Just letting you all know if you are looking to purchase a rechargeable fan the Companion which is 240x12x6volt battery with LED light, are not all that they promise to be. The 6 volt battery that is meant to last 4 hours on low and 2 hours on high actually only lasts maybe 1 hour on low, if you are lucky. When we contacted the manufacturer they were rude and required us to send the entire fan unit, in original box with receipts back to Victoria. I mean come on I just need a new battery or 2! Who in a caravan keeps the large original box taking up valuable space. When asked, they wouldn't SELL a new battery to us. All the retailers of this fan stated they have had many complaints from purchasers. Asked if they stocked the batteries we were told that the manufacturer only supplied one per fan (when it actually fits 2 x 6 volt batteries) and no batteries as stand alone option.
Buyer beware I suppose! That's the reason for us alerting you.
We bought a 12v fan from Whitworths Marine - $139 on special till 14th March - has wiring to attach to battery in van, or wire on a "cigarette" lighter type plug and plug into 12v socket - works a treat - three speed, 2,4,6 or 8 hour timer, multi directional - and uses less than .4amp an hour (I think that is right) - but that is on high speed, which you would not really ever use - good fans. Few others we know got them from Whitworths as well, and are also very happy with them.
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
Having purchased a Companion Fan BEFORE reading of your problem I am mildly concerned.
Under Australian Consumer Law it is sufficient for you to return your purchase to the retailer along with proof of purchase. It is a specific requirement of the law that a purchaser may NOT be required to return an item to a ditributor or manufacturer.
Also, I wonder if the batteries were fully charged to start with? The batteries require 12 hours of charging before running the fan. Additionally, most new battery packs need to be fully charged and (almost) fully discharged several times before they reach maximum capacity.
If you Google "Companion Rechargeable Fan" up pops the above post in the search, isn't the internet great, it pays to Google almost everything before you buy and this helps one steer away from bad products and also quite often shows you where you can buy much cheaper elsewhere.
I usually look on Ebay before committing to buy any product and the more enterprising retailers are selling their products there at a good price and often postage free.
Cheers
David
I have one of these Companion 389 Rechargeable AC and DC fans. They work really well. Just purchased 2 new batteries from Jaycar for $33. Not bad price. Original battery over 8 years old. Did not know they can hold 2 batteries and worthwhile having the extra. We camped on Murray at Echuca with no power and fan very useful at night in the van. Once fully charged fan has been running for over 6 hours today so dont know why the complaints. Maybe users fault for incorrect charging. I had to search a while to find someone who sold the correct battery. If you ever need a new battery make sure it fits. Plenty around that look ok until you try and fit. Take the whole unit to the shop and actually physically check they fit.
If you really want the best, I knocked up a 1 watt Noctua fan, so about as economical as you can get. It was a decade old fan I repurposed, the new models are more efficient. About the same wattage but pushing more air. I will get one of the Noctua 200mm fans, but it is a bit down the list of things to do.
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We bought a Companion 12v rechargeable fan from BCF before our last summer trip and found it to be great. It got quite a workout. I have never timed how long the battery last but I am guessing it is eight hours. If it is only seven hours, then I am not complaining
