg about.

Camping trailers were a step up from sleeping on the ground with a flashlight and a cooler to sleeping in a box with a LP light and an LP fridge. That has progressed to the current demand for the "comforts of home" with everything possible connected to your smart phone.

As I see it, the major issue is with the manner in which the RV industry is structured. Unlike the auto industry that simply assembles parts than are pre tested, failsafe install design and high production numbers that quickly ferret out issues the RV industry builds from the frame up. The RV industry purchases the new technology basically untried and unproven in "good faith". They purchase these items in fairly large quantities to get the best price point. When something "goes south" the feed back can be relatively slow and the reasons for the failures take time to show up.

Someone buys a Ford F150 and they use it 5 or 6 days a week. They sell them by the hundred thousands per year. Any issues are revealed very rapidly. The RV industry sells perhaps a fraction of that number and they may get used 5 or 6 times a year. Issues are slower to come to light. To use the truck in my example you put gas in it and drive it. Pretty fool proof in the use. An RV get's dragged to the site of use, plugged into a questionable power grid, and many many opportunities exist for misuse from not leveling the trailer to playing hop scotch on the floor. It obviously takes longer for the manufacturer to identify the issues when they arise.

I'm not "taking up for" the RV manufacturers by any means, just pointing out the differences in the industries as so many buy an RV and have the same expectations they have when buying the truck to pull it.

[jsb5717]

For us the ceiling fan is a big help. We have just one AC (for now) and on hotter days the ceiling fan does a good job moving the cool air around since the AC vents are directly above the fan. YMMV

[purebred]

You are absolutely correct with your comments. Like I said we really like our alpine and have come to work around problems that come up and try to move on. With the exception to the ceiling fan, bed mattress, key tv, and hide a bed in living room we have grown to really enjoy our rv. My biggest complaint is of the quality of the items they put in the rvs and inability to design something that actually works so the consumer doesn't have to replace them in the process.

[JRTJH]

You are absolutely correct with your comments. Like I said we really like our alpine and have come to work around problems that come up and try to move on. With the exception to the ceiling fan, bed mattress, key tv, and hide a bed in living room we have grown to really enjoy our rv. My biggest complaint is of the quality of the items they put in the rvs and inability to design something that actually works so the consumer doesn't have to replace them in the process.

The RED comment: If people would start a "petition to increase the sales price of RV's, quality would likely go up" As long as consumers "demand more for less" the manufacturers will provide what sells... There was a time quality was important, but in today's markets for everything from steel to prunes, if inferior crap from a foreign country will work, then avoid using expensive American steel... If we can find plums in Argentina (who cares if child labor is used to harvest them) then ship them to the states, what doesn't sell as plums can be dried and packaged as prunes and sold after they can no longer meet the "fresh produce requirements"....

On to the BLUE comment: If you want to "place blame" on the manufacturers, they are only producing what people are demanding from them. Every day on this forum members complain because they don't have an easy way to connect with mobile wifi. They complain because there's no solar generation capacity, they complain that there's "only one TV" rather than one in the main cabin, one for the kids in a separate room and one in the main bedroom. They complain that there's not enough water capacity or holding tank capacity and at the same time, want to tow a 39' trailer with a half ton Tahoe or F150....

If you really want to know why floors are failing on Hideouts and Passports, look no further than the consumer's demand for longer, lighter RV's filled with everything we have at home that's "half ton towable".....

Even in home building, shortcuts are "demanded by the public and provided by the builders"... Think about crown molding. It started out as an enhancement in more expensive homes to "enhance the ceiling" Now, it's a cheap means to avoid the labor expense required to finish the "plaster job" at the wall/ceiling transition. It's become "OK" to do a shoddy job of leaving the sheetrock unfinished along the ceiling/wall transition and cover it up with a plastic/styrofoam molding that may/may not last until closing.....

