Air Only Vents - Has anyone used these?

josrulz · #1 (**permalink**) 04-05-2010

Hi all,
We're hoping to eventually switch over to a composting toilet, and we're looking for an appropriate vent. On our boat, there is a dorade/cowl combo in the head, but we'd have to remove the cowl, and the location of the vent isn't ideal. So we want to install a new vent.

It's just for exhaust, and I'd like it to be as waterproof as possible. I have no experience with Nicro vents or similar, though it appears to me that they are only waterproof from rain, not from water splashing over the deck--is that correct?

So I found these only, and was wondering if anyone on SailNet has any first-hand experience with them. They look like an interesting solution.

Air-Only Marine Ventilators

Anyone?

-J

scottyt · #2 (**permalink**) 04-05-2010

they would work, if you have an inline fan for the toilet vent hose. the reason people use the nico vents is so the sun does the air flow thru the composite tank. if you use a normal inline fan you will need to connect it to the batteries in the boat.

that being said, you could put a little 7 amp hour 12 volt battery in the head charged by a small solar panel on deck. the panel could be one of the really small ones ment for keeping a car battery trickled charge, ie about 3 to 7 watts. which would produce about 3.5 amp hours in a day, assuming 6 hours of sun and a 7 watt panel. if the fan draws 2 or 3 watts then it should be fine any more than that and it will not run all night.

edit the nicro fans are fine for splashes, and minor dips

paulk · #3 (**permalink**) 04-05-2010

I'd want to test the "air only" vents with a bucket of water or two before I installed them. Would splashes get by, and into the boat, if there wasn't enough water to float the balls, or if it pinned them to the sides of their cages?

josrulz · #4 (**permalink**) 04-05-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulk

I'd want to test the "air only" vents with a bucket of water or two before I installed them. Would splashes get by, and into the boat, if there wasn't enough water to float the balls, or if it pinned them to the sides of their cages?

Me too, that's why I'm wondering if anyone has used them...

chef2sail · #5 (**permalink**) 04-05-2010

Jos,

I just improved our ventilation by replacing my Nico vent with a new one. The new model has a sleeve inside which can be extended to make the seal very watertight from waves washing across the deck. This Nico is in our head. Right now the day/ night Nico are on sale at WM ( $40 off)
and cheaper than anywhere else

In addition we also bought a seperate Stailess Dorade from Vetus * was so impressed with T37Chefs I had to get one) and installed that with a mushroom vent inside/ under it which can be tightened down from inside the boat and makes it waterproof.

Dave

jarcher · #6 (**permalink**) 04-06-2010

I don't completely understand what you want to use them for, but if the idea is that the wind blowing over it draws air through the boat, forget it. I had some of those passive vents on my boat and they worked so poorly that mold actually grew in them. I suggest the day/night solar vents that have a solar cell and a battery. Those work great!

sailingdog · #7 (**permalink**) 04-06-2010

BTW, I've had water break over the cabin top and not gotten any water in through the nicro vent i have on the center of the cabintop. I would go with a Nicro vent before I went with one of those, especially if you need POSITIVE ventilation.

josrulz · #8 (**permalink**) 04-06-2010

Thanks SD. I have NO experience with them, so I appreciate the note about breaking water. If they're not TOO sensitive to water over the deck, then they should work just fine. I just don't want to have to close it every time we're beating to windward in 15 knots of wind. The idea is to have it open all the time, afterall! I don't mind closing the vent on the occasion that we're really in some nastiness.

The location on our boat will be on the cabin top, forward of the mast and off to one side (starboard in our case). So it will be somewhat sensitive to spray, etc.

I've heard of other venting the Airhead into the anchor locker, which we could do, but I don't really like the idea. I'd prefer the vent be exhausting out into the open.

josrulz · #9 (**permalink**) 04-06-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by chef2sail

Jos,

I just improved our ventilation by replacing my Nico vent with a new one. The new model has a sleeve inside which can be extended to make the seal very watertight from waves washing across the deck. This Nico is in our head. Right now the day/ night Nico are on sale at WM ( $40 off)
and cheaper than anywhere else

In addition we also bought a seperate Stailess Dorade from Vetus * was so impressed with T37Chefs I had to get one) and installed that with a mushroom vent inside/ under it which can be tightened down from inside the boat and makes it waterproof.

Dave

Thanks t37chef--is your head forward? How sensitive is it to spray/water over the deck? I'm not clear on one thing from your post--did you sintall the dorade with the day/night vent, or were these separate installs you're talking about?
Thanks!
-J

chef2sail · #10 (**permalink**) 04-06-2010

Sorry Jos...and its Chef2sail...737chef is my friend

Two seperate installs.

Day/ night nicovent ( on sale) works with solor powering. Can be used as positive air or exhaust) is forward of the mast into my head on the port side. Plenty of spray over this area with never a drop inside. The newer model has an ajustable sleeve in the inside of sealing the unit.

Other install was a SS vetus Dorade with a mushroom vent inside if it. The is also forward of the mast....coachtop.....right into forward part of salon. Sits about 18 inches off the boat. Passive air and can be turned to help vent air, Usually facing forward as it will allow breeze down dorade when at anchor,

Key to ventilation is to have an in,,,and and out.,...everything cannot just go in...