# Nicro Day-Night 2000 solar vent repair



## Groven

I previously posted this on another forum that doesn't show up on Google searches. Thought it might be more useful here. Unfortunately, no pictures of the process. I was impatient to get it fixed and re-installed.
_____________________

My boat has three Stainless Steel 3" Nicro Day/Night 2000 solar vents that are varying in age from 5-8 years. The batteries in all have been replaced more than once, but one stopped completely. A little testing with a multimeter identified the motor as dead. A call to Nicro confirms that replacement parts are not available; you can't even buy the plastic unit to salvage the dome on the SS models. Best part is these expensive units have been discontinued and the replacement requires installation of a whole new mounting ring system. Even the customer service rep was embarrased at the ridiculousness of not being able to repair the units.

Well, since they are $160+ (if you can find them in old stock somewhere) and I have three which are eventually going to all die, I was on a mission to figure out a way to repair it - and I did!

The key is two parts. One is a simple plastic sugar cookie sprinkle container and the other is a $9 solar motor (I purchased mine online from Sundance Solar - part # 700-60062-00). Repair is a simple process if you have basic soldering skills. 

1.) Remove the SS housing and cut out the old plastic motor housing at its base, leaving a 1/4" or so protruding (it doesn't have to be pretty and probably won't be.)
2.) Cut down the sugar sprinkle container (you need one that is approx 1 5/8" diameter) which will now EXACTLY fit over the 1/4" protrusion you left from the old motor housing. Just make sure to measure your cut so that your fan blade sits at the proper height in the housing
3.) Drill a 1/4" hole in the center of the twist off lid of the sugar sprinkle container
4.) Punch a small hole in the side of the sugar sprinkle container to feed the battery housing lines into.
5.) Solder in some 24 gauge wire extensions (I used old Cat 3 telephone cabling) to the solar motor and battery housing and solder the battery, motor and solar panel leads together as they were before disassembly. 
6.) Glue the new motor into the twist top of the solar motor 
7.) Glue the container down to the 1/4" protrusion (I used super glue for both)
8.) Apply some silicone to seal the hole where the battery wires enter the new motor housing
9.) Screw the new motor in place and watch it run again for less than 10% of the cost of a new one! 

Mine started right up with power from a 60 watt light bulb!

The best part is that if the new motor ever dies, I can simply unscrew the cap, break out the old motor, glue in a new one, solder it up and screw it back on.


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## heinzir

Good work!

I have just one old Nicro solar vent. It has the plastic cowl and is not the day/night version---no battery. The bearings in the motor are worn pretty badly. Sometimes it won't start unless I give it a spin, and then it growls. I wonder if your replacement solar motor would be a good replacement? Do you think I could add a nicad battery to convert it to a day/night version?


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## Trekka

_*WONDERFUL!*_

*Thank You!*

I also have a unit that has finally failed, and another that will. IMO the new "Day/Night Plus" units are not as rugged. I have had two of them fail w/in months while these two old units have run for at least a decade.

Another issue is that the old design snap fits in a Nicro deck ring. They can be taken out and the common Nicro plug cap put in. The new ones cannot be removed, though they have a slide up water shield if taking waves over them. But for offshore they are not safe as green water could rip the units off. Much better to have the old units which are taken out and the caps plugged in.


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## sander06

Good one, Skippy!!! My first thought when I saw the title to your forum entry was to trash the vent and get a new one. Calmer, more diligent minds have prevailed and yet another item on the boat is repaired and not bought new. Wonderful!


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## ianjory

*Thank You*

Thanks very much for this. Found a new one for $263, bought the motor for $8.95!
You're the best. Safe winds.


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## Toofani

*Nicro Day & Night 2000*

My Nicro has a working motor ( fan runs when a charged battery is connected ), but when I check the solar array ouput it is only a few millivolts.
Does anyone have ideas or experience on replacing the solar array ?

Toofani


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## DwayneSpeer

*Rebuilt mine!*

I too am one of many owners of older day/night vents like this and mine went TU about a year ago. Being too frugal to go right out and buy a new one I hesitated. Based on this thread I rebuilt mine too. The only difference is I used a piece of a 1 1/4 inch OD plastic sink drain pipe to fit the new motor. Just cut off a section about 1 1/4 inches long, split it along one side and stretch it to slid over the new motor. It then will slip in perfectly into the hole made where you cut off the old motor!

Thanks Groven! You saved me mucho dollars!


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## heinzir

I did replace the motor on my old unit with the one referenced here and it works great. As an experiment, I soldered wires to a rechargeable AA battery and connected it in parallel with the motor and the solar cell. Now the fan keeps running for several hours when the sun goes down!


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## ncstatesailor

*repairing a nicro day&night*

If I buy the $8.95 motor.... where could I find a replacement fan blade? I just bought my boat, and the fan was missing w/ the shaft all bent on the existing motor. Thanks!


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## Cal28

Groven said:


> I previously posted this on another forum that doesn't show up on Google searches. Thought it might be more useful here. Unfortunately, no pictures of the process. I was impatient to get it fixed and re-installed.
> _____________________


Thanks much ... 2 of these are on my list as equipment to purchase and install ...


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## Rb at c

I Just replaced one four year old unit that stopped working and installed three new Nicro solar fans . None of them work for longer than two minutes, even when given a flick start .
After several attempts to contact Marinco .(With no response to several emails, and three calls to their product service department ) they finally said I should replace the batteries. No change after installing new nicad rechargeable batteries.
Defender has offered a store credit .
The quality of the newer models is very poor ,with sloppy bearings and faulty units. I am using a recycled muffin fan connected to a solar panel These are not worth buying anymore.


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## sailingdog

Call Nicro...they'll probably just send you a fan blade set...



ncstatesailor said:


> If I buy the $8.95 motor.... where could I find a replacement fan blade? I just bought my boat, and the fan was missing w/ the shaft all bent on the existing motor. Thanks!


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## oceanscapt

Nice! I'm going to clip and save the repair procedure and get a couple fan motors as spares.


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## tmalcolm

Many Many Thanks! 

My boat also has one of the older units that just started getting temperamental. Now I can do a rebuild :thumb:

--Tim.


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## gsclayton

I just rebuilt my solar vent this evening with excellent results using this approach. A couple of refinements: 

First, if you carefully cut-off the original tube encasing the electric motor with a hacksaw right along the edge of the bottom of the tube (where the motor shaft exits, closest to the fan blade), you can maintain the original depth of the tube. Then all you need is to use is the top from a sugar sprinkle container, and not the container itself or any new tubing. I think a spice jar lid would work also. The lid slips right over the original tube and ultimately can be glued on at the end of the project. 

Second, when you drill the hole in the center of the lid, make it large enough so the shoulder on the motor where the shaft exits will fit down inside. A 1/4' drill worked perfectly for me. This way everything will sit flat when you glue the motor to the lid. 

Third, I used doorbell wire for the rewiring which was easier to solder and work with. Use a solder gun, not a torch.

Fourth, use one-minute epoxy to first glue the motor to the lid and then glue the lid over the original tube once the motor has set. 

As fixed, my vent fan is quieter and seems to run on less sun than before. The Sundance Solar motor, part # 700-60062-00, is still available for less than $9.00.


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## SlowButSteady

Before you get the Dremel and epoxy out, try a shot of WD40 or silicon lube. I had a 3" Nicro Day/Night vent "die" on me after making louder and louder noises for months. I simply changed the battery, gave it a spritz of WD40, and it's been running strong and quiet for over a year now.


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## deniseO30

Thought I'd bump up this older thread. Mine vent, sure as the others.. almost 2 years to the day it's not working. I'm going to try the WD-40 as suggested by slowbutsteady. 

What about an external battery pack? 2-4 of those little cells in parallel? would run longer on dark days and nights, no?


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## sailingdog

Denise—

I wouldn't use WD40, since it will get gummy. Use a dry film lubricant instead.


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## nickmerc

Instead of wiring multiple batteries together look online or at a battery store for a higher capacity battery of the same size and type. I did this for my 2000+ solar vent. I thought it would help the unit last more than 2 months. No such luck, but it did run longer during cloudy stretches before it died.
________


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## SlowButSteady

nickmerc said:


> Instead of wiring multiple batteries together look online or at a battery store for a higher capacity battery of the same size and type. I did this for my 2000+ solar vent. I thought it would help the unit last more than 2 months. No such luck, but it did run longer during cloudy stretches before it died.


When I replaced the battery in my vent I put in one with a much higher capacity, I think about 50% more mAH (but, without taking it apart again, I couldn't tell you the actual numbers). The rated capacity on small batteries varies quite a bit, and I'm sure that the good folks at Nicro don't put one in that are any bigger than absolutely necessary.

As to the lube used, WD40 just happens to be what I had on the boat that day. Something else might well work better; but, so far, so good.


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## deniseO30

SBS did the motor turn real slow and stop.. then when you start it turning again it slows down again and stops?


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## SlowButSteady

deniseO30 said:


> SBS did the motor turn real slow and stop.. then when you start it turning again it slows down again and stops?


That's sort of the way it acted before I spritzed it with WD40.

And, WD40 is a light lubricating oil in a solvent. The oil lubricates AND acts as a moisture barrier/dispersant, while the solvent helps to disperse the solution. One reason WD40 tends to work so well on previously lubed parts is that it helps clean the gunk and such away (via its solvent fraction) and leave a nice thin layer of lubricating oil.


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## KeokiMaui

Was anybody able to remove the bottom plastic section that surrounds the blade, prior to cutting the base of the motor enclosure? It looks like it was snapped into place. I don't want to break it while trying to pry it free.


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## KeokiMaui

*Repair requires vodka*

*Here is how I replaced my motor.* Using sundance solar's motor, and the cap from a bottle of Absolute vodka (or any good cap that is 1 3/8" dia).

Cut 3/8" off the top edge of motor housing with dremel cutting attachment:









Cut wires between battery and motor housing. Remove motor by grabbing the exposed edge with vicegrip pulling with a slight twist back and forth:









Cut grey and white wires close to soldered connection on motor:









Grind away most of plastic inside cap with dremel tool. Cut 1/4" hole in center. Seat motor in cap with silicone:









Solder battery and panel wires to motor:









Seat cap with motor inside motor housing with silicone:








...Bob's yer uncle


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## deniseO30

I replaced it! now I'll be able to fix the old one. Question, what rating/ spec of is the little resistor or diode? and would I get it at radio shack?


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## Rheath123

I was able to reuse the existing parts to repair the motor. I used a Dremel tool with a cut-off wheel. You need to use the non-reinforced small ones for clearance and cut the 
tube the motor sits in about half way down. You want to cut far enough towards the base to re-connect the wiring. Pull the top off (the part you cut away from the base. You will need to break the glue line that holds the old motor in. The new motor is slightly smaller in diameter than the old one. Center it into the part that you cut off and glue it in with a hot melt glue gun. Be sure to center the motor insure that the motor shaft does not rub the plastic which will cause drag on the motor. Now, place the motor tube on the base and solder the wires to the motor. I suggest you take the unit in the sun and confirm that you have hooked the motor up correctly. Reverse the wires if the motor runs backwards. Now use hot glue to attach the motor tube back onto the base. Build up a glue bead around the perimeter of the tube taking care to seal the glue joint so that no water can enter. Although hot glue isn't very strong it is good enough in this application and has the advantage that it can be disassembled should you need to replace the motor again. 

Ray 
SV Child's Play


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## SlowButSteady

I just noticed, it's been exactly one year since my most recent post to this thread (see above) and the Nicro vent on my boat is still quietly spinning away. Too bad SD isn't around anymore to tell us all how WD40 is no good.


