Adding cooling fan to refrigerator?

[Cummins12V98]

Our Dometic frig is the two door stile. It is in a slide out so it has a outside vent high and low. Inside the exterior wall and behind the frig at mid heigth are two cooling fans that come on when the computer tells them to. I made it to where the two fans run all the time. We stay in some really hot weather at times so I am wondering if it would help if I added a small cooling fan behind the top vent on a switch that I can turn on when it starts getting hot?

[Cummins12V98]

BarneyS wrote:
Posted for Cummins12V98,

Thank you Barney for posting these pics!

I noticed when I looked at the pics I needed to add insulation between the fans. Those two fans are what came on the rv. I installed the single one with a switch in the lower compartment. I aligned the single fan behind the upper vent slot in the access door and as close to it as possible.

For now I am running the single fan all the time and have the double fans still tied into the controll board. The daytime temps have been in the low 70's and the frig has been steady at 40 degrees on #3 but the freezer is colder than before with the ice getting very hard. So just the one fan pulling air thru the back side of the frig really makes the frig work better.

I have a constant hot wire and inline fuse that I can use for the two fans when it gets really hot to plug the two fans into if the computer does not keep them running all the time.

I will report back when we get to SoCal this fall how it works with all three fans running with the temps 90-100 degrees.

It really helps to seal off the holes around the fans. The two fan pic is looking down from the top access/vent door. They are mounted mid way between the two access doors.

Thanks again Barney

[Art_Davis]

Thanks, both Cummins and Barney! A picture is worth at least a kiloword (in modern lingo).

[BarneyS]

Posted for Cummins12V98,

[BarneyS]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Snip...
I wish I knew how to post a pic.

Send the picture to me and I will post it. The take a good long look at the picture posting tutorial. It is really very easy. Basically all you do is upload to a picture hosting site, copy the URL from that site, and the paste it into the picture posting icon in these forums.(it looks like a yellow postcard with mountains in it)


You can e-mail the picture to me. You can get my e-mail by clicking on my website link in signature or by clicking on my profile at the left of this post.
Barney

[Art_Davis]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

enblethen wrote:
Souns like you have a good start on improving the ventilation.
Did you check the upper end of the cooling unit to see if there is good exit air flow?

Yes, there is a big improvement compared to before I started. I added the third fan for when it gets above 90. and it does improve air flow when it is turned on.

By plugging the holes around the fan it made a huge difference.

I compare it to a straw with a crack in it you don't get as much flow.

I wish I knew how to post a pic.

Hope you get it figured out, 'cause I would love to see some pix of how to position the fans.

[Cummins12V98]

enblethen wrote:
Souns like you have a good start on improving the ventilation.
Did you check the upper end of the cooling unit to see if there is good exit air flow?

Yes, there is a big improvement compared to before I started. I added the third fan for when it gets above 90. and it does improve air flow when it is turned on.

By plugging the holes around the fan it made a huge difference.

I compare it to a straw with a crack in it you don't get as much flow.

I wish I knew how to post a pic.

[enblethen]

Souns like you have a good start on improving the ventilation.
Did you check the upper end of the cooling unit to see if there is good exit air flow?

[Cummins12V98]

I put insulation in the voids on each side of the fans and that really made a lot more airflow. I noticed the ice in the freezer is much harder.

[fuzzbutt]

I put 2 at the top of my stack last summer and it Definately helps. Bought everything I need at "the shack".

[slides]

Anyone ever use fan powered laptop cooling pad for this? I have one that has a 6" fan. Thought it may move more air than the computer fan with less power used.

[Cummins12V98]

Slarsen I think I will get one of those fans. Do they make one that ties into the light for 12V ?

I added the third fan behind the top side vent today with a switch so I can use it only in hot weather or all the time. While doing this I looked down at the existing fans and noticed big gaps all around them, so I stuffed insulation around them. It really made a big difference in how much air they are moving. By sealing all around the fans it stopped the air from cavitating. With the third fan it is really moving the air.

These mods along with an inside the box fan the Beer will really stay cold!

[Fishinghat]

I installed six small used computer fans on the inside of the lower intake vent cover, using plastic zip ties. I wired all of the fans to one switch and power is from the 12 volt supply at the back of the frig. The six fans force cooling air up thru the back of the frig and out the top. The frig is much more efficient with this arrangement. I also installed a 5 inch fan inside the box to keep frost from forming on the cooling coils, and it also works well.

[slarsen]

My refrig. tended in the mid-40's. A little scary. I got an inside portable refrig. fan from Tweety's that runs on two 'D' size batteries. Instructions said it would run for a month on the batteries. I doubted it, but in fact, it does.

Anyway, back to the topic: it reduced the temperature about 10 or more degrees, despite backing off one position on the temp. switch on the front of the refrigerator. And the temps are much more consistent, so no freezing things at the back while things in the door pockets are too warm. Like milk.

This might fix your problem, and for just under $20, you aren't risking much. Camping World has them, too, 'on sale' for about $16. Called a Frig Airator or some such.

[Cummins12V98]

exeter_acres wrote:
are you having temperature issues in the frig?

When it gets to be 90 or above the frig is at 42 to 46. I know the side vent VS the tov vent don't vent as well. I thought about making a bracket that will hold the fan so it just touches the top vent cover when in place so it will push out as much air as possible. By running the two factory fans all the time it would make the frig work less and cool better.

[MrWizard]

yes you can add the vent fan yes it will help

while you have the vent cover off,
check for the flashing/block that will force the air out the vent instead of letting it be trapped above the fridge