Fitting A MAXXFAN DELUXE and FIAMMA Roof Vent - DIY Budget Campervan Conversion

[@stampatron]

Thanks for this, i need to undertake the same procedure soon, its very daunting to take a jigsaw to the roof of a vehicle!

[@PilgrimPods]

Glad it helped.

[@ashbee9442]

just binge watched majority of your van videos and I think you’ve inspired us to fit a stereo... vent/fan and paint the whole thing 😂 thank you very much for the videos guys 👍🏻👍🏻

[@PilgrimPods]

Thanks for checking our channel out and best of luck with your own van! 🙂👍 If we can do it anyone can. 😊

[@L4WNY..]

I've only come across your channel today. Already watched 5 videos and saved all 5 into my "Van Conversion" KZbin folder 👍🥳 thankyou

[@PilgrimPods]

Welcome aboard!

[@beckycarley858]

Just wanted to say that your vlogs are great, easy to follow and so full of straightforward info 😊 yesterday we managed to fit our maxxfan deluxe with alot of viewing of this vlog for tips along the way. Thanks so much 😊

[@Yahoomediaclub]

Re watched again, fitting my Maxxair deluxe in the morn ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@PilgrimPods]

Hope it all went well. If I can fit one anyone can. 🙂

[@mcvicer]

That paintwork looks cool

[@PilgrimPods]

Cheers Dean, we're getting there with it. 🙂👍

[@yeah_right_ok_no1190]

The vans looking great! I bet you can’t wait to start the inside.

[@PilgrimPods]

Thanks! Yeah, had enough now of the exterior and want to crack on with the inside. Looks like a campervan now though! 😁🙌

[@Bartezz]

Thanx for sharing. Installing my Deluxe this week if the weather allows and your video was helpful. I did however splash out and bought and adapter for a Ducato/Relay/Boxer roof that fixes the rib issue.

[@PilgrimPods]

Thanks for checking it out. Hope your own installation went without a hitch! 🙂👍

[@FSUvinny]

This video was super helpful. Thank you for the good information. We're installing our Fiamma vent today and we have those shaky nervous hands right now.

[@PilgrimPods]

Glad it was of use to you. Best of luck installing your own vent. Just take your time and you'll nail it. If I can install one pretty much anyone can. 😊👍

[@lonrestoration4368]

Good afternoon, nice videos, I'm about to fit a maxxfan deluxe and a skymaxx to a peugeot expert. with out doubt the best video I have seen on you tube regarding the cutting of the holes and frame installation etc , no one has shown how to build the frames. very good channel. stay safe be lucky. Steve.

[@PilgrimPods]

That's really kind of you to say. 😊 Best of luck with your own install! They'll both look amazing in a Peugeot Expert, would love to see that. 😁👍

[@georgiaheart916]

Did the maxxfan today. Thanks for your tip! That would've been the last straw for me the holes not aligning!

[@Travelling_about]

You made that look easy lol good job

[@PilgrimPods]

Thanks for swinging by and checking it out. 🙂👍

[@berilmurray9879]

Looks fabulous!!!

[@PilgrimPods]

Thanks again. 😊

[@timw4926]

Excellent job mate.

[@greenmanoffgridcaravan]

Looks great! Well done!

[@PilgrimPods]

Cheers! It's coming together slowly isn't it. 🙂👍

[@Mbanks48]

Another tip for aligning the holes when fitting the top part, is that the holes in the plastic are bigger than the metal clips, so if you slide the metal clips up a tiny bit the screws will guide themselves into the holes.

[@PilgrimPods]

Thanks for the advice Martin, if ever I do another build (probably likely) I'll definitely bare in mind your advice. 🙂👍

[@stewarden909]

Looking great! I'm going make it on one of these vids one day pulling up outside 😁

[@PilgrimPods]

We don't want to lose subscribers so I'm afraid I'd have to edit you out. 😘😆👍

[@tracyblack1305]

Thank you for your video you made it look easy… it’s given me confidence to do ours

[@PilgrimPods]

You're welcome. Best of luck!

[@christopheralan8630]

Nice job 👍

[@PilgrimPods]

Thanks again Chris. 😀🙌

[@brettmanvalleyvan]

Always a bum twitcher cutting a hole in the roof 😂, great tip for future alignment of the fans 👍🏻 you are turning a battered old beast into a beautiful home another great job another great video 👍🏻💙✌️xx

[@PilgrimPods]

Cheers guys! That's the last of the big holes so on to less stressful things now. 😁👍Almost our lunch break and we can watch your maiden voyage over on your channel. Can't wait! 😊🙌💙❤

[@brettmanvalleyvan]

@@PilgrimPods and we can't wait to see what you do with the interior 👍🏻💙✌️

[@CharlieandMeOurCampingVlog]

Fantastic job well done

[@PilgrimPods]

Thanks again! Appreciate you checking us out. 😊

[@feralfreebirds]

just came across your channel today...great job ;) and same accent....love it hahaha....i have a leaky skylight since the bad storms past few days :( def need to replace ,not looking forward to it !

