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12 Volt Fan Recommendations
We're looking for a quality, quiet, and reasonably priced 12-volt fan for just circulation.  We're thinking the 12-volt will give us some "fan flexibility" when dry camping vs a 115-volt fan needing shore power.  Also thinking the 12-volt will help while driving.  I'm "all ears" for any recommendations.  And thanks in advance for any guidance.

Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #1

12 volt is the way to go.

These are the fans we use. We have had the smaller ones for over 30 years. They use about .5 amps. We have two we clip to the cornice in the lounge. I have them wired into the 12 volt wires in the raceway above the couch's in our MB.

Caframo-two-speed fan

You now have to buy the clip separately.
clip

The larger one really moves air. Uses almost 1 amp. I built feet for it so it can be placed anywhere.

Endless Breeze Fan

As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Don & Dorothy
Sold our LD in June of 2023

Our boring always non-PC travel blog
Traveling Dorothy

Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #2
Up in the overhead bunk, we have an Endless Breeze, down at the foot, and a O2 Cool fan, at the head.

The Endless Breeze is very powerful, well built and expensive but it does have a lifetime parts warranty.
It has been in use for 13 trouble free years.
Bunk Fans | Flickr
The O2 Cool is an inexpensive fan from Walmart, designed to run on 8 C-cells (12-volt) batteries or with an A/C adaptor.
O2Cool 10" Battery-Operated Fin Fan with AC Adapter - Walmart.com
It is easily to wire it for use with a 12-volt supply. It gets used almost every night we sleep in the LD, usually on a low speed.
The fan has been enhanced with a variable, solid state speed controller (PWM) that reduces power consumption when the fan is operated at low speeds, reducing the amperage used by almost one half.
In 14 years, we have worn out one O2 Cool fan. The replacements are easy to find at most Super Walmarts or online.

Larry

Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze

Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #3
I like the idea of a controller. I know nothing about them. Most I see are the size of a light switch. Not suitable for my use.
I did find these. What do you think?

6V 12V 2A 30W DC Motor Speed Controller PWM Adjustable Variable Driver...

Digital Display LED 6V 12V 24V PWM DC Motor Controller Variable Speed...
Don & Dorothy
Sold our LD in June of 2023

Our boring always non-PC travel blog
Traveling Dorothy

Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #4

I've used four 12 V fans: the Fan-Tastic "Endless Breeze," the Caframo "Ultimate" that Don mentioned, the Hella Turbo, and SVHotwire's "Port Fan." Here's a brief comparison:

Endless Breeze - 14" white box fan (with included stubby feet) moves a lot of air quietly, but uses a fair amount of power (one to three amps) compared to the others, which all use less than half an amp. No way is provided to mount it under a cabinet--my preferred location for a fan in an RV--but see my website for plans for a gimbaled bracket.

Caframo "Ultimate" - White 7" fan on tilt/swivel mount. No blade guard--plastic blades are supposed to be non-injuring, but believe me, they hurt if you get your hand in the way! And you will get your hand in the way, because the off/low/high switch is mounted on the back of the fan, so you must reach around the spinning blades to get to the switch! Dumb design. Otherwise it's a decent fan, but not my favorite. Mounts to cabinet underside, but also available in a model with a wire stand.

Hella Turbo - Off-white 5.5" fan with gimbaled housing with round blade guard, large off/low/high speed control knob mounted on front where it's very easy to get to. Mounts under cabinet (no stand available, although you could make one). Fairly quiet, draws less than half an amp. My favorite of the four. One caveat: friends tell me these fans are prone to bearing failure (rattling) after a couple of years. I'm willing to take the risk.

SVHotwire "Port Fan" - Black square 4" fan with black gimbal mount. This is a modified computer fan, but not a cheapie--it has a high-quality brushless motor that supposedly will outlast fans such as the Caframo and Hella. Under-cabinet mount, like the other three small fans mentioned here. Has two speeds and very low power consumption (less than half an amp), but while not noisy, its pitch is higher than the Caframo or Hella fans, and I find the sound a bit more annoying.

Summary: the Endless Breeze is the largest and most power-hungry of the four, but then it moves the most air. The Hella Turbo is small, well-designed (blade guard, front-mounted speed knob), and has very low power consumption, but may not be as long-lived. The Caframo would be a good fan if not for its lack of a blade guard and its backside-mounted power switch. The SVHotwire Port Fan uses the least power of the four, and should have a very long lifespan, but its higher-pitched sound can be annoying... and it's black, which isn't my preference.

