Ventilation fan behind fridge?

[CHD]

Morning Funsters
Has anyone fitted a fan behind the fridge for extra ventilation in hot weather? Are they successful?
Just out of curiosity and any suggestions would be helpful.
Thanks.

 

[Minxy]

Looked at it so little room behind the fridge with the 10 series fridge not practical to get the cables down will have to use the less efficient method of fans blowing in at the bottom.
The fridge does work a lot better than previous models may see how it goes.

Have you tried pulling off the panel above the fridge? Ours is only held on with Velcro.

 

[Lenny HB]

Have you tried pulling off the panel above the fridge? Ours is only held on with Velcro.

Yes that is where the pre wired solar & Sat cables are, no good rolling a hole through the back as no access to the back of the fridge with a roof vent. Also running cables through a Carthago is a nightmare, they are too well built.

 

[Richard n Ann]

These are mine, I fitted them inside so the louvres can be taken off for extra ventilation. Got a compressor fridge now but left them on and fitted the sensor on the liquid pipe

 

[Kenp]

Where do you fix the temp sensor?

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[MichaelT]

Yes that is where the pre wired solar & Sat cables are, no good rolling a hole through the back as no access to the back of the fridge with a roof vent. Also running cables through a Carthago is a nightmare, they are too well built.

I looked at the dometic kit, bit expensive but it just connects to the existing wiring loom and it's fitted at the bottom blowing air up. Some models you need 2 fans so more expensive.

 

[Lenny HB]

Where do you fix the temp sensor?

I fitted mine between the fans on a strip of aluminium. It's not that important as long as its above the heating pipes.
Best to set the cut in temperature so the fans cut in at an ambient of 25°, so your setting will be in the 30's on the congroller a bit of trial & error.

 

[Lenny HB]

I looked at the dometic kit, bit expensive but it just connects to the existing wiring loom and it's fitted at the bottom blowing air up. Some models you need 2 fans so more expensive.

£60 for a five quid fan!

 

[MichaelT]

£60 for a five quid fan!

Plus the wiring conroller and connector

 

[Richard n Ann]

Where do you fix the temp sensor?

Mine was pushed into the cooler (left) end of the fins and set on 42°c

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[Sleeveless]

This is where they should be fitted for maximum effect according to Dometic, not in the vent grilles. Make your own kit for a fraction of the cost.

 

[Graham Page]

Just endorsing what everyone with a fan kit has said. CBE brand twin fan kit with both manual and auto controller with temp sensor on fan mounting panel. Fitted towards the top of the vent cavity 200mm below the roof vent. Result - Transformed my fridge freezer performance for £50.00 (priced at 3-4 years ago!) plus a bit of manual labour to fit myself whilst I had the fridge out for maintenance! https://www.campervanstuff.com/shop_stuff/index.php?mod=product&id_prd=129657

 

[Tude]

Are you sure? A fridge of any kind is still trying to exchange heat from one area to another. If the outside is hot surely that’s going to hinder it?

I’ve got a new large fridge freezer compressor and Thetford told me to block my vents best I can my mate has a new van with compressor large fridge freezer no outside vents. So how would you put fans on . Someone is talking rubbish and it ain’t me

 

[Richard n Ann]

This is where they should be fitted for maximum effect according to Dometic, not in the vent grilles. Make your own kit for a fraction of the cost.



View attachment 918502

As the manufacturer I suppose they've got to show them fitted to their product rather than various motorhome top outlets, which will all be different.

 

[Sleeveless]

As the manufacturer I suppose they've got to show them fitted to their product rather than various motorhome top outlets, which will all be different.

It's more about which specific components should be cooled and which shouldn't, so as to provide some control to the (convection) flow of the coolant solution . Fan/s positioned in vent opening disrupt the normal airflow , but probably better than nothing in very warm weather. see installation instruction warning below

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[Lenny HB]

This is where they should be fitted for maximum effect according to Dometic, not in the vent grilles. Make your own kit for a fraction of the cost.



View attachment 918502

Now that doesn't surprise me with Dometic. That type of fan is more efficient sucking air rather than blowing. Much better to fit them in the top grill suckining air out.

 

[Sleeveless]

Now that doesn't surprise me with Dometic. That type of fan is more efficient sucking air rather than blowing. Much better to fit them in the top grill suckining air out.

Agree , which would also create a negative pressure behind the fridge which would be desirable from the combustion gas point of view but the actual reason is given by Dometic below.

