How to Install Panasonic's WhisperFit DC Ventilation Fan

[@oherroprease207]

TO ANYONE THAT IS ATTEMPTING THIS INSTALL: When you get to 4:45, DO NOT DO IT LIKE THE VIDEO SHOWS! The lower edge of the junction box/ducting assembly that he shows as sitting in the attic, needs to be flush and catching on the bottom of the drywall. Not in the attic sitting on the mounting bracket like he shows in this video. I hope I just saved someone an hour of frustration.

[@williambryson2190]

As someone who is doing this install as we speak, thank you😁

[@spazshane]

I just did this install and did not read this comment, and followed the video, and completely messed up the install, the screws designed are not meant to come back out. absolute pain in the ASS. Take this video down immediately "professional remodeler" absolute disgrace, misleading people. You know you messed it up yourself, and then just scrubbed over the important part....... absolutely ridicolous

[@jesuspadilla7986]

Son of a B!!! Should have read the comments first and it would have saved me time and frustration!!!

[@Shibes3]

THANK YOU! Was stuck on this part for hours so I went to find a video only to see him do the exact same thing. As soon as I put the duct box on the drywall it snapped into place.

[@WhosthatTeamAFC]

I just came back to this video to make this comment. He skips that part. Was ready to throw the thing in the garbage and keep open holes in my ceiling after an hour of messing around. Overall, still a good video. Just missing that crucial step.

[@marcdenlinger5282]

Your video is waaaay better than the installation instructions that come with the fan. Thanks!

[@frankcanuck360]

Left out some very important steps!

[@johnwaldeck6904]

I seem to be not the best at finding good videos. I watched another motorcycle-related video while trying to find out how to install an aftermarket part on a motorcycle, and just like this, most of the difficult steps were just glossed over, or simplely flat-out ignored.

[@colehansen2453]

Multiple people have replied correctly that this install was not 100% correct. I have done this twice with this unit. Once in my unfinished basement and one as a replacement in my master bath. I did have access to the attic for my master bath which was helpful. Because of the rat runs and trusses that were in the way, I had to add a metal 90 degree elbow up, then add the 4" to 3" reducer and then attach the 3" flex duct. For the drywall, I only cut a hole the size of the fan box itself. With the EZ flex bracket, one direction is already set for you. There was no exposed brackets. The drywall covered them, which also helps to bear the weight load of the fan. Screw in your brackets to your joists/trusses. Make sure they are square. Once you have connected the wiring and duct to the removable junction box, that part gets screwed into the flex bracket. However, the L portion lays (wraps) on the drywall and you screw through the L, drywall and then into the bracket which is on the other side of the drywall. If you do not do it this way, then the fan unit will NOT seat fully into the junction box. Once seated fully, the four flanges of the fan housing should be flush to the drywall, you screw in the last two screws, put in the small machine screw and plug in the electrical quick connect and you are good. That machine screw helps to hold the housing into the junction box portion which is screwed into the flex bracket. If you have some gaps between the flange and drywall, just hit with a bead of caulk so everything is sealed. You won't see it because of the plastic finish piece. I agree that both the written instructions and pictures are lacking.

[@gz6915]

One question: if we need to replace the fan in the future, it would be a hard job as the whole fan site on top of the drywall. There is no way to take it out without cutting the drywall. Is it correct?

[@claudge6377]

​@@gz6915there is a plastic tab that clicks when you push the fan up and connect it to the little box that has the exhaust and the wire box. If you need to remove the fan you push that tab after taking out the 2 screws that hold the fan to the bracket and the fan should be free to be released.