[@PilgrimPods]

Yam yam accents yay! 😆🙌 Good luck with the skylight. 😊🤞

[@feralfreebirds]

@@PilgrimPods im half handsworth / half black country....good mix ;) it stopped raining ,im off up ladders , just a reseal job today (usually lasts 3yrs then like yesterday i had a small stream passin thru me van !( n nowt to do with loo ..!!!)but my intention is to take my ceiling down and put 2 new 1's in, and im gunna fully renovate my van & layout, after 13yrs..it deserves it! :)

[@mattt1974UK]

I was surprised that you put the fan at the back. I'm putting in two of those Fiamma vents and hope to bodge together my own fans as the budge won't stretch to the MaxxFan. Most people seem to put the main fan in the cooking area at the front but every build is different.

[@PilgrimPods]

The Maxxfan will be only one of two big budget items in our van. The reason we opted to spend the extra was to help keep the dog cool. Like you say, most stick the fan at the front above the kitchenette but we opted for the rear to keep us comfortable at night and help ensure a good night's sleep. We'll open the windows at the front when we cook and force air through the van using the Maxxfan to remove cooking smells and moisture.

[@GurpreetSingh-op3ie]

Great series. Could you please tell me how much Maxxfan pops out from the roof?

[@barry-cq4xg]

Really nice job. The contour tool is ideal for the roof valleys. i was interested in your choice of Stixall in place of Sikaflex 212 which is silly expensive. I am looking at Puraflex 40 which is more expensive than Stixall but cheaper than Sika. Great job and will be following your fit out videos.

[@PilgrimPods]

Cheers Barry. If I had to do it again I'd opt for PU40 too. Stixall is great but since using it I've found out that although it says on the product description it can be used internally or externally if you take a close look at the tech sheet it says something along the lines of it shouldn't be used outside or something to that effect even though it's pretty much Sikaflex 212 rebranded and at a cheaper price. Despite what I've recently learned I haven't had any issues with it but like I say, I would definitely use PU40 next time (I used it to bond the solar panel to the roof). Good luck with your own van mate. 🙂👍

[@barry-cq4xg]

@@PilgrimPods Thanks for your reply. Good point on the Stixall which I suspect is a consumer product. Puraflex 40 is a commercial product and probably made to a higher specification. Difficult to know for sure unless you are a chemical engineer. The test will be if your PV panels stay attached to your roof (i am sure they will). I think it is always best to buy a commercial product when fitting critical weather exposed components. Thanks for your good wishes and I will follow your build on KZbin.

[@mikaelgrefback7112]

Hi, thank you for your videos, What’s your thinking on putting the maxxfan in the rear rather than in the front? I’m thinking about the fan noise by the bed, but also about primarilly wanting fan extraction in the kitchen (in the front)?

[@ru5tynutzvanlife556]

Lovely job , nice & neat 👍👍💙❤️💙❤️

[@PilgrimPods]

Cheers Rusty! Looking forward to your campertruck build series mate! 😉😁🙌💙❤

[@tine8849]

Yeah I was a bit disappointed you went for the posh option but fair enough you've got a dog & I'd get a Maxxfan too if I could afford it. Honestly I'd probably try to stretch for the manual version if it were available here and a fair bit cheaper. Nice to see you using Stix-all, I'd planned on doing the same as Sikaflex 512 is so expensive but I found some Dekasyl for roughly the same price so probably gonna go with that, although that's mainly cause it's got a picture of a campervan on the packaging lol.

[@PilgrimPods]

Yeah we didn't want to splash the cash. It was four times more expensive than the Fiamma but we wanted to make sure the van was cool for the dog. Not only that, we thought if we were uncomfortable in there because of the heat we wouldn't use the campervan half as much. Only other big budget item we'll be fitting is a 12v compressor fridge due to how economical they are. We figured it would pay itself back over time. 🙂

[@tine8849]

​@@PilgrimPods That's very sensible. My plan is also not to use my van in the blistering summer heat, don't think I could take it. I've seen a few cheap, probably Chinese, 12v compressor Fridge Freezers that I quite fancy giving a go in the near future but the cost of the van, plus insurance, a timing belt change & inevitably a full service has completely wiped me out.

[@PilgrimPods]

@@tine8849 I'll have to have a look for those fridges. 😁👍

[@tine8849]

@@PilgrimPods The one I'm looking at is the X50 Portable 50 Litre Camping Compressor Fridge Freezer on eBay. Could be an absolute bargain or a huge waste of money.

