I need better refrigerator venting

[Doc Mark]

Gary - K7GLD - Just ordered a thermal switch per your advice. So, how & where did you mount it?

Mark

[JC2]

Originally Posted by 007";663937]Answer to JC2 question in most cases fans mounted outside fridge in back where your coils are are what we are talking about. Thats the area of most heat build up that will cause you the most problem on a 4 door or 2 door and both makes of refrigerators Norcold & Dometic.
Here is a [B][URL="http://www.oemys-performance.com/diyprojects5.htm#refermods

couple of fixes[/URL][/B] by Oemy's on his web site, one is the inside of fridge and other at base of fridge on platform.
Like someone said the more hot air blown out from behind fridge the harder the ICE CREAM.

Thanks 007.

[Gary - K7GLD]

Originally Posted by Doc Mark

Gary - K7GLD - Just ordered a thermal switch per your advice. So, how & where did you mount it?

Mark

Neither my fans nor the switch have arrived yet, but currently plan to install a pair of the fans up in the top "chimney" area at MH roof - the switch I plan to clip onto the heat exchanger coils at some point - will have to experiment a bit for precise placement. I'm sorta thinking about also installing a manual switch inside the MH to shut off the cooling fans at times I want the DC power active, but don't have the refrigerator in operation.

Will post install pics as I go - but will likely be a week or 2 before all the stuff arrives and I get started...

[ninos]

On my mh I have upper and lower service covers but the upper one is half cover by a thin piece of plywood. Should I just cut that of to have the complete opening open

["007"]

ninos, NO do not remove plywood in your top vent that should be a baffle to direct the heat out of your top vent if fridge is on a slide.
Any heat collected up there would defeat what you are trying to do cool the back of your fridge compartment.
Some people have found that MFG never placed a baffle and ran into all sorts of problems.
If you look on page #22 you will see what I mean with refridge in slide.
This may not be your fridge but all fridge's Norcold & Dometic require it.

[kketterling]

Henry. After following this thread I went out to inspect mine and found I also had 2 fans but never heard them run, applied some heat to the thermal switch and the fans went on. What I noticed with mine is the thermal switch is attached to the outer edge of one of the cooling fins and not sure that would ever get to 180 degrees unless the fridge was on fire, so may consider relocating and placing on tube initially going into the cooling fins which is to hot to touch. Thermal switch like Gary mentioned for 1/2 inch pipe would work great.

[Gary - K7GLD]

Originally Posted by 007";664116]ninos, NO do not remove plywood in your top vent that should be a baffle to direct the heat out of your top vent if fridge is on a slide.
Any heat collected up there would defeat what you are trying to do cool the back of your fridge compartment.
Some people have found that MFG never placed a baffle and ran into all sorts of problems.
If you look on [B][URL="http://www.bryantrv.com/docs2/docs/ncold1200.pdf

page #22[/URL][/B] you will see what I mean with refridge in slide.
This may not be your fridge but all fridge's Norcold & Dometic require it.

That page 22 is interesting - but it should be noted it is showing a baffle arrangement for refrigerators using wall vents for both lower, AND upper ends - those like mine, with a roof vent may be somewhat different (page 21 is more specific in that regard) - hafta take a longer look at that document, and I also have the installation manual for my specific Norcold...

Here's what I am working with:
(click image for larger pic)





Both the lower access cover, and roof vent are what I consider to be quite restricted in venting area cross-section - and will definitely need help, if proper airflow is to be accomplished. The roof vent is especially restricted...

["007"]

Gary, ninos didn't say what he had I just assumed he had it in a slide. The page you referred is correct for roof vent which is mine for 1200 refer.
My roof vent is newer than yours,03, which were like yours on my 88 Cruise Air.
Some pic's show double baffle to direct hot air out the roof vent.
I would install the fans and see how restrictive they are before making changes to vents you have now, they maybe enough with the fans you place.

[ninos]

thanks everyone for the great help and my fridge is on a slide

[rvrat]

I improved the function of our Norcold 1201 LRIM that has the vent through the roof by adding four 3/4 inch aluminum tubular spacers and longer screws in the four locations that attach the vent cover to the roof housing. This lifts the vent cover to allow for better air flow. A dealer service tech suggested this to me years ago and it helps. I found the tubes and screws at Home Depot.

Happy travels, Bob

[Croft]

Originally Posted by Gary - K7GLD

WELL, looks like my refrigerator issue IS pretty common - and my approach to a fix is also pretty common!

Here's a pointer to the specific fans I plan to use:

120mm Fans 4LED Blue For Computer Case Cooling PC - eBay (item 250353053927 end time Jul-30-10 00:30:28 PDT)

I don't need the blue LED's - but who knows - might dress up the MH a bit - if they are even visible from the outside!

Price is certainly cheap enough, as is shipping! As it happens, I have an identical cooling fan inside my PC - it typically runs all day long, and has for nearly 10 years now, with no problems!

Since I haven't seen any other threads or pics on this sort of mod, I'll try to do so when the fans arrive, and I get them installed.

Thanks Gary, I just ordered one of those fans from eBay. I had one on the old MH but have delayed installing one on the new rig. I had it tied to the 12 volts in the fridge but this time I think I might put one of those 1.8 amp solar panels on the roof to supply it. That way it will only run when the sun is out. After about three years of continuous running the old one started making enough noise that it could be heard at night. The solar panel will eliminate this problem.

thanks everyone for reminding me to get off my butt!

[LindyT]

Originally Posted by Doc Mark

Gary - K7GLD - Just ordered a thermal switch per your advice. So, how & where did you mount it?

Mark

Mark, is this for your MADP? If so, I'm a bit puzzled... I have the same coach (except mine is 4528) and I already have the fans and snap-disc thermal switch.

It wasn't, however, cooling below 55 degrees when the ambient temperature was 90-100+, so I moved the snap-disc down, next to the fans (if you look in your top vent, you will see it attached to the end cooling fin on the left side) -- this was poor placement, IMO and the fans rarely came on. Since moving the disc - causing the fans to come on sooner, it maintains ~38-40degrees and it was over 100 today.

[Doc Mark]

Hi LindyT - We are on our 3rd reefer with this coach. Long story short, it is now a Dometic RM1350 WID. The first 2 were Norcold - the first died (at the factory thankfully), they replaced with like model, it never got cold. So we said better try a different type.

Does this make a difference as to where the switch & fans are placed? I don't know - I haven't looked in the upper reefer compartment. I do hear fans going off & on, but the ice cream never gets near hard.

So, I'm going with the overkill philosophy - the more fans the better.

Mark

[LindyT]

Ah, that could explain it. We have the all-electric Dometic 1402. If it ever goes, I'll most definitely have the cabinet reworked and a residential fridge put in. Can't stand these absorption fridges!

Perhaps they didn't get the venting and insulation correct.

You can pop the top vent -- the fans should be slightly below the top vent. You can follow the red wires going to the fans to the nickel-sized disc and check the placement of same.

Good luck, hope you figure it out! As I said, before changing the placement of the thermal switch, the fridge would reach temps of 55. Now it's 36 (we like it cold) on normal days and 38-40 on hot days. Freezer stays around 0. That's max cold (level 5)