We have a 4x4 fixed skylight over our kitchen. It's mounted on a 4'x4' 2"x8" rim we installed on the roof. I've decided the kitchen would be much cooler if the skylight opened and hot air was able to rise out of the kitchen. So I'm thinking of adding another rim of some kind on top the existing rim with openings in it which can be uncovered in summer and covered over in winter. Anyone have any idea how much open area is needed to get a noticeable flow of air out of the room? I temporarily removed the whole skylight a few minutes ago and the room cooled down substantially in a couple of minutes.

Nobody makes a 4x4 opening skylight that I can see and I probably wouldn't want to spend that much money anyway.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I'm now thinking of raising the frame and putting 4 sliding basement style windows, one on each side and then putting the skylight on top of them.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

That sounds like a good plan.

__________________
For the Saved, this world is the worst it will ever get.
For the unSaved, this world is the best it will ever get.

Clk's Ebay Stuff BUY SOMETHING NOW!!!

Have you considered a whole house attic fan? Very effective if cools off in the early eveing hours.

If it stays 80F all night, it wont help.

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Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

09' E320 Bluetec 77k (USA)
09' Hyundai Santa Fe Diesel 48k (S.A.)

For some reason I had a few beers and read this as "venting a ****"--with which I could help you on. Don't know anything about skylights though

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
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Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

I don't think its a good idea to install windows other than the vertical position it was designed for. I suggest looking in the Velux catalogue. I suspect they offer an opening skywindow near the dimensions you speak of.

They are expensive but well designed and well worth the investment.

Kind of like the MB of skylights.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

casement with cranks you could access with a long pole would be better...

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My drivers:
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1987 190D 2.5Turbo
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1987 300TD
1987 300TD
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I thought about casements with cranks. My most recent idea is to put a second hinged box made out of 2x4's on top of the existing 4'x4' box and attach the skylight to the hinged box. Put some weatherstripping between them some gas struts to push it up, a latch to hold it down and some bellows screening on the outside to keep out the bugs.
Can't bring myself to fork over the $$ for the Velux even if they made them in the correct size, when the existing one works fine for letting light in and it only cost me $30 used 20 years ago.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Ok, made the hinged second box and have tested it out. Seems like the perfect solution. What I will need is some gas struts to hold it up and a latch to hold it down. Anyone have any idea how a person goes about purchasing the appropriate pressure gas struts and where?
Letting the hot air escape from the top of the kitchen makes a substantial difference in how cool it is.

I see some 24 lb gas struts for about $30 a pair on Amazon. Says they are used for rear doors on truck caps. Not sure 24 lbs is enough for the skylight. I'm guessing skylight and frame weight around 40 lbs. How should the struts be sized in comparison to the weight to be lifted?

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

The attic fan in our 2 story house works great, it keeps the up stairs livable.

__________________
For the Saved, this world is the worst it will ever get.
For the unSaved, this world is the best it will ever get.

Clk's Ebay Stuff BUY SOMETHING NOW!!!

I guess maybe it doesn't rain much there. Flashing for rain, freezing and thawing is what the velux is all about. Their flashing kits can be ordered for any type of roofing and installed by any competant carpenter.

You may be smart enough to figure all that out yourself but as an Architect considering the skylight as one component of a large structure that must all work and be warrantable, doing things from scratch just does not make sense.

Early in my career I tried a lot of thngs to save money. Some worked, some not so well. Some worked for a while but not long enough.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

The base rim 2x8 was installed before I put down a modified roof. So that rim is completely water tight and has been for 22 yrs. So any additional leak potential comes from the flat surface joint between the original 2x8 rim and the additional 2x4 rim I installed on top of it. Given the fact that the skylight extends about 3 inches beyond the rim and the frame slides over the 2x4 about 1 1/2", the potential for a leak at that location is very small. We'll see what happens. I did put a seal between the 2 sections.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

If you have trouble you can always screw it down and seal it all up.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.