vacuum power head, vent covers, AC filters - Montana Owners Club

drjjj · 09-06-2006, 09:36 AM

1. We are new owners of a 3400. I had recently posted a question about a powerhead/beater bar for the Dometic vacuum. I am aware of the Mar-Beck company's option thanks to the group. Since I posted, Dometic contacted me and suggested that I contact DTI parts regarding a part#3308164.007 Battery Driven Power Head. Has anyone had any experience with this? Better or not as good as the Mar-Beck product?
2. In looking at the other rigs at the park where we are currently, I have noticed that most of them have some type of cover on the vents. Good idea? Is one brand better than another? Are they easily owner installed, or should I pay someone to install them?
3. We are living in our rig full time right now, and here in South Texas the AC's run 24/7. Where can I get spare filters for the AC's so I can always have a clean one on hand?
Again, thanks for all the help and advice.

CountryGuy · 09-06-2006, 10:06 AM

1. Have no idea, don't have the vac

2.) Those are usually max-air vent covers, available CW and other trailer sales places. I think that we paid about $25.00 a piece for them 3 years ago, but, that is a long time ago, memory losses and all that. Al installed ours, I think if you are half way handy with tools you could do it. They keep the water out, you can leave the vents open 24-7 if you want and never worry about the rain getting in. We find very useful.

3.) I thought the filter was a piece of washable foam, but maybe they have changed that too in the years since we purchased. Suggest - get up there, take that cover off and have a look. Let us know, I am curious bout that!

Carol

Oh, and congrats on that new 3400!!!

(Thanks Glenn)

Al & Carol Stevens Tipton, Mi.
Retired - Traveling with 4 Yorkies
2004 3295RK
2003 GMC 3500 Allison/8.1
PullRite 15.5K Super 5th
Line-X
JackRabbit tonneau cover
Bilstein shocks
Isolator Pin Box

Our Camping Rig History
Montana Improvements and Travel Reports
Recipe for the RVing Life

Our take on RV ownership, "Ya better be handy with your hands and handy with your cash."

Every day spent on earth is a blessing, every day spent in our Montana is a day blessed twice.

Parrothead · 09-06-2006, 10:20 AM

I'm curious about the power head for the vac. What is the contact info.
Our AC filter is a washable foam.
We have a different brand of the vent covers but they are the same idea as Max-Air. We had them on our other unit and love them. We had our dealer install all three as part of the deal.
Happy trails................................

Sue and Ed Rowe
Hemet California

2005 3400RL

2006 GMC 3500 Dually, D/A, Crew Cab, Long Bed

Ozz · 09-06-2006, 11:24 AM

Sears will have the foam air filters, they are the same as any window air conditioner has.
I wouldn't think a battery power head would work out, but you never know.
Welcome to the Forum, We love it down there in South Texas.
Ozz

'07 3400RL 2nd RTU
2 Golf Cart batteries 3,000 watt inverter, automatic transfer switch
Honda 2000 Generator, Maytag's with 220 Dryer
Stationary domed Sat. dish, LCD 12 Volt Amp gauge, LCD Tank Monitor
3 added 120 volt outlets, On Board Air; 12 Volt Viair 450C compressor
2006 Ford PSD 4x4 Off Road Lariat, Hadley Air Horns, Truck inverter with 110 volts: laptop, Color Backup camera, Firestone air bags,Husky air ride roller hitch, Awning lock

sreigle · 09-06-2006, 02:23 PM

1. We have the Mar-Beck. They told me it's a Eureka product. It is operated by the suction from the hose and works very well. I have never used the battery operated one so cannot contrast that for you.

2. We have the MaxxAir covers, too. The nice thing is you can open the vent even when raining. That's especially good when taking a shower and running an exhaust fan to vent moisture and it's raining outside. It also makes it quieter inside when raining. Big raindrops on the standard vent cover are a bit noisy.

3. The filters are foam. I just rinse them under the faucet spray, squeeze them more or less dry, and reinstall the filter. On our prior Montana we used the same filter for all four years including 3 1/2 of fulltiming. I had some spare material to cut to size but never needed it.

