MaxxAir Fan Repair & Preventing Condensation from (re)Damaging Electronics - Manly Man Skills
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- Опубликовано: 11 сен 2024
- Manly Man Skill #2 - Preventing Condensation from damaging our MaxxFan again. While on our way south this winter our MaxxAir fan straight up lost its mind. The water condensing on the lid was dripping down onto the circuit board and pooling in the IR receiver dome and it was freaking out, opening and closing as if someone was pressing all the buttons constantly.
I pulled the fuse and pulled it apart to find that there was corrosion on the PCB (Printed Circut Board) and the IR receiver had nearly eroded it leads off. In this video, I show how we cleaned this up and protected the MaxxAir PCB from further water damage by using a conformal coating to coat the board.
If you have a similar fan and have plans to use it in colder weather I'd suggest covering the PCB in Conformal Coating, E6000 on the ribbon cable and drill a small hole in the IR receivers' clear dome.
This is further manifested evidence as to why we chose to not have windows... this happened even though we had the insulated pillow covering the fan. Then once I heard that Bill had the same issue, I was inspired me to make a video showing how we addressed this issue.
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Excellent display of how to administer the fix prophylactically for all who have not yet had it die. Manly man skills indeed, with a dollop of wifely wife on schmoo removal. Teamwork!
🏆Best Comment of the day!
@@Everlanders Can you tell me, how easy is it to damage that circuit board? I just installed my fan 6 weeks ago and haven't even used it yet and now I discover this video and must dismantle it and apply the coating- what does it take to mishandle this and ruin it? I'd like to know what not to do- I know nothing about electronics. I assume that taking it apart will void the warranty so I'll make sure the fan is working before I do anything- can you tell me how long I have before corrosion starts? I live in the mountains of Colorado, we get daily monsoons, it has stormed almost every day since I installed the van and because I've been working every day inside the van completing the conversion, the hood has been open, so I'm wondering if moisture has already started gathering. Is it safe for me to make my first road trip later this month to confirm that the fan functions before I void the warranty? Thank you for anything further you can share- damn shame a consumer has to go to these lengths to make a product function properly. Thank you for an excellent video!
You may have saved me a big problem. I sprayed a spare Maxxfan board with conformal without protecting the contact areas, so I ruined it and wouldn't have know this without your video. Thanks Jason. Good info.
Jason, you keep putting us Yanks to shame. You fix more projects before you get out of bed than we do all day. 😃
I just installed a MaxxAir fan. Surprised that the PCB is not coated. For the cost of it you would think that it would be properly engineered for the given application....
Thank you so much for this video. Got woken up at 10:30 pm last night. My Maxx Air fan went on all by it self and wouldn't shut off. Your video helped me solve the problem.
Thanks again.
JT
Glad it helped
Just got a new Maxxair fan and the board came with the backside already conformal coated, someone must be watching your videos (or following common best practices for this industry). I added some more layers to it just in case and hit some of my other boards too while I was at it.
Yes, I've noticed that too!! 👍👍
Thanks for the video! We've got the same symptoms with this cold weather. We'll try this out!
Very helpful! My MaxxAir did a similar thing due to condensation...started beeping, lost its mind, and then went totally dead. Got a new board and installed it, and it powered up, I was able to turn it on, but the plus or minus speed control only went up, not down. The reverse button our auto function would not work either. MaxxAir said it was probably the keypad also. Got a new one coming, hope it works. Now to get some of that spray and moisture proof it! Thanks again!😊
Added to the "to-do" list...when we get the Truck back...:)
Dude, I ordered the spray and ordered the new board, coating it as you instructed. I really appreciate this and am confident the thing won't fizz out like the original board did. Thanks!!!!
Glad I could help!
Also, drill a tiny hole in the clear dome for the IR remote if you have one... That allows the water to drain.
Immediately went and did this on both my Maxxfans
Nice that they have parts so that you can repair the fan, instead of making you purchase a whole new unit
Not so nice that they charge 10 times markup of what comparibable parts do...
Yep same as bencorrado;- 2 new fans both have coating on soldered side;- maybe thin coat on track side of PCB. 👍😎
It worked! I didn't have any alcohol but I did have hand sanitizer and that fixed it! Thanks for this video :)
Thanks for the info, just looked at mine, it has condensation in the bubble, will drill a hole in it and keep an eye on it, no problems yet. I have the remote and the works, love it.
