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steelheadbluesman · 06-25-2012, 03:06 PM

I've searched, but couldn't find... how to wire in a pair of additional 12v aux fans behind the fridge. Can I splice into ANY 12v wire, then the other side to ground? Or do I need a dedicated wire from a battery? Or?? Thanks for any helpful advice.

Ramblin · 06-25-2012, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelheadbluesman

I've searched, but couldn't find... how to wire in a pair of additional 12v aux fans behind the fridge. Can I splice into ANY 12v wire, then the other side to ground? Or do I need a dedicated wire from a battery? Or?? Thanks for any helpful advice.

Gotta keep them muffins cool! Muffin fans are good at that.

Seriously, I'd think you'd want them thermostatically controlled somehow so they don't just run all the time.

John H... · 06-25-2012, 03:23 PM

Find a 12V wire with a meter and tap into it. The other end to ground. I have an alligator clip on the ground wire and just hook it on to ground to turn the fan on. I let it run 24/7 while the fridge is on.

tekrsq · 06-25-2012, 05:22 PM

I bought 2 of these fans and a thermal relay, and wired them into the 12v at the rear of the frig. Made a huge difference.

Delta FFB1212VHE 120mm x 38mm Very Hi-Speed Server Fan | eBay

steelheadbluesman · 06-26-2012, 12:54 PM

All good points.

Ramblin: Had a mickeymouse thermal setup before with a mickeymouse fan, but system failed, so I'm looking for something different. May go with another (better) thermal switch, but I kinda like John's 24/7 setup....

John: I like the 24/7 usage, since my fridge tubes are always hot to the touch. I may use the grounding clip in lieu of an in-line switch.

tekrsq: Thanks for the link. This unit looks good, but it comes wired with a 3-pin, and I don't know what the third wire is for? Also, did you clip off the 'harness' end to wire it? Don't know how it would plug in....

I appreciate you guys responding. I'm still "engineering'

Any other suggestions or directions would be much appreciated as well. I've ordered fans for the inside the fridge box, and I've got my SS-30 extinguisher, now I need the outside fans, and then put it all together to hopefully solve several Norcold problems .... Any other thoughts?

87Rockwood · 06-26-2012, 01:07 PM

If you use the thermo switch you could wire a off/on SPST switch across it and label it "auto" and "manual". Have the best of both worlds

Ramblin · 06-26-2012, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 87Rockwood

If you use the thermo switch you could wire a off/on SPST switch across it and label it "auto" and "manual". Have the best of both worlds

+1. Just don't shop for components at the Disney store, and you'll have a superior solution.

steelheadbluesman · 06-26-2012, 11:05 PM

Yeah, Ramblin, the Mickeymouse stuff came from a parts dealer on eBay and were built for this specific fridge application. I paid $50 bucks for it. Cheap plastic body, plastic fan.... Rip city.

tekrsq · 06-27-2012, 04:27 AM

The fans are 3 wire, but you don't use the white wire. I just cut it off at the fan. It doesn't affect anything, and yes, you just cut off the standard "plug" and hard wire the red and blue wires into your harness.

Dometic makes a kit which comes with a single fan (approx 100 cfm), switch, thermal switch (set at 102 F), and a wiring harness (including a fuse holder) for about $60. I know you have a Norcold, but it doesn't make any difference with this application. Several people I know have bought the Dometic kit, and love it. The system I set up is almost identical to the Dometic kit, except it uses 2 fans (rated at 150 cfm each), and designed a baffle the fans sit in at the top of my stack to make certain they draw air from below and pull it over the coils. You can hear the fans run, but it certainly isn't loud or annoying. AND, it dropped my frig temps by almost 20 F degrees on a 100 F day. So to me, it was worth it.

Sky_Boss · 06-27-2012, 06:36 AM

I'm traveling to Shipshewana, IN on July 5th to have the Amish Cooling Unit installed. My RV's refer is NOT in a slide out so I don't have any side exhaust. I would also think that I don't have any of the cooling baffles above the refer to bend exhaust out the side but instead I vent straight up.

I would ASSUME that adding a single fan near my exhaust port would still be worth considering. Is this something I can do after the installation of the cooling unit?

SVTotem · 06-27-2012, 06:56 AM

Was there a 12v source at the top of the stack, or did you route wire from below? Also, how did you "tap into" the existing 12v line? Did you install a terminal strip or use one of those fold over clips that penetrates the insulation of two parallel wires to make the connection. The latter sound inadequate with all the vibration it will experience.

Ramblin · 06-27-2012, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tekrsq

The fans are 3 wire, but you don't use the white wire. I just cut it off at the fan. It doesn't affect anything...

As info, the white wire is a fan speed sensor for computer applications.

wa8yxm · 06-27-2012, 10:07 AM

Can you tap into any 12 volt wire: In theory yes.

Where did I tap: I found the terminal marked "INterior Light" or just "LIGHT" and tapped the wire hooked to it.

Why do I suggest this wire: Plenty of power, for the fan(s) and when you turn the fridge OFF, no power on that lead at all. (It turns the fans off too).

Very handy.

The fan I put INSIDE the fridge is also tapped into that wire, (Since they run it inside just so you can do that.. er, to run the light) .

echo3 · 06-27-2012, 05:40 PM

Are you mounting to wall above coil, near roof opening? Are you running wires down the rear of fridge to access panel area and catching a 12v wire? Will that create any problem with existing fans or operation? David Whtie