Solar fan vent..

[groundhog]

The nicro vent on my boat is failing.
I was shocked to see the prices of the nicro brand vents.

I have seen several other brands available.

Does anyone have comments on the quality of the other brands that are more inexpensive?

gh

[mdbee]

From what I have read... the older Nicro's were better (the ones in the 300.00 range - may still be a few around) the newer ones aren't as reliable and the cheap brands are worse.

Again, that is only what I have read. Do a search and you will find several threads on them. There was also a thread about repairing them I think.

I made my own vent system using a computer "muffin" fan. Much higher air flow (compare air flow rates - Nicro are rated by the hour - muffin fans by the minute) and about 15.00, of course there is the vent, duct work etc to deal with. Some boats are easier to modify than others.

[SlowButSteady]

Have you tried replacing the battery and lubing the motor?

[JimsCAL]

+1 for checking the battery. They last maybe 5 years. It was a standard rechargeable C cell in my old one.

[eherlihy]

+ 1 more on replacing the battery. I upgraded from the Nicro NiCd to a Ni-MH from HF for about $8.

[deniseO30]

Radio shack sells the parts and also has 2 solar fans listed in the catalog.One Looks like a Nicro but is 44 dollars.

[captbillc]

my old nicro was plastic, installed when the boat was built in 1994. the battery failed a couple of years ago, so i put in a new rechargeable one from the hardware store. it was working fine, but the plastic was cracked & i had to keep a 5 gal bucket on the table under it when i left the boat to catch rain water that dripped in. i am now installing a new nicro 4"day/night plus stainless steel . it looks to be well made, has an on/off switch & slide up closure for heavy weather. i thought the price was ok at $149.95

[JimPendoley]

I'd suggest saving your money. I bought the Nicro 4" Day/Night solar powered unit in stainless-it worked for less than a year. Called tech support they suggested replacing the battery-I did-still didn't work. Its basically a disposable product and moves a pittance of air.

If not for the fiberglass hull liner in the way, I'd retrofit a computer muffin fan. I put one on my dickinson heater and it moves a lot of air and draws less than a quater of an amp. For what you pay for a Nicro solar vent, you can buy a whole solar panel and run a muffin fan 24x7

[groundhog]

Yes i played with the battery. I took the unit into work thinking i could clean her up, but there seems to be no way into the thing. Its all glued into one piece.

And for what it is, $140 is extremely expensive, i think.

I think $50 range is good for something like this.

But the muffin fan idea is kind of neat.

gh

[nickmerc]

My 4" Day night plus in stainless is also a disappointment. I replaced the battery, no dice. I took the fan out and held it perpendicular to the sun, no dice. At that point they told me to send it back. I am now on my third one and they have all lasted about 9 mos. I have taken two of them totally apart and found the motors to be POS's. I plan to source my own motor and see if that works. When they work they are very quiet and do move enough air, but by no means will you feel the air movement.

BTW the stainless is a cheap, very thin, piece of formed sheet metal that just covers the plastic. Not worth the price difference.
________
CALIFORNIA MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY