powered ventilation for head

[rmeador]

I think I really need to get some kind of powered ventilation for my head to keep the humidity at bay when I take a shower aboard. There is a dorade vent in my head, and also a porthole. I'm thinking I should leave the dorade as-is, since it provides air input, and I should add some kind of powered fan to suck air out. Does anyone know of a solar powered vent that would be small enough to install in the porthole? The porthole is probably 4"x10". I can't find a fan of that size. I'd drill a hole right through the plexiglass to mount the fan. Failing that, do you think I should get a bigger fan and mount it through a hole cut in the deck? Ideally, for both of these hypothetical fans, they'd be the type that charge up during the day so they run all night, but that is not a required feature. Thanks!

[SVAuspicious]

Do you have an engine room blower? You could put a second hose in with a grate that can be closed in the head. Doesn't address your desire for solar power but certainly reduces wiring and complexity if you can run a 3 or 4 inch hose easily enough.

Now that I think of it the idea is pretty decent. Hmmm.

[COOL]

A Nicro Solar powered vent should do it,
or shower in the cockpit.

[rmeador]

SVAuspicious, that's a great idea. Unfortunately, I don't think it will work. My head is up near the V-berth, so it would be a very long run of ducting. I just had an Espar installed and that used 4" ducting all the way to the bow, and it was a tight fit... I doubt I can fit a second run of duct.

COOL, I'd love a Nicro vent, but I think they're too big. The smallest one I've found requires a cutout of 3 3/4". The overall unit must be wider than the hole, so it probably won't fit on my porthole which is about 4" tall.

[SVAuspicious]

My head is just forward of the engine room at the base of the companionway. Lucky me.

I'm thinking of an exhaust vent for the galley now also. Thanks for getting me thinking!

The Nicro solar vents have a history of fan failures. Do some Google searches before you plunk down your money.

[svHyLyte]

Take a look at Breezy Electric ventilator by Air Only Vents

[Allanbc]

Originally Posted by SVAuspicious

My head is just forward of the engine room at the base of the companionway. Lucky me.

I'm thinking of an exhaust vent for the galley now also. Thanks for getting me thinking!

The Nicro solar vents have a history of fan failures. Do some Google searches before you plunk down your money.

I've been thinking of installing a small computer fan in the port light above my galley. It would probably work in the head, too.

[pdqaltair]

Originally Posted by Allanbc

I've been thinking of installing a small computer fan in the port light above my galley. It would probably work in the head, too.

Perhaps this is close to what you are looking for:

Sail Delmarva: "A Bathroom Fan": or "No Blog Could be Complete Without a Tale of Head Repairs"

One of my easiest projects, were everything fit the first time.

[JiffyLube]

Get a 'good' fan that you can mount permanently in the head, and with the port-light open most of the moisture will exhaust out the portlight...just like in bathroom in a house.

[hellosailor]

rm-
If you want to use some type of conventional fan (even a 12v computer fan) and be able to "set it and forget it", you can wire it up to your house battery and use a SPRING SWITCH to turn it on. These used to be commonly but it seems like Ace Hardware are the only folks who carry them now, about $20. they're meant for 120VAC but will work just fine on 12VDC.
Used for bathroom fans and heat-o-lators, they are a simple mechanical spring-wound knob. You twist the knob, the switch turns on. As it unwinds and runs down--then the circuit gets turned off. So you can turn it on when you start the shower, and it will turn itself off 20-40-60 minutes later, whatever you set it for.
I'd suggest the 60-mimute model, because one "twist of the wrist" gets you about 20 minutes on that. A full turn gets you 60 minutes.