Vannautical engineer
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2021
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- 155
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I installed one of the fantastic fans that has a rain sensor. While I'm happy with the fan overall, I've found the rain sensor can be a little annoying sometimes. There are times when it's raining, but I still want to leave the fan cracked open just a little to still get some air circulation. And also, as soon as the rain sensor gets wet, the fan will fight you and try to close itself for quite a while after, as long as the rain sensor is still wet.
So while it's really nice sometimes, having the rain sensor on there can be a real PITA as well. So I did a simple mod to the fan to solve the issue.
First, disconnect power to the fan.
Next, open the fan hatch, go up top, and remove the one screw holding the rain sensor in place. Lift up the rain sensor off of the little plastic peg that holds it in place, and once it's totally free except for the wires connecting to it, feed it down through the hole in the fan bezel that the wires come through.
Next you need to unscrew the white painted flathead screws at the corners of the fan bezel. I think there are three of them, and then two that are holding in the little gearbox near the hatch opening handle.
Next, carefully drop down the fan bezel, but be warned that there are a lot of wires in here. So, let it down gently so you don't break any wires.
At this point, locate the thin black wires that go to the rain sensor. Cut one of them (either one) but leave enough length in the wire so that it can reach down to the bezel.
Get a small, low current switch. I used a bat style toggle switch. Solder the ends of the wire you just cut onto the switch. In my case the only switch I had laying around was a double pole switch for switching two circuits at once, but all you need is a single pole.
Drill a hole in the bezel for the switch to go through, feed the rain sensor back up through its hole, push the bezel back up into place, and reassemble everything. Now you can turn on or off the rain sensor as needed instead of having it constantly trying to close the fan even when you don't want it to. Just don't forget to turn on the rain sensor when you want it on.
And I think I'm going to label mine so I remember which direction is off and on before I regret it. :s
So while it's really nice sometimes, having the rain sensor on there can be a real PITA as well. So I did a simple mod to the fan to solve the issue.
First, disconnect power to the fan.
Next, open the fan hatch, go up top, and remove the one screw holding the rain sensor in place. Lift up the rain sensor off of the little plastic peg that holds it in place, and once it's totally free except for the wires connecting to it, feed it down through the hole in the fan bezel that the wires come through.
Next you need to unscrew the white painted flathead screws at the corners of the fan bezel. I think there are three of them, and then two that are holding in the little gearbox near the hatch opening handle.
Next, carefully drop down the fan bezel, but be warned that there are a lot of wires in here. So, let it down gently so you don't break any wires.
At this point, locate the thin black wires that go to the rain sensor. Cut one of them (either one) but leave enough length in the wire so that it can reach down to the bezel.
Get a small, low current switch. I used a bat style toggle switch. Solder the ends of the wire you just cut onto the switch. In my case the only switch I had laying around was a double pole switch for switching two circuits at once, but all you need is a single pole.
Drill a hole in the bezel for the switch to go through, feed the rain sensor back up through its hole, push the bezel back up into place, and reassemble everything. Now you can turn on or off the rain sensor as needed instead of having it constantly trying to close the fan even when you don't want it to. Just don't forget to turn on the rain sensor when you want it on.
And I think I'm going to label mine so I remember which direction is off and on before I regret it. :s 
