Refrigerators in the heat

[WinnebagoBob]

We are camping in extreme heat in Arizona. Is it better to use LP gas or electric to keep the refrigeration cold?

[kmb1966]

dougrainer wrote:

kmb1966 wrote:

jplante4 wrote:
Make sure you crimp or plug the drain tube. I found it makes a big difference.

Could you expand on this idea please? Are you saying plugging up the drain tube underneath the motorhome where it normally drips can HELP it cool better?
If so, I am going to give it a try. Thanks.

Don't plug it up. Just make a P Trap on the drain line You may have to extend it to do a P trap. Once you make the P trap pour some water in the refer inside evaporator drain pan under the fins to put a water barrier in the P trap. This will keep outside air from coming up into the refer. From the Factory(refer maker), they have enough drain line to do the P trap, but the RV makers never make the P trap. Norcold refers do not need a P trap as they have a check valve on the end of the drain line. Doug

Great information! Thank you!!!!!

[dougrainer]

kmb1966 wrote:

jplante4 wrote:
Make sure you crimp or plug the drain tube. I found it makes a big difference.

Could you expand on this idea please? Are you saying plugging up the drain tube underneath the motorhome where it normally drips can HELP it cool better?
If so, I am going to give it a try. Thanks.

Don't plug it up. Just make a P Trap on the drain line You may have to extend it to do a P trap. Once you make the P trap pour some water in the refer inside evaporator drain pan under the fins to put a water barrier in the P trap. This will keep outside air from coming up into the refer. From the Factory(refer maker), they have enough drain line to do the P trap, but the RV makers never make the P trap. Norcold refers do not need a P trap as they have a check valve on the end of the drain line. Doug

[bob213]

I think what jplant4 is referring to is the plug on your drain line. Not only does it keep bugs out but it helps to keep hot air from returning to the inside of the refrig.

[kmb1966]

jplante4 wrote:
Make sure you crimp or plug the drain tube. I found it makes a big difference.

Could you expand on this idea please? Are you saying plugging up the drain tube underneath the motorhome where it normally drips can HELP it cool better?
If so, I am going to give it a try. Thanks.

[joebedford]

I found that putting my awning out and lowering the arms to shade the exterior wall of the fridge made a big difference in 107 temps we got in 2012.

BTW, it's been exceptionally cool and wet here in Ontario.

[DownTheAvenue]

mike-s wrote:

DownTheAvenue wrote:

Maybe I did not make myself clear...
So, while the flue does need heat to expedite air flow, it is the air flow that is critical, not the flue temperature!

You've made yourself perfectly clear - you don't know what the flue is in an RV refrigerator. What you're calling the flue, isn't.

You are correct. I interchanged plenum and flue. My mistake. But I think everyone knew my point, and you were waiting for a minor error to make your point. Good job!

[Chris_Bryant]

Newer Norcold models will switch to LP if the voltage is below something like 108, even if it's present.

[jplante4]

Make sure you crimp or plug the drain tube. I found it makes a big difference.

[j-d]

I found an area toward the bottom of the cooling unit where I could simply wedge a 92mm 12VDC computer cooling fan. Since they're so small, I zip tie two together to make a side-by-side pair of fans and cram them in place. They don't last long in our salty humid environment so I buy them by the box. Walmart had a box of four that I couldn't find last time, so I bought a box of five from Amazon. Works out to $2-3 per fan. First time, I bought them at the computer store, about $6 a fan, and those didn't last any longer.

What they DO, and seem to do well, is keep a convection going in the chase behind the Norcold N811 fridge. We don't have slides, and it seems having a roof vent is better for fridge cooling than the wall vents in slides.

We get along OK on electric, but I'm keeping the 112VAC bogey (Thanks, Doug!)in mind now.

[wantabe351]

I found that if my frig is in the sun by making a shade panel to cover the outside of the RV frig is cooler, The panel is made of the RV reflective bubble wrap they sell at CW. I use velcro to hold it on...

[mike-s]

DownTheAvenue wrote:

Maybe I did not make myself clear...
So, while the flue does need heat to expedite air flow, it is the air flow that is critical, not the flue temperature!

You've made yourself perfectly clear - you don't know what the flue is in an RV refrigerator. What you're calling the flue, isn't.

[DownTheAvenue]

mike-s wrote:

DownTheAvenue wrote:
More important is the amount of draft in the flue. It requires a positive airflow to dissipate the heat. The addition of a small computer 12 volt cooling fan will make a significant difference in the cooling in the refrigerator.

Absolutely not.

You want maximum heat in the flue - they even put a spiral baffle in the flue to slow the airflow and hold the heat in.

Fans are used to increase airflow through the condenser coils.

Maybe I did not make myself clear, but the goal is to remove the heat from the coils and that is done by moving air up and out vis the vent at the top, or side on a few models, mostly refrigerators in slide outs. A fan helps in this regard. Keeping heat inside the refrigerator compartment only serves to minimize the heat transfer from the coils to the surrounding air. Heating the flue creates a draft because the hotter the air, the lighter it is, hence it will go up! Think hot air balloon! However, in extreme ambient temperatures, the hot air in the flue often is not much hotter than the ambient temperature and the air flow stops or slows down, thus minimizing the heat exchange over the coils. You absolutely need a flow of air over the coils, or there will be little or no cooling.

So, while the flue does need heat to expedite air flow, it is the air flow that is critical, not the flue temperature!

[mike-s]

DownTheAvenue wrote:
More important is the amount of draft in the flue. It requires a positive airflow to dissipate the heat. The addition of a small computer 12 volt cooling fan will make a significant difference in the cooling in the refrigerator.

Absolutely not.

You want maximum heat in the flue - they even put a spiral baffle in the flue to slow the airflow and hold the heat in.

Fans are used to increase airflow through the condenser coils.

[2oldman]

Your a/c isn't going to do very well in this either. At least not mine.

downtheroad wrote:

My advice, hitch up and get out of there.

Yeah, at night!