[@quantumperplexity]

Thanks! I report success!!! The biggest challenges were the screws from the old supports were wildly angled downward, making it difficult to get anything into them except for my handy vampliers. Getting the fan box to snap into the electric junction box/ventilation hose "smaller section" was much more difficult than I imagined. Part of my problem was that the previous fan width was about 1/4 inch larger than the Panasonic, so the smaller section's bottom lip wouldn't stay firmly below the ceiling sheetrock, it just kept scooching up, preventing the happy click of section mating. My solution was to use a pair of washers around the screws that go on the smaller section side so the screws wouldn't travel up through the extra wide fan box section screw slots (I have no idea why they made them so wide and long...) As the screws tightened, the washers held firm from below and the screws pulled the small section down until the happy click occurred. I also discovered in my first try at this that if there's no "click" then there will be a high volume of air escaping into the attic, likely moist bathroom air. That click is crucial!

[@takenoshortcuts]

You skipped the part that I am struggling with - installing the adapter to the Flex-X bracket with two self-drilling screws! ... when following the diagram instructions, the screws don't hold the two together.

[@glennedwards6946]

Is this a joke? What seems to be the most important and most difficult step is the installation of the junction box/duct collar and then bringing the fan unit into the bracket and connecting the fan assembly to the Junction box bracket. He cannot get to it from above, just from below. How did he connect the two assemblies. I don't think he did.

[@RudyNortz]

I think you are right. This vid skipped the hard parts.

[@choski76]

How can he undo it if it needs a fix?

[@razmspiele25]

This guy skips that step, another video the guy claims he thought his phone was recording and it wasn’t at the same part. Insane.

[@spf-92.5]

Im guessing he taped the flex duct to whatever duct was in the ceiling but that flex all cramped up there is dog shit. Sure it’s just a bath fan but lint will slowly accumulate in those ribs and cramped angle he created. Pro hvac guys never use a single piece of 4” flex unless they’re total hacks.

[@oherroprease207]

I screwed up the install of this fan twice in both bathrooms of my house because of this video!!! I fought the first one forever trying to slide the box into the junction box/ hose connection that was sitting in the attic. Then when I finally got it, it wouldn’t snap all the way in because the assemblies were separated by both the drywall and the mounting bracket. I then proceeded to cut the drywall hole larger so the entire fan box was flush with the bracket and it still wasn’t tight. I got pissed off and just smashed the first one together then after I purposely cut the drywall hole too big again on the second fan in finally hit me. The junction box and duct collar lip sits against the drywall, not in the attic like this video shows. Now im just pissed off cause I screwed up twice trying to follow this video and will now have humid air venting across the exposed porous cut edge of my drywall. This guy sucks.

[@aleclerc3]

Great video. It really helped at least confirm what I thought the instructions were attempting to convey. The one piece that maybe was not caught on video was using 2 of the long screws to secure the adapter to the ez bracket before pushing the fan unit into place. Thanks for the video.

[@kranthireddy]

You have installed the adapter incorrectly. It comes under the drywall not under the flex bracket.

[@FrancisDGM]

At what time of the video is that? Just want to be sure I'll install mine this week.

[@blueststar4u]

​@@FrancisDGMtime @ 3:50 the bottom lip should be under the drywall.

[@aquicktake]

my ceiling is a plaster with wire mesh construction from the early 1960s. The current fan in there is a straight shot to the roof. Guess it's called an "inline" exhaust fan. There is no hose tubing etc - it's basically a round cylinder of sheet metal that goes from the fan through the air space to a covered vent. I'm still trying to wrap my head around how to install a new generation fan into that spot>!!?

[@millersfloorcoatings]

You'll be way better off with your old straight shot sheet metal ductwork than the flexible plastic duct. The sheet metal is smooth walled and less resistance and will work much better. Definitely utilize the existing ductwork. You will figure it out or find someone that can help you. It basically comes down to having the right tools, time, and patience. I just installed one of these in my upstairs bathroom in a 1917 house. Had to design and build my own galvanized 4" duct work all the way to the gable wall on the back of my house. Took a lot of time but finally got it all roughed in and connected tonight and it works. Had to insulate the duct work as well because I live in Northern MN. What a project!! I had the tools and the time though, so I saved a lot versus finding a contractor to do the job. Kind of a fun challenge.

