I added two Refrigerator Vent Fans... install and pics

bigcitypopo wrote:

phenrichs wrote:
Where did you get the stuff? did it all come together with the thermo switch?

each fan comes as a kit... the kit contains all the mounting hardware, thermo switches, tape and such. you just need you imagination on how to install it.

this site helped a lot.

i used two fan kits... i have one more, just not sure if i'm gonna install the last one.

I'm gonna play with baffles and such

Thanks to all for all the info, and bigcity, thanks for the link -- very informative site. Venting and/or fan installation will be an off season mod for our TT for sure!

phenrichs wrote:
Where did you get the stuff? did it all come together with the thermo switch?

each fan comes as a kit... the kit contains all the mounting hardware, thermo switches, tape and such. you just need you imagination on how to install it.

this site helped a lot.

i used two fan kits... i have one more, just not sure if i'm gonna install the last one.

I'm gonna play with baffles and such

Beemer makes a good point for any of you considering modding their frig. I used reflectix to make baffles to limit the space air had to flow on my popup way back when. Same frig type so it applies to most RV types. Giving a channel or flue effect to focus the air up and out so cooler outside air is drawn in through the fridge vent on the side of your camper helps prevent the recirculation effect and can add another 10-15 degrees to the outdoor temp your fridge can maintain acceptable temps in.

Prior to doing this mod (baffles) my fridge struggled to maintain 40 degrees (where I like it set) when it got above 80 degrees outside. Doing the baffles and adding a single computer fan on a manual switch allowed it to maintain below 32 degrees in 100 degree temps. If it was in the low 90's, I wouldn't run the fan. Above 95, I turned the fan on. This was also with the temp slide set in the middle, not maxed out as before.

One suggestion is if you use a manual on/off switch as I did, use a computer fan with a led light on it. Makes a nice reminder that its on in case you forget. Also gives a cool glow to the fridge vent. People would ask why it glowed and I'd tell them it was an experimential nuclear frig I was developing ;-) fished out the naïve as they nodded their head in interest.

Where did you get the stuff? did it all come together with the thermo switch?

Always concerned about the amp draw when dry camping and running off batteries...

Good job but baffles are far more important than fans. Many refrigerators are installed incorrectly with too much space behind them. Add baffles of sheet metal, Reflectix, or something else to insure that all air goes through the coils rather than around them.

I added baffles and fans. I soon discovered that with baffles correcting the air flow path, the fans weren't needed.

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You do great work.

Thanks for sharing…

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there is a thermo switch on the fan to shut it off and one on the burner tube to turn it on. The thermo switch on the tube will turn off when the burner tube runs cool. so there is a double switch so you don't run them constantly.

I wired a bypass cable that allows me to unclip from the thermo switch on the burner tube and turn them on and leave them on.

I might add one more.. and then close off the surrounding area... make it a vortex type setup... it worked great this last weekend. The fridge was 37deg in 117deg heat!

I have no vent fans and would like to know more. The point where the thermo switch is mounted must be a hot point? Does it cause the fans to cycle on and off? In the stack where the fans are mounted they must accelerate the air flow up and out the roof vent? Are your fans protected by any type of fuseable link in the event of a stalled fan?

It's nice that those fans are shrouded. Most people use computer fans which are very inefficient unless they are installed in a bulkhead to keep the air from "short circuiting". Without a bulkhead or shroud, the low pressure area below the fan pulls the high pressure air from above the fan and most of what it does is "recycle".

Put those computer fans in a shroud or bulkhead for better efficiency.