 

[Lenny HB]

Agree , which would also create a negative pressure behind the fridge which would be desirable from the combustion gas point of view but the actual reason is given by Dometic below.



View attachment 918581

That's BS the ventilation is increased by the fans.

 

[Sleeveless]

That's BS the ventilation is increased by the fans.

Only when they're running though , when not running they can disrupt the airflow.

 

[Lenny HB]

Only when they're running though , when not running they can disrupt the airflow.

Doesn't matter if it gets too warm they turn on

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[Sleeveless]

Well I guess Dometic have done their research on this , but the other thing to consider , especially when installing two beefy fans in the lower grill , is that when operating on gas, the positive pressure created by the fans would affect the duration that the heated air lingers in the heat tube or chimney , as you will no doubt know, there is a baffle fitted to the tube internally to carefully regulate this for maximum efficiency .

 

[DBK]

Looked at it so little room behind the fridge with the 10 series fridge not practical to get the cables down will have to use the less efficient method of fans blowing in at the bottom.
The fridge does work a lot better than previous models may see how it goes.

If its got a roof vent you may not need fans.

 

[MichaelT]

If its got a roof vent you may not need fans.

But they sell a kit, but naturally heat rises so may not be such a need.

 

[Lenny HB]

If its got a roof vent you may not need fans.

It does appear to work well for the few days we have used it but England is bleeding freezing at the moment.

 

[Molly A]

Haven't done it on our van yet, but have done it on our boat in Greece on our fridge and freezer, because the increasingly hot summers are making the fridges work extremely hard. Made a positive difference but a remodel with better insulation is our next project.

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[Hymerboy]

Unbeliveable !! I have just found this controler under the dometic fridge, didn't have a clue what it was and was just about to ask about it and this thread popped up, so now I know what it is but how do I use it ? and should I just leave it on auto all the time. By the way it does work because if I listen closely at the vent I can hear it running very quietly.

 

[John745]

I also have a similar setup as above, also it's worth checking the thermal paste on the cooling plate as replacing that makes a difference if defective.

I have also the same setup on my fridge, but I have to say the changing of the thermal paste has made a fantastic benefit and now have not even turned the fans on since.

 

[Minxy]

Yes that is where the pre wired solar & Sat cables are, no good rolling a hole through the back as no access to the back of the fridge with a roof vent. Also running cables through a Carthago is a nightmare, they are too well built.

I discovered on our last trip that the top fridge outlet is not 'sealed' from the interior of our MH! There's been a bit of a draught over the rear bed, roughly just below the base of the upper cupboard, so just nicely at head height when reading etc, I've never been able to trace it and suspected the rear roof vent over the bed but even putting an insulation pad in it never stopped it so just assumed it was coming from the surrounding frame somehow (permanent ventilation?).

I finally found out the real 'culprit' a few days before we came back we were on a parking area overnight which was well lit and when I turned over I could see light hitting the side of the smoke and CO detectors above the fridge, it was very bright so not just coming through the 'plastic' itself. At first I thought it was a reflection as the central roof vent blind wasn't fully closed but that didn't make sense as the light was hitting the wrong side of them. Giving it more thought once I'd woken up a bit more the only place the light could be coming in was via the fridge roof outlet.

It's now on my list of 'jobs' to sort before we go away again - apart from the draught it's a safety issue as there should be NO way that the fumes from the fridge should be able to enter the interior.

If its got a roof vent you may not need fans.

It does appear to work well for the few days we have used it but England is bleeding freezing at the moment.

I agree Lenny, I'm looking to do something myself as the fridge works okay most of the time but on some days we had defrosting stuff in the freezer and the fridge didn't feel that cold which is not good. One thing we did notice though is that the evaporation 'tub' at the rear just behind the external grill can fill up fairly quickly when it's hot and if too full it can affect the cooling so I have small version of a turkey baster which I use to remove the fluid, once done this certainly improves it.

 

[Lenny HB]

One thing we did notice though is that the evaporation 'tub' at the rear just behind the external grill can fill up fairly quickly when it's hot

Not tub on series 10 drains thought a slot in the grill.

 

[Minxy]

Not tub on series 10 drains thought a slot in the grill.

Ooooo ... so you're a dribbler!!!!

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[AlastairH]

Where do you fix the temp sensor?

Well worth fitting. The fridge works so much better with them fitted. I placed my sensor close to the bottom air inlet after finding the fans kept turning on and off every few seconds when I had it at the top vent originally.