Hey all,I just replaced the cooling unit in our Domestic RM 2852 and while the frige was out I decided to wire in a computer fan to blow air into the fins of the refrigerator section. I quickly found that with the fan on, the refrigerator won't go below 40f. With the fan off it will get down to freezing depending on where you move the thermistor.My only thought on this is the fan motor is making heat, but my calculations for a .15 amp fan at 12 volts is just under 3 watts. That doesn't seem like it should be enough to overwhelm a new cooling unit. Freezer back wall stays about -10f.What am I missing? Everyone says increase your efficiency with a fan but my fridge doesn't work well at all with one.

Simple solution:Don't use the fan.It is obviously messing with the design of the temperature control system.

try NOT blowing on the fins, our fan blows down ,and I can freeze the milk.

The fans are for air circulation & not necessarily to blow air onto the fins.I have a Dometic 2652 & my fan works great. This was less than $20I ran the fan hot wire down through the drain tube & to the 12 volt connection on the back of the frig. The fan unit, once attached to the fins is self grounding.Did you purchase a fan setup for this purpose, or just one you found somewhere? Is it self grounding ? Where are you drawing power from ? Is the hot lead fused ?

midnightsadie wrote:try NOT blowing on the fins, our fan blows down ,and I can freeze the milk.I'll try that. Not sure why it would make a difference. The off the shelf fans clearly clip right into the fins...

sfpcservice wrote:I'll try that. Not sure why it would make a difference. The off the shelf fans clearly clip right into the fins...Let's try this again.Was there a problem with the operation of the fridge in it's stock configuration? Probably not.The fins are designed and sized to cool the fridge part the proper amount relative to the freezer AND the sensor is positioned to detect the temperature at an engineered point to cut off or slow down the cooling.YOU DON'T NEED EXTRA FANS.As your experience plainly points out, the extra air flow screws up the designed operation.....as does moving the sensor.The ONLY time it will help anything is on the initial cool down......maybe.

Fan in Refrigerator question... | Good Sam Community

Dave_H_M
Explorer II
Jun 29, 2015
check out the pic of Dakota's fan.

i have one that looks the same. The spacing of the wires/grills of the shelves were such that it would clip into the bottom of the shelf.

Has worked great for me. We do not pay any attention if something is setting on top of where the fan is located or not.
Vulcan_Rider
Explorer
Jun 29, 2015
SCVJeff wrote:
If no fan were such a good idea then you wouldn't have them in residential fridg's, and they wouldn't be installed in the new Dometic's.

Because they are designed to work properly WITH a fan.
Those without them are not.

Some will work with a fan and, as pointed out here, some will not.
The fan is not "necessary" in either case.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Jun 29, 2015
How are you measuring/taking temps?

Are you taking temps with fan running?

Is fan blowing directly on far right fin where thermistor is clipped on?

Coldest areas in food section are directly under fins and on bottom of fridge.
Warmest areas are top door shelves.
Fan should circulate air up and away from fins so that it flows out towards door and down
SCVJeff
Explorer
Jun 29, 2015
It has been demonstrated here time and time again that a circulation fan in the fridge DOES help the overall temp in the box. The whole point of a fan is to get cold OFF the fins and evenly distributed in the box. If no fan were such a good idea then you wouldn't have them in residential fridg's, and they wouldn't be installed in the new Dometic's.

This one blows clockwise across the top of the fridge cabinet and keeps the entire box at whatever temp is set. It doesn't blow ON anything.
tvman44
Explorer
Jun 28, 2015
I have 2 of the dual HDD fans blowing directly onto the fins and everything works great.
Vulcan_Rider
Explorer
Jun 28, 2015
sfpcservice wrote:

I'll try that. Not sure why it would make a difference. The off the shelf fans clearly clip right into the fins...

Let's try this again.
Was there a problem with the operation of the fridge in it's stock configuration? Probably not.

The fins are designed and sized to cool the fridge part the proper amount relative to the freezer AND the sensor is positioned to detect the temperature at an engineered point to cut off or slow down the cooling.

YOU DON'T NEED EXTRA FANS.

As your experience plainly points out, the extra air flow screws up the designed operation.....as does moving the sensor.

The ONLY time it will help anything is on the initial cool down......maybe.
Diesel_Camper
Explorer
Jun 28, 2015
midnightsadie wrote:
try NOT blowing on the fins, our fan blows down ,and I can freeze the milk.

I'll try that. Not sure why it would make a difference. The off the shelf fans clearly clip right into the fins...
Dakota98
Explorer
Jun 28, 2015
The fans are for air circulation & not necessarily to blow air onto the fins.

I have a Dometic 2652 & my fan works great.

This was less than $20

I ran the fan hot wire down through the drain tube & to the 12 volt connection on the back of the frig. The fan unit, once attached to the fins is self grounding.

Did you purchase a fan setup for this purpose, or just one you found somewhere? Is it self grounding ? Where are you drawing power from ? Is the hot lead fused ?
midnightsadie
Explorer II
Jun 28, 2015
try NOT blowing on the fins, our fan blows down ,and I can freeze the milk.
Vulcan_Rider
Explorer
Jun 28, 2015
Simple solution:
Don't use the fan.
It is obviously messing with the design of the temperature control system.

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Fan in Refrigerator question...

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