When I purchased my Air Head I also had to decide how it should be vented. I had read where some installations had vented through the hull using a loop to prevent water ingestion when the rail was buried. The advantages were that it uses an existing hole in the hull and most of the vent hose is hidden within cabinets. The disadvantages are that it requires installation of a continuous extraction fan which although efficient draws power from the battery and requires extra wiring. The alternative is a day/night solar vent in the cabin ceiling. This requires a hole in the cabin top and an exposed vent hose in the head compartment. On the bright side, no extra wiring (inbuilt battery that charges during the day and runs the fan all night) and unlikely it will be immersed. I chose the solar vent and after measuring its position three times (and getting a fellow liveaboard to check it twice) cut the hole in the deck. I would like to say it fitted perfectly the first time but I cut it a little under size and had to enlarge the hole - easier to take extra out than to put it back. Note the thickness on the deck core.
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| Base preparation |
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| Base installed |
The layout of my head compartment was always going to present a challenge to fitting an Air Head. The existing platform was wide enough for the solids tank but did not provide any support for the liquids tank. Adrian from 'A Better Way to Go' said that the tank needed at least 90mm (3 1/2") of support under the back edge so I cut out a base from 12mm marine ply to fit under the solids tank and 90mm to support the liquids tank and screwed it in place.
A
quick check for fitment confirmed what the initial measurements hinted - the head with the standard handle was too wide. I had purchased the ratchet attachment for this purpose but for now I have trimmed 12mm (1/2") from the standard handle and I'll see how that works.
A special thanks to Adrian and Carol from A Better Way to Go for their support and patience in answering all my questions both before and after buying the Air Head.
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| Vent installed |
When I purchased my Air Head I also had to decide how it should be vented. I had read where some installations had vented through the hull using a loop to prevent water ingestion when the rail was buried. The advantages were that it uses an existing hole in the hull and most of the vent hose is hidden within cabinets. The disadvantages are that it requires installation of a continuous extraction fan which although efficient draws power from the battery and requires extra wiring. The alternative is a day/night solar vent in the cabin ceiling. This requires a hole in the cabin top and an exposed vent hose in the head compartment. On the bright side, no extra wiring (inbuilt battery that charges during the day and runs the fan all night) and unlikely it will be immersed. I chose the solar vent and after measuring its position three times (and getting a fellow liveaboard to check it twice) cut the hole in the deck. I would like to say it fitted perfectly the first time but I cut it a little under size and had to enlarge the hole - easier to take extra out than to put it back. Note the thickness on the deck core.