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## davidh52

My first posting -- Hello everyone. I have the same problem -- my Nicro Day/Night has died. It will spin in the bright sunlight, but the battery will never charge (I have recently installed a fresh one of proper amperage). A fresh battery will run the motor well. So, I have a couple of questions: First, can a solar array die; it looks as if the motor works if it gets enough juice, so I wonder if this solar panel is dying. Second, if it is the motor that is requiring too much juice to run and is itself kaput, how in the world do get down into the motor housing to do the recommended surgery. In my unit, the clear plastic assembly appears firmly affixed to the white plastic cover. Can the clear plastic assembly be separated from the white plastic cover in order to do the necessary cutting in order to replace the motor? Thanks - David


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## Danny Duquette

Hi everybody,

I did'nt see anybody trying open the unit as it suppose to. I was looking for a long time and decide to open it from where I saw glue (kind of bubble surronding plastic arround solar panel). I confirme we can open it with help of a heatgun and exacto. You only have to heat the plastic (stop before it's burning) so the glue come a little soft and you can cut the glue with your exacto inch by inch. At the end you only have to remove the solar cell. Take care to not tear off the solar wire by removing the top. Now you could have acces to the motor as you want to remove it and change it 

Use silicone to seal around the solar cell when closing the unit when the job is finish.

--- 9$ solution ---
33.5mm x 22mm, 2mm shaft 
Model RF-500TB, 1.5 - 12.0v., No load = 2700speed, 0.02Amp, Max load = 2180speed, 0.084Amp., 0.26w 
Link 1 : Motor for Solar Projects - 1.5V to 12V DC
Link 2 : Shenzhen Kinmore Motor Co. Ltd >> DC Motor >> Model:RF-500TB

--- Seem to be the same as original motor but don't know where to buy ---
33.5mm x 33mm, 2mm shaft (similar RF-528 same size)
Model RK-528C-2495, 3 - 9v., No load = 6300speed, 0.165Amp, Max load = 5500speed, 0.450Amp., 1.12w 
Link 1 : RF-528 24v dc motor for cash registerand vending machine products, buy RF-528 24v dc motor for cash registerand vending machine products from alibaba.com


Click photo for full view


Click photo for full view

I hope this gona by useful for your reparation.

Danny Duquette 
Hull #708 - JessyMo


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## svHyLyte

For those of you that might be contemplating repairing a Nicro Solar Vent per Danny's information, above, heed his words about caution. I attempted to remove the cap of the plastic covering the Solar Panel as shown in his Photo. In so doing however, I cracked one of the Pie-Shaped panels and discovered that the wire connecting the panels to the motor had been broken--likely by me in my efforts. Finding a replacement solar panel of the right voltage and amperage to run the motor and charge a 1.2 v battery that fits into the available space is a serious pain in the neck.

I did find a replacement motor at a local hobby center that fit the available space in the motor housing and will run on .5 or more volts and I did find a solar panel that generates the necessary voltage but it does need direct sunlight to get the motor spinning as the amperage is too low with even modest shading to start the motor.

Done properly, however, Danny's repair will resurrect the vent--which in our case is the only one that will fit the available space in the overhead hatch without goofing up the handle.

FWIW I used Silicon to re-close the top of the assembly so that it can easily be opened again in the future for subsequent repairs and a better solar panel if I can find one.


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## hellosailor

Hylyte, there are some "ice box fans" that are small and often run on one D-cell battery, intended to circulate the air in an ice box. SInce those are using a low-power low-voltage motor, one of them might be a good donor source for replacement vent motors.

Using a _24-volt _motor as the other poster indicated, kinda doomed to failure from the start. Most of the 1.5-volt "toy" or "hobby" motors out there will have really cheap integral bearings, they're usually not designed for a long life.


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## Tim R.

There is a guy on ebay selling the original Nicro 2000 day/night OEM unit. Only problem is that it is the plastic version, not the SS. I do know someone who bought one from him and he is a reputable seller.

nicro 2000 | eBay


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## svHyLyte

hellosailor said:


> Hylyte, there are some "ice box fans" that are small and often run on one D-cell battery, intended to circulate the air in an ice box. SInce those are using a low-power low-voltage motor, one of them might be a good donor source for replacement vent motors.
> 
> Using a _24-volt _motor as the other poster indicated, kinda doomed to failure from the start. Most of the 1.5-volt "toy" or "hobby" motors out there will have really cheap integral bearings, they're usually not designed for a long life.


I'm sure you are correct about the motor but, considering that it was only a few dollars, it's worth a try. The Ice Box Fan is a good suggestion and I have just ordered one from Camping World for investigation but it runs off of two D-Cells and so may require 3 volts verses .5 volts. The one solar panel I have will generate 3 volts but very low amperage and it is the "starting power" that is the issue, not the voltage. We'll see.


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## deniseO30

In all my years of hvac, I never even guessed such a POS (piece of sh...) could exist at a cost over or near $100! Yes, I'm on my 2nd one! I may try and fix the first one, again, someday. 

They (solar vents) only move enough air to maybe keep mildew from growing when the boat is closed up in mild weather. Other then that, it's just a novelty imho  "Hey and see that?" It's a solar powered fan" *gloat gloat*  How many solar type vents would your boat need for it to have real ventilation? you don't want to know! (4 Xs the volume an hr)

Sailboat designers apparently don't or didn't consider ventilation vital to design or, discount it I guess; as a potential reason for sinking. Maybe newer boats ventilate better, but older boats are just ovens for baking people. I realize this is common to all boats with decks or and or cabins, not just sailboats

Oh! How I would love to get a chain saw and start cutting! Hinge the whole cabin top off my boat and so many others! (then watch a storm take it away):laugher

Another example of poor ventilation is your home bathroom. If it were vented properly you would not get steamed and wet walls. But, if it were vented properly your energy bills for heating and cooling would go way up. 

So, here we are, with to that close, blanket like feeling in our boats unless it's really nice and breezy outdoors. Nicro vents and those like them are not going to solve that. 

My solution to being comfortable in my boat... WAIT FOR COOLER WEATHER! 

A few facts about ventilation. 
Odors are gas like and not easily removed by any amount of air flow. 
humidity also will still move into a space that is ventilated. 
"air treatment" is the act of recirculating air, using filters, heat and cooling to make it healty or comfortable. Example; clean rooms for industry and medical. not your home although the HVAC trade tries. 

Was this was a rant?


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## hellosailor

denise, I wouldn't call them all POSes. After all, there are stainless and plastic and knock-offs out there as well. Stainless, if you've never enquired, is simply damned expensive to use for anything. Honest, ask for anything to be made up in stainless and you'll get quotes that make 24k gold seem outright cheap.

Chinese mass-stamped stainless....Yeah well I've got some cheap water tumblers stamped out in India, aside from having real sharp edges they serve a purpose at a clearance price. But to make up a solar vent, I think really only the guards over it need the strength of stainless, making the rest plastic has to be a HUGE cost saver.

Boat designers know how to vent a boat: Lots of bug dorade boxes. Damned silly landlubbers that come around buying boats, are just too dumb to buy 'em that way. Yeah, well....

Ever look at a modern building? "Every" architect knows that shades above the windows help keep it cool in the summer and reduce the cooling bill. Ever see a building equipped with them after WW2? Damned silly landlubbers. Again. (G)


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## SlowButSteady

The Nicro vent on my boat does exactly what I want it to: it keeps the interior air dry and thus the mildew to a minimum, and it provides just enough positive pressure to the cabin to keep the engine compartment and bilge odors from saturating the living areas of the boat when everything is closed up. When I open the boat after it has been closed for a week or two there is virtually no "old boat smell". That's why I installed it, and it does it's job.


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## deniseO30

It was just a rant.. the one on my boat has been running about a year now. 

Hellos yes, I've worked with a few Architects over the years. One builder I used to do hvac for only built passive solar homes. That 2ft overhang really works well.

http://www.marinco.com/product/daynight-plus-vent
"Moves 1,000 cubic feet of air/hour or 24,000 cubic feet of air/day
(4" model)" what's that around 16.6 cfm? Not much, the powder room fan in your house moves around 50 - 100 cfm depending on which one you have.

I've always loved turbulators as used on barn roofs.. but on a boat.. not so pretty  Dorade vents are nice and a "maybe someday" on my boat.


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## GaryHLucas

Let's see 4 pages of complaints about one product. You think there might actually be a market for one that actually lasts? How about if it was just repairable, screws not glue, parts available etc?

Gary H. Lucas


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## svHyLyte

*Short Lived Nicro Day-Night 2000 solar vent repair*

Well, HelloSailor's prediction concerning a cheap hobby-shop motor proved correct after only two daze. Worse, when I pulled the vent out of the hatch cover to check the state of charge of the Radio Shack rechargeable battery, I managed to drop the battery compartment cover which hit the deck and smartly bounced...over the side into the silt covered bottom of our marina. Repeated dives into the murk were not fruitful. So, if this Puppy can be repaired, it will be a "day only" vent tho' I'm about ready to chuck this whole effort!

N'any case, I recently saw a post for "Generic" 4 inch diameter Nicro solar vents (old style) and I am wondering if anyone knows if these have the same dimensions as the 3" vents other than the actual deck opening of course. (If so, I may be able to swap some of the parts) Any help on this will be greatly appreciated.


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## svHyLyte

After tearing apart our hatch cover assembly, modifying the hand, and finally getting the new version Solar Vent installed, yesterday morning my slip neighbor's diver banged on my hull and announced that he had found the battery compartment cover that had bounced over the side the other day. "How ever?" I asked. "Oh, just felt around in the silt for a moment or two and there is was." he responded. He declined payment but I gave him enough money for a case of beer anyway.

So, even though the new vent is in place a spinning away--and it does make a great difference in the temperature of the boat when we open her up--I am still working on reconstructing the old vent--just on GP's.

FWIW...


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## Akeela

Hi, interesting that so many have the same problem. I heated up the top and got the lid off with slight miscolouration of the lid edge, and found that the solar panel - of glass - had shattered, while the motor runs nicely on an 1.5 V AA battery. So I'll look up a new solar panel and glue / silicone the thing together again and attack the number two vent that seems to suffer from something similar. Mine are at least 10 - probably 20 - years old and I have no chance of finding spares, and I agree that the deck plate is desirable to avoid having the thing torn off in green water if ever. So the new ones seem to be designed only for protected waters too. Can't imagine they get a serious off-shore rating on those. By the way, the cost for steel tubes to protect these would make the investment in this dinky little toy phenomenal. It seems it is hard to avoid setting a foot on them from time to time. But there are other cheaper brands with at least 4 inch measure and chargeable slightly fat looking NiMh batteries of 300 mAh x 1.2 V. Those solar panels might fit into the same diameter as the top plastic cover. But pretty expensive solution.


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## svHyLyte

The difficulties I have had with rehabilitating our old Vent have been the inability to get any specs from Nicro so trying to guestimate what I need for a replacement solar panel and finding a suitable motor. The "hobby motor" I found that fit the vent did not hold up although that may have been a issue with the first replacement solar panel I used which I discovered, after the fact, generated more voltage than necessary. I was only looking at wattage rather than taking into account both voltage and amperage when I selected the panel and it turns out to have been a 3 volt panel but with lower amperage so the high voltage may have killed the first motor.

More recently I have found a replacement panel that puts out only 2 volts but 410 mA (see 2V 410mA 0.82W mini solar panel small solar panels charge small motor AA battery | eBay) which will just fit within the vent's enclosure and may be a better fit for the motor/battery. The motor suggested as a replacement in a prior post (see Motor for Solar Projects - 1.5V to 12V DC) supposedly uses 80 mA. Assuming 12 hours a day when the battery is running the vent either wholly or partially, that's roughly 960 mA hours of power. The rechargeable battery I have is 2000 mAH so it would be discharged to roughly 48%. Assuming my panel operates at an average 60% efficiency over a 12 hour period, the average power output would be about 246 mA. With 80 mA running the motor, I'm left with an average 166 mA to recharge the battery which should be enough to bring it back up to snuff in roughly 6-8 hours.

