Sirocco 12 Volt Fan Review (From A Full-Time Van Lifer)
I travel with my dog, so when I was building my DIY campervan temperature regulation was one of my highest priorities. After much research, I decided to invest in a Sirocco 12 volt fan to mount on the wall near my bed.
Ultimately, I loved the fan so much I bought second one for the front of my van. Overall, it’s a fantastic and high quality product that’s held up with, but there are a few things I’d change.
Here’s my Sirocco 12 volt fan review after full-time use for the last 2 years.
Is The Sirocco 12 Volt Fan Worth It?
You’ve probably already noticed that the Sirocco 12 volt fan retails for just over $100 – which is quite a bit a change! With some alternative 12v fan options on the market for less, is it worth it to buy the Sirocco 12 volt fan?
In my experience, absolutely! This is a marine grade fan, so it’s extremely well made, plus it comes with extremely useful features not found in other less expensive models. My favorite capability of this fan is the ability to rotate it a full 360° – something that comes in extremely handy in such a small space.
While you might pay a bit more upfront for the Sirocco 12 volt fan, it’s going to last you much longer than the cheaper alternatives, it’s much quieter which is great for running it while sleeping, and it’s energy draw is so low you’ll never run out of battery power!
Where To Buy The Sirocco 12 Volt Fan
I have found that Amazon consistently has the best prices for the Sirocco 12 volt fan. This is where I purchased both of my fans.
Sirocco 12 Volt Fan Review – What I Like
Overall, I am obsessed with my Sirocco fan. It’s held up really well and I use it almost non-stop. I’m really impressed with the quality and design of this fan.
Great Airflow
Powerful! It can push 185 CFM of air (that’s a lot! especially in a small space)
Low Power Consumption
Energy efficient – it only uses .35A of power on the highest setting. On its lowest setting it barely uses any energy at all at .17A.
360° Gimbal Rotation
360° rotation means you can direct airflow in any part of your van. I installed my fan between my kitchen and my bed which works great for using it during the daytime and at night time – I just change where it’s pointed.
Installation Is Easy
Easy to install. Installation was a breeze and took me less than 30 minutes both times. It’s really just a matter of connecting two sets of wires and then screwing the base into the wall.
Multiple Color Choices
Multiple color options! I love the white fan because my fan is white and it blends nicely, but the black is another great option, especially if you want to hide dust more easily.
Whisper Quiet
Super quiet. The fan hardly makes any noise at all, at worst it’s a decent white noise to help mask street noise when you’re parked at a busy truck stop.
Ouch-Free Plastic Fan Blades
Soft blades made out of a soft, flexible plastic mean it doesn’t hurt if you accidentally stick your finger into the fan while it’s running. Yup – I’ve done this. Additionally my dog is frequently getting his giant fluffy tail in the fan while it’s on – this has never been an issue though, the fan simply stops rotating until we get him sorted out.
12v or 24v Capable
Sirocco 12v fan can also operate on 24v systems! I love a good quality appliance that functions automatically on multiple types of voltage. My Isotherm refrigerator also has this ability (12v or 120v) which makes it easy to repurpose as your needs evolve.
What Could Be Improved – Sirocco 12 Volt Fan Review
Overall, I’m quite happy with both of my Sirocco 12 volt fans. However, there’s a few minor things I’d like to see improved.
Ability To Oscillate
While the fan can be faced in any direction, it’s a manual movement. It’d be great to have an upgraded model which can oscillate on it’s own to help move more air throughout my van.
Timer Lights Stay On
There are blue lights which indicate which interval you have the self-timer set to. The lights are helpful so you can see which setting the fan is on, but it would be nice if they automatically turned off after a few minutes.
I typically use the self-timer function when going to bed. This is great because you can fall asleep with the fan on, but as the temperature drops at night the fan will turn itself off. The downside to the blue lights is that they’re obnoxious when you’re trying to sleep. For now, I’ve covered them with a piece of tape so they’re not as annoying.
Fan Blade Cage
This is a minor issue, but the cage that holds the fan blades is pretty sparse. It’s very easy to accidentally stick your finger (or for your dog to flop his tail) into the blades. Luckily, the blades are soft plastic so it really doesn’t hurt.
The issue with having a long-hair dog is that when he crams his tail into the blades I end up picking long blond hairs that have been wound around the fan blades out… frequently.
Having a cage with a few more safety bars to prevent random acts of tail shaving would be nice.
White Fan Shows Dust Quickly
Not that much can be done about dust… especially in a van where the windows and doors are constantly open and dust is a constant battle. However, the white fan is quick to show dirt and dust build up. If this is going to be a major issue for you I recommend getting the black fan.
The upside is that even though it requires frequent cleaning, it’s a quick and easy task to wipe down the fan blades.
Expense
Do I think the Sirocco 12v fan is a high quality piece of equipment that will last years, or longer? Yes. Would I complain about a slightly less expensive fan? No!
To be clear, I do think the price is justified by the quality of this fan. But who would turn down a more affordable option? Not me.
How To Install The Sirocco 12V Fan
Installation of the Sirocco12v fan is almost too easy. I installed both of my fans in under 30 minutes!
It’s literally as simple as connecting the positive and negative wires to your vans electrical system and then mounting the base of the fan to the wall.
Step 1 – Run Electrical Wires To The Fan
Chances are, by the time you’re ready to install your Sirocco 12 volt fan you’ve already pre-wired your van. You’ll just need one positive and one negative wire at the location you plan to mount the fan.
Step 2 – Attach The Fan Base To The Wall
The fan unit comes in two pieces. The first piece is a small plastic attachment that is bolted to the wall. Sirocco comes with a double-sided tape to hold the plastic attachment in place while you bolt it in. They’ve literally thought of everything!
Step 3 – Secure The Fan To The Wall Base
Once your plastic attachment is securely bolted to the wall it’s time to take the fan housing and screw it into the base.
Make sure that you’ve routed the electrical wires through the correct groove so you can easily access them for the next step.
Step 4 – Connect The Wires
Finally, connect the positive and negative wires from the fan (labeled for easy install) to the positive and negative wires of your vans electrical system.
I recommend using quick-disconnect attachments so you’re easily able to remove the fan in the future – whether it’s for a replacement (unlikely because it’s so well made) or because you’ve decided to mount it somewhere else.
Conclusion – Sirocco 12 Volt Fan Review: Is It Worth It?
Yes! My biggest testament to the value of this fan is that I loved my first one so much I decided to buy and install a second one.
The fan is really high quality and works extremely well. I have tried a few other 12 volt fans in my van and none of them create the kind of airflow the Sirocco fan does. Because I use my fan constantly, I love how energy efficient it is so I never have to worry about my battery power running low.