[@mox09]

This video was done well and helped a great deal. The instructions that come with the fan are poorly done. The illustrations are bad. This video made all the difference and I was able to install the fan in a couple of hours. The only thing this video does not show or deal with is all the insulation that will come down when installing from the room. Also, my old fan was stapled on ears of the housing from the attic so I could not tear it out from below. I recommend doing your homework before trying to install from the room. I have a good enough space above the ceiling that I could go up and move all the blown-in insulation out of the way first and remove the old fan housing. It also gave me access to the vent pipe and electrical wire better than from below. None-the-less, with these instructions you can do everything from the room as long as your vent hose and electrical wire are reachable and your old fan is attached from inside the old housing.

[@bencashman1017]

Mine didn’t come with a 3” to 4” reducer, which I needed. Also, the bracket was a pain to install with 3/4”strapping between the drywall and the joists so I had to add some blocking. I wish they had designed it to be more user friendly for that situation, which is pretty much the norm here in the northeast.

[@cengeb]

they have several models, ya need to get the retrofit models, comes with plastic slip on reducer and flex bracket. I installed 3 to replace the old Broan cement grinders...Panasonic is the way to go in bathroom vent fans

[@captainamerica9725]

I’m a builder here in the northeast. Wait is the 3/4” strapping not a thing elsewhere? Does everyone else just go right to the joists? I was wondering how the hell they didn’t account for this.

[@NMcCauley]

Can you recommend a fan for a kitchen ? I need a new exhaust fan for my kitchen to draw out cooking smells…

[@hkdanahui]

My current cutout is in circular with 290mm in dia, do I still about to install this fan?

[@DanielCollins85]

Where does the two "Signal" wires go?

[@prao4603]

can you install this fan in the kitchen? if it has a vent that's roughly the same size?

[@AldoM-k5m]

You don't show the wiring

[@caitkacz]

Do you know if Panasonic's smaller "Whisper Boost" from Home Depot is as easy to install? I haven't found a a good video or instructions & their manual just seems to show install on open ceiling joists :(

[@rayo1883]

Am I mistaken or was there a quick cut to a man with no sheetrock covering his joists, then a cut bsck to this installation?

[@michaelpolsinelli2345]

What if you have a plaster ceiling? would screws hold on the edge of the plaster?

[@bkulber1]

I just installed this model yesterday. The screws actually go through the ceiling and into the "Z-fit frame"...which is screwed into joists. What your ceiling is made of should be irrelevant. That being said, there are 4 supplied screws, but 8 screw holes in housing tabs. I'm not sure what the strategy for that was.

[@michaelpolsinelli2345]

@@bkulber1 yep, you're right. I got mine installed about 6 weeks ago. It went in really easy.

[@TomWhite-ex9ml]

Good video--it all works. However, like many other installers, he did not follow the installation instructions which say to secure the Adaptor to the Flex-Z-Fast unit BEFORE installing the fan body. YMMV.

[@frankcanuck360]

Yep noticed the same thing

[@christhornton468]

Agreed...are there holes for the long screws or do you just screw through the slit on the bracket and then through the metal on the adaptor?

[@thomaswhite4527]

@@christhornton468 You may wish to look at another installation video. Most of the instructions show two self-drilling screws through the holes in the lip of the unit that go through the drywall and into the Flex-Z-Fast bracket already installed. I think that is what you said in your comment, too.

[@ExNihlo]

What an excellent, informative video. Thank you so very much for taking the time to make this video :-)

[@robertthurston6858]

Think know now What I did wrong I had the fan primary fan part, placed on top of the bracket instead of on the underside outside of the drywall

[@ajirish5127]

Why would anyone choose the 80 CFM over the 110 CFM? I would think you would want the most suction power.

[@bkulber1]

I think it's going to depend on your duct work. If you have 3" or even 4", you may want 80. I installed this with 4" duct work and I had a lot of air pushing through the seams of the unit when I had it set to 110. Something you don't want in northern climates. I put foil tape on all the seams which did the trick, but I would imagine most people won't think of that. Also, you pretty much cannot hear it at all when it's at 80, but when it's at 110, you can hear it, but it's still no doubt much quieter than what you're replacing.