I have received the solar panel and am awaiting the delivery of the replacement motor. When that arrives I'll give this effort one more try. The unfortunate fact is, however, I really have no clue what the heck I'm doing so this is really a learning experience.

FWIW&#8230;

PS: Having looked at several possible replacements for the Nicro Vent, none seem to be even up to Nicro's offering.


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## Akeela

Hi again, thanks for useful info. I realise I typed 300 mAh, it should have been 3000. You are right about the mathematics, and maybe all those mA are not going into charging, depending on the motor. In my case the original motor seems OK and it works now. I saw a question in one of the posts about the little electronic components, and in the cheaper vent I used (to cannibalize to be able to retain my old NICRO with deck plates), I found two little things that read IN58!9MIC, which when checking on Google translates into 1 Amp Schottky Barrier Rectifiers, which I take is a great kind of diodes. In my case the solar panel gave about two volts (2.05 or so) and the diodes (connected in parallel between the panel's positive and the battery positive / motor positive) took off something like 0.15 or 0.2 volts i.e. the voltage on the user side was 1.8 volts. That is pretty much for the 1.2 volt battery but if it really turns out to be destroyed I can replace it yearly. Or simply remove it, after all the earlier setup did not even have a day and night function.

Regarding the quality of the cheaper ones, yes I agree; as I removed the panel etc of the cheaper one, the electrical wire connections came off by themselves, and the motor - probably essentially the same as the hobby one - was much harder to get to move with the panel, so I think the older one is still of better quality. I am curious, though, at the rating of the motor from Sundance, as it says 1.5 - 12 V and thus should not really have reacted to 3 V as overvoltage. I would be interested in trying the 0.5 - 3 V although it is small and weak, it takes 100 mA to start but runs without load on 50, on rather high revs. That is, if the data sheets are right. I do not know what the load is from those masses of cubic feet of air that is transported. Well well, apart from being an interesting experiment it might save a buck, when we do not have to patronize those expensive Marine Equipment Shops. Until next repair that is.

Hope to get to sail soon too... Rain here, hesitate to go out and get wet.


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## Akeela

Oops, me and typing, the Schottky diode should be IN5819MIC or 1N5819MIC, According to the website it is made by FCI Semiconductors. Good luck. I suppose it is easy to get those in a shopå for electronic components and solder on the lead, but it makes sense to first find out the voltage etc, to match motor and battery. Maybe they are only intended to prevent backcurrents, but they could also have a stabilizing function. I think I remember hearing about Schottky in connection with voltage regulation as well.


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## svHyLyte

Akeela--

The first replacement motor I used was from a local hobby-shop, not the motor from Sundance, and was only rated for 1.5 volts. Another member, HelloSailor, commented that he thought it would not be adequate for the task and it was not, although that may have been because of my lack of knowledge and having used a higher voltage, lower amperage panel. I have ordered the suggested motor from Sundance and hope that will be up to the task, at least for awhile. As for diodes, I did not see any in the original Nicro installation although they may have been integral to the panel itself. I have wondered about the need of a diode between the panel and the motor/battery to prevent bleed-back into the panel from the battery when that is powering the system but thought I would just try Nicro's apparent arrangement first. If the battery goes flat too quickly I may try again with a diode but I am concerned about losses through the thing as the panel I have seems to have less surface area than the original and so may put out less power overall.

At this point, this is just an experiment for my learning purposes.

FWIW...


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## svHyLyte

Well--I finally got the replacement motor from Sundance and lo-and-behold, it's the same motor I bought from the local hobby shop. I also discovered that the first motor did not fail but that I inadvertently disconnected the wire from the first solar panel to that motor, at the motor itself, when I disassembled the Vent for the second time. If I had realized that, I would not have had to replace the motor at all. It seems that the first repair probably would have worked but that the rechargeable battery I used had failed and shorted out the circuit from the solar panel (although that may have been due to too much voltage). In any case, the new, larger, solar panel should provide enough power at 2.1 volts to run the motor and recharge a 1.2 volt battery without destroying it. That the new panel develops more power (i.e. amperage) is evident by the fact that it will spin the fan even in shade so long as it's oriented toward reflected sun light while the first panel had to be in direct sun light to work at all. The new panel also came with a tiny diode which I installed to prevent the panel from discharging the battery over night.

Right now the vent is sitting on my back porch spinning away, where it will remain for a few daze just to ensure it will last awhile, before I reinstall it on the boat. It is amazing the one needs go through this much brain damage to effect a repair. Nicro does itself no favors in this manner.

FWIW...


----------



## hellosailor

Hylyte-
"In any case, the new, larger, solar panel should provide enough power at 2.1 volts to run the motor and recharge a 1.2 volt battery without destroying it. "
Wellll.... Overcharging it at 2.1 volts will indeed cause it to fail sooner rather than later. The exact voltage may matter less than the charging amperage does. Cells are designed to be charged somewhere between ~1 hour and 12+ hours, and the cells are built very differently to handle that. The common 600mA commercial cells are built very robustly, designed for a 10-hour charge at a rate around 80-90mA and about 1.5V.
Exceed the voltage OR the intended amperage, and you cook the cell. A gas vent opens, it steams out, dries out, dies young. Exceed the amperage bigtime, and it heats up and explodes rather dramatically. 
ODDS are, that if the amperage from your 2.1v solar panel does not exceed 1/10th of the amperage capacity of the battery, you'll get away with it for a good long time. Just saying, you might want to run the numbers to make sure the stuff will keep you happy for a while.
For example, a NiCd AA cell is rated 600mA for "commercial" commodity grade cells, but a premimum NiMh cell can be rated 2500mA these days. There's quite a range available, with a batch of subtle differences besides price. Same for bigger cells.


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## svHyLyte

hellosailor said:


> Hylyte-
> "In any case, the new, larger, solar panel should provide enough power at 2.1 volts to run the motor and recharge a 1.2 volt battery without destroying it. "
> Wellll.... Overcharging it at 2.1 volts will indeed cause it to fail sooner rather than later. The exact voltage may matter less than the charging amperage does. Cells are designed to be charged somewhere between ~1 hour and 12+ hours, and the cells are built very differently to handle that. The common 600mA commercial cells are built very robustly, designed for a 10-hour charge at a rate around 80-90mA and about 1.5V.
> Exceed the voltage OR the intended amperage, and you cook the cell. A gas vent opens, it steams out, dries out, dies young. Exceed the amperage bigtime, and it heats up and explodes rather dramatically.
> ODDS are, that if the amperage from your 2.1v solar panel does not exceed 1/10th of the amperage capacity of the battery, you'll get away with it for a good long time. Just saying, you might want to run the numbers to make sure the stuff will keep you happy for a while.
> For example, a NiCd AA cell is rated 600mA for "commercial" commodity grade cells, but a premimum NiMh cell can be rated 2500mA these days. There's quite a range available, with a batch of subtle differences besides price. Same for bigger cells.


The 1.2 volt NiCad batteries I have are rated at 2000mAh. I also happen to have 1.2v NiMh batteries rated at 3000 mAh. The standard commercial charger for the NiMh batteries (from Batteries Plus) seems to generate 1.52 volts which seems like a rather stunning number for a 1.2 volt/3000 mAh battery considering the charger on our boat seems to generate only about 14.6 volts to "bulk charge" our 450 Ahr 12v house bank. N'any case, from my earlier post;



> More recently I have found a replacement panel that puts out only 2 volts but 410 mA (see 2V 410mA 0.82W mini solar panel small solar panels charge small motor AA battery | eBay) which will just fit within the vent's enclosure and may be a better fit for the motor/battery. The motor suggested as a replacement in a prior post (see Motor for Solar Projects - 1.5V to 12V DC) supposedly uses 80 mA. Assuming 12 hours a day when the battery is running the vent either wholly or partially, that's roughly 960 mA hours of power. The rechargeable battery I have is 2000 mAH so it would be discharged to roughly 48%. Assuming my panel operates at an average 60% efficiency over a 12 hour period, the average power output would be about 246 mA. With 80 mA running the motor, I'm left with an average 166 mA to recharge the battery which should be enough to bring it back up to snuff in roughly 6-8 hours _(I hope)_


FWIW at this point the effort has become little more than a science experiment, we shall see. (FYI, after 24 hours, the vent is still whirling away.)

We shall see...


----------



## svHyLyte

*Closing Comment*

I have now been "burning in" our renovated vent for a week or so, and have tried both the NiCad and the NiMH batteries. The replacement motor seems to work efficiently and smoothly drawing a minimum of power from either of the batteries at night , each of which will run the fan for more than 48 hours--the extra running time coming--I think--from the installation of the diode in the positive line leading back to the replacement solar cell. The replacement solar panel seems to work reasonably well and will raise the voltage in the NiCad from 1.31 v at sun-up to 1.44+ v by the end of the day. The NiMH comes up to 1.39 v during the same (roughly) 12 hours. (By comparison, a fresh C-Cell measures-on my volt-meter-a bit more than 1.5 volts even tho' rated at 1.2 volts, so I don't know what constitutes a "fully charged" state for these size batteries.)

N'any case, with the foregoing, I am going to re-install the vent on the boat and see how long the thing lasts, and will use the NiCad battery initially as that seems to accept more charge. At roughly $14.00 each for the motor and replacement solar panel--which should last 10 years or so--the repair is certainly more cost effective than replacing the entire vent (at $160.00). We shall see.

FWIW...


----------



## svHyLyte

*Still Spinning*

For those contemplating the repair effort described in the previous posts in this Thread, after two months of ceaseless operation our renovated Vent continues to operate smoothly and quietly although seemingly spinning somewhat more slowly than the original when it was new (the fan blades are a bit less of a blur). Never-the-less, a "smoke test"--a puff of smoke discharged near the over-head in the vicinity of the vent--reveals that the air is quickly cleared as the vent discharges, so the vent is doing its job quite well enough to justify the $28.00 dollar repair.

FWIW...


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## RacheloftheBoatTramps

@Toofani: I had no problems with the motor on our vent, but the multimeter showed that the solar panel had gone south. I bought a new waterproof, 2V solar cell on ebay for about $8. I had originally intended just to mount it on the top of the old vent, ugly but functional. In the end, I was to fit the new cell inside the old vent after removing the old cell and doing a little work with a dremel tool. The fan works great during the day, but it's still not operating at night. I haven't reopened it to troubleshoot as I'm currently satisfied with it running for the day. I have too many other projects. I would say, yes, if you can solder, you can replace the solar cell for much less than the cost of a new fan.


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## hellosailor

Rachel-
I would guess your fan is not operating at night because there are two 1.25v cells in the battery pack, so it needs about 3 volts in order to charge them up. With one 2-volt cell, you can't charge the batteries and there's no power to run the fan at night. A 3-3.5v solar panel is probably optimum, a 4-volt probably would also work fine.


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## svHyLyte

For what its worth, the repairs to our vent described in my posts #42, and #46, preceding, continue to work well. Our vent spins away quite merrily during the day and continues all night and/or when there is a heavy overcast. It seems our battery is recharged enough to allow out vent to operate for about 40 hours without a good dose of sunlight. If Rachel's replacement panel is not working well for recharging, it may be that a diode is needed to prevent the back flow of power into the panel from the battery. A tiny little diode was included with our replacement panel and I did use it, which may explain our success to date. So far, the system seems to work.

FWIW...


----------



## hellosailor

Diode: YES! That would make a difference.


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## RacheloftheBoatTramps

@ hello sailor: Looking back at others' pictures, I believe the Nicro model I have is slightly different. It was powered by a single, rechargeable C battery. I assumed that a 2V solar panel would cut it for charging. I wouldn't rule out a simple, stupid mistake such as my putting the new battery in backwards. I was so excited that the solar cell was pushing the motor again, I wasn't paying much attention to the battery side of things. When I have a free afternoon, I'll crack it back open and have a look.


