Install fan in bedroom vent

[finz04]

2020 Reflection 150 Series 295RL

I would like to install a fan in the front bedroom vent. Is there an available 12 volt source at that location? Is that vent possibly pre-wired for a fan?
Thank you.

[ncitro]

2020 Reflection 150 Series 295RL

I would like to install a fan in the front bedroom vent. Is there an available 12 volt source at that location? Is that vent possibly pre-wired for a fan?
Thank you.

If it’s pre wired for a second AC then there will be 12v there to use. If not the ceiling is open and it’s pretty easy to get to one of the lights, that’s what I did in my bunk room when I added one there. Four screws pull down the shroud inside around the skylight and have a look.

[TucsonJim]

If it’s pre wired for a second AC then there will be 12v there to use. If not the ceiling is open and it’s pretty easy to get to one of the lights, that’s what I did in my bunk room when I added one there. Four screws pull down the shroud inside around the skylight and have a look.

Neil - I'm curious since I've never accessed the wiring for the second AC. Since the AC runs on 120V, why would there also be a 12V source available? I thought there was only 120V and the thermostat connections.

Jim

[ncitro]

Neil - I'm curious since I've never accessed the wiring for the second AC. Since the AC runs on 120V, why would there also be a 12V source available? I thought there was only 120V and the thermostat connections.

Jim

When I did mine there was 120V, thermostat wires and a 12V cord as well (the usual two conductor zip wire). I figured out at the end that the thermostat needs 12V, which I grabbed from the light switch next to it rather than the 12V in the ceiling because I had it closed up by then. It was the usual wire they use for everything, (14 or 16 gauge I would think), which should be large enough for a fan.

[finz04]

Clearly I don't want to connect a 12 volt fan to the 120 volt pre-wiring for the AC. Maybe a ceiling light as long as I'm ahead of the switch. I was hoping the factory might drop and cap a 12 volt when they ran wiring for the bedroom in anticipation that someone might order a unit with a vent fan in that room.

[howson]

Clearly I don't want to connect a 12 volt fan to the 120 volt pre-wiring for the AC. Maybe a ceiling light as long as I'm ahead of the switch. I was hoping the factory might drop and cap a 12 volt when they ran wiring for the bedroom in anticipation that someone might order a unit with a vent fan in that room.

Before I post a (crazy?) thought...how much experience do you have with wiring and working with electricity?

[finz04]

Before I post a (crazy?) thought...how much experience do you have with wiring and working with electricity?

Very Little and closer to none. I can follow directions, I've replaced my share of outlets, switches and porch lights. I have a healthy respect for ac, but dc doesn't scare me. I wasn't to concerned about tapping a 12 volt source for this project.

[ncitro]

Clearly I don't want to connect a 12 volt fan to the 120 volt pre-wiring for the AC. Maybe a ceiling light as long as I'm ahead of the switch. I was hoping the factory might drop and cap a 12 volt when they ran wiring for the bedroom in anticipation that someone might order a unit with a vent fan in that room.

It will be pretty obvious what’s what. The 120V would be solid wire romex (probably yellow) and the 12v is two conductor stranded “zip wire”. If that’s there it’s better to use than the light as it will be fussed higher. It should look like this but it’ll be white with a color on it.

[Cate&Rob]

Just confirming that if the bedroom vent is wired for 120V AC installation, there will be 12V present as well, to run the control circuits of the AC. This is the situation in our Reflection where we installed a 12V fan in the bedroom vent.

Rob

[howson]

Very Little and closer to none. I can follow directions, I've replaced my share of outlets, switches and porch lights. I have a healthy respect for ac, but dc doesn't scare me. I wasn't to concerned about tapping a 12 volt source for this project.

OK, then take a look for the wiring ncitro and Cate&Rob are referencing. If you can take a picture of the wires you find and post it here that will help them to point out what-if-what.

[gbkims]

An example of front bedroom A/C / Vent wires. Steve7's 297RSTS.
Large Yellow wire is the 120VAC,
Orange/White zip/ripcord is the 12 Volt, and thermostat wires to the right.

[finz04]

Good help from all and appreciated. Thank you. I have not yet acquired a fan for this so my post was actually my first step. Based on the help I'm getting here my next step would probably be to drop the trim so I can see what's behind there. I am pre-wired for AC in the bedroom so based on Rob's note plus Gene's pic I should have something to tap right there. I'll get after it this weekend and snap a pic to post. Didn't want to start tearing anything open until I could at least look like I know what I was doing, otherwise I'll get too much attention from the Mrs. Thanks all.

[finz04]

In the picture, what's the green wire with the open plug on the end?

[TucsonJim]

In the picture, what's the green wire with the open plug on the end?

That's the thermostat wires that would connect to the air conditioner.

[finz04]

Thanks. I was thinking the loose wire(s) to the right might be the thermostat wires.