As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"

Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #5
P.S. - I second Larry's recommendation of the O2Cool fans. They are inexpensive and quiet, and some models can run on 12 VDC.
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"

Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #6
I like the idea of a controller.
I did find these. What do you think?
6V 12V 2A 30W DC Motor Speed Controller PWM Adjustable Variable Driver...
Don

That's similar to the controller I used. There are a lot of them available online.
This is the one used.
Amazon.com: RioRandâ„¢ Upgraded 6V-90V 15A DC Motor Pump Speed Controller:...
It's small enough to fit inside the fan housing. I suggest using a higher amperage controller than the one you listed. A Fantastic Fan can draw close to three amps, on high speed, which is greater than its 30-watt rating.

Steve has also done this to his bathroom Fantastic Fan, one of my next projects.
The greatest energy savings are with fans that are run primarily on low speed. Instead of dumping the excess voltage into resistors, the power is turned on and off hundreds of times a second, with the amount of 'on' time adjusted to the desired fan speed.  It's very efficient and doesn't cost much, if you can do it yourself. A definite 'must do' for boondockers wishing to reduce their energy usage.

Larry
As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze

Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #7
We, too have an Endless Breeze and it's great. However, it is limited to being near a 12 Volt plug plus perhaps an extension cord. Thus, I started building a Ryobi tool set that includes:

Ryobi ONE+ 18-Volt Hybrid Portable Fan (Tool Only)-P3320 - The Home Depot

I can take this thing anywhere. I got a battery in a drill set then bought a monster battery so now have two which should last a long time. The thing can go and go and go on the monster battery. I haven't used it to the exhaustion of the battery so I can't tell you how long it will run before needing a recharge.
Ruby, the red 2004 26' RK hauling Dave and Kristine hither and yon

Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #8
Interesting suggestion! I have a bunch of Ryobi One+ tools and batteries, but haven't tried their fan.
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"

Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #9
Oh excellent ! I could leave the Dewalt at home and get another battery operated drill to use the Ryobi battery. Never enough drills.
Paul
'92 Mid Bath

Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #10
Once again, thank you for the wonderful recommendations.  The Endless Breeze Fan really caught our attention.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh8fUXjRoTc

And I want to take a look at the Ryobi fan.  I saw a video on that fan and it shows a 115 V connection beneath the battery, which is a nice feature.  But I sure like the idea of that 12V fan especially since we have 200 watts of solar power.  Endless Breeze is in the number #1 slot as of tonight.  Take care.

Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #11
i have both the endless breeze and a rhobi.  the endless breeze is great off rv battery power-but only battery power(there maybe a to way to change it but i don't know it). the ryobi has a lot of power for a smaller size-but needs 110 to run or to recharge the battery-i have gotten over 8 hrs on the bat on the lower fan speed.
marta 26 ft rb
2000 RB

Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #12
Marta, can you give us an idea of how the noise levels compare between the Endless Breeze and Ryobi fans? I'm guessing the Ryobi fan is probably noisier, but since you have both, it'd be nice to get a firsthand comparison.

Also, does the battery recharge while the fan is plugged into 120 VAC, or must you charge it separately?
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"

Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #13

A little off-topic here (moderators, please feel free to relocate this post)...

I want to put in a good word for the Ryobi One+ cordless tools. I've accumulated a number of these over the years, and have found that they do a good job at very affordable prices. So good, in fact, that I got rid of my Makita cordless drill in order to standardize on Ryobi tools. The Makita was a solidly built tool, and if I were a contractor, it would probably outlast my Ryobi drill in daily use. But for the kind of occasional home-handyman projects I and most RVers tackle, I've found the Ryobi tools to be more than adequate... and to duplicate my Ryobi tool set in Makita or another "contractor-grade" brand would cost way more than I'm willing to spend.

My most-used power tools are Ryobi's drill/driver, saber saw ("jigsaw"), 5.25" circular saw, vacuum, and corner/detail sander. (Despite its compact size, the latter is a powerful sander that substitutes nicely for a standard orbital sander.) I also own their reciprocating saw (Sawzall workalike) and rotary saw (Rotozip workalike), but haven't found those very useful. I'm considering buying a Ryobi One+ miter saw for more precise work.

One other advantage of the Ryobi One+ system: unlike many others, they offer a 12 VDC charger, allowing you to charge up your Ryobi batteries without the need to plug in or use an inverter. It's a pretty fast charger, too. That's a big plus for an RVer.

(Note: I've provided Amazon links here so you can see what the tools look like, but I've found that they are generally available for less money at Home Depot.)

The only Ryobi tool that has been a disappointment is their oscillating tool (MultiMaster workalike), which for reasons I've never been able to pin down just does not cut very well, and is awkwardly shaped to boot. I ended up buying a 120 V powered Fein MultiMaster, which is superb. Likewise, Ryobi doesn't offer a cordless router, as far as I know, so I bought a compact 120 V DeWalt router. Both tools are excellent, and well worth turning on the inverter to use.