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## hellosailor

Rachel, if you've just got one cell (battery) in there, yes, 2v will do it and HyLyte's pointer to the diode would be the next thing to check. Of course it is also possible that an old battery is simply shot and won't hold a charge any longer. Easiest way for you to test that would be to let it charge during the day, disconnect it late in the afternoon, test the battery voltage, and then retest the next day or a couple of days later, to see if the battery holds that charge while not connected to the solar panel.


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## RacheloftheBoatTramps

I put a new battery in when I reassembled the fan. There is a diode in the circuit, and the new solar panel is connected to it in the same way as the last one. Assuming the diode isn't blown somehow, it should also be fine.


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## svHyLyte

RacheloftheBoatTramps said:


> I put a new battery in when I reassembled the fan. There is a diode in the circuit, and the new solar panel is connected to it in the same way as the last one. Assuming the diode isn't blown somehow, it should also be fine.


Rachael,

Based upon what you have described, I suspect that you may have adequate voltage but insufficient amperage out of the panel (or, the diode may be blown if you might have put your battery in backwards for awhile). The first panel I tried had plenty of voltage but did not produce the level of power needed to both drive the fan motor and recharge the battery. The replacement panel has much more power output and has worked well thus far for us.

FWIW...


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## svHyLyte

Well, another month has passed and our repaired Vent keeps going and going, day and night, fair weather and foul, so I guess one could pronounce our repair pretty good at this point.


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## Ritchard

I am grateful for this thread. It gave me the idea to refurbish my pair.

I've got my mine (brand unknown) all pulled apart, awaiting the opportunity o go the the electronics surplus to get some parts. I'd like to install batteries, but I am not sure what the voltage should be. I put the solar panel under a 60 watt bulb and got negligible voltage, I presume it actually wants to be in the sun. Frustratingly, both fanblades are the same. I'm gonna wire one motor backward.


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## Ritchard

Further to may last post (this should go in Low buck projects. In fact I wil post it there):

Last evening I was fiddling with my two solar vents, figuring out just what parts were going to be needed to repair them. I found that one solar cell was pretty well pooched, and one motor was quite noisy. I figured I could likely pick up these items at the big (and fun) electronics surplus shop. But I thought, maybe I can find what I need on eBay, save a trip and have them mailed.

I searched "round solar cell" and found this:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/390280296925?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_1061wt_1302










It's _exactly_ what I already have! Looking more closely, some previous owner had bought these inexpensive solar exhaust fans, painted them white, and installed them under a presumably already existing chrome trim ring. Now, this is me cheaping out a bit, not replacing them with some $150 "marine" unit, but the last set would have lasted at least 7 years for the previous owner. For $80 the pair shipped, I figure I am well ahead, even if they only last another 7 years.

I think I will take them apart and try to install a rechargeable lithium battery of some kind, I have to figure out the optimal voltage of these units. is there a trick I need to know, some circuitry involved in putting in a battery?

R


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## hellosailor

Very roughly? The picture looks like there are four cells in the package, which gives it a voltage of about 4 time 1/2 volt, or two volts total. A lithium battery typically is 3.7 volts and they tend to catch fire or explode when improperly charged, so aside from not having enough voltage to use one, you'd be safe having a plain NiMh or NiCad battery in there. 

Tricks in a battery? Sure, measure voltage and current, match with battery size, add a blocking diode so the battery doesn't discharge into the solar cells at night. Use a battery holder if you can, so it is easy to change when it goes.


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## Ritchard

So the diode acting as a valve is the only additional electronics needed? Cool. Don't know about a battery holder, it's pretty small inside the fan unit. The battery holder may be called "hot glue"


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## hellosailor

"The battery holder may be called "hot glue" "
Remember to use the _marine grade_ hot glue. (G)


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## svHyLyte

Well, another 2-1/2 months has passed and our repaired Vent keeps going and going, day and night, fair weather and foul, hot or unusually cold, so I guess one can still pronounce our repair as pretty good. For those interested see prior posts #42 and #46 as to our approach.

FWIW,,,


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## svHyLyte

svHyLyte said:


> ...August 20, 1012...
> 
> Right now the [rebuilt] vent is sitting on my back porch spinning away, where it will remain for a few daze just to ensure it will last awhile, before I reinstall it on the boat. It is amazing the one needs go through this much brain damage to effect a repair. Nicro does itself no favors in this manner.
> 
> FWIW...


It is now one year to the day since I reassembled my Nicro Solar Vent with a $14 USD hobby-shop motor, a $15 USD (or so) solar panel, and a $4 USD rechargeable NiCad battery from Radio Shack (as described earlier in posts #42 and #46) and set it running. Since then it has operated without cease, day and night, fair weather and foul, from below freezing temps to well over 100º F. Accordingly, I guess one can pronounce our repair a success, eh? With a little determination, one can repair these units for very little cost, particularly in comparison to the cost of a replacement.

Cheers!


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## JonnyQuest

Which fan blade do y'all use and why? It comes with intake and exhaust fan blades. What's the logic for one versus the other? I have the fresh air intake fan right now but an thinking of putting the exhaust fan on instead to help drew hot rising air out of cabin. What about y'all?


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## SlowButSteady

JonnyQuest said:


> Which fan blade do y'all use and why? It comes with intake and exhaust fan blades. What's the logic for one versus the other? I have the fresh air intake fan right now but an thinking of putting the exhaust fan on instead to help drew hot rising air out of cabin. What about y'all?


I usually leave the fan on my boat in the "intake" mode. This (in theory) creates a very slight pressure in the cabin, forcing the very slight diesel smell out of the cabin and back into the engine compartment, and keeping the Admiral happy. Seems to work.


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## svHyLyte

JonnyQuest said:


> Which fan blade do y'all use and why? It comes with intake and exhaust fan blades. What's the logic for one versus the other? I have the fresh air intake fan right now but an thinking of putting the exhaust fan on instead to help drew hot rising air out of cabin. What about y'all?


We use the solar vents to discharge warm/hot air as we have a sufficient number of passive vents to allow relatively cooler air into the boat. Our vent seems to work pretty well as we've never had a problem with mold or unpleasant odors on the boat.

FWIW...


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## svHyLyte

The other night, 15 months after our home-cooked refurbishment of our solar vent, we discovered it was not running once the sun set. I was surprised to think that the battery might have given up in such a short period but hoped that was the only issue. Upon opening the battery compartment the following morning, I discovered that some rust/corrosion had developed on the contact to the base of the battery and the base of the battery itself. Once this was remove with an Emory board "borrowed" from my wife's make-up kit, the vent resumed normal operation even with the solar panel covered. So, I recharged the battery over-night with a plug-in charger and reinstalled it in the vent, but this time coating the battery terminals and contacts with a little conductive grease to prevent further corrosion and we are back in business!

FWIW...


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## svHyLyte

Well--It has now been 18 months since making our home-cooked repair/upgrade to our Solar Vent (see Post #42) and, other than a slight burp caused by the formation of a little rust on a battery contact after 15 months that was easily corrected, as described above, our unit keeps on going and going and going. Not bad for a $28.00 repair and a whole lot less costly than a replacement. Next report in 6 months...

FWIW...


----------



## Mark Wyatt

Great thread.

I have 7 4" Nicro vents on my 36' sailboat. The ventilation is great when all are in place, with no leaks even in raging rainstorms and deck washdowns.. 2 are always in place inside protected cockpit cubbys, 12v powered from the boat's batteries; they are a different breed of cat, much more airflow. 5 are 4" SS Nicro deck plate vents. I bought them all in 1992. The "replace with a deck plate feature" is critical, because sheets and guys catch on them, people step on them in rough weather and when submerged they allow green water entry, and three are at deck level (not on the doghouse), so they are replaced with the deckplates when underway.

I had one die (motor?) around 2005 and replaced it with a new one. I can't believe Marinco has discontinued the model. Anyway, I only run them in winter when it rains in San Diego, switching to Nicro Dorade vents in summer which fit into the 4" deckplates in the dry season and are not rainproof but provide fantastic ventilation.

Some thoughts: All my ventilators have become really noisy as the years have passed, and lubrication does not fix the problem. But they're still spinning, so I consider the noise comforting. Clearly bearings that are failing. After learning Marinco (Nicro) is not supporting the vents, this thread is really interesting. 

So I'll add my 2 cents. Blocking diodes reduce panel voltage when sunlit and the back leakage is negligible at night (or for weeks), a waste of components. Solar cells and motor should be carefully matched so it all works out. The original units came with NiCad batteries; as they failed, replacement NiMH batteries are much better. After running the vents for 8 months when switching I left the vents face down on a bunk and they spinned for forty hours. 

So the original Nicro 4" SS deck vents are fabulously good things and I am sad Marinco decided to no longer support them. 

Anyhoo, glad to read there's ways to keep them running; I spent $1400 for seven of them years ago and now the company has crapped on us and we're on our own.


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## svHyLyte

Well--It is now 5 days shy of 2 years since making our home-cooked repair/upgrade to our Solar Vent (see Post #42) and, other than a slight burp caused by the formation of a little rust on a battery contact after 15 months that was easily corrected, as described in an earlier update, our unit keeps on going and going and going. Again, not bad for a $28.00 repair and a whole lot less costly than a replacement. Next and final report in 6 months...

FWIW...


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## AndreNJ1

All,
I did not read all the pages of this thread so I apologize if this has been previously reported. I have had many of these over the years and Marinco has been good about replacing them. They tend to last about two years. But after several replacements I decided to try the 3rd party solar motor repair discussed elsewhere on this site and ordered two. But after they arrived, I find their diameter is smaller than the original motor and more problematic the spindle is shorter which makes attaching the fan a problem. So, I called Marinco tech support and asked if they sell just the motors. 

As of January 2015, they are selling a re-build kit for the Day-Night solar vent (i have the 4") for $25.00. I received it and installed it. It is great. All you have to do is de-solder the old motor and solder in the new motor. Perfect fit, original spec equipment. You get a new motor, new switch, two new fans, and a new bug screen and a new gasket and screws. 

Back to running silently now. Will install it in the spring.

If I think of it I will report back at the end of this summer 2015 to report if it is still running.


----------



## svHyLyte

*Nicro Day-Night 2000 solar vent repair-Final Report*

Well--It is now 2-1/2 years since making our home-cooked repair/upgrade to our Day-Night Solar Vent (see Post #42) and, as previously reported, other than a slight burp caused by the formation of a little rust on a battery contact after 15 months, our unit keeps on going and going and going, day and night and is now merrily spinning away. Not bad for a $28.00 repair and a whole lot less costly than a replacement. With this I will discontinue reports until when/if the unit fails. (For that eventuality, we have a second spare motor and solar panel stashed together in a vacuum pack bag in our spares locker tho' I'm guessing it will be awhile before we need it.)

FWIW...


----------



## travlin-easy

I ended up replacing my fans with 72-mm computer fans. They run day and night, very quiet, very high volume of air, and they cost less than $7 from Amazon. I power them from my house batteries and they draw just .041 amps, which is nothing. Additionally, the one I placed the head has 4 tiny, blue LED lights, which make a great night light, yet provide sufficient light to see what you are doing.

Gary


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## GregR

Maybe my model is newer than yours, but I removed the battery, used needle nose pliers to gently slide the two battery terminals out, unscrewed the switch cap & pulled the switch clear of the housing which reveals a small stainless Phillips-head screw. Once the screw is out, the motor slides out nicely.
Now just need a new motor or repair this one.


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## miatapaul

I love this thread, it just keeps on going and going. This thread is why you should not close old threads.


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## cheoah

I'm just remembering I sent one back a couple years ago now and haven't heard back. I haven't had good luck with these, I don't consider them a quality product. A good idea, some good elements, but battery changes and corrosion issues or whatever with the battery ain't it. The little panel is junk I think, so I've been disappointed with them overall. I'm also pretty bummed they never replaced the other one under warranty and I should not have to babysit a process like that with an organized company with good customer service. I'm annoyed that I'll never see that $hit again, because they couldn't handle a basic warranty process. But I bet they stay busy with these things, with the amount they sell, and some of the inferior components. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## asdf38

I keep almost pulling the trigger on these vents but always hesitate at the last moment as I'm reading reviews. It's good to know there is a viable refurb option because reliability seems to be an issue.

