I camped in Florida a few weeks ago, although it was fairly cool for the season and the campsite had overhanging trees my refer was not doing so well. The sun was hitting that side in the afternoon and I realize that this was a major contributor so I had to improvise.My question is that if I install one of these:1) if there are over hanging foliage will the fan run much if at all? My vent fan for the black tank does to a point.2) Does this fan move enough air to make a difference?3) Would I do better to install a 12v version instead as I don't boondocks and use hook ups?

I did not go solar in part from bad reviews a in part because everyone looks for shade in the summer.Click on my name and search my posts from this year for a mod report .Good Luck, Mike

I bought a solar some years back and it froze up on me. the fan just quit working. so I went to computer fans.

If you don't boondock then the solar really doesn't make much sense, and probably will cost more. There is 12v available where you'll be putting the fan, so that's no issue. I got a couple of waterproof ones off Ebay for my fridge, still pretty cheap.

Tachdriver wrote:3) Would I do better to install a 12v version instead Yes.For somebody who never boondocks I can't even understand the need in solar fan. Small 12V fan will draw less than 1A, you won't notice this on electrical bill.

Here is a 120MM 12v fan which moves ~53 CFM very quietly and consumes 0.05 amps.http://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NF-F12-PWM-Cooling-Fan/dp/B00632FL8Ahttp://www.noctua.at/main.php?show=productview&products_id=42&lng=enThese computer fans vary widely in air moved for noise made and current consumed. The one above is a winner in all three and has a 6 year warranty.I have a Nicro solar powered vent. Many years ago I cut the wire to the fan motor, removed the battery and the impeller, and covered the solar panel. It now has computer muffin fans pushing about 20x more air through it.Before this Nicro vent became Noisy, the "c" sized Nicad battery would last for about 2 days in the shade, running all night too.One can of course spend much less, or even salvage one from an old computer. but it might very well consume 3x the current, make twice the noise and move no more air.

Solar Fridge Vent Fans | Good Sam Community

16 Replies

Tachdriver
Explorer
Jun 12, 2014
pnichols wrote:
40-42 degrees is indeed a bit too warm for the cold foods section. I think 38-40 degrees is the recommended range. I like ours around 36 degrees and I usually get 34-36 degrees with the thermostat set to 4 on it's 1 to 5 scale. However, I have seen our RV refrigerator's interior temperature climb if the RV wasn't leveled close enough.

What themostat setting did you have the refrigerator set to such that you were seeing the 40-42 degree interior temperatures? Was the refrigerator being heated electrically or with propane at the time? Some folks in the forums have stated that RV absorption refrigerators seem to cool better when on propane.

Like FJ below, I have the movable sensor on the interior fins.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Jun 12, 2014
It depends on the fridge, but it was easiest to put mine at the top. Be sure you set them so they move air from bottom to top.
pnichols
Explorer II
Jun 12, 2014
40-42 degrees is indeed a bit too warm for the cold foods section. I think 38-40 degrees is the recommended range. I like ours around 36 degrees and I usually get 34-36 degrees with the thermostat set to 4 on it's 1 to 5 scale. However, I have seen our RV refrigerator's interior temperature climb if the RV wasn't leveled close enough.

What themostat setting did you have the refrigerator set to such that you were seeing the 40-42 degree interior temperatures? Was the refrigerator being heated electrically or with propane at the time? Some folks in the forums have stated that RV absorption refrigerators seem to cool better when on propane.
Tachdriver
Explorer
Jun 12, 2014
pnichols wrote:
I 'think' that the OP may have been referring to a solar powered fan for improving the refrigerator's exterior air flow - not the little fans that only circulate air inside the refrigerator.

If this is the case I'd recommend first getting the refrigerator, or how the RV manufacturer installed it, checked out. I'm not aware that all RV refrigerator installs usually require exterior fans to increase exterior air flow if they're built-in correctly such that natural convection moves air from the lower RV wall intake opening up past the back of the refrigerator and out a large enough opening in the roof.

So far, ours has always operated fine in any kind of (high humidity or low humdidity) heat - if: We don't load it up inside too much, we keep the RV level as we should, and if we have it's 5-level thermostat control set to 4 instead of 3 in extremely not weather.

In my experience it does fine until the temp is in the upper 80's to 90's, especially since I had direct sun on that side otherwise it cools just fine. The highest temperature I saw in the direct sun was 40-42 which to me is a danger zone for some foods I had in there. If moving a bit more air in the chimney makes a difference I will work with that.

After all the comments I am looking to add 12v fan to it either from the bottom first then the top if the first option does not pan out.
pnichols
Explorer II
Jun 11, 2014
I 'think' that the OP may have been referring to a solar powered fan for improving the refrigerator's exterior air flow - not the little fans that only circulate air inside the refrigerator.

If this is the case I'd recommend first getting the refrigerator, or how the RV manufacturer installed it, checked out. I'm not aware that all RV refrigerator installs usually require exterior fans to increase exterior air flow if they're built-in correctly such that natural convection moves air from the lower RV wall intake opening up past the back of the refrigerator and out a large enough opening in the roof.

So far, ours has always operated fine in any kind of (high humidity or low humdidity) heat - if: We don't load it up inside too much, we keep the RV level as we should, and if we have it's 5-level thermostat control set to 4 instead of 3 in extremely not weather.
opnspaces
Navigator II
Jun 10, 2014
martipr Link 2
And
popeyemth Link 1
popeyemth
Explorer
Jun 10, 2014
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/27607341.cfm
This is a link to my install this year
Good Luck, Mike
martipr
Explorer
Jun 10, 2014
For inside the reefer look for this item on E Bay: DOMETIC NORCOLD REFRIGERATOR FAN FOR RV 12 VOLT. I have had one for about 3 years, it works great, added benefit, it also keeps the coil from frosting up.
I would give a clicky but I don't know how.
slides
Explorer
Jun 10, 2014
Not to hijack this thread
But has anyone ever used a laptop cooling pad for this? Seems they have a lot larger fan than the ones inside of a computer and they are mounted in a case that has some protection for the fan blades/
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Jun 09, 2014
Generally people run a 12v fan in the refrigerator, and run it off the hot wire to the light. Look for a low curren draw, you don't need to move a lot of air and less heat from the fan is a good thing.