And, if you thought that the FAN-TASTIC Fan installations was fun, they you’re going to really enjoy hearing the saga of Gary’s fantastic FAN-TASTIC fan adventure part 2. It just keeps gretting better. Now, he’s going to install the two roof-top vent covers for the fans. The fans themselves were my idea but these were his idea and were on his list so he can’t blame me for this one. This is all on him.
But these instructions were as good as the instructions for the Fans. Finally, after trying to make them work. Gary finally called FAN-TASTIC tech support, left a message and waited. Then he made another call and waited. Finally today he called, held on and Sharon answered the phone. She told him that the instructions explain installation A whereas all Winnebagos require installation B - which is not included with these vents covers and she e-mailed installation B to him. (By the way, we bought these covers at the Winnebago Customer Service desk. Gary suggested that the specific Winnebago instructions be included with all Winnebago sales.)
Unfortunately, installation B instructions are as vague as the installation instructions for the fan itself. Gary called back, got Sharon again who called in Robert, the guy in the cubicle next to her. Gary heard these lines:
‘We don’t actually have a vent cover here in the office so we can’t see it.’
‘Sharon’s been here since May and I came in February.’
‘I’ve never seen an installation done.’
‘Does anybody really know what time it is?’ Again, I kid you not. I was here, I heard the conversation and that is really what they said. Sharon then called someone on the engineering staff, Aaron, and then e-mailed him copying Gary.
Meanwhile Gary and I took a movie of the installation as it should be from their instructions to show how much it moved on the roof. It was not stable and there was no way he could seal it. He then e-mailed this movie to Sharon. Have we heard back? Is Aaron on vacation? Tune in tomorrow for more of Gary’s fantastic FAN-TASTIC adventure.
Yes, Aaron got back to Gary but not with any real hints about how to install this. Gary then made up his own installation, it works fine and, knowing my huisband and his work, it will work forever.
Now, let me add a caveat to this story about the FAN-TASTIC fans. We’re really glad that we upgraded ours to the remote with thermostat and that Gary installed the vent covers. The fans work amazingly well and, with the covers, we will not have to close the fans down when it rains. I recommend both of these items for any RV’er. I also think that the techs helped us as much as they could and with a pleasant attitude. But I’m not sure that their training and support were as good as they could be. They need a fan and a fan cover in their office so they can actually see how they operate. They need to see an installation and then actually install a fan and fan cover themselves to have a better idea of the problems that others face. But, the instructions were written as many instructions are: not complete, not in layman’s terms and not always feasible. Do engineers at companies who design these intricate devices that we all use, ever try to install them? Do people who write the instrtuctions ever try to follow their own instructions? My guess for both of these questions is a resounding: NO.
Hey, have I mentioned the recurring problem with our braking system in our Jeep? Anyone who thinks that the RV lifestyle is always care-free and that we are on one continual vacation, let me disabuse you of those thoughts. We’re not on vacation, we’re just living our lives in an RV - and we have issues just like anyone who owns a home or lives in an apartment and we have to solve these. In this case, we have a Jeep which we tow behind our motorhome. Because RV’s and Jeeps are heavy, we also have a braking system in our Jeep so that, in an emergency situation, when we apply the brakes to the motorhome, the brakes in the Jeep will also be applied.
For those of you who do not travel in an RV, a braking system is a box with an arm in front attached to the brake pedal of the car which obtains its force by pushing against the seat of the car. In the picture below, you can see the braking system and the black handle which pushes against the seat. You can’t see the arm pushing against the brake pedal, but, believe me, it is there.
This brake worked perfectly will in our old Jeep Grand Cherokee, which we traded in 2 years ago. It does not work so well in our new Jeep Liberty, which has a higher, more rounded seat. When we simulate an emergency situation to test the brake, the black bar hits the rounded seat and rides up over the seat rather than pushing against it. Thus it does not brake as well. Oops. We spoke with another woman at the rally who had this same problem. And, I’m sure, we’re not the only ones. Gary, my problem solver, has now constructed this board which fits between the brake and the Jeep seat and prevents the brake from riding up over the seat.
Will we solve all our problems before we leave on September 1? We’re sure working on it.
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