• Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Facebook

work with us

about us

  • destinations
  • national parks
  • great loop
  • boat life
  • van life
  • shop

Your cart is currently empty!

Camper Van Fans: How to STAY COOL in your DIY Van

Keeping your van comfortable is as much an art as a science. When we built our 2023 Mercedes Sprinter Van, we spent many hours analyzing airflow and how we would stay comfortable in all the different environments while living full-time in it. In this article, we share the most popular fans to install in your camper van, the fans we installed, how to install our rooftop Le Mans fan, AND our thoughts after living in our van!

Note: We use affiliate links which provide us a little kickback each time you use one of our links and make a purchase, without any additional cost to you. We do not recommend products that we donโ€™t already love or have heard great things about, so you can trust weโ€™re only suggesting great products to you.

Table of Contents

Toggle
  • The Different Categories of Van Fans
    • Rooftop Fan
    • Pros and Cons of a Rooftop Fan
    • Using an Air Conditioner as a Fan
    • Pros and Cons of Using an Air Conditioner as a Fan
    • Interior Fan
    • Pros and Cons of Using an Interior Camper Van Fan
  • The Best Rooftop Fans
    • Maxxair MaxxFan
    • Dometic Fan-Tastic Vent Fan
    • Le Mans Low Profile 12v Fan – Our Choice
    • Maxx Air Fan Dome, 6″ Fan
  • The Best Interior Fans
    • Caframo Sirrocco II – Our Choice
  • How to Install the Le Mans Fan
    • Required Tools
    • Determining the correct place for your fan
    • Cut out the Fan Hole
    • Increase the Opening for the Wire
    • Seal the Fan onto the Roof
    • Screw the Cover onto the Roof
    • Interior Finishes
      • Electrical
      • Installing the Vent Fan Cover
  • Final Thoughts on Our Fan Choices after Living in our Van
  • Watch on YouTube
    • Part One: Installing the fan body
    • Part Two: Connecting Electrical and Finishing
  • Save for Later

The Different Categories of Van Fans

When you are thinking about installing a fan for your campervan, you need to keep in mind your primary objective and location. There is a lot more to staying cool in a van than simply a fan, however choosing the correct fan is important.

๐Ÿง  While airflow is crucial in staying cool, insulation is the essential factor!

Rooftop Fan

Our LeMans Rooftop Fan

The most common fans for campervans are the rooftop versions. These typically install to a 14โ€ x 14โ€ opening and are placed wherever you may need airflow. Directly above the bed, above the shower for condensation, or above the kitchen are all popular locations.

๐Ÿ’ก Youโ€™ll want to ensure the rooftop fan can blow air in both directions, removing hot air from your van and bringing cool air inside!

In some van layouts, youโ€™ll incorporate two roof-top fans. This way, you can have one bring in air and the other remove it, allowing for good air flow in your vehicle.

Pros and Cons of a Rooftop Fan

Area of InterestPro/ConReasoning
CostNeutralRooftop fans can range between $100-$500. This is significantly less than an RV AC unit but more than an interior fan.
Air FlowProRooftop fans are the best for airflow as they interface with the outside of your van. Since hot air rises, it’s a great way to cool down your van.
FlexibilityConThese fans are fixed, so once they are installed, that is where they will live forever.
PowerProFans use very low power!

Using an Air Conditioner as a Fan

Our Nomadic AC in use as a Fan

The other option for a van in your van is simply using your air conditioner as a fan! Most people overlook this as an option because it is a great way to kill two birds with one stone. You have the air conditioner for those hot days when a fan wonโ€™t be enough, but you can also use it in fan mode for everyday occasions.

Pros and Cons of Using an Air Conditioner as a Fan

Area of InterestPro/ConReasoning
CostConAir conditioners (especially 12V are VERY EXPENSIVE.
Air FlowProAir conditioners won’t just help move air around, but will also cool the air.
FlexibilityConAir conditioners are fixed, so once they are installed, that is where they will live forever.
PowerConAn AC fan will be less efficient than a dedicated fan, so youโ€™ll need to make sure you have a beefy battery bank. However, if you have an AC, youโ€™ll already have that!

Interior Fan

Our Sirocco II Interior Fan

Finally, weโ€™d be remiss if we didnโ€™t discuss the interior fan options! You can mount or run off battery power and place these options throughout your vehicle. The main benefit of these is that they are typically low cost, and since they can be moved around or focused on a specific area, you can optimize your gains from your fan.