[@PilgrimPods]

@@tine8849 will check it out now and see if there are any reviews. 👍

[@beemawootton7947]

Always a worrying task getting the perfect seal. We are about to to our Fiamma..Did You water test the finished job. Did you go back and add sealant to the Maxx vent where the unit and roof meet in particular where you added layers of tape to build up the level of the rib. I noticed that you did that on the Fiamma unit.. Best regards From NZ

[@woolleycodwanderers4833]

Scary job 😱 ... well done 👍... ❤️👵🏼🐾🐾🤠

[@PilgrimPods]

Thanks guys! 😊👍

[@MultiOutdoorman]

Curious why the maxxfan is at the back instead of the front ? Cooking, cab heat etc ?

[@tallulahbelleoriginals7709]

Great video 👍 we’ve bought a Boxer to convert. We’re definitely getting the MaxxAir but we’re now contemplating having it over the bed not over the cooking area. Are you happy with it still ? Was that a sneaky view of Tamworth Castle I saw. We’re just in Shenstone 😄

[@PilgrimPods]

Yup we're in Tamworth! 😄 With all the opening windows and roof vent at the front we're not overly worried about removing cooking smells etc from the van. As you know, it's ridiculously hot at the moment and I'm struggling a bit to sleep at night. I want to give us the best possible chance of getting a good night's rest in the van in the summer and believe having it above us drawing in the cool night's air will aid in that so we can face the next day fresh and fully rested.

[@duncansarmy]

I had the same dilemma but ended up putting the maxxair at the front obo e cooker and a clear heiki over the bed so I can look at the stars in bed. Ima light sleeper too so feel the noise above my head would annoy me!

[@mattt1974UK]

Have you clad the ceiling yet? I'm wondering if the 34mm batons leave enough room for some cladding to slip underneath the bottom casing?

[@PilgrimPods]

We ended up having to pack the vent frames out by 12mm when we insulated as we had decided to add a 12mm batten to the overhead ribs of the van for the ceiling to attach to rather than batten out the side of the rib which had been the original plan. I'll be putting the floor and ceiling in next and have opted to use ply with a finish to it rather than clad.

[@pianomanjc3]

Another great video. Have also bought a Maxxfan deluxe which I will use with another roof vent or fan at the other end of the van. (I also have a Ducato, so same issues with ribs etc). Was wondering what your thinking was around putting the maxxfan at the back and fiamma at the front? I can't decide which is best for me. Cheers

[@PilgrimPods]

Hey Jonathan, thanks for swinging by again. The reason we opted to have the Maxxfan to the rear was to hopefully help keep us cool at night and aid better sleep. I get uncomfortable at night at home during the hot summer so can only imagine what it will be like in the van. I don't want to be out camping getting poor quality sleep and having the following day suffer as a result. I think most have it to the front as that's where the kitchen is and they want to remove condensate and smells whilst cooking. I figured with all the opening windows at the front, with the Maxxfan pulling air into the van we shouldn't have any issues. We'll soon find out! 🙂👍

[@vichua5489]

Hi what is the purpose of the wooden frame inside the van, can I not using frame?

[@amandacoombes3756]

I had exactly the same issue fitting my maxxfan

[@PilgrimPods]

Live and learn hey mate. 😀🍻

[@aengus.l]

Any reason you chose to put the max air fan over your bed rather than the cooking area? Thanks love the vids 🤙

[@PilgrimPods]

Yeah, I want it drawing cool air in at night during the summer to hopefully help us sleep. There's plenty of ventilation at the front to shift moisture from cooking. Only a medium wheelbase so I don't really think it'll make that much difference which end we put it! 😄

[@balkangetaway]

Are you happy with the placement of your roof vents. Not sure how your layout is going to be, dog you have a video with how it's going to look and what are your thoughts behind this exact placement?

[@PilgrimPods]

The roof vent with the fan in was placed at the rear above the bed to suck cool air in at night to aid sleeping. At home in the summer we have a fan on at night and assumed we'd want the same in the van. We'll do our cooking at the front of the van and appreciate most folk like to have a fan near their cooking source. In a small van with lots of opening windows and roof light, coupled with the fan to the rear of the fan should be enough to control moisture and smells. That's our thoughts anyway! 🙂👍

[@WestysGate]

Hey mate I'm thinking of switching to stixall as well as I've never had any issues with other construction projects ive done. Have you had any isues wirh it so far?

[@danieljames9884]

Just about to start my own transit van conversion. Great video guys and I can't wait to watch all your other videos for ideas. BTW have you got a link for the actual sealant tape you used please?