[@EIiasNI]

110 CFM is better but louder. That's the main difference

[@keithcappell7584]

I have the Panasonic RG-R811A whisper remodel exhaust fan. Does the Panasonic RG-R811A bathroom exhaust fan have a moisture sensor to automatically place it in standby mode when no moisture is present? Also, which switch is recommended, a timer switch or a regular switch, and which make and model of switch for both? Thanks.

[@karthikp5300]

Wishper Renew Model #RG-N110LHA have the moisture sensor. Since your RG-R811A doesn't have sensor you may have to use a timer switch

[@whatisdumb6620]

Would like to know where to connect the motion censor, the instruction manual doesn't say how

[@johndowning8019]

Tim Heidecker does remodel? Times are tough...

[@robertthurston6858]

Sure; but try doing it in a old lathe and paster ceiling ? How do you accommodate for the ceiling that’s over an inch thick ? The main fan housing doesn’t slide up far enough to be able to connect the power plug in . That what I’m trying to do .

[@swan7654]

I'm worrying about the same thing my house has new ceiling layered over old and is prob 2 1/2 to 3 inch thick...worried that the vent air outlet won't sit high enough to connect ...no fan installed there either 😢

[@robertthurston6858]

I figured out what I did wrong. The flange of first part of the fan where the output vent is on , needs to be on the outside of the ceiling (Drywall/ Paster). But if your ceiling is really thick ,I don't think it's going to work at all. You're going to have to reduce the thickness of the ceiling where the fan is going to be mounted. Probably the inside layer of ceiling . Try and get it down so it only an inch thick. And then you will probably need to frame a subframe of wood, so the mounting bracket can be secured it. A lot of carpentry is about improvising. This not a quick job, try to be patient. Good Luck 👍

[@stephengribble5997]

Yeah it's a stupid fucking design. I also have three layers of drywall for my bath ceiling in this 100 year old house. I had to cut out the inner two layers of Sheetrock so that the part with jbox and fan outlet would fit since there is only like 3/4 of space between the flange and the bottom of the outlet. Then I had to add some blocking so that the z flex thing had something to screw into. Huge pain in the ass. Poor design if you've got an older house to work around.

[@WakandaBabe]

I just had this installed in my plaster ceiling. I actually worried about doing it but the installer had no problems and the fan works just fine. There was no fan previously.

[@israel9294]

I installed this fan my biggest complaint is that I had a hard time installing the face plate where the ducting goes. I tried to snap it together where these plastic pin guides supposedly holds it in place but these little plastics keep falling off. And the lid covering for the duct does not fit I couldn’t put it on because the dry wall is in the way. I don’t know how people are able to close the face plate because it won’t fit it sticks up over an inch and won’t close not unless I rip about 2 or 3 inches of the drywall but now I’m gonna have a giant whole that measures 3 inches by 10 1/2 inches, I think the engineers forgot about the lid cover and the dry wall. There is no way to close it. So I had to literally make holes on my ceiling and leaving it paper thin, now I have to use drywall patching I almost gave up with all the frustration. What were they thinking! Has anyone encountered this problem?

[@tpacino1641]

Would've love too see if bracket it flush to ceiling or any wiggle room, he must've had the same problem and skipped it. I have drywall and plaster about 1.25 thick. Oh well trial and error always figure it out.

[@robcoviello5383]

Does it need to be connected to a switch?

[@pdxfunkjunkie]

@robcoviello5383, your question is a month old, so maybe you have already sorted this out. In this video, the installer just re-used the existing switch (or timer) that was already at the other end of that electrical wire. NEC code now requires a TIMER, not a switch. I guess the timer is safer - in case you forget to turn off the switch - but honestly it's also WAY more convenient. Set it and forget it.

[@capnron65]

It was helpful, but you skipped where you attached the junction box to the drywall?! to the mounting bracket?!? The third part of installing the junction box and the actual fan could be more accurate.

