nicro solar airvent in plexi hatch cover

[marcusn]

HOW TO CUT THE HOLE?
3.5" hole saw
or
jigsaw

HOW TO SEAL THE VENT?
Marine silicon
or
something better

The plexi is original, about 3/8" thick, about 35 years old.
The last thing I want to do is crack it!

[sailingdog]

Cut the hole using a hole saw if you can. I am willing to bet the hole you'll really need isn't actually 3.5" in diameter. Be careful when you cut the plexiglass, since it may melt due to the heat caused by the blade's motion. using a lubricant would probably be a good idea.

Remember to bevel or chamfer the edges of the hole on top and bottom, to help prevent the plexiglass from stress cracking at the hole you cut. This will also help the sealant form an o-ring to help seal the hardware to the hatch.

Use a polyurethane sealant, not a polysulfide or silicone.

Personally, I wouldn't install a vent in a hatch. IMHO, you're better off installing it in the cabintop. This is especially the case with a 35 YEAR OLD HATCH, which may need replacing soon—requiring you to re-install the vent.

[junkmeister]

I just did the same thing on my boat this spring. Mine required a 5" hole and it was done with a hole saw with no problems. Larry.

[denby]

Don't mean to hijack the thread but I was just looking for info on Nicro solar vents and can't find anything on the web. I need to repair one of mine.

[artbyjody]

Originally Posted by denby

Don't mean to hijack the thread but I was just looking for info on Nicro solar vents and can't find anything on the web. I need to repair one of mine.

Defender will be your best source...

They are part of the Marinco brand of companies: Nicro:

[denby]

Originally Posted by artbyjody

Defender will be your best source...

They are part of the Marinco brand of companies: Nicro:

I checked Defender, I need to know how to remove the vent and repair it. Defender only sells them, no info.

[sailingdog]

Denby-

Some of the vents are screwed into a stainless steel deck plate. Others just snap into a plastic deck plate. The snap-in kind are more common, and were far less expensive than the ones that had the screw-in deckplates.

If you can see the interior side of the vent, it will likely show you which kind you have. The screw in ones are made of bronze, the snap-in ones are plastic—and that's a big part of the price difference.

If you get the vent out, contact Nicro. They're very good at supporting even out-of-warranty or discontinued products.

Posting a photo of the vent in question would help.

[artbyjody]

Originally Posted by denby

I checked Defender, I need to know how to remove the vent and repair it. Defender only sells them, no info.

There should be four screws at the top each caddy to the solar cell. That will allow the lifting off the chrome or plastic plate. Then there will be four more screws that hold it onto the hatch or cabin top. That'll allow the removal of the whole assembly.

If just replacing the fan it can be done without that. Pop off the vent cover that is under the fan. Use one hand to hold the blades from moving (block the solar panel though they move fast)- there is a switch located up top behind the fan that will turn it off. From there you can access the blade assembly (I think it just pops off). With the blade off you can access the battery if that needs replacing.

I can scan the manual for mine (I couldn't find it on their site either). But, if I recall that should be the major steps...

[sailingdog]

It really depends on the vent. Some of them don't require the vent to be disassembled. Also, many of the Nicro solar-powered vents have no switches whatsoever. Removing the fan blade is as simple as grabbing it to stop it and then pulling on it. The battery on most of them is a "C" cell sized NiCd.

Originally Posted by artbyjody

There should be four screws at the top each caddy to the solar cell. That will allow the lifting off the chrome or plastic plate. Then there will be four more screws that hold it onto the hatch or cabin top. That'll allow the removal of the whole assembly.

If just replacing the fan it can be done without that. Pop off the vent cover that is under the fan. Use one hand to hold the blades from moving (block the solar panel though they move fast)- there is a switch located up top behind the fan that will turn it off. From there you can access the blade assembly (I think it just pops off). With the blade off you can access the battery if that needs replacing.

I can scan the manual for mine (I couldn't find it on their site either). But, if I recall that should be the major steps...

[sailaway21]

On mine there are three screws that hold the solar panel to the vent body. Remove them, don't lose the 'O' rings for the screws, and the battery is just below. The hole for installing the vent is just slightly oversized and so you should seal the vent flange to hatch or deck well with silicone sealant. You can screw the flange down into your deck core with the included screws or through bolt it with your own machine screws.

I also do not recommend mounting it to the hatch as the hatch plastic will magnify any vibration caused by the fan and drive you nuts. It's a pretty quiet unit but there is some noise.

Buy a replacement rechargable 'C' cell battery at the local store for the fan-they're far cheaper than the same thing from any marine store. Keep a couple of charged ones in a ziplock and you'll never be without ventilation.

If you insist on mounting it in the plexiglass I recommend that you find your center and drill a small pilot hole. Then tape the bottom and top of the plexi and drill carefully. The tape will keep you from chipping the plexi. As with any hole saw, it's advisable to start the cut from one side and then complete the cut from the other-makes a cleaner edge on the cuts. That's not quite as important with plexi but why risk a crack or chip. And the advise on not overheating the plexi is very important. You can even cut a little and cool a little followed by cutting a little more.