Which Wind Vents

[Mike w]

Just ordered some Nicro day vents and now a friend just told me they are crap and leak. Nicro Day / Night Plus Solar Vent

Any recommendations on how to keep the boat aired best while on and off the boat?

Mike

[mrm]

Opening a couple of portlights or a hatch works wonders when on a boat
Most hatches in use now can be locked in a ventilated position - this works well when off the boat.

[The Way]

Hi Mike,

My two don't leak (one on foredeck, one near stern), and keep the boat odor-free and mildew-free even when she is covered with a tarp (not covering the solar vents, of course). Nicro replaced one free when a wire broke off during the long warantee period. I was surprised how puny the wire was, but pleased with Nicro's service.

[Mike w]

Can you leave them open running while away and water wont come in?

[The Way]

Originally Posted by Mike w

Can you leave them open running while away and water wont come in?

Yes, they've been running continually since 2009, except for the one that was replaced. I have the larger size vents (4-inch).

Fair winds!
The Way

[Hud3]

Mine worked fine--no leaks at all when operating. The only time I shut it was when making an offshore passage, where you can expect green water to come aboard every now and then. They didn't leak then, either.

[Mike w]

OK Great. I'll tell my friend he's full of crap then. Hahaha. Thanks!

[Hud3]

They do require proper caulking during installation, and a bit of silicone grease on the O-ring that seals the air path when you pop it shut. Maybe that's where his problem is.

[nosinglesource]

I realize this isn't the most recent of threads, but I'll resurrect it as we're having a problem with the Nicro solar vent on our boat. Problem is, it doesn't like to work. :-/ If I give it a flick it'll start to run, so long as the sun is out, but will eventually stop regardless of whether it's light or dark out. Would this be a battery issue? I've never dealt with anything solar-powered before...

Cheers,
Cindi

[solarbri]

Cindi,
Mine was acting like that last year. I squirted a shot of wd40 onto the fan shaft and it seemed to work fine father that.

[nosinglesource]

Thank you..I'll give'er a go...cheaper than replacing parts!

[bstreep]

I think there's another thread floating out there on this. The newer ones don't appear to be particularly reliable.

[nosinglesource]

hmm...Thanks for the heads-up, Bill. I'll try a little troubleshooting, but it may end up we need to replace the whole works.

[Cap]

Hi All,

I was looking at these as well. With my boat sitting on the Gulf, it's terrible when I go down to work, or play. I was wondering if these have to be on a flat surface, or could they be mounted in a side port window? I have removable plexiglass windows and was thinking of installing them on a couple of those, but wasn't sure if mounting them sideways would cause issues; allowing water in, or causing issues with the fan running?

Thanks...Jeff

[bstreep]

Jeff, they need to be able to get sunlight to run and to charge the battery. As well, they are designed to not leak when it rains (waves are whole nuther story). So, if you are mounting them sideways under a bimini that never takes waves, you might be OK.