Mabett Window Vent Honest Review

[The Real Maverick]

Your cell phone can be used as a
dB meter.

Even a light meter. It isn't the greatest but it's better than nothing.

I wonder if the cell phone can be a window vent too. Just wedge it in there.

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[HeyBales]

Great review - always wondered.

Those issues is why the last few vehicles I'll install only the rear set of in-channel window vents.

Very little increase in highway noise (the front window set seems to traditionally) when window is closed.
Can leave window open a decent 2 inches max usually, and no rain when driving city speeds.
And parked pretty good breeze thru for heat exit (saw during summer the 120 F on bottom of covered bed, compared to 90's in cab). Enough breeze that sometimes more than desired fluff gets in, and if not noticing construction and wind direction, sadly extra dust.

Looks though .... never bothered me, but I wouldn't trust that opinion.

 

[The Real Maverick]

Just for Glen Baker I'm going to do a dB test "before & after" with my cell phone.

Precise or not, it should at least be representable / proportional.

 

[Tbone289]

Just for Glen Baker I'm going to do a dB test "before & after" with my cell phone.

Precise or not, it should at least be representable / proportional.

I'd be interested in comparing the volume of the vent noise at a given speed vs. vents out with the rear windows cracked.

 

[The Real Maverick]

Speed 65 MPH. Phone in phone holder above front cubby. Farther from the noise than driver's ears, but it was consistent placement for comparison purposes. Phone never moved. I only had to tap record and stop.

Ran 1 minute averages each case.
Speed 65 MPH

All windows closed:
67 dB Ave 70.5 dB Max

Both rear windows 1/3 open:
70.7 dB Ave 78.9 dB Max
"Buffeting"

Front and Rear windows 1/3 open:
69.8 dB Ave. 75.4 dB Max
No buffeting.

Fronts and Rears all the way open:
76.2 dB Ave. 84.1 dB Max

Screen Inserts in Rears, Fronts Closed:
70.3 dB Ave 76.6 dB Max
No buffeting.

Screen Inserts in Rears, Fronts open 1/3:
77.8 dB Ave. 92.8 dB Max
Screens make the most noise with fronts open and air being forced out the rears.

Truck stopped. Engine Off:
AM news radio at 11 = 71.0 dB
AM news radio at 14 = 78.0 dB
Radio at 14 required at highway speed with screens installed. Otherwise, 11 is fine for me with windows closed or slightly open.

dB is a logarithmic scale : a few points means a lot
For reference:

 

[The Real Maverick]

It was interesting that the "buffeting" that is so painful on the ears when only the rears are open at high speed (no screens) did not really register on a cell phone microphone.

Probably the frequency was too low.
Say, if it was 5 Hz, we FEEL that pressure change.... but the phone mic maybe stops at 40 Hz. Just guessing.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

It was interesting that the "buffeting" that is so painful on the ears when only the rears are open at high speed (no screens) did not really register on a cell phone microphone.

Probably the frequency was too low.
Say, if it was 5 Hz, we FEEL that pressure change.... but the phone mic maybe stops at 40 Hz. Just guessing.

I was hoping you were going to summarize.
Thank you for running the experiment.

 

[Tbone289]

It was interesting that the "buffeting" that is so painful on the ears when only the rears are open at high speed (no screens) did not really register on a cell phone microphone.

Probably the frequency was too low.
Say, if it was 5 Hz, we FEEL that pressure change.... but the phone mic maybe stops at 40 Hz. Just guessing.

Very likely. I'm sure the microphone is limited to a fairly narrow frequency range. I doubt that it is very responsive at all below 100Hz.

 

[Tbone289]

Screen Inserts in Rears, Fronts open 1/3:
77.8 dB Ave. 92.8 dB Max
Screens make the most noise with fronts open and air being forced out the rears.

Maybe this is the difference between your results and mine. I don't ever run my Mabett vents in this scenario on the highway, with the front windows open. At those speeds I only run them in combination with the AC on vent and never experience the vibrations and whistling that you mention. I'm not one to run with front windows down above 55 MPH in any vehicle; it's too hard on my ears and I find it fatiguing. I will run on the highway with the vent on and a sunroof vented, or with these in place if ambient temperatures are lower than 80F.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

.

 

[The Real Maverick]

Just to clarify, the screen make a lot of noise when the fronts are open just a little bit. I do not run highways with the fronts open very far. I do like to listen to the radio.

 

[Kofad]

Functionality aside, I really like the look.

 

[The Real Maverick]

After coming to grips with I couldn't stand the whistle, whine, hum, or buzz above 35 mph, and I probably wouldn't put them in and out every time I parked since it requires the key to be "on" so you can use the powered windows; I made some modifications.

IT IS THE SCREEN DOOR MESH MAKING THE NOISE. So I cut it off. It is metal wire mesh sandwiched and glued between two layers of plastic. Probably plastic cement was used. Not wanting to risk breaking the plastic I cut out the wire.

Cutters would take too long and you have no starting edge.

Took 60 seconds with a small cut off wheel. Use the clippers for any "hairs" left behind.

No whistle. No buzz. Just normal road noise. And NO BUFFETING at 65 MPH with fronts closed.

Up to you what to do. But now I'm more inclined to leave them in for prolonged periods.

 

[HeyBales]

After coming to grips with I couldn't stand the whistle, whine, hum, or buzz above 35 mph, and I probably wouldn't put them in and out every time I parked since it requires the key to be "on" so you can use the powered windows; I made some modifications.

IT IS THE SCREEN DOOR MESH MAKING THE NOISE. So I cut it off. It is metal wire mesh sandwiched and glued between two layers of plastic. Probably plastic cement was used. Not wanting to risk breaking the plastic I cut out the wire.

Cutters would take too long and you have no starting edge.

Took 60 seconds with a small cut off wheel. Use the clippers for any "hairs" left behind.

No whistle. No buzz. Just normal road noise. And NO BUFFETING at 65 MPH with fronts closed.

Up to you what to do. But now I'm more inclined to leave them in for prolonged periods.

Well - someone is ready for the summer heat!

 

[Tbone289]

Up to you what to do. But now I'm more inclined to leave them in for prolonged periods.

Yeah, I'm glad you found something that works for you. To me, the screen is the only advantage these have over vent shades.

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