There are plenty of choices in cordless tools nowadays, and of course I haven't tried them all. But from my experience over the past ten years, I recommend the Ryobi One+ tools (and their lithium batteries) as providing good functionality and good value for RVers and others who need to do occasional home improvement projects without plugging in.

As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"

Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #14

P.S.--Turns out Ryobi now offers a One+ cordless router. But it looks as if it would be top-heavy with the battery (not shown in Amazon's product photos) up there. I still love my lightweight yet powerful DeWalt. :-)

As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"

Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #15
We have an O2Cool fan permanently mounted in our RB. It's under the overhead cabinet between the dinette and the drive-side sofa. It swings down and can be swiveled in any direction.



More details on the installation can be found at: WxToad's O2Cool Fan



Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #17
To piggyback on and reiterate Andy's post, Home Depot almost always has Ryobi One+ SUBSTANTIALLY less expensive than Amazon. I can't recall but a handful of times Amazon gets beat by a brick and mortar retailer on price.
Ruby, the red 2004 26' RK hauling Dave and Kristine hither and yon


Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #19
"Home Depot almost always has Ryobi One+ SUBSTANTIALLY less expensive than Amazon."

Yup, Home Depot apparently has some kind of sweetheart deal with Ryobi. Amazon used to not carry Ryobi tools at all; lately they have many of them (there are more than fifty different Ryobi One+ cordless tools!), but at higher prices. Maybe they buy 'em at the local Home Depot, mark 'em up and resell 'em--who knows? ;-)

But keep an eye out for refurbished Ryobi One+ tools at Amazon, because some bargains can be found that way. I've bought a refurbed saber saw and a rotary saw from Amazon-affiliated vendors; both were a lot less expensive than new Ryobi tools, and have worked fine for years.
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"

Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #20
Now that’s it’s cool I can talk about fans.
As usual Andy’s review was most complete.

I have not had any problems with the Caframo blades. Normally, and especially at night, my hand stops the blade and I can switch it off without feeling anything more than a fly landing on me. I don’t have the same model as he does. Maybe there is a difference?
This is what I have from West Marine.
I like it because we sleep in the rear of an MB and there is not a shelf to put a fan. So I have them mounted on a clip witch is clipped to the window cornice. This allows it to blow directly on my face.
It burns .2 amps.

That said, if I were going to buy fans today I would look at these two.

This O2 looks like a good substitute Caframo if you wire it for 12v.

I agree with Andy, I really like the Hella 12V Two Speed "Turbo" Fan because it can be mounted under an overhead bin. This is the one I would try. I would like to compare the volume of air moved. quietness, and amp usage to the Caframo.

Don & Dorothy
Sold our LD in June of 2023

Our boring always non-PC travel blog
Traveling Dorothy

 
Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #21
I have the O2Cool battery operated fan and for my money it's not worth my money because it does not move enough air.  ::)
Steve S.
Lazy Bones & Cedar
2004 30'IB (Island Bed)
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery
Live for the day!

Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #22
I have the O2Cool battery operated fan and for my money it's not worth my money because it does not move enough air.  ::)
Well, replace it with an Endless Breeze, it moves plenty of air.
In out bunk, the O2 Cool's lower output is fine for our heads, the Endless Breeze, mounted down at our feet,  must be left on 'Low' or it just about blows us out of bed. It is a superior fan and its high cost reflects this.
Where a smaller fan is needed, you can't beat the price of an O2 Cool fan. All that I have seen can be wired to run off the LD's 12-volt electrical, eliminating the need for replaceable  batteries.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze

Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #23
Researching fans and came across this.

This is from an Amazon review of the Fan-Tastic 001100wj Endless Breeze Fun.
Do you users agree ?

"What you don't know is its power draw and that's a big deal to those of us living inside battery constraints. I have measured it and I'll share:

low: 15 Watts or 1.25 amps @ 12 VDC
medium: 27 Watts or 2.25 amps
high: 35 Watts or close to 3 amps"

Ed

Re: 12 Volt Fan Recommendations
Reply #24
"What you don't know is its power draw and that's a big deal to those of us living inside battery constraints. I have measured it and I'll share:
low: 15 Watts or 1.25 amps @ 12 VDC
medium: 27 Watts or 2.25 amps
high: 35 Watts or close to 3 amps"

Yes, that is the same as our Endless Breeze. And the same as the Fantastic ceiling fans, they are basically the same motors.
Moving air takes power, how much air to you want to move.

Many RV have small house batteries. A 1.2-amp draw, over many hours,  will put big dent in a Series 27 battery, a size common to may cheaper RVs.
Our LDs have a much larger battery and most of us have solar, to keep it recharged.

Power consumption can be cut nearly 50%, on low speed, by installing a PWM speed control.
EasyBreeze efficiency...

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze