Fridge project for the fall

[kfp673]

Hello again all!
Our camper has the typical (Although taller than previous I have owned) AC / LP RV fridge. However, our fridge is in a slide out. This summer we have done more traveling south than we ever have and I noticed 2 things. 1- the fans in the top of the 2 exterior vents (I guess it is exhaust fans??) can be awfully noisy and 2- it struggles to keep as cool as I would like. This is especially true at the beginning of our trip when we have more food in the fridge. It does perform a bit better on LP than electric, but when we have electric hookup I hate the idea of wasting propane.

Anyway, I am curious if anyone has successfully improved the cooling capability. I am also curious if anyone has found equal or better exhaust fans that are quieter. They are often right above my head when I sit outside, and on a warm day they will run A LOT and get annoying.

Thanks in advance!

[CavemanCharlie]

JRscooby wrote:

2oldman wrote:
Don't stuff it with food. Use a small circulation fan inside. My Dometic is in a slide, no fans, and works great.

As long as what you put in there is cold going in, not much of a issue in my experience. A fan helps, but the taper of, and shape where the lids force gaps for air flow.
When I spent a month in 100+ weather I figured out just how many and what size of the square/rectangle shaped containers would fit. When I took a full 1 out I would replace with MT. With most of the cold air contained, and knowing which I wanted when opened so closed quick temp recovered much quicker.

During really hot weather I've seen folks remove the back cover and place a house fan blowing at the coils.

Big air flow is not as good as forcing the air to flow thru the right places.

CavemanCharlie wrote:
Some RV fridges don't work very well not matter what you do. Others are much better. Maybe you just have one of the bad ones. I don't like to post brand names on this forum though.

The technology of a absorption fridge is pretty simple. A little bit of work with the insulation and air flow can overcome the label.

I have a 1993 TT with a absorption Fridge that I dearly love because I like to go dry camping. It has the controls for the fridge on the Eyebrow and there is a slider for the temp control on the front of the fridge. ( I usually run it on 3, sometimes 4 on hot days, it goes up to 5)

My brothers and a 5th wheel with a absorption fridge. (Neither of ours are in slide outs) He his fridge has just a button on the eyebrow to turn it on and off. To control the temp he is suppose to slide the Thermister up and down on the coils in his fridge. When going down the road his fridge will not cool. After getting to the park it will cool down after 8 hours.

I've also have some friends with the sliding Thermister fridge control on their TT. They struggle to keep there fridge cold on a slightly warm day. It will eventually get cold after 12 hours of running. My fridge will cool down in 5 hours or less.

If you have a absorption fridge with no temp control on the front.... Where the only temp control is by sliding the thermister... Then you are screwed and it is never going to work well. (In my experience)

Sorry, that is just how it is.

I sure love my gas electric fridge but, I know what kind to look for now when purchasing RV's

[bucky]

Luckily for me we have an island in front of the fridge. I disconnected the propane and all the power thru the lower vent. On a rig where the frig is not in a slide you will only have one vent but the access you need will be inside that.
From the inside I removed all the fasteners and tilted the fridge over onto the old coverlet padded island giving me access to the fan. I replaced the single fan with 2 of the same size by rigging a dual harness and using the existing mounting ridge. I got the fans from amazon (Wathai 9225 92mm x 25mm 12V 2Pin Dual Ball Bearing DC Brushless Cooling case Fan (Computers & Accessories) which were the exact same size and you can barely hear them outside. The replacement reason was that the original 6 year old fan still worked but had become very noisy.
Without the slide to lean the frig on you can use an old table to slide it out on or get a friend to help you set it on the floor. They are not that heavy but unless you have 6 foot arms it's not a one person job.
Reverse the process but make very sure that the propane connection is leak free going back. Keep the frig as upright as you can as you work or don't turn it on afterwards for a day or so if it's an absorption fridge.

On edit Make sure you verify fan air flow direction before you button it up.

[kfp673]

bucky wrote:
If you can hear the fans making more than a slight hum it's time for new fans. While you are at it maybe ad one. They are really nothing but the same ones used in desk top towers.
Don't go crazy with the number of fans or they will short cycle.

This will be my project soon. Just have to figure out how to get to the current fan location. It's currently located about half way up the stack. Based on what I am reading, sounds like most have better luck with it up closer to the top vent closer to the fins, but I'm not sure I can even get my warm down in there to reach the fan. Looks like it was installed first and then the refrigerator placed in the cavity.

Thanks again all!

[bucky]

If you can hear the fans making more than a slight hum it's time for new fans. While you are at it maybe ad one. They are really nothing but the same ones used in desk top towers.
Don't go crazy with the number of fans or they will short cycle.