I know this doesn't "solve" your limited airflow from a ceiling fan mounted too close to the ceiling, but look at your slides. Would they close if the fan were mounted 18" from the ceiling? Likely not.... If your RV is "new" then look at the brand of appliances in it. If they're no longer Atwood, Suburban or Dometic, do you blame Keystone or Furrion or the public who wants "blue lights to enhance the range burner control knobs???? Really, is a blue light more important than a well functioning stove ??? Think about the current thread calling for "consumer protection monitoring" involvement to observe the glass stove cover issues with the current ranges being installed....

We are, in far too many situations, our "own worst enemy"... Did you negotiate for the best deal on your last trailer sales price? or did you offer the dealer extra money over MSRP for a reliable product ???? We all "want more for less .....

[rhagfo]

I'm actually glad to have my fan.. is it the best fan in the world... No

But it does help move the air around... and it's one less thing sitting on the table or in the corner..

I agree we have one in our Copper Canyon, does a good job of moving air without blasting a jet stream on you.

[purebred]

The RED comment: If people would start a "petition to increase the sales price of RV's, quality would likely go up" As long as consumers "demand more for less" the manufacturers will provide what sells... There was a time quality was important, but in today's markets for everything from steel to prunes, if inferior crap from a foreign country will work, then avoid using expensive American steel... If we can find plums in Argentina (who cares if child labor is used to harvest them) then ship them to the states, what doesn't sell as plums can be dried and packaged as prunes and sold after they can no longer meet the "fresh produce requirements"....

On to the BLUE comment: If you want to "place blame" on the manufacturers, they are only producing what people are demanding from them. Every day on this forum members complain because they don't have an easy way to connect with mobile wifi. They complain because there's no solar generation capacity, they complain that there's "only one TV" rather than one in the main cabin, one for the kids in a separate room and one in the main bedroom. They complain that there's not enough water capacity or holding tank capacity and at the same time, want to tow a 39' trailer with a half ton Tahoe or F150....

If you really want to know why floors are failing on Hideouts and Passports, look no further than the consumer's demand for longer, lighter RV's filled with everything we have at home that's "half ton towable".....

Even in home building, shortcuts are "demanded by the public and provided by the builders"... Think about crown molding. It started out as an enhancement in more expensive homes to "enhance the ceiling" Now, it's a cheap means to avoid the labor expense required to finish the "plaster job" at the wall/ceiling transition. It's become "OK" to do a shoddy job of leaving the sheetrock unfinished along the ceiling/wall transition and cover it up with a plastic/styrofoam molding that may/may not last until closing.....

I know this doesn't "solve" your limited airflow from a ceiling fan mounted too close to the ceiling, but look at your slides. Would they close if the fan were mounted 18" from the ceiling? Likely not.... If your RV is "new" then look at the brand of appliances in it. If they're no longer Atwood, Suburban or Dometic, do you blame Keystone or Furrion or the public who wants "blue lights to enhance the range burner control knobs???? Really, is a blue light more important than a well functioning stove ??? Think about the current thread calling for "consumer protection monitoring" involvement to observe the glass stove cover issues with the current ranges being installed....

We are, in far too many situations, our "own worst enemy"... Did you negotiate for the best deal on your last trailer sales price? or did you offer the dealer extra money over MSRP for a reliable product ???? We all "want more for less .....

I don't know , that was a pretty long response to my rant. All I want is a fan that blows air, a mattress that's not hard as a rock, a tv that works most of the time. I would assume for a 70,000 dollar trailer that something as simple as those would be designed to work. My complaints are not against the fancy add ons or such. My complaint is if there going to install a fan in a $70,000 trailer at least make sure it blows air enough to move a feather. If not don't put it in. I wasn't looking for new fangled stuff for this trailer. I was looking for something that works when you turn it on or use it. If I could have bought this trailer with out all the fancy crap in it I would have. But as others here have said about special orders here thats a no no too. And yes I did negotiate for the lowest price and no I sure as heck didn't offer extra for it either.

