Dometic Fridge mounted in middle of trailer (back does not face outside)

[DadOfTwo]

Like rlh... said, hot air rises. And it looks to me like the fan in your pic is only going to circulate the hot air inside the cabinet.


Could you put a baffle across the top of the cabinet with the fan(s) build into it, to pull air out of the cabinet and force it out the roof vent? Or a duct? Ideally you want to ensure ALL the air passing through the fan goes out the vent.


The more effectively you remove that heat the more efficient your refer is going to be.

[dankirk]

I agree. I would put a couple fans right at the roof vent to force the air up through the cooling fins and out the vent. Seems like an easy mod with the access you have.

[GloNDark]

We have a rock wood with a fridge in the slide. The very first mod I did was order up 2 high flow ball bearing computer fans and replaced the loud garbage fans that were in there. Now the fridge holds the temp extremely well. The more air you move across the fins and out the top of the vent the better your fridge is going to work.

[Bama Rambler]

Can you get a decent measurement of the distance between the back of the shelves you removed and the back of the fridge where the existing fan is mounted? That will tell you how big a fan you can install.

Once you do that you should be able to install two or three fans using the same power used for the existing fan. New efficient fans probably won't use any more power than that existing one.

I'm not sure you even need to seal the space around the fans up as they'll force the air flow out the roof vent without too much recirculation. However, it shouldn't hurt anything if you want to.

[bhoth]

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

Can you get a decent measurement of the distance between the back of the shelves you removed and the back of the fridge where the existing fan is mounted? That will tell you how big a fan you can install.

Once you do that you should be able to install two or three fans using the same power used for the existing fan. New efficient fans probably won't use any more power than that existing one.

I'm not sure you even need to seal the space around the fans up as they'll force the air flow out the roof vent without too much recirculation. However, it shouldn't hurt anything if you want to.

Yes I can measure it but if I need to I can put a piece of 1x2 to space it out a little. I have ordered 2 of the following fans for starters:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Bama Rambler]

Those should help, if they'll fit. If they're really 6" that's almost twice as big as the one installed now.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

Those should help, if they'll fit. If they're really 6" that's almost twice as big as the one installed now.

The detailed product description says they're 4.75"
I'd bet the 6" is incorrect.

Unfortunately, I don't see any specs that say these are ball bearing fans.
If so, they will likely be as loud and junkie as the ones from the factory.

[bhoth]

Originally Posted by 5picker

The detailed product description says they're 4.75"
I'd bet the 6" is incorrect.

Unfortunately, I don't see any specs that say these are ball bearing fans.
If so, they will likely be as loud and junkie as the ones from the factory.

Thanks for the heads up. I have asked for a return on them and ordered 2 140mm fans.

[Idafrog]

Great topic. I have a Shockwave also, (5th wheel tho) but identical fridge location and shelf in bathroom. I noticed when hot outside there is a fan that gets extremely noisy trying to cool the fridge. Never knew where to start with fixing it. Now that I see this I will keep an eye on what you are doing and hope it works for you as I will mirror your mods.

Thank you!!!

[bhoth]

I picked up 2 of these fans. Now I will start working to put these in place of the single that it came with.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Bama Rambler]

Keep us posted, because this is pretty interesting, and it'll surely help someone in the future if it works like I hope it does.

[bhoth]

Here is what I came up with so far. I still need to complete the wiring but that's the easy part. As you can see I put it up on top of the coil so that I don't need to space out the wooden shelf plus I think it will be more effective.

[Bama Rambler]

Hopefully that will help with the issue.

[bhoth]

Here is the finished product. I put in a switch for a manual over ride on days that I know it will be hot, figured I would turn the fans on and get ahead of the heat for the day.

[5picker]

Nice. That should help for sure.
Thanks for following through and reporting back.

[5picker]

Out of curiosity... there was some discussion early on in this thread as to which way you (and a few others) believed the air was to flow behind the refrigerator.

Did you determine which way the original fan blew and did you mount your new fans to blow the same direction? Which way do you have the air flow going?

I'll wait for your response before giving my opinion as to how I believe it should be.

[ben31]

If you don't have a fan inside the refrigerator, put one of these inside to circulate the air. It will help, also.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[bhoth]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Out of curiosity... there was some discussion early on in this thread as to which way you (and a few others) believed the air was to flow behind the refrigerator.

Did you determine which way the original fan blew and did you mount your new fans to blow the same direction? Which way do you have the air flow going?

I'll wait for your response before giving my opinion as to how I believe it should be.

I have both fans set to pull air up towards to the roof vent, heat rises. No I did not determine which way the original fan blew. I am assuming it also pulled air upwards.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by bhoth

I have both fans set to pull air up towards to the roof vent, heat rises. No I did not determine which way the original fan blew. I am assuming it also pulled air upwards.

Excellent!

[bhoth]

I also just ordered one of these Deluxe RV Fridge fans to put inside the fridge: Anyone have any feedback on these?

https://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-RV-Ref...unit+warehouse