See another Montana or Mountaineer on the road? Flash lights twice, it might be one of us!
Steve Reigle (pronounced Regal)
Fulltiming since 3/21/03
'07 3400RL
'05 Ford F250 SD Lariat CC SB 6.0L PSD/TS FX4 4x4

Our RV Travels (now Firefox-compatible)

Fordzilla · 09-06-2006, 07:00 PM

1. That is what we have been looking for as well. We will look into this attachment next time we are at a vac shack place and see what we can find.

2. We had MaxAir's on our last trailer. Worked great like everyone has posted above. Just haven't had the need for them yet on this trailer as there is only one vent and it has an exhaust fan in it already. I wasn't sure if it would restrict the air flow too much causing the motor to work harder.

3. We always wash then under the sink faucet and wring them out like Steve R. Shake them out a little bit and re-install.

Ron & Melinda Rosewall
Marcus, Iowa
'06 F350 DRW King Ranch 4x4, diesel pulling machine.
'04 3685FL, Fireplace, Cent Vac, Fantastic Fan, Safety Glass, 2nd A/C, Slide out awnings.

http://www.picturetrail.com/fordzilla

Montana Sky · 09-06-2006, 07:22 PM

I have the MaxxAir vent covers as well. Love them!! I had my dealership install them during my PDI.

As already stated, I wash the filters out under the faucet, dry, and re-install. Works good so far.

PS~ Congrats on your new 3400RL!

2004 Chevy Silverado LT 2500HD CrewCab Duramax
2004 Montana 3400RL

JH Sechelt · 09-06-2006, 07:44 PM

We put the Max-air covers on all our roof vents, (special one for the fantastic fan vent).
Yes you can leave the vents open when its raining but also you can leave the vents open while
driving down the highway. I leave the front and rear vent open when travelling and it keeps
the trailer well vented . It also keeps the Sun off of the Vent covers so they won't rot
so fast and Max-airs would only take 5 minutes to replace.

I put them on myself ( maybe a couple of hours ) the regular ones are very easy and the one for the
fantastic fan was a tiny bit harder to put on. The Max-Airs do not require any holes through the roof.

J&D

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[IMG]John & Dawn

Sunshine Coast, British Columbia
2006 2980RL &
2005 F350 Lariet, Crewcab
Shortbox Powerstroke 4X4

CountryGuy · 09-07-2006, 02:26 AM

John,

I have seen you post a couple of times about running with the vents open. Do you think you get any dust in the unit doing this?? Years ago, we heard you would get lots, specially if you happened to hit a dirt/gravel road that day.

Wondered if you noticed this.

Carol

(Thanks Glenn)

Al & Carol Stevens Tipton, Mi.
Retired - Traveling with 4 Yorkies
2004 3295RK
2003 GMC 3500 Allison/8.1
PullRite 15.5K Super 5th
Line-X
JackRabbit tonneau cover
Bilstein shocks
Isolator Pin Box

Our Camping Rig History
Montana Improvements and Travel Reports
Recipe for the RVing Life

Our take on RV ownership, "Ya better be handy with your hands and handy with your cash."

Every day spent on earth is a blessing, every day spent in our Montana is a day blessed twice.

Parrothead · 09-07-2006, 07:11 AM

Carol
We run with ours open. Haven't noticed any dirt when we stop that wasn't there when we started. I have a little sign my daughter gave me; "It is not dirt you see, it is angel dust". If it is cool we only leave the one open in the potty room. Otherwise we open the ones in the bedroom also (we have two). Since the opening is facing towards the back, I can't see how dirt would come in unless you got caught in a whirlwind.
Happy trails.....................

Sue and Ed Rowe
Hemet California

2005 3400RL

2006 GMC 3500 Dually, D/A, Crew Cab, Long Bed

CountryGuy · 09-07-2006, 07:42 AM

Sue, thanks.

I think we will leave ours closed, we live on a dirt/gravel road, and the dust whips around and covers the entire back of Tana, the truck, and any vehicle we run down those roads. We live 1.5 miles off the paved roads, so have no choice in the matter!

My luck, I would get in the habit of leaving them open, and come home one particularly dusty afternoon and have that dust whip around, come in the back of the vent covers and into the rig.

You would have to see how bad it is to appreciate it! UGHHHHHAAA, the dust clouds go up a LONG way! (For example, our house is about 250 foot off the road and my front porch is covered. OHHH, and when I have left the windows on Tana open, she sits closer to the road, well, I have grit everywhere.)