The other reason I hesitate to pull the trigger is that I planned out a permanently wired solution which I also routinely contemplate before also pulling back and thinking "is the the most important thing to spend time on?".

Anyway, my plan is to use a low power high quality 12V computer case fan. After doing some digging I settled on this:
8412NLE which draws only 0.3W and moves 20CFM (more than the nicro quoted 1000CF per hour). The 0.3W is very little and easy even for my tiny 15W solar to keep up with.

I'd combine this with an undervoltage-detection circuit (I'm an EE) and wire it into an always-on circuit in the boat (I'd pull from the bilge pump).

I'd build it into a teak frame which would mount under the existing mushroom vent.

Note how this is all the the future tense? Anyway, I thought I'd share the plan in-case someone is more productive than me. High quality and easy to source 12V fans are easy to find. In a boat with more solar you could move significantly more air with a higher power fan.


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## svHyLyte

*Re: Nicro Day-Night 2000 solar vent repair-Final Report*



svHyLyte said:


> Well--It is now 2-1/2 years since making our home-cooked repair/upgrade to our Day-Night Solar Vent (see Post #42) and, as previously reported, other than a slight burp caused by the formation of a little rust on a battery contact after 15 months, our unit keeps on going and going and going, day and night and is now merrily spinning away. Not bad for a $28.00 repair and a whole lot less costly than a replacement. With this I will discontinue reports until when/if the unit fails. (For that eventuality, we have a second spare motor and solar panel stashed together in a vacuum pack bag in our spares locker tho' I'm guessing it will be awhile before we need it.)
> 
> FWIW...


Well--Today marks the 3rd Anniversary of my $28.00 home cooked repair to our Nicro Solar Vent and it sits above me as I type, whirling away, discharging warm/hot air under the coachroof into a very hot humid SW Florida morning. At this point the unit has lasted about half the life of the original motor and solar panels and yet is operating as well as, or better, than the original equipment. I guess we got a money's worth on the repair, eh?

FWIW...


----------



## svHyLyte

Well--almost 40 months to the day, my home cooked repair finally gave up the ghost, sometime between Jan 11th and 15th. A postmortem revealed that the hobby-shop motor I used had finally died. Since it is in a sealed nylon case, I cannot tell how but, removed from the vent with power applied directly, it will not run so something internal gave out. By comparison, the solar panel still generates 2.2 volts so that was not a problem. The good news is that the motors are only $15.00 and are easily replaced. So we shall be back in business with a new motor and new 2000 mAh rechargable NiCad tomorrow. If I must spend $15.00 to keep this device functioning for 40 months at a time, that's a fair trade-off compared to the cost of replacing the entire unit, No?

Another report to follow once the new motor is installed.


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## CapnRon47

SV!
Happy New Year. I have repaired both of my Nicro solar vents using your suggestions (they are both going on 7 years old). One is running fine, they other one was giving me fits with intermittent shutdowns. I finally bit the bullet and stripped the coating off of the back of the solar cell looking for problems. What I found was that one of the wires that interconnects the 4 panels (they are bare wires under the clear coating) was shorting against the base of the silicon. I wedged a very thin piece of plastic between the wire and the silicon, re-coated it with silicone and it is back up and running (so far for a few days anyway).

thanks for all your input and helpful ideas.

Ron


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## svHyLyte

*Nicro Day-Night 2000 solar vent repair; A Setback*

Humm... It seems my re-repair of our vent will be delayed. Much to my surprise the hobby shop where I purchased the first replacement drive motor (later replaced by the same motor purchased from Sundance Solar) has gone out of business. As, it turns out, have the few competing hobby shops in the area. Upon inquiry at an adjoining business I learned that the shop had closed some while ago because the owners "couldn't compete" with internet sellers. I have, of course, gone back to Sundance Solar and ordered two of the motors (one as a spare) for about what I paid for one at the local hobby shop although--with shipping charges--my cost ends up being just about the same save for the 6.5% sales tax not collected by the internet seller. Frankly, if his is "progress", I'll pass...

More later...


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## mbianka

*Re: Nicro Day-Night 2000 solar vent repair; A Setback*



svHyLyte said:


> Humm... It seems my re-repair of our vent will be delayed. Much to my surprise the hobby shop where I purchased the first replacement drive motor (later replaced by the same motor purchased from Sundance Solar) has gone out of business. As, it turns out, have the few competing hobby shops in the area. Upon inquiry at an adjoining business I learned that the shop had closed some while ago because the owners "couldn't compete" with internet sellers. I have, of course, gone back to Sundance Solar and ordered two of the motors (one as a spare) for about what I paid for one at the local hobby shop although--with shipping charges--my cost ends up being just about the same save for the 6.5% sales tax not collected by the internet seller. Frankly, if his is "progress", I'll pass...
> 
> More later...


Glad you posted about your fan repair. I've got two solar fans that need to be repaired. I'll be putting them on the winter repair list.


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## svHyLyte

*Re: Nicro Day-Night 2000 solar vent repair; A Setback*



svHyLyte said:


> Humm... It seems my re-repair of our vent will be delayed. Much to my surprise the hobby shop where I purchased the first replacement drive motor (later replaced by the same motor purchased from Sundance Solar) has gone out of business. As, it turns out, have the few competing hobby shops in the area. Upon inquiry at an adjoining business I learned that the shop had closed some while ago because the owners "couldn't compete" with internet sellers. I have, of course, gone back to Sundance Solar and ordered two of the motors (one as a spare) for about what I paid for one at the local hobby shop although--with shipping charges--my cost ends up being just about the same save for the 6.5% sales tax not collected by the internet seller. Frankly, if his is "progress", I'll pass...
> 
> More later...


Well, my re-repaired Solar Vent has been sitting on my work bench since last evening, whirling away with one of the replacement motors from Sundance Solar like a dervish. This motor replacement went much more quickly than the original repair given my prior experience. The most problematical aspect (at least for me) was the process of soldering the tiny little wires from the solar panel to the tiny little posts on the motor, given my deteriorating vision (which also makes taking a round of sights a pain in the neck!). Never-the-less, the job is done. Based upon the longevity of the prior repair, I estimate the motors are good for about 29,200 hours of running time (40 months continuous) so I shouldn't have to repeat this exercise until late 2019, assuming I'm still around at that time myself.

One thing I have noticed is that the new motor does not respond quite as readily to power from the solar panel generated by reflected sunlight (vs. direct) as did the original. I suspect this is not a property of the motor itself but of some deterioration of the performance of the solar panel which the maker claims will have a service life of "...10 to 20 years". Given the environmental conditions the solar panel must endure--even under a clear cover--I suspect it may be loosing capacity rather more quickly than the maker's estimate. (To be one the safe side, I have ordered another of the solar panels while they are still available to keep with the extra drive motor in our spares kit)

N'any case, more reports to follow in due course....


----------



## svHyLyte

Well, it's been a week since I reinstalled our re-repaired Solar Vent and the device continues to spin away faithfully despite the fact that the weather has largely been overcast and crappy. So, the $8.95 replacement motor seems to have done the trick. I'll report back at the earlier of the device failing to work or six months (unless of course I meet my own demise in the interim, eh?).

FWIW...


----------



## svHyLyte

svHyLyte said:


> Well, it's been a week since I reinstalled our re-repaired Solar Vent and the device continues to spin away faithfully despite the fact that the weather has largely been overcast and crappy. So, the $8.95 replacement motor seems to have done the trick. I'll report back at the earlier of the device failing to work or six months (unless of course I meet my own demise in the interim, eh?).
> 
> FWIW...


So... At this point we're a few daze over six months since my re-repair of our 1980's era Solar Vent with a new $8.95 motor and the little beggar continues to spin away merrily blowing hot air out of the boat. I guess if I must spend $8.95 every 40 months or so to keep it going, that's not such a bad deal eh?

Next report next January or so!

Cheers!


----------



## travlin-easy

My two year old Nicro vent gave up the ghost a few days ago, so tomorrow I'll go to the boat and remove it and try to make some needed repairs. Think I'll probably end up replacing the fan with a computer fan, and wiring it to the house batteries though a wall switch in the head. 

Gary


----------



## svHyLyte

travlin-easy said:


> My two year old Nicro vent gave up the ghost a few days ago, so tomorrow I'll go to the boat and remove it and try to make some needed repairs. Think I'll probably end up replacing the fan with a computer fan, and wiring it to the house batteries though a wall switch in the head.
> 
> Gary


Gary--

It might just be the battery. Before anything else, get a meter on the battery posts (without the battery of course) and see if your panel is still putting out amps. If so, and a recharge of the battery on your bench at home (or a new battery) doesn't revive the thing, Nicro sells a replacement motor for the new style vents and it's an easy swap.

FWIW...


----------



## travlin-easy

Ironically, when I went to the boat today, I pulled off the fan blade and sprayed some WD-40 on the shaft gave it a twist, and it began spinning. I put the fan blade back on and it was still running when I left two hours later, so maybe it's OK. Keeping my fingers crossed. Oh, and this is one of the ones that WM sold that had a totally enclosed battery compartment. If it does again, I may have to open the battery compartment with my Dremel tool . 

Gary


----------



## jason357

Was at my local Lowes. 3v motor looks exactly like the one I just ordered from Sundance solar. In hardware with special nuts and bolts. $4.38


----------



## svHyLyte

jason357 said:


> Was at my local Lowes. 3v motor looks exactly like the one I just ordered from Sundance solar. In hardware with special nuts and bolts. $4.38


Gee Jason, that's a find. I'm going by Lowes later today and will definitely take a look. After going through all of my re-re-re-repairs having a few more inexpensive spares will be worth it. I'll report back if I find the same at our local store.


----------



## travlin-easy

Shop The Hillman Group 3-Volt Electric Motor at Lowes.com


----------



## Damien360

Hi,

It's easy to fix a solarvent. You need to :
- Change the motor (you can buy for cheap in china)
- Balance the prop, or you'll break your motor again in few months

I've made a video to detail this :


----------



## svHyLyte

svHyLyte said:


> So... At this point we're a few daze over six months since my re-repair of our 1980's era Solar Vent with a new $8.95 motor and the little beggar continues to spin away merrily blowing hot air out of the boat. I guess if I must spend $8.95 every 40 months or so to keep it going, that's not such a bad deal eh?
> 
> Next report next January or so!
> 
> Cheers!


Well just shy of 6 months since my last report and 12 months since my last re-repair and our Solar Vent has continued to spin away all the while, without cease, venting warm air from above our galley. I'm guessing that although our rechargeable battery may sooner need replacement, the vent itself will continue to work for another 28-30 months, living up to the life-span of the last re-repair. We'll see, eh?

FWIW...


----------



## svHyLyte

Well... Another 6 months has passed and our re-repaired Nicro Solar vent just keeps going and going. We just returned from a cruise to the Keys during which we had incredibly crappy weather and little sun and I though the vent might give out in the conditions but, somewhat to my surprise, it just kept going and going. Evidently, even a little sun-light even if filtered through cloud cover, is enough to keep the battery sufficiently charged. So... until next winter I guess...

FWIW...


----------



## eherlihy

I have two of these vents. Ons has stopped working, and I believe it is the solar panel. You have given me the inspiration to remove and replace the panel. Which is the recommended solar panel for replacement?


----------



## svHyLyte

eherlihy said:


> I have two of these vents. Ons has stopped working, and I believe it is the solar panel. You have given me the inspiration to remove and replace the panel. Which is the recommended solar panel for replacement?


