Master bath exhaust fan operation

[USFBullGuy]

How do you turn on the master bathroom exhaust fan in a 2021 Cougar 364BHL? Where is the switch for it, or is it automatic somehow as long as the vent shield is manually opened? There is a void/hole in bottom of the motor, and aligns to a hole in the screen, but nothing’s there. The manual knob to open the vent shield is there, and works. I can see two wires from the motor going into the ceiling.

[USFBullGuy]

How do you turn on the master bathroom exhaust fan in a 2021 Cougar 364BHL? Where is the switch for it, or is it automatic somehow as long as the vent shield is manually opened? There is a void/hole in bottom of the motor, and aligns to a hole in the screen, but nothing’s there. The manual knob to open the vent shield is there, and works. I can see two wires from the motor going into the ceiling. It is not controlled from the on-command system that I can find, like the living area fan is thru the rear HVAC controls.

[RickV]

In mine once you open the vent there is a switch right by the knob.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by USFBullGuy

How do you turn on the master bathroom exhaust fan in a 2021 Cougar 364BHL? Where is the switch for it, or is it automatic somehow as long as the vent shield is manually opened? There is a void/hole in bottom of the motor, and aligns to a hole in the screen, but nothing’s there. The manual knob to open the vent shield is there, and works. I can see two wires from the motor going into the ceiling.

Since I have no idea what type fan you have, perhaps a picture would help. On my bath fan (cheapo), there is a rocker switch to turn it on. There is no wall switch. Perhaps the rocker switch is missing from your fan.

[JRTJH]

Most bathroom vent fans have a pushbutton switch mounted in the hole in the screen. It's held in place by a retaining nut. Your switch may have vibrated loose and the nut might have fallen off, letting the switch pull out of the hole in the screen. I'd unscrew the lid handle and pull the screen so you can look around "behind the cover" to see if you can locate the "pushbutton switch". If you do, put it back in the hole and find a properly sized nut to keep it in place.

Here's a photo of the most common type of pushbutton switch.

That said, some "upgraded fans" have a "rocker switch" that snaps into a square hole in the flange part of the screen. But with your comment of "a hole under the motor" I'd guess you have the "pushbutton switch" shown in this photo.

[USFBullGuy]

Thanks! No rocker switch near the vent. Just the hole under the motor that aligns with a hole in the screen. I assume it’s for a push button that isn’t there/never installed.

[USFBullGuy]

Pic of exhaust fan attached

[hankpage]

Looking at that pic, the nut that holds the switch may have fallen off and the switch went up into that metal box. BUT, since the wire for the motor goes up into the ceiling there may be a wall switch on the outside of the bathroom door. That's where it is on my Cougar. Ya gotta love Keystone designers.

[USFBullGuy]

If the push button is up in there, how could I best fish it down? Do you think it is magnetic enough to use one of those magnetic retrieval tools? Maybe a piece of two-sided tape the end of a quarter inch socket extension? I tried looking in it and I don’t see anything in there other than threaded grooves into what looks like black plastic. But I don’t see anything else up there. No switch outside of the bathroom sliding door into the hallway, or the bathroom door into the master bedroom. Also discovered today they have the tanks labeled incorrectly on the exterior of the trailer while trying to leave my campsite this morning and flushing tanks.

[chuckster57]

If you can get the screen off then those 2 Phillips screws are the cover to that box. If you take off the trim ring, you should be able to see where the wires go.

[hankpage]

Originally Posted by USFBullGuy

If the push button is up in there, how could I best fish it down? Do you think it is magnetic enough to use one of those magnetic retrieval tools? Maybe a piece of two-sided tape the end of a quarter inch socket extension? I tried looking in it and I don’t see anything in there other than threaded grooves into what looks like black plastic. But I don’t see anything else up there. No switch outside of the bathroom sliding door into the hallway, or the bathroom door into the master bedroom. Also discovered today they have the tanks labeled incorrectly on the exterior of the trailer while trying to leave my campsite this morning and flushing tanks.

Remove the screen (plastic trim) and open the metal box like Chuck mentioned. Look inside the plastic trim, the retaining nut may still be in there. I think you have your problem solved until you hear the abominable noise that fan makes. You may want to consider a quieter and more efficient replacement. JM2¢, Hank

[F16Vip3r]

I have the same trailer, but haven’t been inside in several months as it’s covered for the winter. As I recall, the MBR fan is just a push button switch.

Meanwhile, it took me a minute (& a step ladder!) when I first bought the trailer to figure out I needed to turn on a switch on the fan (and the wall) to operate the rear bath fan.