[@PilgrimPods]

Good luck mate! There's a link for the mastic tape down in the video description, it's what pretty much everyone uses. 🙂👍

[@bobbyfischer6786]

Did you get away with a single roll of mastik to build the indentations up? And did it stay dry after the test of time? Many thanks for your efforts

[@PilgrimPods]

I ended up using one and a bit rolls for both vents. I don't want to tempt fate but still watertight almost two years later.

[@eliotmcnamara3190]

perfect

[@PilgrimPods]

Cheers Eliot. 🍻😁🙌

[@eliotmcnamara3190]

@@PilgrimPods how much did you pay for the van ?

[@PilgrimPods]

@@eliotmcnamara3190 we picked the van up for £1500 off Gumtree. Was bought on a bit of a whim as the intention had been to get a LWB (not MWB) after we'd been away for our belated honeymoon but Helsing ticked a lot of the right boxes for us. Been looking at vans for about three years. 😁

[@eliotmcnamara3190]

@@PilgrimPods ah i get it van helsing took me way to long to get that 🙄🙄 good price probably put a extra grand on it already

[@PilgrimPods]

@@eliotmcnamara3190 🥳😆

[@TheAlphahot1]

Did the second vent resisted to leaks?

[@PilgrimPods]

Yup! 😊

[@mattt1974UK]

Can you remember what screws you used for the Fiamma? I need some for mine.

[@PilgrimPods]

Sorry Matt I can't remember the exact size but they were pan head self tappers purchased from Screwfix.

[@jamesbancroft1444]

Hi which mastic tape did you use ?

[@PilgrimPods]

Hey James, sorry for the late reply... I had a mountain of Easter eggs to eat my way through. We used W4 Mastic Sealing Strip; I think most do! There's a link in the video description if that helps. All the best mate. 🙂🍻

[@podgey65]

Well done vg video ? Do those fans run off 12v

[@PilgrimPods]

All 12v yep. The Maxxfan is a very popular choice for a roof fan. 🙂

[@mollyrichardson6472]

I have a toss up decision between going all out and installing a maxxair fan or a Fiamma 40 Vent. The price difference is insane. Everyone swears by the maxxair. Can anyone offer advice if a single Fiamma Vent alone will be enough for a medium wheel base?

[@PilgrimPods]

We only opted to install a Maxxfan because as you say, so many folk swear by them. There's many a story of folk cursing themselves for buying cheap only to then replace with the Maxxfan later on down the line. I have to admit though, if we didn't have the pup (he's five soon!) as ours is a budget build we would have probably just installed two Fiamma vents instead. Good luck with your decision Molly! 🙂👍

[@duncansarmy]

Save some time and use the frame as your template 🤷🏻‍♂️ Also was the profiling of the frame necessary or was your insulation too thin for you to lose it within?

[@PilgrimPods]

Hey Pete, yeah I guess I could have used the frame as a template! If memory serves, profiling the frame enabled it to sit flush with the metal internal ribs of the van thus saving a bit of internal height in the van. What I neglected to remember was I'd be gluing and screwing a batten to the rib as a fixing point for the ceiling... Worked out all right in the end though as it meant when packing the frames out to meet the depth of the ribs I could extend the wood from the frames to offer more fixing points for the ceiling. Lessons were learned along the way. 🙂

[@alhiggs9819]

Nice video. We're getting our van next week and one of first things we'll be doing is the sky lights and maxx air fan! Quick question where did you get your 34mm square timber from? The only place I've found is B&Q and it's a delivery only option, so I can't check the wood for warpage before purchase.

[@PilgrimPods]

I bought ours from Wickes so I could ensure it was all straight. Might save a few quid swinging by a builder's merchant though.

[@alhiggs9819]

@@PilgrimPods thanks. I did another search and realised that B&Q do sell them individually from the store.

[@Smudgie]

Excellent video, subscribed. I was wondering if it would be okay to cut a smaller hole for the Maxxfan just wide enough to accomodate the fan unit? The reason I ask is that I thought it would increase the width of the surface between the shroud and the roof. This would make for a wider area for sealant?

[@PilgrimPods]

A 400x400(?) hole is just large enough to accept the unit. You couldn't physically go any smaller. 🙂

[@Smudgie]

@@PilgrimPods Thanks. Yes it became clear when the unit arrived.

[@CampervanTales]

We thought we were subscribed to you. Turns our KZbin has deleted four channels that we were, yours is one of them, so resubbed now

[@PilgrimPods]

Cheers guys, appreciate the support on our tiny channel. 😊👍 Watching channels like yours makes us desperate to get our conversion finished and have some adventures of our own. 😁💙❤

[@CampervanTales]

@@PilgrimPods hopefully we will get to meet you at some point for one of those coffees we enjoy so much. 👍😀☕☕

[@PilgrimPods]

We look forward to that and meeting the pups too! 🐶🐶🐶🐶