Do Nicro solar vents work/last ?

Question barrage time ...

Do Nicro solar vents actually pump noticeable volumens of air ? How many hours after night fall are they still venting ? How many years will the batteries last and are they affordably replaceable ? Can they be turned off from inside ? Can they be closed/sealed from the inside ? I saw one complait about leaks; will they leak if hit with water shooting across the deack ?

Sorry about that, I'll try to restrain myself in the future


-Sven

Do Nicro solar vents actually pump noticeable volumens of air ? Yes. Buy two, one intake, one exhust


How many hours after night fall are they still venting ? With full daylight and good batteries all night

How many years will the batteries last and are they affordably replaceable ? They last about 2 years and run about $15 to replace from Nico or about half that at Radio Shack. The units themselves last about 5 years.

Can they be turned off from inside ? No, the only way to shut them off is to remove the battery


Can they be closed/sealed from the inside ? No, but they can be from the outside with a supplied cap


I saw one complait about leaks; will they leak if hit with water shooting across the deack ? With water shooting across the deck they will leak. I have one that leaks in the rain sometimes but when I replace the gasket it stops.


Bottom Line. But the ones with the greatest CFM's. Buy two, intake and exhust. They really make a difference in the winter moving the air around cutting down on mildew. $250.00 well spent.

I had one on my previous 23 foot boat for 5 years. I had to replace the battery about every two years as well, sprayed a bit of silicone into the shaft/motor area once a year, and never had any trouble. They claim that they move about 800 cu. ft of air per hour, which is quite alot. Even having one on exhaust mode will help alot, as the exhaust will create a small vacuum which will bring new air into the boat through companionway and other spaces. Installing a solar vent was the first modification I made when I bought my current boat, to help avoid dampness/mildew.

I think they are a very good preventive investment, and they also keep the air below fresher when we sleep aboard, avoiding condensation from breathing during the night. I have not had any problem with them leaking, except if I am washing the boat with a strong water spray, which may lead to a small amount coming in; similarly if a wave washed right over it, you would expect it to leak, but that's what the plug is for, when you expect to be in those conditions--the vent simply pops off, and the plug pops in, and then it's water tight.

I have no financial or other interest in the company--just a satisfied user. Hope that helps. Feel free to ask any other questions.
Frank.

Passive vent, anyone?

If you are amenable to using an un-powered "platter" vent, we really like our two SS Beckson ventilators I put in a decade ago. These do require some outside air movement to suck out the air, but work really well in any sort of air movement at all.
No batteries, no problems. We have the model C-6SS.

Having been on a rough offshore passage with leaking Nicro vents ever time a foaming bit of a wave top shot over the cabin, I really appreciate that the Becksons can be positively closed from inside, as well.

Hope you don't mind a slightly-off-topic answer....

Cheers,
Loren

o-ring and corrosion

I had a Nicro solar vent fail after about five years. When I investigated I found a corroded connection near the battery so I cafefully re-soldered all connections and returned it to service. It was still working with the original battery. That unit had been sitting unused in the box for an additional two years before I even installed it.

When replacing the battery it would be a good idea to clean the connections and the compartment and re-tense the battery connections a little. It may be that the seal on the compartment was loose and that is why the connection corroded. I found a place where the o-ring seal was pinched. Before re-assembly I lubricated the o-ring and carefully installed it.

Sounds like a plan

Paul, Frank, Loren and Neal,

Thanks for all the useful answers. It sounds like the Nicro is a good product !

Based on the comments I think I'll consider pairing one in (or near) the companionway hatch with a patter vent in the forward hatch. That way we'd get the crossflow but have the more watertight platter vent where it is most exposed.

Många tack !


-Sven

Sven, that sounds like a good plan.
Frank

"What they said"...

I had to replace mine this summer due to a corrosion issue. The old one was *old* in that the plastic was faded to a nice dingy yellow. The solar panel had apparently had water seepage to the point that it quit working. I think... I'm not sure that can be repaired, so I just bought a new one.


Also a few considerations:

- Batteries. While any old Ni-Cad battery will do the job, I found that I had to charge it first, because the solar panel simply would not fully charge the battery. A possible consideration if you don't have a home charger.

- Ring Sizes. Not that you would need this, but good info nonetheless: The vent sizes have changed on newer models, so I got to replace the collar ring when I replaced the unit. Not a huge task, but it was a real head-scratcher until I figured it out.

- Location. You have to cut a 6-inch hole wherever you put it. A PO of my E27 put it in the center of the foredeck. This is pretty inconvenient when you actually want to use the foredeck, for instance when at anchor and reclining. This location also guarantees I have to put on the cover plate whenever I'm sailing in moderate waves. IMO, it would be infinitely better to locate them on the hatch covers.

- The hole. If you do drill into the foredeck, or wherever, be sure to properly bed the hole!!! The PO that installed it in mine did NOT bed the hole. Imagine my surprise when I discovered exposed wood behind that ring... no sealant, no nothing. It was a no-brainer to bed the hole, which took about half a small bottle of marine-tex epoxy. I love that stuff! The screw holes were all sealed with 4200 and I declared victory.

- Gaskets. I agree with the observations that leakage is a long-term problem. The gasket needs to be placed "just right" to prevent leakage around the ring, and is easy to mess up. The battery compartment gasket is the same way. IMO, it would be a good idea to put some of that electrically-neutral silicone compound - the same stuff you put on spark plug wire sockets - all over the battery and the connections.


HTH,
- Jerry