Unless you plan to connect your van to shore (external) power, use a generator, or keep your engine running for eight hours, having air conditioning overnight while sleeping in a van is next to impossible. The next best thing is installing a roof fan/vent. A gentle breeze moving through your van will make those hot summer nights a little more bearable. If you’ve done any research at all you already know that MaxxAir is the most popular brand of these roof fans, and while they make a few different models, I decided it was worth the slight price difference to purchase their flagship model. The MaxxAir Deluxe 7000K is bi-directional, has 10 speeds, comes with a remote, and is designed so that it can be used even when it’s raining.
It retails for just over $300 on Amazon, and requires installation.
The installation instructions included with MaxxAir’s MaxxFan Deluxe are deceptively brief — in fact, instructions for the actual install fit on a single page. The most obvious (and scariest) part of the installation is that you’ll need a 14″x14″ hole in the roof of your vehicle to install the fan. If you don’t already have one, you’re going to need to cut one. Drilling holes and using a jigsaw on the roof of a vehicle was a new experience for me, one that was both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. I made the rookie mistake of initially cutting the hole too small, as I was terrified of the consequences of cutting it too big. Some touch-up with an angle grinder made things right.
To make the installation water tight, I used a roll of Butyl tape and a tube of Laps Sealant. I also had to purchase new jigsaw blades for cutting metal, a package of step drill bits, and a metal file. Most of the tools I used, like a jigsaw and an angle grinder, I already owned. There’s a lot more to installing these fans than people think. At the end of this post, I’ll compile a list of everything I used during my install.
I filmed the entire installation experience and posted an edited version on YouTube. While the video is just over 35 minutes long, the actual installation took much longer for two reasons. The first reason was because of the Oklahoma summer heat. Because I don’t have a schedule or deadline for finishing the van, I simply refuse to work on it when it’s hotter than 100F. Because of this, my installation spanned a total of three days, working in the mid-morning and late evening when it wasn’t so blazing hot. Having installed one, if I had all the tools sitting in front of me, I could install another one of these fans in about two hours. That being said, I think if I had all the tools sitting in front of me, I could install one of these fans in about two hours. The other reason it took so long was because I was filming it for YouTube. I honestly had no idea how much work went into making those videos. Setting up the camera (phone) for every shot takes more time than you think.
One thing I noticed while re-watching the footage was how many times I measured and re-measured the same things. Everyone knows it’s wise to “measure twice and cut once,” but on video I caught myself measuring the same things five and six times. Cutting a hole in the roof of your vehicle, especially for the first time, is pretty nerve-wracking.
In my video on YouTube, I name dropped a fellow vanlifer named Linnea. Linnea has her own YouTube channel and made her own MaxxAir fan install video that I referenced multiple times when installing my own fan. I wanted to make sure she got credit, but because I shot my own video over multiple days and did multiple takes, I was never sure if I had mentioned her name or not. Cut to the final version and I think I shouted her out three times, which makes me sound like an old creeper, which was not my intention. Either way, Linnea’s video is really good and probably a much better installation guide than my own.
Speaking of videos, here’s mine. It’s long and not very good, but I had fun making it. Maybe someone down the road will find it useful. Nothing like watching a video of yourself reminds you to shave and lose weight. I really should stick to podcasting.
Finally, here is a list of all the tools I used to install the fan. If you have any questions, hit me up. You can do it!
MaxxAir MaxxFan Deluxe 7000K
Cardboard, straight edge, tape measure, Sharpie (for making template)
Ladder
Drill, drill bits, step drill bits
Jigsaw with metal-cutting blades
Angle grinder
Metal file
Spray paint primer
Butyl tape
Laps Sealant
Electrical tools (for wiring the fan up to power)