๐Ÿ”ฅ By focusing a small fan directly on you while sleeping, you can feel cooler in warmer weather.

Pros and Cons of Using an Interior Camper Van Fan

Area of InterestPro/ConReasoning
CostProYou wonโ€™t get much van circulation, hence the con, but since it’s more directed, you can have more impactful airflow!
Air FlowConYou wonโ€™t get much van circulation, hence the con, but since its more directed you can have more impactful air flow!
FlexibilityProThese fans are small and mounted or non-mounted you can put them wherever you want!
PowerProThese fans will use only a small amount of power.

๐Ÿค” While small fans dominate the Pro Con list, they wonโ€™t give you the total airflow you need in a van. Consider them as part of your overall air flow solution.

The Best Rooftop Fans

Picking a rooftop camper van fan can be a bit daunting (or its simple, depending on how you look at it) because it seems that the vast majority of van builds you see, use the Maxxair MaxxFan! There are many good reasons why this van is the standard, but we chose to go with a different, newer option!

Maxxair MaxxFan

The kings of rooftop campervan fans are the Maxxair fans, and for good reason! They are powerful, widely available, and come with all the functions you need:

  1. Variable fan speeds.
  2. Bi-Directional airflow.
  3. Rain and Bug Covers.

These will be the most expensive fan options, but well worth it on those hot days! If you do not have an air conditioner, or even if you plan to be in warmer climates, the Maxxair fan is an excellent addition to your build. All this being said, we did not choose the Maxx Air Fan. Weโ€™ll mention why we went with the Le Mans fan below!

Maxx Air Fan. Image from Campervan HQ
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Campervan HQ

๐Ÿ› ๏ธ If you are DIYโ€™ing your Van (like us) – going with the Maxxair is a great option because youโ€™ll have plenty of tutorials out there, ensuring you have a professional like installation!

Dometic Fan-Tastic Vent Fan

The Dometic Fan-Tastic fan is another high-quality fan comparable to the MaxxFan. There are many different types, but their premium version has a rain sensor and automatic lid opening and closing. If we were choosing a van, we would probably still buy the MaxxFan unless Dometic was having a sale. The Dometic brand name is well-known for van life and outdoor living, and that is factored into the cost.

Dometic Fan-Tastic Vent Fan. Image from Campervan HQ
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Campervan HQ

Le Mans Low Profile 12v Fan – Our Choice

We chose a newer fan on the block, the Le Mans low-profile fan, for a few reasons. Firstly, since we included Air Conditioning in our build, we knew we didnโ€™t need the power of other rooftop fans. So, to include a fan and not disrupt our rooftop layout with our solar panels, we opted for the Le Mans Fan. Variable speed and bi-directional airflow add airflow to our van, but it is only a few inches high, giving plenty of room for our roof rack on top!

Top down view of the LeMans fan.
The Le Mans fan is low profile so it sits under our roofrack.
Buy on Orion Van Gear

โฌ‡๏ธ Keep scrolling to see how we installed our Le Mans Fan ๐ŸŽฅ

Maxx Air Fan Dome, 6″ Fan

The Maxx Air Fan Dome is a smaller 6″ fan, great for bathrooms to get rid of the extra moisture.

Maxx Air Fan Dome, 6″ Fan. Image from Amazon.
Buy on Amazon

Check out our post about Campervan Air Conditioners and the one we choose!

The Best Interior Fans

Caframo Sirrocco II – Our Choice

There are many options for interior van fans, and we chose the Sirocco II Fan. These fans have 360-degree rotation and a timer, allowing you to point them directly where you want them to go. Plus, these fans have a three-year warranty, giving us the of mind that they’ll last.

We placed our fixed fan near our bed area so we could have targeted airflow while sleeping. We can use the timer so it only runs while we fall asleep and wonโ€™t waste power all night, but it’s so low power that we just keep it on!

Buy on Amazon

How to Install the Le Mans Fan

The Le Mans low profile rooftop fan was a quick and easy installation! Here are the steps we used to install our camper van fan.

โš ๏ธ Follow the manufacturerโ€™s directions first and foremost and use this guide as an auxiliary โš ๏ธ

Required Tools

First off, youโ€™ll need to make sure you have all the required tools. We list here what we used each tool for, so if you have a slight variation but it serves the same purpose, then you shouldnโ€™t need to buy a new tool!