[JRscooby]

2012Coleman wrote:

JRscooby wrote:
Absorption refrigeration was in use before electricity was widespread for fans. If the area is shaped right, so the normal lift of the warmer air can keep it flowing there is not much need for fans. I have a computer fan on mine. I have thought of putting a thermo-activated switch on it, but about the only time I turn it on is if it will be over 100, and I will be away from camper, can't watch the temp. At about 85 outside, if the fan is on, my eggs freeze.

Is your fridge vented through the roof?

No, mine is vented thru the wall. But I have a self-made baffle that slopes from top of coils to the top of vent. As the heated air lifts it is forced to the opening.

[Lynnmor]

2012Coleman wrote:

JRscooby wrote:
Absorption refrigeration was in use before electricity was widespread for fans. If the area is shaped right, so the normal lift of the warmer air can keep it flowing there is not much need for fans. I have a computer fan on mine. I have thought of putting a thermo-activated switch on it, but about the only time I turn it on is if it will be over 100, and I will be away from camper, can't watch the temp. At about 85 outside, if the fan is on, my eggs freeze.

Is your fridge vented through the roof?

Make it a point to never buy another RV with an absorption fridge in a slideout.

[2012Coleman]

JRscooby wrote:
Absorption refrigeration was in use before electricity was widespread for fans. If the area is shaped right, so the normal lift of the warmer air can keep it flowing there is not much need for fans. I have a computer fan on mine. I have thought of putting a thermo-activated switch on it, but about the only time I turn it on is if it will be over 100, and I will be away from camper, can't watch the temp. At about 85 outside, if the fan is on, my eggs freeze.

Is your fridge vented through the roof?

[JRscooby]

Absorption refrigeration was in use before electricity was widespread for fans. If the area is shaped right, so the normal lift of the warmer air can keep it flowing there is not much need for fans. I have a computer fan on mine. I have thought of putting a thermo-activated switch on it, but about the only time I turn it on is if it will be over 100, and I will be away from camper, can't watch the temp. At about 85 outside, if the fan is on, my eggs freeze.

[2012Coleman]

My fridge is also in a slide out - fortunately, it is on the opposite side. The fans suck up air through the bottom vent and push out the top. Good advice on the baffles to channel the hot air. Mine has them along with 4 fans. There is a thermocouple that controls the temp of when the fans come on. I tried installing a 12v fan to suck up cooler air from the bottom, but then the fans didn't come on as much and shut off sooner. So I moved the fan to the upper vent and had it blow air out. I also reduced the size of the air cavity at the top using insulating foam blocks.

That helped some, but not enough. So I started using the blue ice blocks in the bottom of the fridge and set the circulating fan on the rack above them. This keeps the fridge at acceptable temps - in the Florida summer. I don't need the ice blocks in fall/winter.

Not sure what you can do about your setup as your chief complaint is that the fans make noise and the fridge is curbside.

I'm looking into upgrading to a residential fridge - that would solve your fan noise issue.

[JRscooby]

2oldman wrote:
Don't stuff it with food. Use a small circulation fan inside. My Dometic is in a slide, no fans, and works great.

As long as what you put in there is cold going in, not much of a issue in my experience. A fan helps, but the taper of, and shape where the lids force gaps for air flow.
When I spent a month in 100+ weather I figured out just how many and what size of the square/rectangle shaped containers would fit. When I took a full 1 out I would replace with MT. With most of the cold air contained, and knowing which I wanted when opened so closed quick temp recovered much quicker.

During really hot weather I've seen folks remove the back cover and place a house fan blowing at the coils.

Big air flow is not as good as forcing the air to flow thru the right places.

CavemanCharlie wrote:
Some RV fridges don't work very well not matter what you do. Others are much better. Maybe you just have one of the bad ones. I don't like to post brand names on this forum though.

The technology of a absorption fridge is pretty simple. A little bit of work with the insulation and air flow can overcome the label.

[CavemanCharlie]

Some RV fridges don't work very well not matter what you do. Others are much better. Maybe you just have one of the bad ones. I don't like to post brand names on this forum though.

[2oldman]

Don't stuff it with food. Use a small circulation fan inside. My Dometic is in a slide, no fans, and works great.

During really hot weather I've seen folks remove the back cover and place a house fan blowing at the coils.

[Lynnmor]

Get the installation manual, often the builder didn't install the fridge correctly, mine wasn't. As said above, the path for air flow is critical on these side vent installations.

[JRscooby]

First step is look at air flow from the lower area to upper, on the working side. Make sure there is no path except thru the fins, or the burner stack. Best if you have a baffle that slopes up from top of the vent opening to the fins, so air will flow up to replace the air that is heated by fins.
Then go to top. You need to install baffle so the heated air from stack or fins can go no place except outside. And should all slope so there is no place for the air to pool. While you are at it, extra insulation between the cold part of fridge and outside wall will help.