Direct vent stove vents - how far does yours open?

[Yoda]

Was looking at some of my round-to-its before putting the RV to bed for the winter. On our last outing the stove vent fan did not seem to be working properly (bacon and sausage smoked up the trailer)
So today while trying to change the smoke detector battery's (note to self - storing dead ones to replace chirping ones is not good )

So I took a look at it. I removed the dinky fire screen and turned on the fan expecting to see the vent flap open - NOT. It barely moved. So I went outside to see if it was blocked. No blockage but I could get it to open maybe 1/4 inch with my finger before it hit the cover somewhere. Before I pull the outside cover to check I thought I would ask if someone has had this issue before?

Could others check how far open the vent flap moves on theirs? I'm wondering how far it should open. Megan I tagged you in case you might know? Also the flap appears to have a bow in it - should it have?
GDRV-Megan

Thanks everyone - Keith

I can try and get a picture if that would help?

[Country Campers]

Keith

I do not have one on our unit, would like to install one though. On our previous TT the flapper would open against the outer cover when the fan was used. Yours should do the same. It may just be catching on the inside of the cover , being bent might help that , if you have a scope that you could look into the opening and see wat you can see. Easier than removing the microwave.

Brian

[Yoda]

Keith

I do not have one on our unit, would like to install one though. On our previous TT the flapper would open against the outer cover when the fan was used. Yours should do the same. It may just be catching on the inside of the cover , being bent might help that , if you have a scope that you could look into the opening and see wat you can see. Easier than removing the microwave.

Brian

Thanks - no need to remove the microwave - its separate form the stove vent and vented internally . However the stove vent might be a bit painful for me twisting my dimensional challenged body to get at the back screws. Ill get one of my very bright LED lights and check inside the plastic vet flap and cover to see what up and get a photo. Sun going down, so maybe tomorrow.

[Guest]

Keith,

My Imagine has an outside latching vent. It locks closed where once we are at camp I push up on the two tabs and open the vent. As Brian stated this type of vent door opens until it contacts the outer cover. Its about a 2.5 inch gap at the bottom.

Jim

[Yoda]

Keith,

My Imagine has an outside latching vent. It locks closed where once we are at camp I push up on the two tabs and open the vent. As Brian stated this type of vent door opens until it contacts the outer cover. Its about a 2.5 inch gap at the bottom.

Jim

So that's what the tabs I see are for. No mention of them at PDI. From what I am hearing here I have a messed up vent as it definitely is not opening far enough at only 1/4 inch. Ill get some photos tomorrow and maybe you folks will see something I am not.
Thanks

[Guest]

Keith,

Can you pull it open further than 1/4 inch? Once the vent fan is on, it should push the vent fully open. When I get home I will measure the actual gap on my vent.

Jim

[Cate&Rob]

The flapper door is supposed to open all the way as described earlier and be latched closed during travel as also described. (I remember to travel with it latched closed about half the time )
It is pushed open by the airflow from the exhaust fan. So, another possible reason for it not opening all the way is that there might be something blocking airflow into or out of the exhaust fan.

Rob

[Yoda]

Keith,

Can you pull it open further than 1/4 inch? Once the vent fan is on, it should push the vent fully open. When I get home I will measure the actual gap on my vent.

Jim

Nope - it will not open further. I need to take a step stool out and really check what is going on. Just waiting for the sun to warm things up.

[Yoda]

OK Problem solved. The door was sticking against the outer housing.

Vent position before the start. I removed the outer housing - it just snaps out.

This is the flapper. Notice the bend. As bent it would not snap into the closed position.

I pulled the flapper and placed inside the cover. Both of the lower edges contacted the cover. I took a sanding block and trimmed and rounded these outside lower edges to get a better fit.

It tough to see but there is now clearance on both sides

[Yoda]

The after picture with fan running. Big difference.

[Guest]

Nice Job Keith!! My outer cover had sealer on it when I removed if for a different reason. Returned from a trip a couple years ago and the flapper was gone. The latch would not hold the flap shut and the small diameter pin that it rotates on was broken. As a result, the flapper fell out. GDRV in their great support sent me an upgraded vent which looks like the one you have. I did re-seal the outer cover to the camper.

Jim