ToolWhat we used it for
Power DrillCreates the pilot holes for cutting into the van
Jigsaw with metal bladesCuts the panel out of the van
Step BitUsed with the power drill for the initial holes
Deburring toolFor cleaning up metal points
Anti-rust paintUsed for all your newly cut exposed rust
PaintbrushFor applying the anti-rust paint
Mineral SpiritsA cleaning solvent that wonโ€™t damage your van
PPE: Googles, ear protection, and glovesSafety first!
Caulking GunFor cleaning up metal shavings it is not hard to get to locations
Shop VacuumFor cleaning up metal shavings, it is not hard to get to locations
CompassWe used a compass for ensuring the roof top cut out was the correct diameter
SealantFor securing the fan to the roof.

Determining the correct place for your fan

The Le Mans fan needs a flat surface to install onto. Included in the fan is a small gasket that can handle a few mm of uneven surface, however, our van only had a couple of areas we could easily install it, and we chose to put it pretty far forward since we had our air conditioner in the back of the van.

Cut out the Fan Hole

The fan needs a 230 mm circular hole, so we used the raised piece of circular metal in our roof to find our center point. We used a compass measuring 115mm to trace a circle. Unfortunately it was so hot in July that I had to draw multiple circles as I kept making small mistakes.

After you have your hole traced, use the drill to add a pilot hole for your jigsaw. We used the bottom most point for this hole, as that area is where the wires will go through in the next step.

Increase the Opening for the Wire

The fan’s wire into the cab is at the back of the fan, so ensure you follow the manufacturer’s guidance to allow it to enter the van.

Seal the Fan onto the Roof

We used 3M 540, but Sikaflex or any other applicable adhesive sealent will work here. Ensure you have a good seal to remove any chances for leaks. Considering this fan is installed underneath our solar panels, it may be more difficult to service in the future. Keep that in mind when installing it!

Screw the Cover onto the Roof

The last step on the roof is installing the cover of the van onto the base!

Interior Finishes

To finish the installation of your fan, you have to connect the electrical and install the inside vent.

Electrical

You’ll route your battery positive and negative wires to the fan controller and then the output of the fan controller goes to your two-way switch.

Next, you’ll need to route two wires to the fan from your two-way switch. The positive and negative wires will switch polarity depending on the fan direction, and then you’ll branch each wire into the fan solenoid. This solenoid built into the fan’s cover will automatically open and close, irrespective of the polarity!

Installing the Vent Fan Cover

After cutting the hole where the fan is installed in the roof, you’ll need to install the cover. Fortunately, with just a few screws, it is the easiest portion of the process!

Final Thoughts on Our Fan Choices after Living in our Van

We took a gamble on the LeMans low-profile fan since we hadn’t heard of many reviews. While the Maxx-Air is reputable, the LeMans was relatively unknown. Now that we’ve been on the road for a month, we’ve learned quite a bit!

  1. The Sirocco II fan is amazing. It couldn’t be in a better spot as it’s right next to our heads as we sleep. It’s the trifecta of quiet, low-power, and powerful (since it’s positioned closely).
  2. We should have installed a second Sirocco II fan. We don’t have a dedicated fan for our work area, and this fan would have been perfect!
  3. Since the Le Man’s fan can’t be directed, we primarily use it to bring in the air or take some heat out of the van. It’s great while cooking, but we don’t run it often!
The covered Le Mans fan, in use as Jen works.

Overall, we find our DC air conditioner to be the key piece in sleeping well in warm weather. We wouldn’t change our fan situation other than adding another Sirocco II fan dedicated to our workspace.

Watch on YouTube

Part One: Installing the fan body

Part Two: Connecting Electrical and Finishing

Save for Later

Save this to Pinterest to read again later!

The ups, downs, and everything in between, we share it all. If you like what you see, there are lots of ways to show your support and say thanks! The easiest way to support our work is by commenting on this post, liking and sharing our content on Facebook, and pinning our content on Pinterest. Itโ€™s a small way to say thank you that goes a long way!


