Solar Powered Vents

[m1taylor]

There's quite an array of Solar Powered Vents for sale varying in price from about £30 to £100+. My questions are:

Do they work well? (ie do they reduce damp/condensation inside a yacht)
Any recommendations on make/Model?
Do they have to be mounted horizontally, or can they be mounted vertically on the hatch and get enough sunlight to power up effectively?

Thanks

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[steve28]

They do work well, i have had mine for four years now.
The only thing with mine is they have been on really since 2000 and the fans are slightly noisy at 4 in the morning in the summer.


steve

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[ChrisE]

I've just, two months ago, fitted the version that drops into the Tannoy type of airvent. Dead impressed so far, fitted it in 5 mins, worked straightaway and has noticably kept the boat feeling drier. Am going to fit another later this month. Cost was about £65.

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[scarlett]

When in the UK I had a stainless one with a battery costing about 80. It would store enough power to run for about an hour after the sun went down.

If I were to buy another for the use in the UK I would save the extra cost and get a basic model.

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[maxi]

There was a thread on this forum, not too long ago, on this very subject. If I recall the respondees were unanimously unimpressed with solar vents, mainly due to a very short life expectancy.

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[snowleopard]

if you're looking at the tannoy type of vent, remember that it's only spray-resistant. green water over the deck will come straight through.

you'll get a lot more air flow if you can lock your deck hatches ajar.

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[ChrisE]

I beg to differ about the Tannoy vents, we have two on the foredeck which has taken more that it's fair share of green stuff over the front and I can't recall anything coming through. True, our high prow keeps most greenwater at bay and Tannoys are not dorades but I can only speak from personal experience.

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[mirabriani]

For the past three seasons I have found that I can keep her dry
and free from mould by simply removing the log and fitting an old
washboard with a decent vent.
I did purchase a cheap 12 volt fan with a view to fixing in the washboard
and powering it from an old car battery and solar panel, just for winter.
Have not bothered yet as all is dry.
It is possible that I have a degree of insulation from the inner lining in my
particular case. I think a tent cover helps as well.

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[Sea Devil]

I have had solar vents for several years and they are fine - good value - they have batteries and run for most of the night in the tropics. I am convinced they help keep the air cirulating in the boat when she is laid up enven in europe

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[Salty John]

Solar powered ventilators are a bit like banks that are happy to lend you money only when you don't need it. When there is enough sun to run the vent fan the conditions for condensation don't prevail. At night, when condensation sets in, the vents don't run. I'm relacing mine with extractor fans with computer motors - Vetus do them. They are designed to run continuously, have two speeds, will run for a week at half speed consuming less than 20 amps. Low noise and with a life expectancy of 50,000 hours.
Just another point of view.
Cheers,
John

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[jerryat]

Hi m!taylor,

As Maxi correctly recalls, there was a thread a few weeks ago about precisely these units. FWIW, my view is that they are grossly over-priced rubbish. I installed one of the £80.00 odd ones which supposedly charged a battery for night-time use. It only work for about an hour in this mode, and we were in the Med.!! The solar panel connections corroded within 18 months, it leaked in even minimally wet conditions, and the fan was almost totally ineffective in Med. conditions.
OK, we were full time cruising, but they are not, IMHO, properly designed for long term reliability, but to appeal to the gullible - and sadly I include myself in that group!!!

I'm in the middle of a major refit and the lousy thing was the first item ditched.

Cheers

Jerry



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[Keith]

I've had one on my boat now for three years, and all i've done is replace the battery, its in the head and really cuts down on the nasty niff!!! Vetus fans are bad news and have a rep for braking down, wouldn't be without one, yes i know i live in the bahamas, but if you have ever experienced a V hot closed up boat you will appreciate how smelly they can become.......keith

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[William_H]

If you want fan operation in winter in UK perhaps you should consider an old computer power supply fan (or buy one) then spend your money on a solar panel as buig as you can afford but perhaps 10 watts. If directly connected to the fan this should give operation on most days even in winter due to grossly over rated. don't connect to the ships battery as it will probably flatten it unless you can devise a timer for the fan. (take the battery home) In summer you could use the panel to charge your battery. The computer fan means you can hide it away in a replacement wash board or a locker with vent. just another thought will

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[jerryat]

Hi Keith,

Yep! Agree with you re ventilation, and we have also made two trips to the Caribbean from the Med during our seven years of cruising. However, we found this unit rubbish, and subsequently fitted 85mm computer fans in the forecabin (the sleeping cabin on our little boat) and two of the 'lorry' type oscillating fans in the main saloon. This combination, together with two dorades, opening (mozzie netted!)hatches and a Windscoop, kept us very comfortable in even the very hottest weather.

Mind you, we have two 55w solar panels, a Rutland 913 wingen, an Aqua4gen (on passage) an auxilliary generator and of course, the terrific Adverc, to run all these!!

Might be wandering over to the Bahamas in about three years time so will keep an eye out for you if you're still there.

Cheers

Jerry



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[Keith]

which solar fan did you have?was it a nicro unit or some other? we also fitted the oscillating fans at $6 a peice, couldn,t go wrong......if you drop over this way (andros) give me a shout.....keith

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