Venting Front Compartment

Scottenj · 06-23-2019, 09:35 AM

I have installed a 2000 watt inverter/charger in my front compartment and I am getting ready to also put a solar charge controller in there. I am thinking I should vent it for heat removal. Has anyone vented their's and if so how?

I want to get the vent up high to avoid road spray but I also think structurally cutting it into the door may be better than the fiberglass above the door.

Duke4857 · 06-23-2019, 10:03 AM

I would not know how to vent that area without putting in some kind of divider between the equipment and the rest of the compartment. If you vent the whole compartment you will loose any insulation between the outside of the RV and the inside of the RV. You may be sleeping on a ice tray or freeze any water lines that may go through the compartment. The only insulation in these RVs is in the outside walls. I have thought about the same thing if I ever make that type of install. Look through here and see what others have done:

https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/g...ith+solar.html

Scottenj · 06-23-2019, 11:39 AM

I hadn't considered that but don't think it is much of an issue.

The compartment houses the batteries and there are large openings in the bottom of the battery section of the compartment so it is already pretty open. The only other things in the compartment are the inverter/charger and wiring I put in. The battery section is somewhat isolated from the rest of the compartment by a thin aluminum wall but it isn't sealed and certainly isn't providing thermal insulation. The top of the chamber does have insulation although it isn't very thick. I could maybe add more insulation there.

The sides of the compartment are against the propane compartments and those are wide open on the bottom.

The back of the compartment is against the storage area with a double wall in between.

I have looked around in the forum but haven't found any comments on venting for heat.

Thanks for the comments.

Duke4857 · 06-23-2019, 12:03 PM

Ok sounds like it is different than I was thinking.

Marine71-76 · 06-23-2019, 12:30 PM

We had a 7000 Onan put in & there is no venting in the door. We asked the installer & he stated the newer Onans now cool from the bottom and the vent in the door is not necessary. We have not had a need to use it since it was installed other than the monthly run and then leave the front open.

**norty1** · 06-23-2019, 12:41 PM

What type rig do you have? My fifth wheels battery compartment is already full.

Mopar_Earl · 06-23-2019, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marine71-76

We had a 7000 Onan put in & there is no venting in the door. We asked the installer & he stated the newer Onans now cool from the bottom and the vent in the door is not necessary. We have not had a need to use it since it was installed other than the monthly run and then leave the front open.

No need to open the compartment door while running the genset. You're just adding noise for the neighbors. Door isn't vented cause it's not needed. Like the installer said, the genset does everything out the bottom. The compartment will heat up but doesn't harm a thing. I have 200 hours on mine and I don't open the compartment door. Ran it 90's plus temps with high humidity. Every July we run it several nights all night long for AC. Running it about 16 hours a day for 4 days. Would run it 24/7 those 4 days but that would cost a lot for fuel. Lol

Earl

Scottenj · 06-24-2019, 08:56 AM

Thanks for responding but your experience isn't relevant to my question. I am not installing an Onan generator, I am installing an inverter/charger and it has a fan and draws in cooling air from the compartment it is housed in. I will also be mounting a solar charger in the same space that has heat sinks on so it also dissipates heat.

Scottenj · 06-24-2019, 09:00 AM

I have a 2019 Eagle Fifth Wheel 355MBQS.

The front compartment has an aluminum battery enclosure stack on the right side, I have 2 - 125 AH batteries on the bottom shelf, the top shelf is empty. The left side of the compartment is a big empty space, that is where people typically put a generator if they install one.

Mopar_Earl · 06-24-2019, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scottenj

Thanks for responding but your experience isn't relevant to my question. I am not installing an Onan generator, I am installing an inverter/charger and it has a fan and draws in cooling air from the compartment it is housed in. I will also be mounting a solar charger in the same space that has heat sinks on so it also dissipates heat.

Those are small devices in a good sized compartment. The compartment shouldn't need vented. My inverter is in the basement, which is more air tight and less exposed metal (heatsink) than the front compartment and it never overheats. It's even mounted on the ceiling where the air is hotter.

Earl

jasum · 06-24-2019, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scottenj

I have installed a 2000 watt inverter/charger in my front compartment and I am getting ready to also put a solar charge controller in there. I am thinking I should vent it for heat removal. Has anyone vented their's and if so how?

I want to get the vent up high to avoid road spray but I also think structurally cutting it into the door may be better than the fiberglass above the door.

If you want to vent the door, Amazon has the exact vents that Jayco uses.

All you need is a hole saw the correct size. They fasten on with 2 screws.

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