Think I just answered my own question, in my case, leave em closed! HA HA

Thanks Sue,

Carol

Montana Sky · 09-07-2006, 04:41 PM

Carol,
I run w/ my vents open as well. I have noticed a small amount of dust on the watercloset shelf last week. That is after covering 2,400 miles going through golf ball hail, horrid down pouring rain, 2 forest fires, and 3 days of strong wind. It was nice to pull into a campground at the end of a warm day and find the coach was comfortably cool.

2004 Chevy Silverado LT 2500HD CrewCab Duramax
2004 Montana 3400RL

CountryGuy · 09-08-2006, 01:52 AM

Montana Sky

Hope you left all that nasty stuff behind, don't bring forest fires to the Rally, campfires, BUT NO forest fires!

Carol

mfoss · 09-08-2006, 06:57 AM

It sounds like you can have one over the bathroom vent too? It doesn't restict the air flow required by the fan? Do any of you have the smoke color? In reading the reviews (on Camping World) one person said the shell color is too tan looking and the translucent one is the way to go........? Sorry for so many questions! Marilyn

CountryGuy · 09-08-2006, 07:05 AM

Bathroom vent fan is NOT restricted by cover.

color??? Ours look white to me.

Carol

Parrothead · 09-08-2006, 02:20 PM

Marilyn
Yes we have the smoke color. Can't tell the difference to the clear ones we had on other unit. Three smokes was all our dealer had in stock in that number.
Happy trails......................

Sue and Ed Rowe
Hemet California

2005 3400RL

2006 GMC 3500 Dually, D/A, Crew Cab, Long Bed

sreigle · 09-08-2006, 04:42 PM

We have always had a cover over our bathroom vent fan and it does not restrict the airflow on ours. Restriction comes only when the fan can exhaust air at a faster rate than the cover can handle. Thus it's not a problem in ours.

I also have a fanmate cover over the fantastic fan. On both this Montana and the previous one we tried the fan with and without the cover and could feel no difference in airflow. I don't have equipment to measure airflow but seat of the pants is what I feel so that's good enough for me.

I like the covers because we like being able to use the fans and the vents in any kind of weather, although they won't be open long in subfreezing weather.

See another Montana or Mountaineer on the road? Flash lights twice, it might be one of us!
Steve Reigle (pronounced Regal)
Fulltiming since 3/21/03
'07 3400RL
'05 Ford F250 SD Lariat CC SB 6.0L PSD/TS FX4 4x4

Our RV Travels (now Firefox-compatible)

yvonnenid · 09-10-2006, 07:33 AM

Hi,
I just had to jump in on this thread to thank whoever posted the use your home central vac's power beater head idea. I would never have thought of this alternative to purchasing a beater bar for our montana central vac. Yesterday, I took our home's central vac hose and power head to the coach. It plugged right in and did a super job. The existing central vac does a fine job. However, every once in a while it will be good to give the rugs a deeper cleaning. THANKS AGAIN MOC FORUM!!!!!!

06 3670 Montana, MorRyde suspension, King Dome Satelite, 5500 onan propane generator
05 dodge 4x4 turbo diesel, six speed

OntMont · 09-10-2006, 03:00 PM

Regarding the vacuum cleaner power head. We have a vacuum driven one for our Dometic (AKA InterVac Designs) central vacuum cleaner. It works reasonably well, but we really prefer to use the regular powerhead and hose from our house central vac. It works just fine. (The only reason we bought the vac. driven one was because we forgot to take the house one with us to Taxas last winter).

OntMont (John and Donna)
2005 Montana 3670RL
2007 Silverado "Classic" 3500 DRW 4x4 CC D/A.
2001 Border Collie to ride herd on us.

sreigle · 09-11-2006, 06:35 PM

John, what powers the beater bar on the house one? If I understand, you're just transplanting the beater bar unit and maybe the hose and not the electric power part of the house unit, is that correct?

See another Montana or Mountaineer on the road? Flash lights twice, it might be one of us!
Steve Reigle (pronounced Regal)
Fulltiming since 3/21/03
'07 3400RL
'05 Ford F250 SD Lariat CC SB 6.0L PSD/TS FX4 4x4

Our RV Travels (now Firefox-compatible)

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