[@justinorellana6675]

4:29 Theres a crucial step that was skipped. Its not hard to see what though

[@SVEntertain2024]

My fan turns on off in intervals. Is it normal?

[@philesq]

Shouldn't insulated duct be used?

[@ScottPetersGuitar]

Yes. To eliminate risk of condensation. Especially in cold markets.

[@myerhaven2]

The only way that this would have worked is if he cut the existing rigid duct back to allow the flex to bend without restricting the flow. Why didn’t he show that?

[@btwebber]

Good video but didn't show the wiring which is what I really needed to see.

[@pauliesev6]

You don’t know how to match colors?

[@RudyNortz]

Black to Black, white to white, green to green

[@FloridaRailfanKid803]

The Old Bathroom Fan Was A Nutone Basic Bathroom Fan

[@bibbit]

The dude completely ignores talking about how he removed the original duct and then reattaches the new duct… weird

[@bkulber1]

I installed one of these yesterday. I never want to talk about replacing the duct work ever again either. ;) What a nightmare.

[@Rocky-xx2zg]

I purchased the Unit that provides a heated feature to warm the room as you shower.. When we finish in the shower, it stops heating and blows cold air. Support had no answer . JUNK!!!

[@michaelmerrills576]

Video shows the easy steps. He must have hired someone to do the hard parts.

[@RudyNortz]

Exactly. I put this fan in today and it ain't as easy as this. To get this to fit you need to have no drywall material between those rails and the flange on the fan assembly. Watch a video on an installation of the fan in a new house (no sheetrock) to see how it should go.

[@garrettgreenberg60]

The instructions for this product are vague, with conflicting images concerning the adapter as installed to the bracket. This video basically skipped that part too. UGH.

[@RudyNortz]

Right, the instructions are not clear.

[@bkulber1]

Oh, you mean how the product comes with 8 holes on the body, but there are only 4 screws? LOL! So strange. I just used logic to install it. If the frame is screwed to the joist, just screw the unit to the part of the frame that is closest to the part that is screwed to the joist. That's more than enough to support the weight of this unit.

[@sagefi1]

Super helpful. The instructions it comes with are garbage

[@BKMDano17]

This is the worst video I have ever seen I've been a contractor for 40 years and this is not helpful I can't imagine a homeowner trying to do this without any background

[@jesseestrada4290]

Flex duct is not allowed in California...!

[@morganpay]

Yeah, and everything in California causes cancer. Meanwhile, in the other *rational 49 states*....

[@MrKillerRC]

California blows.

[@bubunelu7027]

Then you either move out of California or just install it and don't tell nobody 😂

[@keithrobertson7579]

Great video? No, it is not. This didn't answer any of my questions about how the pieces fit together. And when connecting the wiring, the housing was in the way so couldn't see anything. I learned nothing from this. Downvoted.

[@72san]

Liar. He skipped important steps.😂

[@David-uy2xl]

DID IT WRONG 😂

[@boaa588]

I gave you a thumbs down

[@TylerSnoen-no1yu]

Kinda a dumb video!

[@seanlavery6477]

Useless. Covered up the wiring crucial part.

[@chriszzz6672]

Black to black, white to white, the third wire is the ground. He put in the ground screw at the end and did not show the attachment of any wire to it. This video makes it seem easier than it is. Persistence and patience will win out in the end.

[@seanlavery6477]

My patience brought me to another video and i won in the end by installing it correctly. Thank you.

[@electricianron_New_Jersey]

You're supposed to be a licensed electrician to do anything professionally higher than 10 volts.

[@cengeb]

wrong, there are exceptions. You think siding guys are what now?

[@chriszzz6672]

Maybe in New Jersey. I did a complete solar install and it had to pass the city's inspection. My assistant used to be an electrician, which was a big help to interpret the plans and get it done right. But there is no requirement to have a licensed electrician do the work.

[@JPDrew3]

Delete this bro