Admiral
Upstate Ohio
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Joined: 06/08/2003
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Since I had the Dometic Recall kit installed my fridge seems to be about 5 degrees warmer during hot weather. I'd like to install a 12v computer fan in the outside tunnel to move some more air over the tubes and out the roof vent.
Question is: does anyone know what wires to safely splice into in the back of the unit for a 12v source while the fridge is on? I'm going to install an in-line switch so I can manually turn the fan off or on inside the coach. Thanks, Admiral
2004 Damon Daybreak 2960F V-10
05 Honda Element LX
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Deen
Vancouver, WA
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Joined: 12/07/2000
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Our DSDP came from the factory with a pancake fan installed. There is also a thermostat clipped to the fins. It does seem to run too much, some days it'll be on even if the outside temp is 65°. Yesterday I noticed the fan seems to be getting noisy like the bronze bearings are going out again (second time). I did buy a ball bearing unit at Fry's some time ago, now I wish I could find it!
If you do install it be sure you install it to pull the air through, not push it. This is the most efficient way to move air according to Fantastic Vent (makers of the Fantastic Fan)
* This post was
edited 06/30/09 12:45pm by Deen *
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axlloy
london ontario canada
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Joined: 01/11/2007
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I have a small computer fan installed in the back of my fridge and yes, spliced into the 12 volt that is here -- in 3 years, have not had any issues.
so i would say yes - other may say otherwise however!
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old guy
Oregon (pronounced Or e gun)
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Joined: 03/15/2006
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get yourself a small meter or a thing that looks like an ice pick with a wire and a clip on it. just poke around until you fined a 12 v hook up, that's what I did.
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mckellyb
technically, South Dakota
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It sounds like folks are confusing having a small computer fan blowing cold air around inside the fridge and having a larger fan moving air across the outside rear of the unit, between the wall and the back of the refrigerator, aiding in the 'chimney effect'.
I've had a small computer case fan quite literally sitting on the fins, inside the fridge, for 70K miles, 49 states, and 10 provinces, and it's been without fault. The temperature is much more even inside. No more frozen lettuce while having warm soda/milk.
Now, on the exterior, look between the wall and the back of the fridge an confirm there is a small amount of space between the two. By small, I mean no more than a couple of inches. If there is more, then the heated air going out the top, while drawing in cool air from the bottom, won't necessarily bring said air over the tubes which need to be cooled.
The fridge in our machine was installed by those unable to measure, so I had to make a baffle for both the top and bottom openings, as, when underway, or parked in a stiff wind, the fridge went warm, regardless of being on gas or AC (it's a two-way, only).
After tweaking, using stiff rubber pickup truck bedliner material from 20 years ago, I've gotten the efficiency such so that during 110°F in Vegas, on I-15, temps, while on setting '3' of '5', it stays below 40°F.
Just another item to check. There is a page, online, with good detail on fixing the chimney effect, but unlike on that page, I found mine actually needed a restriction on the top, too, due to there being so much space.
Kelly & Johna
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jetcare
Mission, TX
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Joined: 05/02/2008
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The Dometic refrigerators have a 12 volt block on the back side of the refrigerator. It is the square plastic (clear colored) block, usually on the left side just below the circuit board. The plastic block is held in place with one screw. The other four screws hold the 12 volt wires in place. The screws on the left are the 12v positive wires and the screws on the right are the 12v ground side. Use a meter to verify. The recall kit added a red wire. You will see it exiting the back of the 12v block on the left side. I see a fan added to the back side of the block on a regular basis.
Matt
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Admiral
Upstate Ohio
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Good replies fellow dot.netters. Everyone had something notable to offer here.
Deen, I never thought of mounting the fan up high but pulling air through makes a lot of sense.
mckelleyb, good idea, I'm going to get 2 fans and mount them both on one switch. One's going on the interior fins and one on the tunnel tubes. I'm hoping to get it under 40 degrees now.
Jetcare, I found the block and it's 12v is activated by the coach master switch which will do just fine.
Thanks, Admiral
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Deen
Vancouver, WA
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Joined: 12/07/2000
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mckellyb wrote:It sounds like folks are confusing having a small computer fan blowing cold air around inside the fridge and having a larger fan moving air across the outside rear of the unit, between the wall and the back of the refrigerator, aiding in the 'chimney effect'.
Not me, ours has a fan installed in the back of the refer to keep the cooling unit cooler in hot weather. That's what the OP asked about and what I answered.
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mckellyb
technically, South Dakota
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Interesting.
Deen, you were on-track, but I've seen this topic go haywire in the past.
Plus, both inside and outside fans can help, greatly.
I've found our inside fan keeps the fridge below 42F, as long as it's below 115F, outside. Vegas...lack of shade...and it was in the sun, so real air temp, inside the wall, was likely 125+.
Any higher, and it's time to get moving. Actually, when this was happening, I was in the process of replacing the A/C belt on the engine, or we'd have already been gone.
Right this minute, it's 100F here in Dallas, and the Dometic RM1282's fridge side shows 35.2F while on a setting of '3'. I'm happy.
The interior fan helps a shocking amount, we've found, and while I initially had it hot-glued to the fins, the glue didn't hold in the cold, and it's sat up there for 60K+ miles, which includes Alaska's gravel, Yukon's pavement, a dirt/gravel Idaho NFS road, and going as far east as PEI. It won't shake off, apparently.
If you want to just try the internal fan, there is 12V at the interior light. I wound up merely wiring it to said lamp, the draw is tiny, so if the fridge is on, the fan is spinning.
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partsman01
Poco British Columbia
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Joined: 07/22/2005
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I find this all interesting, I have computer fans I thought about putting in the back of the fridge from the outside panel to blow the air up past the coils, but I am curious about the fridges with the settings, the one we just bought a 1999 Coachmen Catalina Lite 22' fifth wheel has a fridge that is factory set and there is no adjustment, only a climate control switch you can turn on or off, so I would think I am stuck with whatever the factory setting is, and would only be able to add a fan to make it work better.
The dealer did the recall it turns out just before I came to take possesion of it.
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