How To Install Roof Fans In A Sprinter Van Conversion (2024 UK)
Need some help installing the roof fans in your sprinter van?
Having a main ceiling fan or vent in your campervan is important for overall ventilation, for example – to provide ventilation when you are cooking, or to regulate the temperature inside your van.
A shower extractor fan is also useful, (if you have a shower in your van of course!), & it will help to get rid of any steam during or after you take a shower.
In this post we will share with you step-by-step, how we installed both our main MaxxAir Fan & our shower extractor in our 2010 Mercedes Sprinter!
* DISCLAIMER: There are so many ways to convert a campervan, different materials you can use & methods of doing certain things. We are not experts (just first-time van builders!), & we are simply sharing what we have chosen to do & what has worked for us after hours of research. So although we write our blog to help others with their build & recommend products & materials that we have used - please always do plenty of research and do choose methods that you feel comfortable with & that suits your van build & needs!
What Fans Did We Choose For Our Van Conversion?
After doing hours of research & reading many a review, we chose to go for the Maxxair Deluxe Roof Fan for our main living area – which can actually be used to either draw air in and suck air out. It has different speeds and can be controlled easily by a remote.
For our shower fan, we chose the Zchui Extractor Fan which we purchased off Amazon, which we decided on after reading a recommendation from a fellow van lifer!
Materials And Tools We Used Install Roof Fans
Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links as part of the Amazon Associates Program. If you purchase through one of our links, we may make a small commission, at no extra cost to you!
| Maxxair Fan Deluxe |
| Zchui Extractor Fan |
| Sikaflex Sealant |
| 50mm x 25mm wooden battens |
| 18mm PlyWood |
| W4 Mastic Seal Tape |
| Self Tapping Screws |
| Wood Screws |
| Hole Saw |
| FatMax Drill |
| Jigsaw |
| Mastic Sealant Gun |
| Screwdriver |
| Marker/Pen |
| Measuring Tape |
To check out all the products & materials we used in our van conversion, visit our Amazon StoreFront!
Quick Guide To Installing a MaxxAir Fan
Step 1: Plan Where To Put The Fan
The first step in installing our Maxxair Deluxe Fan, was to figure out where exactly on the ceiling of the van we wanted to put it!
Note: Something we did have to take into consideration was where we would be positioning our solar panels on the roof, and ensure we maintained enough room for those to be fitted at a later date.
Another thing to consider was that it wouldn’t clash with any structural roof support beams.
So once we had decided where the fan was going to be installed, we marked the size of the opening on the roof, from the inside, using a marker pen.
Step 2: Drill Holes, Shape, Cut
We then drilled a hole in each corner (which we had marked) from inside the campervan.
By drilling the holes from the inside, it ensured that we weren’t compromising any structural support, and it gave us the outline of the required opening.
Then it was time (for Andrew) to get up on the roof haha!
Once on top of the roof, we stuck on masking tape where the opening would be, then drew the required shape onto the masking tape, so as to not mark the paintwork on the roof.
After the shape was drawn, we could then start cutting out the real shape using the jigsaw.
We attached a metal cutting blade with fine teeth to ensure a clean cut.
After the opening was cut, we filed the edge of the metal making it nice and smooth, and then applied some Hammerite Metal Paint to protect the edge.
Then we tested the frame of the MaxxAir Roof Fan in the opening to make sure everything lined up correctly. (Thankfully it did!)
Step 3 : Build Wooden Frame
Next on the task list was to build a wooden frame, which would be fitted inside the van around the opening for the fan.
The reason we did this was so we would have something to screw into from above.
For the frame we used 50mm x 25mm battens, and then stuck it onto the roof of the van using the Sikaflex sealant.
Once the sealant had fully set, it was time to finish the installation from above.
On most campervan roofs, you will notice that they are corrugated, therefore when you go to fit your ceiling fan it probably won’t fit flush with the roof due to the raised sections.
To mitigate this problem, we used three layers of mastic seal so that the level right around our opening was the same.
Step 4: Install Fan Frame
Next, it was time to fit the actual frame that came as part of the fan.
We started by applying a bead of Sikaflex sealant around the edge of our opening and then placed the fan frame on top.
After that, we screwed the frame down through the metal roof, and into the wooden frame we had previously installed below, using self tapping screws.
Another bead of sealant was then applied around the frame, which we smoothed all the way around.
To ensure it was REALLY sealed up and WATERTIGHT, we applied a final drop of sealant on each screw head.
Step 5: Fitting the Maxxair Fan
The FINAL step, was then to fit the actual fan. This was the easy part, as it is held in place with just four screws that go into the side of the frame.
Once fitted, your fan is now ready to be wired into the electrical system.
The next day once everything had cured properly, we tested the fan to make sure there weren’t any leaks.
We simply did this using the garden hose.
And thankfully everything was A-OK!!! 🙂
TIP – When drilling the holes in each corner make sure the drill bit creates a large enough hole to be able to fit the jigsaw blade.
Installing The Van Shower Extractor Fan
Step 1: Plan And Drill Hole
Installing the Shower Fan was a similar installation process to the ceiling fan.
Again it was important to make sure we fitted the fan in the correct place, leaving enough room for the solar panels and ensuring it wouldn’t clash with any structural supports.
Due to this, we decided to purchase a 120mm diameter hole saw, which would simply attach to our drill and make the cutting process a tad easier.
The shower extractor fan we used had a 136mm diameter and it required a 120mm diameter hole.
So once we determined where the fan was to be fitted, we simply drilled the 120mm hole through the roof from inside the van.
Step 2: Build Wooden Frame
Again, we needed some sort of frame to be able to screw the fan into, so we cut some 18mm plywood – 150mm x 150mm – so that it was slightly wider than the overall diameter of the fan.
We then used the 120mm hole saw and drilled into the centre of the ply, which allowed us to have a minimum of a 15mm frame right round the opening for the fan.
After that was done, we used our trusty Sikaflex Sealant again, to stick the frame to the inside roof. We ensured that it lined up correctly with the hole in the roof too.
Once the sealant had cured, we were then able to finish fitting the fan from on top of the roof.
Step 3: Install Shower Fan
On the roof of the van, we applied one layer of W4 Mastic Seal around the opening for the fan, and then a bead of the sealant on top, prior to putting the fan in place.
Once we did that, we started screwing the fan down through the roof, and into the wooden frame below, again using self tapping screws.
We then applied another bead of sealant around the edge of the fan, smoothed it out and just like with the ceiling fan, added a final drop of sealant on each screw head to ensure everything stays WATERTIGHT.
As before, the next day we tested to make sure there weren’t any leaks, thankfully there wasn’t and our shower fan was now ready to be wired into our electrical system! 🙂
Final Thoughts: How To Install Roof Fans In A Sprinter Van Conversion
We hope this post has helped you feel more confident in fitting the roof vans in your van conversion!
If you have any questions, let us know in the comments below & we will do our best to help!
Enjoy this post? You may also like:
- How To Strip Out Your Van And Prep It For Converting
- How To Install Bonded Van Windows in 10 Steps!
- A Guide To Building Walls In Your Campervan
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