[flybouy]

I don't know , that was a pretty long response to my rant. All I want is a fan that blows air, a mattress that's not hard as a rock, a tv that works most of the time. I would assume for a 70,000 dollar trailer that something as simple as those would be designed to work. My complaints are not against the fancy add ons or such. My complaint is if there going to install a fan in a $70,000 trailer at least make sure it blows air enough to move a feather. If not don't put it in. I wasn't looking for new fangled stuff for this trailer. I was looking for something that works when you turn it on or use it. If I could have bought this trailer with out all the fancy crap in it I would have. But as others here have said about special orders here thats a no no too. And yes I did negotiate for the lowest price and no I sure as heck didn't offer extra for it either.

Back to your fan, is it reversible? When any ceiling fan is run "in reverse" then the air is moved across the ceiling to distribute warm air across the ceiling and down the walls vs blowing the air straight down.

[Javi]

Back to your fan, is it reversible? When any ceiling fan is run "in reverse" then the air is moved across the ceiling to distribute warm air across the ceiling and down the walls vs blowing the air straight down.

The one in my Avalanche has 3 speeds and reverse..

But it will hit the Livingroom slide if I forget to turn it off and run the slide in.. :D

[purebred]

Back to your fan, is it reversible? When any ceiling fan is run "in reverse" then the air is moved across the ceiling to distribute warm air across the ceiling and down the walls vs blowing the air straight down.

Yes it is reversible, with three speeds also. It won't hit the slides when in. I have to say one thing in its defense. It sure looks good :) just doesn't blow:lol:

[sourdough]

I'm actually glad to have my fan.. is it the best fan in the world... No

But it does help move the air around... and it's one less thing sitting on the table or in the corner..


^^^^Javi hit the nail on the head.

An RV "ceiling fan" is an RV ceiling fan....not a residential fan with 60" blades suspended 4-5' below the ceiling enabling it to push out hurricane force winds. You know by looking at them that the performance will be reduced simply by the size and mounting location. Then the option is left to the buyer to either buy one or not - lots and lots of trailers don't have them.

Some might say they aren't installed correctly because they should be suspended further from the ceiling. That would be incorrect. If left to swing and dangle driving down our wonderful highways you would find it in the middle of the floor/counter after the first trip - just like many of those suspended lights over the islands.

John was correct in his analysis of where we are with RVs. It's the nature of the beast at this time and anyone that has bought these things for a while knows it, and those about to buy need to do their due diligence to become informed to prevent some of the "it should have been better" conversations - sort of like having to have a consumer protection agency protect us from breaking the glass cover on a stove top...??

As for us, we like our ceiling fan. DW commented on it right before we left the last time that it was a nice improvement over keeping a fan on the end of the island. I had just commented previously that I could barely feel the air from it....but it does move the air, which means a lot in a little box like an RV.

[purebred]

I am currently looking for replacement blade attachments to increase the pitch of the fan blades from approx 8 degrees to about 15 degrees. Then maybe it will suffice and i can retire the wally world fans.

[ChuckS]

The ceiling fan in our 2014 Alpine does a nice job of moving air. Sitting in recliner right now and it’s blowing cold air right down on wire and I

[purebred]

The ceiling fan in our 2014 Alpine does a nice job of moving air. Sitting in recliner right now and it’s blowing cold air right down on wire and I

I guess good old keystone just don't make em like they used too.:rolleyes:

[Gary R.]

We have one in our Alpine, and we operate it at slow speed, because at high speed it does not move much air.

I think the close distance from the blades to the ceiling has something to do with that.

Everyone take care and stay safe!

Gary

[rbrdriver]

The one we have in our Alpine is okay. I can feel it anyways

[boagey]

I don’t have a problem with the one in my Alpine. My friend who has a Avalanche 5er readjusted the pitch on his, said made a big difference.

[purebred]

I don’t have a problem with the one in my Alpine. My friend who has a Avalanche 5er readjusted the pitch on his, said made a big difference.

With re-adjusting the pitch how did he do it? Vibrations?

[Farside]

I too am displeased with the output of the fan installed by the manufacturer. We have an Alpine 2015. And, the fan has been a pain. I have to watch the blades carefully when pulling in the slides, they originally caught me off guard when we first got the RV. Now I have to make sure they are positioned correctly, otherwise I'll catch one. I have wondered what I can do to improve the air flow without removing the blades each time I want to pull in the sides. There just isn't enough angle on those blades to make a difference in the air flow. Been to Lowes and Home Depot looking for a replacement, and nothing I've seen seems to be a good fit. If anyone knows of another brand that will move air, let me know.