Great video! thanks for the awesome walkthough. One of our fans did the exact same thing!
I don't own or plan on owning an overlander. I watch your videos for the same reason i watch This Old Tony, fixing something or doing something the correct way rather than tossing it and buying something new.
You like Tony, so I like you!
I wish I would have seen this before I purchased mine. It's been in my truck for 2 months, before I finally installed it last night. Two of the speed selections already don't work, and I installed in my shower. During install, it seemed like a lower quality than the fantastic fan. I wish I wouldn't have drilled the extra holes in the roof.
Thank you! Very helpful & easy to understand. I will do this before I install them.
Another option is to remote mount the PCB somewhere else entirely and just run the wires to the motors.
Thanks for sharing this vid. So stupid Maxxfan decided to cut costs like this considering it's such an expensive unit already.
Very nice. Your electronic skills are impressive indeed.
In this case it was mostly my spray paint skills...
Maxair- hope you are watching this and making the appropriate “improvements” to your product. I will be purchasing one of your fans in about a year. I hope when I call you before I purchase and ask if you all remedied these defects you can say absolutely. Time will tell..
I wouldn't hold your breath... The correct fix would be to have an insulated lid so that condensation does not form in the first place. Protecting the PCB is a stop gap solution.
I had a similar problem damage from condensation. I had to remove the two remote Jack's using a soldering iron and a desoldering gun. Then I cleaned the board, now the keypad works and the fan runs in exhaust but not in reverse. I only use it in exhaust mode so all is good.
Since I made this video, I have run into half a dozen people on the road with similar problems, dead circuit boards etc... I've been able to help most of them by hotwiring a switch directly to the motor, but it's nearly impossible to get a replacement circuit board when you're overlanding through Guatemala etc...
If I may digress...
I noticed an air conditioner (I think) installed on the back of your truck. Did you include that install in a video? If so may I inquire which video?
Thanks
Hmmmmmm, looks like Colorado. Did you do any Colorado 4x4'n? 😃
I'd LOOOOVE to see a comprehensive follow-up video on your solar and battery set-up. You started out thinking that you would use "X" amount of power thru solar and battery. Did you consume more than "X"? What is the current numbers on solar and battery that you feel comfortable leaving home base with? 😃
Yes, that was filmed while in CO, We're back in Canada filming a battery video now... Standby...
@@Everlanders _Will do, Thank You much!
Hmm, wonder if a thick coating of dielectric grease would be sufficient? Maybe drill a small drain hole under the circuit board. Thanks for the tip guys
You could also pot the PCB. Those spray on conformal coatings tend to break down with heat.
Yup, but given the number of connectors peppered everywhere, and the way it's mounted on plastic standoffs, it would be a bear of a job.
Thanks Jason! Going to attempt to fix one of ours that stopped working. I think we may need a new membrane/switch piece.
If it's the buttons, then the remote should still work...
@@Everlanders Not a remote version unfortunately. 😕
I think it still has the receiver, you just need to borrow a remote.
My van’s Maxxair has been awesome, no problems for 3 years and in the Pacific Northwest the design is great because you need to be able to be open in the rain. My travel trailer has had nothing but trouble. I hope this approach is the fix.
The problems get much worse... ruclips.net/video/D-HVnCHQVLk/видео.html
@@Everlanders I think I have figured out why my van is fine and my trailer sweats harder than rain. My van has 3 inch thick Rmax dense foam insulation. When we cut the vent hole we cut it tight. So my fan is insulated away from the vans heat with a tight seal. With the insulated pillow in place I block enough heat to prevent condensation. I took the sleeve off my fan. The trailer ceiling in the attic space had loose pathetic insulation and the heat was allowed to circulate around my fan. With the heat source warming my fan assembly it was clear why I have a steady beat of rain from condensation. I plan to try using rigid foam insulation to insulate the opening. Will reply again with my findings.
@Everlanders I beefed up the insulation around the trailer fan, and even though my door had condensation, my fan does not. Can I apply conformal coating using the can and brush on the circuit board?
@@susann1311The door will always have condensation before the fan because heat rises, and you were losing heat through the fan. But if the outside temperature was much colder you'll still get condensation on the fan hood... you may be able to brush on conformal coating, but I have only ever used the spray on, or the potting compound where you actually flood it into the enclosure, completely encasing it.
@@Everlanders Thanks, I am no longer getting much condensation, insulating made a huge difference, but I still want the circuit board protected.