If your panels are dead they can be replaced. Note, however, it is more likely that the motor has failed as they are only good for about 20,000 hours. The replacement motors are reasonably easy to install however (see earlier posts in this thread). Use a multi-meter on the battery compartment contacts to see if the original panels are putting out any amps. In my case, I replaced the motor and the very weak solar panels. For that I used a 2 volt 410mA panel I obtained from eBay (see my post #42) which is somewhat better than the original panels used by Nicro. That panel just fit under the plastic cover of the vent with a little sanding of the panel corners. The panel I purchased no longer seems to be available but there are several other vendors with similarly rated panels, e.g. LU Solar. Just Google 2v 410mA Solar Panel. It is important to use a diode to prevent the panel discharging the battery after dark. In our case, the needed diode came with the panel.

Disassembling the vents can be something of a pain in the neck. One of the very early posts in this thread provides very good instruction. Just be patient.

Good luck...


----------



## eherlihy

Thanks for the pointer to the panel. 

:rant
However, I will no longer order anything small from eBay, as I was recently screwed by PayPal. I realize that they are no longer the same company, but you can't buy small stuff from eBay without using PayPal. I also told my financial advisor to completely divest my portfolio from all PayPal holdings. Note that in the PayPal user agreement you contractually agree to accept PayPal as the equivalent of all other currency (HA!), and not to disparage PayPal in any way.

Lest you think that I am the problem, my eBay user rating is still 100% 
:/rant

Hopefully, I will find something similar from Amazon.


----------



## svHyLyte

eherlihy said:


> Thanks for the pointer to the panel.
> 
> :rant
> However, I will no longer order anything small from eBay, as I was recently screwed by PayPal. I realize that they are no longer the same company, but you can't buy small stuff from eBay without using PayPal. I also told my financial advisor to completely divest my portfolio from all PayPal holdings. Note that in the PayPal user agreement you contractually agree to accept PayPal as the equivalent of all other currency (HA!), and not to disparage PayPal in any way.
> 
> Lest you think that I am the problem, my eBay user rating is still 100%
> :/rant
> 
> Hopefully, I will find something similar from Amazon.


Note that the Link I gave you in my prior post was not to an eBay Seller but to a direct vendor. Note too that in the earlier threads, there is a link to the vendor of the replacement motors I have used, also not on eBay. N'any case, good luck with your efforts. The repairs are somewhat tedious but not difficult and do work reasonably well.

Cheers...


----------



## svHyLyte

svHyLyte said:


> Well... Another 6 months has passed and our re-repaired Nicro Solar vent just keeps going and going. We just returned from a cruise to the Keys during which we had incredibly crappy weather and little sun and I though the vent might give out in the conditions but, somewhat to my surprise, it just kept going and going. Evidently, even a little sun-light even if filtered through cloud cover, is enough to keep the battery sufficiently charged. So... until next winter I guess...
> 
> FWIW...


So..its now a few daze shy of two years since my last re-repair of our Solar Vent and the thing keeps going and going. It has been running non-stop, day and night, the entire time and I'm beginning to think I may give out before the vent does at the current rate, particularly so given the cold we're enduring! (I know those up north are suffering far colder conditions but to an acclimatized "Floridian", 38º is, for all intents, "freezing!".) So, until next summer...


----------



## hydroid

I've had so many issues with these things and have followed the advice here but the batteries in both of the fans don't seem to be charging. They work when i manually spin the fans in sunlight. Does anyone have a link to batteries that have worked?
My electrical knowledge is very minimal. That said, I somehow lost the resistor that came with one of the nicros. What was the purpose of that? Also I do not have the diode mentioned so maybe the power is being sucked out...where do i get one? and which was do i solder it? It's been a never ending mission to make these things work.
Also is it possible to get the fans anywhere besides the nicro repair kit? I broke one of the tabs on one.
thank you.


----------



## svHyLyte

hydroid said:


> I've had so many issues with these things and have followed the advice here but the batteries in both of the fans don't seem to be charging. They work when i manually spin the fans in sunlight. Does anyone have a link to batteries that have worked?
> My electrical knowledge is very minimal. That said, I somehow lost the resistor that came with one of the nicros. What was the purpose of that? Also I do not have the diode mentioned so maybe the power is being sucked out...where do i get one? and which was do i solder it? It's been a never ending mission to make these things work.
> Also is it possible to get the fans anywhere besides the nicro repair kit? I broke one of the tabs on one.
> thank you.


By saying "They work when i _(sic)_ manually spin the fans in sunlight." do you mean that once you get the fans going manually, they will continue to run so long as there's sunlight? If so, the power from the solar panels is enough to spin the motor once the start-up has been initiated although, in an older motor, starting the fan can be problematic due to wear, friction, etc.

If you can, try checking the voltage out of the solar panels to ensure they're working properly (ensure that the contacts are clean and free of rust or corrosion before doing so!). If they are original Nicro panels and are quite old they may not be putting out sufficient voltage to overcome the start-up friction in the fan motor or charge the batteries when the motor is running in which case you'll have to replace the panels although that's not that difficult.

My earlier reference to a (blocking) diode was made in connection with the replacement solar panels. The Nicro panels are already fitted with one so that's not an issue unless they've gone bad. Lastly, ensure that the batteries are up-to-snuff and, of course mounted in the holder in the proper orientation/polarity. A fresh, fully charged battery should easily spin up the fan motor and keep it going for about 39-40 hours before giving out. If a fresh battery doesn't start the fan, you'll have to replace the motor but that's not too difficult (refer to some of the earlier posts for information). The replacement motors are (or were) about $8.00 and, in our case, have lasted 30K-40K hours.

The necessary repairs-all described earlier in this thread-are not difficult, merely tedious. Most anyone can handle the problem with a little patent effort.

FWIW...


----------



## hydroid

Thank you for this. Someone needs to make a "Best Of" from this thread.

#1 Fan -New panel (didnt know to opt for diode), new motor, new battery which doesnt seem to hold a charge. (was cheap chinese battery and indented terminals probably not making good contact anyway. lack of diode also could the issue?

#2 Fan -Motor is shot I believe (loud sound). New battery will not charge or start motor. Rest of components are old but solar is putting out sufficient mA.

I'm placing an order from sundance for two AccuPower 3000mAh NiMH batteries, two motors, diode, backup panel with wires and diode. Only $40 which is same price for a single rebuild kit from nicro. why are the replacement C batteries 25$ from nicro?
This is longest lasting project I've dealt with.

To be continued...


----------



## svHyLyte

Well, it is now about 2-1/2 years since my last re-repair of our Solar Vent and the thing is still whirling away, day and night, without fail. One thing I have noticed is the build-up of yellow discoloration on the exterior surface of the plastic cover over the solar panel, similar to the discoloration one sometimes sees in older plastic headlight lenses. The last time I saw this I treated it with Meguiar's PlastX which somewhat worked. Since then, however, a local mechanic told me that that he'd found using "Deep Woods Off" on a paper towel worked as well or better than any of the plastic cleaner/polishers which could be used for a final "polishing" after a Deep Woods treatment. I tried the stuff on an old plastic lens and found that it performed much better than the cleaner/polishers alone so I will be giving our Vent cover a treatment later today--once its in the shade and cooled down a bit--to see. I will report back on that.

N'any case, based on our earlier experience, I expect the Vent to continue working for another 10 months or so but who knows. Maybe more...or less. We'll see eh? (At least this time I'm prepared for the re-re-repair when needed!)

FWIW...


----------



## hydroid

Thanks for the update; you must have done something right. After rebuilding two of them again with new motors and batteries they worked for about two weeks then died again. ug


----------



## svHyLyte

Well--Another 6 months or so has passed since my last report and our Solar Vent keeps going'n going, now about 3 years since my last re-repair. The fan does seem to have slowed somewhat but I suspect that may be a function of the aging of the rechargable battery which I shall finally replace after the first of the new year. At three yers it's done its duty, no? (FWIW I replace all the batteries in all the battery power devices on the boat, save the Solar Vent battery, semi-annually, on or about the first of January and the first of July--or sooner if need be--to ensure that everything works without fail as, when and if needed and to avoid the possibility that a battery might deteriorate and damage the gear during intervals of disuse/storage.)

N'any case, I shall provide another up-date in six months or so, or, sooner if the Vent gives out (my original repair lasted about 40 months!). We'll see, eh?

FWIW...


----------



## mbianka

svHyLyte said:


> Well--Another 6 months or so has passed since my last report and our Solar Vent keeps going'n going, now about 3 years since my last re-repair. The fan does seem to have slowed somewhat but I suspect that may be a function of the aging of the rechargable battery which I shall finally replace after the first of the new year. At three yers it's done its duty, no? (FWIW I replace all the batteries in all the battery power devices on the boat, save the Solar Vent battery, semi-annually, on or about the first of January and the first of July--or sooner if need be--to ensure that everything works without fail as, when and if needed and to avoid the possibility that a battery might deteriorate and damage the gear during intervals of disuse/storage.)
> 
> N'any case, I shall provide another up-date in six months or so, or, sooner if the Vent gives out (my original repair lasted about 40 months!). We'll see, eh?
> 
> FWIW...


Thanks for the update. It's also a reminder to me that I need to repair my solar fans. I've got the motors you mentioned but, they are still sitting in my project box. Perhaps I'll get around to it this spring or summer or...


----------



## svHyLyte

Well, another 6 months has passed and our re-repaired Solar Vent keeps running and running, now 42 months since my last re-repair. This is two months longer than my first repair, which lasted for 40 months and the device shows no sign of failing (yet!). I did note some slowing in the fan last December but I attribute that to the relatively shorter day-light hours for recharging the battery during the winter months; and, to some "fogging" of the clear plastic lens over the solar panel. (That I was able to clean up with a wipe down with a cloth sprayed with Deep Woods Off followed with a polish with McGuier's PlastX cleaner/polish. I was told about the Deep Woods Off trick by a mechanic when I was looking for something to clean the plastic lenses on my aging automobile and the stuff really works.)

N'any case, I shall file another report on my re-repair on the earlier of the Vent's failure or 6 months (assuming, of course, that I last that long myself given my own aging!)

FWIW...


----------



## svHyLyte

Well--With some disappointment but no surprise I discovered our vent had finally stopped working sometime between late Tuesday afternoon (the 19th) and yesterday AM (the 21st). So, it will have run continuously without fail for one month shy of 4 years. While it might just be the battery, and I will try replacing that, I suspect it's the motor. If so, I might be able to resurrect it for a short while longer with a good blast of circuit cleaner and a little SailKote lube, and may try that, but it's more likely that another motor swap is in order (fortunately I have a spare in the Parts Locker). In either case, I shall report back shortly.

FWIW...


----------



## eherlihy

Thanks for the continued updates. I found that the wires and the connections between them and other components had to be re-soldered three years ago. I only use the vents in the winter, and I have removed the Ni-metal hydride batteries, so my use is not really comparable to yours.


----------



## Tuna Driver

My Nicro also failed, and not the first one. I took the guts out and fitted a cheap USB fan in the bore. This goes to a small solar panel on deck. I ditched the battery part when it was pointed out to me that our local nights are far more moist than the days. Why would I want to circulate wet air at night? The cheap fan is far better constructed than that poor excuse for a motor in the original. It also moves a lot more air. So far so good. It has even dried racing sails in a day or two that were put away hastily. Hogging out the bore to fit the slightly lager fan blades was the hardest part of the job. Some time ago, I also replaced the slip in part with a screw in so the deck plate is sealed a little better. The fan is always removed for racing. Did the OP's motor replacement, but it only lasted a couple of years. Still better than Nicro.


----------



## svHyLyte

svHyLyte said:


> Well--With some disappointment but no surprise I discovered our vent had finally stopped working sometime between late Tuesday afternoon (the 19th) and yesterday AM (the 21st). So, it will have run continuously without fail for one month shy of 4 years. While it might just be the battery, and I will try replacing that, I suspect it's the motor. If so, I might be able to resurrect it for a short while longer with a good blast of circuit cleaner and a little SailKote lube, and may try that, but it's more likely that another motor swap is in order (fortunately I have a spare in the Parts Locker). In either case, I shall report back shortly.
> 
> FWIW...