[purebred]

I too am displeased with the output of the fan installed by the manufacturer. We have an Alpine 2015. And, the fan has been a pain. I have to watch the blades carefully when pulling in the slides, they originally caught me off guard when we first got the RV. Now I have to make sure they are positioned correctly, otherwise I'll catch one. I have wondered what I can do to improve the air flow without removing the blades each time I want to pull in the sides. There just isn't enough angle on those blades to make a difference in the air flow. Been to Lowes and Home Depot looking for a replacement, and nothing I've seen seems to be a good fit. If anyone knows of another brand that will move air, let me know.

Farside it seems we must have the same fans installed. And I thought i was alone. :lol:

[Larrystegall]

2 previous RVs had the ceiling fans and I liked them. The 2011 Raptor 300MP had a 120v fan and while it wasn't a huge air mover, it did distribute the heat and cooling in the trailer. In the Itasca motorhome, there were 2, 12V models and they did the same thing. Don't expect residential performance, they just are not big enough. But they can stir up the air to keep the heat from being at the ceiling and mix it up. If you want a steady breeze on you, get a floor fan and sit beside it.

Current RV the Raptor 356 doesn't have any so I put an occulting fan on a night stand in the BR to move some air around. May have to add something to the LR for the same purpose. Be glad you have one.
Hey Chunker, did you mount the fans onto the RV, or do you use free standing? I presume 120v fans, as there are no 12v outlets? I have no ceiling fan. Thanks, Larry

[azchoco]

Just wondering how many others out there feel about the factory ceiling fan in their coaches? Ours seems to close to the ceiling to get a good airflow. I ended up getting two small fans from wally world and using them instead.
Yes we have a 2016 3536RE. It too has a ceiling fan that has to hug the ceiling to clear the slides. Therefore it doesn't move much air. Actually had to be replaced because it was installed with a lose blade that eventually got hit by the slide. Poor design along with the ducted AC system.

[McRod]

I love my ceiling fan. It's on everyday. Works great and moves alot of air.

[chunker]

Hey Chunker, did you mount the fans onto the RV, or do you use free standing? I presume 120v fans, as there are no 12v outlets? I have no ceiling fan. Thanks, Larry

All of them were factory installed. The Raptor was 120v and the Itasca 12v.

[chunker]

I don’t have a problem with the one in my Alpine. My friend who has a Avalanche 5er readjusted the pitch on his, said made a big difference.

Be careful in adjusting the pitch in the blade holes as they can be brittle. The one problem I had with the fans in the Itasca motorhome was finding blades sitting on the floor after a trip. When I was at the factory for a windshield replacement I bout some spare blade holders. I planned to go to a big box and look for suitable replacements but never got around to it. FWIW the fan will still move some air with 2 blades. Not much though.

[purebred]

Be careful in adjusting the pitch in the blade holes as they can be brittle. FWIW the fan will still move some air with 2 blades. Not much though.

Question, How can you adjust blade pitch with the blade holes ? Also air movement with 2 blades probably equals my fan with 4 blades :D

[chunker]

Question, How can you adjust blade pitch with the blade holes ? Also air movement with 2 blades probably equals my fan with 4 blades :D

To adjust, to attempt to do so would be bending the blade holder. I didn't need to but you probably would need to remove the the blade holder and put in a vice to gently put a little tweak to them. The trick would be get them the same so the blades properly track without breaking them. Sometimes blades themselves will droop and loose pitch. A house I had a few years ago the PO had put 2 indoor fans on the back porch. Blades drooped to what appeared 0 pitch and didn't move air. I flipped the blade over and the "pitched up". Eventually the cheap blades drooped back down though. Another thought would be put shim washer between the blade and blade holder to add pitch. Trial and error.

EDIT I went back and read my previous post and I meant blade holder not blade holes. Long day driving and poor editing