Great vid! Helped me fix mine. Thank you!
Part 2: ruclips.net/video/D-HVnCHQVLk/видео.html
Part 3: ruclips.net/video/I1VUWOmmQfo/видео.html
@@Everlanders Awesome! looks like I need to clean mine, and fix my control board. Great vid thanks!
'm getting ready to build my new camper and will be buying a deluxe Maxxair with the remote. I see you recommend the conformal coating and silicone sealed switch ribbon for the reasons you suggested. And I recall another video where you either repaired or lubricated the motor (can't remember exactly). Having several years of full-time experience with these fans by now, are there any other recommendations you have to help new users avoid all the failures I read about in comments and product ratings? And do you think there is any merit in running a spare/parallel set of wires to the fan under the headliner while I have it open? (for ready use if the circuit board fails for other reasons). Although I assume if I want to bypass that POS circuit board and use a PWM instead I could simply tap into the regular power wires I would use normally...but what do you think? Thanks for putting this up, very helpful.
Yeah, our buttons died again within a year, and the IR remote too. So we have no control of the fan by original means. Thankfully I have hotwired my own controls onto the power side of the board so my automation system can still control everything:
ruclips.net/video/aS3BiYaEfiw/видео.htmlsi=cozVs_2Qy7jkXA7r&t=2238
If I had to advise, Id say to remove the PCB from the unit and run 2 wires for the main motor and 2 for the lift motor and relocate the PCB somewhere else entirely. And even then I wouldn't fuss with the lift motor because the pot metal gearbox constantly blows apart anyway. I've printed about 6 of these for other travelers already...
ruclips.net/video/I1VUWOmmQfo/видео.html
My motor is on its last legs again, I have another spare with us that I rebuilt, but I'm sick of feeding this thing parts all the time, So I have a brushless motor retrofit designed and 3D printed, that uses a small brushless motor and a ESC from a drone to completely gut the original equipment and replace it entirely:
ruclips.net/video/D-HVnCHQVLk/видео.html
@@Everlanders Thank you for the excellent info! I will plan to relocate the PCB elsewhere. And for me, I will probably avoid the super deluxe model with the remote and auto opening/closing function. Sounds like it prematurely wears out the vent raising gearbox. I will position the PCB and buttons in a central location easily reachable from the bed and kitchen area. And just deal with manually opening or closing the vent. Just a damned shame the Maxxair is such a good design for its plastic shell in terms of venting and rain repellency, yet they completely chince out on the motor and control system. They should make a higher grade system for serious RV and vanlifers who truly live full time for years in their vehicles. Who need and will pay for quality. No question in my mind if you built an upgrade kit that addresses the deficiencies (quality brushless motor and adapter, better controller etc) people would stand in line to buy it, even at $300 just to know the Maxxair is finally all it could and should be. Anyway, thanks again, you're a hell of an EE. 👍
We installed a buck booster converter on installation before watching any of these videos, along with electrical liquid tape on the board. It’s been beeping, going nuts turning on by itself, opening and closing continuously just driving me nuts. Can’t use our fan… By the way, we’ve only had it installed for about 2 months. This is what we get for buying this “Deluxe” vent… Right…. We have 500w solar and two big lithium batteries. Plenty of power for everything, besides this fan? This fan… Agghh… By the way, ours nipped like that at the beginning, we pulled one of the connectors off the board and plugged it in to the other on the board. Not sure if I put it on the wrong connector after applying liquid electrical tape. So even after coating the board it can still fail due to moisture on the keypad. Airxcel really did their research didn’t they… Seams like they wanted to push the product out sooner rather than later with one less manufacturing task to worry about, and with they hope buyers would have to buy spare parts. So slimy.
Then just unplug the keypad and use the IR remote...
Jason , have you ever found out how to make the max air dependable ? I know you do a future vid on trying a brushless motor
Yes
Thanks for this! No need to mask off the IR sensor?
Not really, the coating is transparent... You definitely want the legs of the sensor to be coated, that's were mine failed. If you wanted you could put a little dot of blue tac on the "eye" on the front of the sensor.
Researching different fan solutions and would really enjoy your opinion if given the opportunity would you change your fan solution to more of an erv system? Was it not enough cfm? I’m doing research for my own build one day and considering something like this as part of my goals is to have it 4 season capable. I have more experience with hrv system but thought be a good way to keep the living quarters fresh while managing the moisture and being more efficient. I’d be very curious your opinion. Frees up ceiling space too I was thinking.