Posted

February 13, 2025

in

Van Build, Van Life

by

Elliot Schoenfeld

Tags:

Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

About Us

We’re Jen and Elliot, aka Scho & Jo, a couple of high school sweethearts who fell in love with travel and decided to live life now. From international travel to boating around America’s Great Loop to converting a Sprinter Van into a campervan and now traveling to all 50 States and US National Parks, we’re here to help you plan for your dream trip! We share detailed guides and expense reports to help turn your dream trip into a reality! Read more about us here.

destinations
national parks
great loop
boat life
van build
  • How to Spend One Day in Zion National Park
  • 5 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Zion National Park
  • Our 7 Favorite Viewpoints in Zion National Park (No Hiking Required)
  • How to Hike the Narrows as a Beginner: Zion National Park
  • Zion Packing List: What to Bring and What to Rent

We’re a proud Contributing Editor to Waterway Guide.

SIGN UP FOR OUR

SUNDAY SUMMARY

Sign up for our weekly newsletter where we update you with our plans for the week, recap our previous week with stories that donโ€™t make it into our videos, ask for recommendations, and send you other resources straight into your inbox!

What part of Zion are you most interested in? Zi What part of Zion are you most interested in? 

Zion National Park is part of Utahโ€™s Mighty Five and is the western most park. Zion is a sanctuary in the desert as its towering red rock cliffs, narrow slot canyons, and lush valleys amaze first time and long time visitors alike. 

The park was the second most visited National Park in the US in 2024. From short hikes, to best hikes, and things to to that arenโ€™t hiking, we have guides on our website for it all.

๐Ÿ‘‹ Hi, weโ€™re Jen, Elliot, and Ollie - living in our self converted van as we travel to all 50 states and 63 National Parks. We share travel inspiration, actually helpful tips, and detailed itineraries, all to help get you outside! Follow @schoandjo for more ๐ŸŒž

#zion #zionnationalpark #zionnps #utah #utahgram #utahrocks #roadtrip #roadtrippin #roadtripping #usa #roadtripusa #visitutah #ForeverMighty
This hike looks down on Angleโ€™s Landing ๐Ÿคฏ

๐Ÿ‘‹ Hi, weโ€™re Jen, Elliot, and Ollie ๐Ÿ™‹โ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿ™‹โ€โ™‚๏ธ๐Ÿถ living in our self converted van as we travel to all 50 states and 63 National Parks. We share travel inspiration, actually helpful tips, and detailed itineraries, all to help get you outside! Follow @schoandjo for more ๐ŸŒž

โ›”๏ธ No permit to Angleโ€™s Landing? No problem. 

โ›”๏ธ Not interested in hiking Angleโ€™s Landing? No problem.

โœ… THIS hike is the perfect hike for anyone who wants incredible views of Zion National Park. 

Hereโ€™s how to access this Observation Point:

๐Ÿ—บ๏ธ This route is now accessible by driving to the Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort (a rockfall closed the original trail). The trail offers sweeping views over Zion Canyon, including a direct view of Angels Landing from above. Overall, itโ€™s relatively flat, shaded in parts, and much less crowded than many others in the park. 

๐Ÿš˜ Park at the Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort. You can walk about a half mile from Zion Ponderosa or take their $7.50 shuttle (which we did, since the dirt road was muddy after recent rain). 

โŒš๏ธThe hike is 7 miles round trip and is ranked as a moderate hike taking about 3-4 hours.

๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿผ With its minimal elevation gain and maximum reward, this is one of the best value hikes in the park.

๐Ÿ’ฌย Do you think these views rival those at Angleโ€™s Landing? Let us know in the comments below ๐Ÿ‘‡๐Ÿผ 

#angleslanding #zionnationalpark #zionnp #nationalparkadventures #bestutahhikes #hikeutah #visitutah #ForeverMighty
Hereโ€™s the deal and how to go on the best hike/t Hereโ€™s the deal and how to go on the best hike/tour in the park ๐Ÿ‘‡

New here? ๐Ÿ™‹โ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿ™‹โ€โ™‚๏ธ๐Ÿถย Weโ€™re Jen, Elliot, and Ollie on a journey to visit all 50 states and 63 National Parks. Follow @schoandjo for more inspiration, actually helpful tips, and detailed travel guides ๐Ÿš๐Ÿ—บ๏ธ๐Ÿงญ

The best hike in Carlsbad Caverns is the Kingโ€™s Palace Ranger-led tour! Hereโ€™s how to score itโ€ฆ

๐Ÿ•—ย Arrive to the park early! We recommend getting to the Visitor Center by 8 am so you can ensure you get some of the limited tickets to the Kingโ€™s Palace Ranger-led tour. There are limited amount of spots (usually 24) and they go quickly! 