With regard to the foregoing, I am happy to report that the failure of our re-repaired vent after 47 months involved nothing more than a very dead/deteriorated Radio Shack NiCad battery. Once that was out of the vent and the vent placed in the sun, the fan spun up and whirled away quite merrily. Since I had the thing at home on my work bench I used the opportunity to seriously clean and polish the plastic cover over the solar panel and clean up the other plastic innards, and clean and polish the battery contacts. With a fresh battery in place, the fan spun right up and purred away.

With that, I headed out to Batteries Plus to purchase a replacement rechargeable C-Cell but there discovered that NiCad batteries are no longer offered, only Ni-MH although of much higher capacity, 5000 MAH verses 2000 for our former NiCads. For the moment I have one of the Ni-MH batteries in place and the vent sitting on the window sill, spinning away,but I am unsure as to whether the solar panel has enough "oomph" to recharge Ni-MH cells. (My knowledge of batteries rivals only my knowledge of brain surgery!) If anyone has any thoughts on that subject, I'd appreciate a comment. In the mean time, the experiment continues albeit with the shortened sunlight available at this time of the year. We'll see I guess.

FWIW...


----------



## chef2sail

svHyLyte said:


> With regard to the foregoing, I am happy to report that the failure of our re-repaired vent after 47 months involved nothing more than a very dead/deteriorated Radio Shack NiCad battery. Once that was out of the vent and the vent placed in the sun, the fan spun up and whirled away quite merrily. Since I had the thing at home on my work bench I used the opportunity to seriously clean and polish the plastic cover over the solar panel and clean up the other plastic innards, and clean and polish the battery contacts. With a fresh battery in place, the fan spun right up and purred away.
> 
> With that, I headed out to Batteries Plus to purchase a replacement rechargeable C-Cell but there discovered that NiCad batteries are no longer offered, only Ni-MH although of much higher capacity, 5000 MAH verses 2000 for our former NiCads. For the moment I have one of the Ni-MH batteries in place and the vent sitting on the window sill, spinning away,but I am unsure as to whether the solar panel has enough "oomph" to recharge Ni-MH cells. (My knowledge of batteries rivals only my knowledge of brain surgery!) If anyone has any thoughts on that subject, I'd appreciate a comment. In the mean time, the experiment continues albeit with the shortened sunlight available at this time of the year. We'll see I guess.
> 
> FWIW...


I don't remember the size of the 2000mah Nicole cadmium batteries. Will any of these fit the bill. I can gat to my boat to check

https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&k...MI6Mi03eKF5gIVRdyGCh0y2g8lEAAYASAAEgLS4fD_BwE


----------



## svHyLyte

Thanks for the referral. I did find rechargable C-Cell NiCad's on the Amazon web site and have ordered a pair which should arrive by Dec 4th or so. In the mean time, we'll use the NiMH that's currently in the Vent and see how it does. At this point (12:19 11/25) the vent is sitting in bright sunlight on the window sill (outside) and whirling like a dervish after having run from about 1700 last evening through about 0700 this AM (shortly afer sunrise here) on battery power only. I guess the test will be whether the battery will be sufficiently recharged today to run the vent overnight yet again. I shall report on that on the morrow.

Cheers...

PS: With a little research I learned that NiCads can be stored indefinately in a cool dry location so long as they are fully discharged before storage. Of course, they will need recharging before being put into service again, and may take several charge-discharge cycles to reach full capacity, but they reportedly will be rejuvenated. In theory, C-cells should be good for about 1000 charge/discharge cycles. As our old battery would power the vent for about 3 days without any sun, it evidently was only partially discharged on a daily basis which may accout for its 47 month longevity.

FWIW...


----------



## chef2sail

Good deal. 
Long time ago I bought a NiCad charger cheap at Bacons. We no longer purchase “ normal” sized batteries as the charger keeps our supply of multi sized batteries at top charge.


----------



## svHyLyte

So... Not without some trepidation, I went out to see whether our Vent was still running at 0600 this AM and discovered that it was still whirling away at about the same speed as it was yesterday afternoon shortly before the sun set. So, it seems that the NiMH battery was/is sufficiently charged by our solar panel despite what I had been told by a Nicro tech rather a long time ago (we originally bought this vent in 1989).

My insistence on finding NiCad batteries per Nicro's long ago instruction failed to account for the facts that: the solar panel in our vent is not the Nicro originals (there were two) but a single larger panel that I installed in the course of my first repair; and, that the motor is an aftermarket unit that I installed during my first re-repair which may be a bit more efficient/robust than the (then) 25 year old original. With those changes, the Vent may be able to use the NiMH batteries vs. the NiCAD. Accordingly, I shall continue using the NiMH battery for the while, even after I receive the NiCAD's I ordered, and see how the thing performs and will resume my periodic reports.

FWIW...


----------



## torrmundi

I found an almost identical motor for the 4" Nicro vent fans. I say almost, since the shaft length is specified as 10.8mm, while mine measures 13mm. All the other dimensions are identical to mine.

The other issue is that I cannot find any sources outside of Europe.

Conrad Components: part number 198080
The data sheet (see the German Conrad link) seems to show that the motor is sourced from Nissei (Japan) as part number B-148. My motor has "Made in Japan" molded into the plastic base.
Note the specifications and the upper left graph:
250 rpm under working load
27mA under working load
0.4v nominal, 0.3-6V range

Links (sorry, I have insufficient posts to make real links or to add files):
www<dot>amazon<dot>de/Components-198080-Solarmotor/dp/B005FQJQDQ
www<dot>amazon<dot>co<dot>uk/Conrad-Solar-motor-diameter-Nominal/dp/B005FQJQDQ
www<dot>conrad<dot>com/p/conrad-components-198080-solar-motor-198080
www<dot>conrad<dot>at/de/p/conrad-components-198080-solarmotor-198080<dot>html

Can anyone find a source in the USA? That would be great!


----------



## ottos

The motor that people have been using (in this post) is from Sundance Solar https://store.sundancesolar.com/motor-for-solar-projects-1-5v-to-12v-dc/ and apparently still available after all this time....



torrmundi said:


> I found an almost identical motor for the 4" Nicro vent fans. I say almost, since the shaft length is specified as 10.8mm, while mine measures 13mm. All the other dimensions are identical to mine.
> 
> The other issue is that I cannot find any sources outside of Europe.
> 
> Conrad Components: part number 198080
> The data sheet (see the German Conrad link) seems to show that the motor is sourced from Nissei (Japan) as part number B-148. My motor has "Made in Japan" molded into the plastic base.
> Note the specifications and the upper left graph:
> 250 rpm under working load
> 27mA under working load
> 0.4v nominal, 0.3-6V range
> 
> Links (sorry, I have insufficient posts to make real links or to add files):
> www<dot>amazon<dot>de/Components-198080-Solarmotor/dp/B005FQJQDQ
> www<dot>amazon<dot>co<dot>uk/Conrad-Solar-motor-diameter-Nominal/dp/B005FQJQDQ
> www<dot>conrad<dot>com/p/conrad-components-198080-solar-motor-198080
> www<dot>conrad<dot>at/de/p/conrad-components-198080-solarmotor-198080<dot>html
> 
> Can anyone find a source in the USA? That would be great!


----------



## svHyLyte

Well, it's about 2-1/2 weeks or so since I put our vent back in service aboard the boat and it continues to operate, day and night, without difficulty. Evidently, the Ni-Mh battery is getting whatever it needs from our solar panel so we're good to go at this point. I shall report again at the earlier of June 2020 or a failure of the system tho' I'm hoping for June, eh?

Cheers!


----------



## torrmundi

So I received my Conrad Components 198080 motors and I installed one. Perfect fit, and the shorter shaft isn't an issue. Success!


----------



## svHyLyte

svHyLyte said:


> Well, it's about 2-1/2 weeks or so since I put our vent back in service aboard the boat and it continues to operate, day and night, without difficulty. Evidently, the Ni-Mh battery is getting whatever it needs from our solar panel so we're good to go at this point. I shall report again at the earlier of June 2020 or a failure of the system tho' I'm hoping for June, eh?
> 
> Cheers!


Well--It has now been another 6 months and our Vent keeps going and going, now 4-1/2 years after my last re-repair, with only a battery replacement last December. The NiMH replacement battery seems to do fine with the solar panel I installed and the motor just hums away suctioning hot air out of our cabin. So, until next December! Stay well/healthy everyone!

/s/ svHyLyte!


----------



## mbianka

svHyLyte said:


> Well--It has now been another 6 months and our Vent keeps going and going, now 4-1/2 years after my last re-repair, with only a battery replacement last December. The NiMH replacement battery seems to do fine with the solar panel I installed and the motor just hums away suctioning hot air out of our cabin. So, until next December! Stay well/healthy everyone!
> 
> /s/ svHyLyte!


I've got a replacement motor that I planned to use to repair one of my solar fans. I keep losing track of it but, hopefully I'll find it in time to fix it for this season.  Glad to hear yours is still going strong.


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## sv.NancyJean

This thread has been very informative. I was sorting through parts last night when found an old plastic nitro, a replacement fan blade, and a metal cover. I suspect Sam (the previous owner) intended to cobble together a working vent. I pulled the plastic cover off the vent, it came off in pieces, and removed the old broken fan blade last night. This morning I took it outside to see if the motor would spin, and it did, albeit slowly. Brought it back inside to finish disassembly, and the battery terminals are pretty corroded. I will hit them with contact cleaner and replace the rusted battery with a new one, clean and polish it and get it installed. It will be a nice change, since the dorade boxes are off for repair.

Mine had a Ni-MH from radioshack already in it. So I'm assuming that a replacement of the same should be fine, I don't think the solar panel will overcharge it.

Christian


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## svHyLyte

Christian--

If the solar panels are the originals, they may not fully recharge the NiMH battery but enough to work most of the night if there are enough daylight hours beforehand. The discharge/partial recharge cyclic may shorten the life-span of the battery but you should still get quite a few months of service between replacements. Insure that the contacts are clean and dry and treat the ends of the battery with NoOx or another dielectric silicon grease to prevent future corrosion/rusting and you should be good to go for awhile.

FWIW...


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## sv.NancyJean

svHyLyte said:


> Christian--
> 
> If the solar panels are the originals, they may not fully recharge the NiMH battery but enough to work most of the night if there are enough daylight hours beforehand. The discharge/partial recharge cyclic may shorten the life-span of the battery but you should still get quite a few months of service between replacements. Insure that the contacts are clean and dry and treat the ends of the battery with NoOx or another dielectric silicon grease to prevent future corrosion/rusting and you should be good to go for awhile.
> 
> FWIW...


That is what I figured. It is looking like I may have to replace the battery contacts. I got them clean enough to work, but they are pretty crusty. I think I'm going to go ahead and put it into service, and save that task for the next time I have it off. Luckily, battery spring contacts are pretty cheap. Right now, I just want some ventilation so it doesn't get so hot in the cabin while it is closed up. Currently docked for refit.


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## svHyLyte

svHyLyte said:


> Well--It has now been another 6 months and our Vent keeps going and going, now 4-1/2 years after my last re-repair, with only a battery replacement last December. The NiMH replacement battery seems to do fine with the solar panel I installed and the motor just hums away suctioning hot air out of our cabin. So, until next December! Stay well/healthy everyone!
> 
> /s/ svHyLyte!


So, another 6 months--now 5 years--on my last re-repair and our vent keeps on keeping on. I did, finally, have to replace the NiMH battery a few weeks ago which did not seem to have the endurance of the prior NiCads but that may have been due to under-charging. As I mentioned previously, I did find an on-line source for rechargeable NiCads and now have one of those in place so we'll see how long it lasts. Earlier versions lasted several years each but they were US made while these, like everything else it seems these daze, are made in China so there's no telling the quality at this early stage. I'll report, however.