Been very much enjoying all your content! Your dedication to the channel and your content is inspiring. Thanks so much. You guys rock.
Sure, If you have the space, it sounds like a great option.
@@Everlanders sacrifice cabin space for roof space. Once your committed to a hole in the ceiling though… I was thinking with all the problems with the best in market ceiling fan and watching your struggles I was hoping and assuming the hrv/ervs are design to handle moisture so it should last and meet the needs of air quality. Space is certainly a worry. I’ll see if I can fit it into the design. Hoping your latest rebuild on the motor lasts a long while. Very best of luck out there!
So... in the first video I saw of your rig (tiny homes) you were showing the cab up grades for you f550 with 7.3.
You had a very neat installation of I think an Android monitoring your engine. I’ve been trying to accomplish the same with my 2001 7.3 f3350 boon docking rig. iI would love some more info on how you did this. I have a WiFi OBDII and ok some info (iPhone) but when connectivity is lost engine shuts down (really sucks at 65 mph)
I have a $3 ODBII Bluetooth adapter from eBay (ELM327) and an app called Torque
Coming from a electric back ground i always sprayed it on my electric stuff
So the cause of it loosing it's mind was the connection to the key pad? We've got a Maxxfan Deluxe that's been playing up. Pulled it apart today and it's spotless. No visible moisture, damage or corrosion anywhere. Was intermittently working, and then going crazy at night on its own, and now it doesn't run at all. Not sure whether we need to replace both the PCB and the keypad or not.
In our case the keypad damage wasn't as noticable as the IR receiver sitting in the little clear some filled with rusty water. The keypad is made from plastic with very fine traces that had corroded away. The keypad no longer worked but the remote did!
great video
Glad you enjoyed it
Conformal Coating should be (for this application) a given, but it adds cost to the board manufacturing, therefore cutting into profit margins. Not to mention, the fan company now has a recurring revenue stream. Yet another example of toss & buy. Shame on MaxxAir
M Rose exactamundo. So will they address this and remedy? Or keep that revenue stream.
Over 3.5 years I’ve had to replace the circuit board 5 times and the keypad 3... worst customer service too. Because it always fails under a year they have to pay to ship it to me. Seems like more profit margin if they just built it well... i can also say they burn through employees at the same rate as the fan does electrical components. I suspect the company doesn’t know how to handle themselves in more ways than one.
Won't get repeating revenue from me. I tell anybody that will listen to avoid Maxxair. Why does a fan have to be computerized? Do we really need 10 speeds? Remote control? Seriously? Put a lid over it and don't worry about the rain.
@@Jollyprez There's after market 12VDC electronic speed controllers that could be retro fitted to the fan motor. Some are on Amazon. The speed control knob will like be the most difficult part to install. There around $15 to $20 bucks I bet.
I ordered one of these cheap controllers and intended to make a video, but unfortunately the pwm frequencies they operate at cause a horrendous audible hum.
Is there not also an issue with voltage ? They don’t like being supplied anything over 13 (?) bolts?
Yes indeed, but we don't have this issue because we don't charge from the engine, our LiFePo4 battery bank is pretty stable right around 13.5v
Great fix! Besides the Maxair fan, do you have a second ventilation opening somewhere in the box? Seems with only the one opening it would limit air circulation and make the fan work harder.
Yes, of course, we have electric louvres between our box and truck cab that provide make-up air for the powered fan in the roof...
@@Everlanders, I spotted the louvers in another video where you hoisted the box off the chassis. Do you happen to recall where you sourced the electric louvers? I am finding only HVAC dampeners for round ducting, too big (12 inch square or larger) louvers, or one-way flap vents similar to what the factory installed in your truck cab.
Seems like an easy fix!
On those fans, can you “crack” the cover to let some of the warm humid air out?
It was -32° at the time... We weren't cracking anything...
Hey I added a quick video what I did to my rv roof vents 20 degrees different than ones without cork. in temp in +30 weather and would be more than that if I ran my ac
Nicey Nice! 👍👌
We bought a couple deluxe Maxx Air fans for our bus, and out of the box I tried this on one. In retrospect I suppose I should have teste3d it first, but anywho it didn't work properly when I put it back together and connected it to power in my living room. I'm afraid I may have done something horribly wrong and completely messed it up. Basically the controls, remote or on the fan, are not doing what they are supposed to be doing. The cover won't open but it will close if I open it manually and press the off button. The fan itself won't come on most of the time. To compare, I took the second one out of the box and wired it up, and it worked a charm.