๐ŸŽŸ๏ธย When the Visitor Center opens at 9 am, head to the counter to pay your $15 park entrance fee (or show your America the Beautiful Pass) and purchase your ranger tour ticket. 

โ„น๏ธย Explore the Visitor Center while you wait for the tour to start. We recommend watching the park films and reading several of the information placards to learn about the park. 

๐Ÿงฅย Take the elevator down 750 feet into the cave system and head to the starting point of the Kingโ€™s Palace tour. That being said, youโ€™ll want to bring a jacket for the caves, even in summer, as they stay at a coolย 56ยฐF year-round.ย 

๐Ÿ“ฌย Pro Tip: If you like sending postcards from the NPโ€™s, thereโ€™s a mailbox in the cave. 

๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธย Attend the Kingโ€™s Palace Ranger-led tour, which lasts about an hour and a half.

๐Ÿฅชย Head back up to the surface for lunch. We had a picnic style lunch outside but thereโ€™s also a food court in the Gift Shop.

๐Ÿ“ธย After lunch, go back into the cave through the Natural Entrance. Make sure to visit the Big Room! It doesnโ€™t disappoint. 

โœŒ๏ธย Plan toย exit the caves by 4:30 PMย as elevators stop running at 4:45 PM.

๐Ÿดย Enjoy dinner in Carlsbad, NM - we recommend stopping at Guadalupe Mountain Brewing Co. for pizza and beer with live music on the weekends.

๐Ÿ’ฌย Comment CAVE and Iโ€™ll send you our FREE detailed travel itinerary complete with an estimated budget breakdown, packing list, and more! 

Disclaimer: The tours change daily based on Ranger staffing, so nothing is guaranteed. 

#carlsbadcaverns #carlsbadcavernsnp #nationalparkadventures #gocaving #cavetour #parkrangersrock
Come prepared with our White Sands NP Itinerary! Come prepared with our White Sands NP Itinerary!

๐Ÿ“Save this for later & tag your adventure buddy! ๐Ÿซถ

If weโ€™re traveling to White Sands National Park for the first time and only have one day to spend exploring the park, the is how we would spend our time: 

1๏ธโƒฃ Dive the Dunes Scenic Drive to the back of the park and enjoy the views along the way!

2๏ธโƒฃ Hike the Alkali Flat Trail in the morning during the coolest part of the day. This is the longest in the park at 4.5 miles, so be sure to bring a lot of water and wear sun protective clothing. The only place water is available is at the visitors center, so be sure to fill up before driving out to this trailhead. 

3๏ธโƒฃ Enjoy a picnic lunch at one of the many picnic areas under some shade. 

4๏ธโƒฃ After lunch, head to the visitor center to get out of the sun and heat, watch the park film, and learn about the park. Head to the Gift Shop to rent a sled for $15-20 depending on the style. 

5๏ธโƒฃ Go sledding on the Sand Dunes! The smooth gypsum sand makes for a surprisingly nice sledding surface, especially if youโ€™ve applied wax to the bottom of your board. Make sure to return the sled by 4pm. 

6๏ธโƒฃ Hike the Dune Life Nature Trail which is a marked short 1-miles loop that offers some of the best chances to spot wildlife in the park. Alternatively, you can hike the Playa Trail which is a short 15 minute hike.

7๏ธโƒฃ Lastly, watching the sunset at Sand Dunes is a must! If youโ€™re interested, check out the ranger-led sunset stroll. We love Ranger tours as they never disappoint. Check the visitor center for meet-up time and location. 

โ€ผ๏ธ A few things to note โ€ผ๏ธ

โ›”๏ธ The Dunes Scenic Drive can often be closed from 7-9am as they clear the road from any sand that was blown onto the road from the night before. 

โ›”๏ธ Certain areas of the park close temporarily for missile tests from the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. Check the parks website or call ahead for more info. 

โ›”๏ธ The park is super dog friendly! ๐Ÿฆฎ

Comment SEND and Iโ€™ll send you our FREE detailed travel itinerary with an estimated budget breakdown, packing list and more!

Follow @schoandjo for more NP itineraries!

#whitesands #nationalparkadventures  #travelguide
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Facebook