Cheers everyone, and wishes for good health to all!

/s/ svHyLyte


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## eherlihy

Once again, thank you for keeping this thread going and the continual updates.

I stated in a previous post that I repaired the wiring, which had corroded to the point that it failed. I also removed the batteries which I don't believe are needed - at least for me. NiCd batteries are not 100% efficient, and I prefer to have ALL the energy produced by the (original - ancient) solar panels go to the fan motor. I believe that the need for ventilation at night, when it is cooler, and more likely to be foggy, is not as great as it is during the day. I still only use the solar vents occasionally.

This winter the boat is with me in Florida. I have one solar vent taped directly to the port into the saloon while I am repairing a Dorade box (again!).


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## Tuna Driver

Tuna Driver said:


> My Nicro also failed, and not the first one. I took the guts out and fitted a cheap USB fan in the bore. This goes to a small solar panel on deck. I ditched the battery part when it was pointed out to me that our local nights are far more moist than the days. Why would I want to circulate wet air at night? The cheap fan is far better constructed than that poor excuse for a motor in the original. It also moves a lot more air. So far so good. It has even dried racing sails in a day or two that were put away hastily. Hogging out the bore to fit the slightly lager fan blades was the hardest part of the job. Some time ago, I also replaced the slip in part with a screw in so the deck plate is sealed a little better. The fan is always removed for racing. Did the OP's motor replacement, but it only lasted a couple of years. Still better than Nicro.


So had to resolder the wires. I had left the old on/off switch in place and it corroded away. Still working very well other than that after a couple of years.


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## scotthenry

I have one of the newer models that is designed to be permanently mounted. It isn't very old ( a year or so) and the motor stopped working. Plenty of voltage from the solar panel, and the battery was holding charge well. One nice thing about the newer model is that it can be completely disassembled without having to cut or break anything. I soldered in a replacement solar motor that was a bit small (so it can rattle a bit), and so far is going fine. The hardest part was that my (verry old) soldering iron died in the middle of the repair...


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## Illusion

Hi all, I seem to be lucky (sort of) and I just need a battery (maybe). I pulled my vent fan. No idea how old it is, but the boat is a 92. My Nicro fan never worked in the 7 years I have owned her. I installed a regular c-cell to test it before investing more. The fan works with a c-cell (the terminals are corroded, so I need to have the battery “just so”). It doesn’t seem to work without a battery though (overcast day- so there is that) I didn’t note which is the correct battery direction, and even with a multi-meter would not know which terminal receives the charge. Can someone help with direction of battery? It is a 3” unit, no switch, 1 cell. Any help is appreciated.


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## torrmundi

Illusion said:


> Hi all, I seem to be lucky (sort of) and I just need a battery (maybe). I pulled my vent fan. No idea how old it is, but the boat is a 92. My Nicro fan never worked in the 7 years I have owned her. I installed a regular c-cell to test it before investing more. The fan works with a c-cell (the terminals are corroded, so I need to have the battery "just so"). It doesn't seem to work without a battery though (overcast day- so there is that) I didn't note which is the correct battery direction, and even with a multi-meter would not know which terminal receives the charge. Can someone help with direction of battery? It is a 3" unit, no switch, 1 cell. Any help is appreciated.


Try with the button (+) end of the battery in the "narrow"







end of the slot.


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## svHyLyte

Well--Another 6 months have elapsed since my last note--and 5-1/2 years since my re-repair--and our vent keeps going and going. During that period, another fellow I know has gone through two of the "new" Vents (he is to lazy or too wealthy to bother with trying to make simple repairs tho' I suspect the former). N'any case, hopefully others will have learned and benefited from this thread.

Until December (assuming I'm still going by then!)

Cheers!


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## DJ MOL

So my vents stoped working , they are day, night vents, I have 2v coming out of the solar, but it will not run the motor even though it spins freely with or without the battery installed, I did read that the solar should run the motor on its own is this correct? If I connect the motor to a Higher voltage it spins ? any thoughts?


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## ottos

Replace the battery temporarily with an off the shelf battery I think it's a c cell. See if the fan spins. Solar cells are probably just dead.


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## svHyLyte

svHyLyte said:


> Well--Another 6 months have elapsed since my last note--and 5-1/2 years since my re-repair--and our vent keeps going and going. During that period, another fellow I know has gone through two of the "new" Vents (he is to lazy or too wealthy to bother with trying to make simple repairs tho' I suspect the former). N'any case, hopefully others will have learned and benefited from this thread.
> 
> Until December (assuming I'm still going by then!)
> 
> Cheers!


Well, yet another 6 months has passed--6 years since my last re-repair--and our vent keeps going and going. The only burp we had was the fan blades becoming detached from the motor shaft when the hatch (above the galley) was closed a bit to vigorously a few months ago. The blades hit the deck and one broke free of the hub (the thing is 33 years old by now and so a bit brittle!). Fortunately, I was able to reattach it with Gorilla Glue and, once that set up, slide the hub back over the motor shaft and set the vent back in order and it's been whirling away since.

So. That's about it for the moment. Further report next June (if I'm still kicking) or sooner if it does fail.

Cheers!


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## Art N

I tried to pick up a new motor for my failing units but Conrad indicates taht their 198080 is no longer available, and that they do not have a substitute. Does anyone know of another drop-in replacement motor?
Thanks,
Art N
Island Packet 27


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## rob_8373

svHyLyte said:


> *Closing Comment*
> 
> I have now been "burning in" our renovated vent for a week or so, and have tried both the NiCad and the NiMH batteries. The replacement motor seems to work efficiently and smoothly drawing a minimum of power from either of the batteries at night , each of which will run the fan for more than 48 hours--the extra running time coming--I think--from the installation of the diode in the positive line leading back to the replacement solar cell. The replacement solar panel seems to work reasonably well and will raise the voltage in the NiCad from 1.31 v at sun-up to 1.44+ v by the end of the day. The NiMH comes up to 1.39 v during the same (roughly) 12 hours. (By comparison, a fresh C-Cell measures-on my volt-meter-a bit more than 1.5 volts even tho' rated at 1.2 volts, so I don't know what constitutes a "fully charged" state for these size batteries.)
> 
> N'any case, with the foregoing, I am going to re-install the vent on the boat and see how long the thing lasts, and will use the NiCad battery initially as that seems to accept more charge. At roughly $14.00 each for the motor and replacement solar panel--which should last 10 years or so--the repair is certainly more cost effective than replacing the entire vent (at $160.00). We shall see.
> 
> FWIW...


Dear HyLyte - I have three Nicro 2000 vents and I'm trying to rehabilitate them. The battery boxes have fallen apart and the leads corroded. I have purchased replacement battery boxes and I'm looking to replace the motors, solar panels, and diodes. Before reading your excellent posts, I purchased an .8W solar panel with a working voltage of 6 volts and working current at 0 - 135m/A. This is very much different than the solar panel you have used and recommended. Is there a way to make this solar panel work for charging the C-size batteries? Also, I have been unable to locate Sundance Solar that could supply the necessary parts. Do you have a link for Sundance? Thank you!


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## Art N

I stumbled upon these:








DC Motors & Gears


DC Motors & Gears




www.solarmade.com





Not an exact fit, but I wonder if one of these motors could be made to work?


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## rob_8373

rob_8373 said:


> Dear HyLyte - I have three Nicro 2000 vents and I'm trying to rehabilitate them. The battery boxes have fallen apart and the leads corroded. I have purchased replacement battery boxes and I'm looking to replace the motors, solar panels, and diodes. Before reading your excellent posts, I purchased an .8W solar panel with a working voltage of 6 volts and working current at 0 - 135m/A. This is very much different than the solar panel you have used and recommended. Is there a way to make this solar panel work for charging the C-size batteries? Also, I have been unable to locate Sundance Solar that could supply the necessary parts. Do you have a link for Sundance? Thank you!


Dear HyLyte - I'm scrapping the 6 volt solar panel (too much hasel to reduce voltage), and I'm thinking the solar panel and diode below might work, all available at Amazon. What do you think?

*Treedix 5pcs 1.5V 300mA Polysilicon Solar Panel Glue Solar Cell Battery Charger DIY Solar Product Mini Small Solar Panel Module Kit Polycrystalline Silicon Encapsulated in Waterproof Resin (300mA) 

1N5817 Axial Leaded Schottky Rectifier Diode 20 Pack*


Art N said:


> I stumbled upon these:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> DC Motors & Gears
> 
> 
> DC Motors & Gears
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.solarmade.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not an exact fit, but I wonder if one of these motors could be made to work?


Thank you!


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## svHyLyte

svHyLyte said:


> Well, yet another 6 months has passed--6 years since my last re-repair--and our vent keeps going and going. The only burp we had was the fan blades becoming detached from the motor shaft when the hatch (above the galley) was closed a bit to vigorously a few months ago. The blades hit the deck and one broke free of the hub (the thing is 33 years old by now and so a bit brittle!). Fortunately, I was able to reattach it with Gorilla Glue and, once that set up, slide the hub back over the motor shaft and set the vent back in order and it's been whirling away since.
> 
> So. That's about it for the moment. Further report next June (if I'm still kicking) or sooner if it does fail.
> 
> Cheers!


So--Another 6+ months have passed-6-1/2+ years since my last re-repair and our vent continues to work withut a hitch. I was a little concerned about the fan-blades being out of balance since I had to glue them back together prior to my last report but all seems well so far. I shal report again next June or sooner if the system gives out before then.

Cheers!


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## svHyLyte

rob_8373 said:


> Dear HyLyte - I'm scrapping the 6 volt solar panel (too much hasel to reduce voltage), and I'm thinking the solar panel and diode below might work, all available at Amazon. What do you think?
> 
> *Treedix 5pcs 1.5V 300mA Polysilicon Solar Panel Glue Solar Cell Battery Charger DIY Solar Product Mini Small Solar Panel Module Kit Polycrystalline Silicon Encapsulated in Waterproof Resin (300mA)
> 
> 1N5817 Axial Leaded Schottky Rectifier Diode 20 Pack*
> 
> 
> Thank you!


Unfortunately, I am not well enough versed in electrical matters to be able to offer an opinion. My own repairs were entirelky a "craps shot" based on materials I found via the internet and, perfectly frankly, I was surprised that the repair actually worked (and has been working for 6-1/2 years with only a few minor bumps for dead batteries et al.

Give it a whack and see how it turns out. To quote: "There's more than one way..."

Good Luck!


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## rob_8373

svHyLyte said:


> Unfortunately, I am not well enough versed in electrical matters to be able to offer an opinion. My own repairs were entirelky a "craps shot" based on materials I found via the internet and, perfectly frankly, I was surprised that the repair actually worked (and has been working for 6-1/2 years with only a few minor bumps for dead batteries et al.
> 
> Give it a whack and see how it turns out. To quote: "There's more than one way..."
> 
> Good Luck!


Thanks. Do you recall what type/size diode you used?


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## Jma1_nemo

Does anyone have a source for fan motors that can be used to repair these solar vents.
Seems all the earlier listed sources are no longer available. HELP


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## rob_8373

Jma1_nemo said:


> Does anyone have a source for fan motors that can be used to repair these solar vents.
> Seems all the earlier listed sources are no longer available. HELP


Yes, It took me a while to find. Try Solar Made, which offers the following motor that runs on low voltage: Solar DC Motor 500, MC-05/07,  www.solarmade.com


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## jfeiber

We have 3 of the day/night solar vents on our boat, and I really appreciate all of the information and guidance provided by everyone in this thread. Rebuilding them will be far easier than installing the newer model, which doesn't easily swap in.

I am uncertain as to whether NiCad or NiMH is the better way to go. The replacement batteries sold by Marinco are 2800 mAH NiMH, but it sounds like people have had better results with NiCad. Bother are readily available in 1.2V at larger capacity as well. With an older solar panel do you gain any benefit from the increased capacity?

Thanks! Jon


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