Is this something I can fix? Any ideas? I tried to follow the video as close as I could and I used the exact same products. 😢
Nevermind, it was user error. When plugging everything back in I plugged the temperature sensor in incorrectly and for some reason that caused the fan to lose its mind. Working fine now. Ugh.
Great! The foil ribbon cable for the keypad still failed again on mine 4 years later. If I was doing it all over I'd extend the 2 sets of motor wires and relocate the PCB somewhere away from the condensation.
Would adding an outside air source (such as a window) help mitigate the moisture build-up?
It was -35° at the time... So we wouldn't be opening it anyway.
👍👍👏👏
Does it matter which kind of conformal coating is used? I see urethane, acrylic and silicon modified.
Wikipedia has a good explanation of the differences... en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conformal_coating
We used Silicone, but Acrylic would be fine too...
very nicee nice.
Great video! Quick question. Is the E6000 Plus Still okay to use as I know you said use E6000? Is it all safe to apply onto PCBs? TIA
To be clear, I only used the E6000 on the flex PCB keypad, the PCB itself got MG conformal coating.
They say "E6000 Plus offers virtually the same performance characteristics as the original E6000 adhesive but without the odor. It's formulated using a premium polymer technology and can be used on most any substrate and in just about any application"
Okay thank you. My PCB looks different so I’m not sure where to put the conformal coating :/
Okay thank you. My PCB looks different so I’m not sure where to put the conformal coating :/ can I send you a picture on RUclips?
Okay thank you. My PCB looks different so I’m not sure where to put the conformal coating :/ can I send you a picture on RUclips?
Which store in Canada stocks this stuff?
Home Depot
@@Everlanders cool thanks. Been years to now finally do this. No more beeping
@tmotten If you've waited years to fix it, it's likely corroded beyond repair.
Cold weather camping? These fans fail in hot weather, mild weather, camping near a lake, and when somebody sneezes in Argentina. I absolutely despise them. I went through two board replacements, and they keep blaming the voltage. Which is crazy, as it's on a regulated circuit that doesn't get above 13.4VDC. BUT, they claim it's only allowed to go to 13.2VDC - if I was an electrical engineer working at Maxxair, I'd resign for incompetence.
That's the consensus 👆
Does the fan still work?
After many other failure points repaired or redesigned, it's still working:
ruclips.net/video/I1VUWOmmQfo/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/D-HVnCHQVLk/видео.html
At least it's serviceable.. And not a sealed unit.
So did your circuit board just start working again? Mine failed a week ago and it won't come back to life
It never stopped working, it was just sensing all kinds of crazy button pressing because there was moisture on the contacts... This video shows how to clean that off and seal it from future problems.
@@Everlanders mine just beeps non stop when it gets power and the green light is on. Fan spins as well but no control over the buttons only 1 month old aha
Then just get a warranty replacement...
@@Everlanders in the process thanks!
How I Fix it...
You order a new one and swap the boards and then return it for a full refund. You only have to feel bad if you tell anyone.
I would justify it since Maxx Air could have taken steps to prevent it from happening.
But that board would only last 10 days too, the problem will continue until the board is protected from the moisture.
My maxxair failed after 3 uses, a very very poor design and of course out of warranty.
Hi guys how are you doing
Super!
sell the Chinese made and owned Milwaukee and support a free country like Japan, Germany or USA ;)
Good build by the way :)
Why?
Maxxair fan was my worst purchase in my whole build. How this garbage is still for sale I have no idea. Iv had all these issues and more. And they're a horrible company to deal with
Wait till your motor eats the commutator ring...
ruclips.net/video/D-HVnCHQVLk/видео.html
It's possesd. That's what my infrared sensor looks like on the second board I replaced last year. POS!
It will look like that and need replacement every 2 to 3 years unless you move the PCB elsewhere and run wires to the motors.
Yep, I would have to cutout the framing to move the board locations. I have 3 of the deluxe 7500k fans. Only having problems with the bedroom fan. One of the wires on the sensor connector is broke and I don't have a micro soldering iron for circuits.
Good video Jason!
No, you just need to reuse the power wire running to the unit and use that for the motor wire. Then relocate the PCB to wherever your power distribution is.
Oh, I see. But that would be behind the Converter in the wall cavity that I can't get to anyway.
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