Can this really be correct on my fridge?

[JWood422]

I’m on hold waiting on Dometic support even as we speak. The pictures show the outside access to my Dometic DMR702 refrigerator. The top access is half blocked by what looks like interior paneling. Since hold times can take forever, should I cut that to allow more air flow?

[BehindBars]

You could check the installation directions for that refrigerator model and see if it was done properly in terms of air flow area and obstructions.

Try here: https://www.dometic.com/en-gb/uk/sup...-documentation

[Scrapper]

Do not cut the panel. It is made so the air is forced past the fins. If you remove any of the panel you will reduce the amount of heat removed from the fins thus reducing the efficiency of the fridge. If you look close you can see the top of the fins. Some have added an extra 12vdc computer fan with a built-in thermostat to the top of that panel to help with air flow. Just run the wires down to the 12vdc terminal block at the bottom.

What problem are you having with your fridge?

[JWood422]

Originally Posted by Scrapper

What problem are you having with your fridge?

Thanks, y’all. The freezer cooling is erratic. Sometimes it freezes great sometimes not much at all. I just got off the phone with Dometic. She’s gonna find out for sure and call me back. I haven’t cut anything, yet. I’ll let y’all know what she says.
Thanks!

[rracer5]

There are VERY SPECIFIC instructions dictated by Dometic that the manufacturers must follow when installing specific models. Instructions include space dimensions and location & angle of air flow baffles to optimize air flow over the cooling coils.

I have seen installs that look similar to yours.

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by JWood422

Thanks, y’all. The freezer cooling is erratic. Sometimes it freezes great sometimes not much at all. I just got off the phone with Dometic. She’s gonna find out for sure and call me back. I haven’t cut anything, yet. I’ll let y’all know what she says.
Thanks!

Try the extra fan installation, just make sure the fan pushes the air out the top louver.

[5picker]

X2 what scrapper said. Do Not Cut!

I did cut a small hole and placed a square computer fan in my baffle, blowing out the top vent. Helps remove the 'trapped' air at the top of the compartment and helped cooling.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Scrapper

Try the extra fan installation, just make sure the fan pushes the air out the top louver.

I did this, installing a pair of Titan fans with automatic controller on the top vent (Mines on the roof) and a DIY fridge fan made of a couple computer fans.


Both fridge and freezer now hold nice and steady with freezer between -5 and +5. Fridge sits solid at 35 degrees.

A great mod that works even when outside temps are over 100 degrees.



FWIW, the Titan Fans (available on Amazon) have a controller that automatically senses temp in the heat shedding coils, adjusting the fan speed for max effect as well as lowest necessary current draw. Total current draw on high is around 1/4 amp.

[JWood422]

Scrapper was absolutely right! I got an email back from Dometic saying not to cut it. She wrote it in all caps. So, no cutting will be done by me!
I’ll check in to the fans. Thanks for the help, y’all!

[larry2c]

Hey Scrapper - are these the fans you got? Click here

[MtBiker]

You may not need any fans. We have not added any fans and our refer stays cold even in 90-100 weather.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by larry2c

Hey Scrapper - are these the fans you got? Click here

Don't know about Scrapper but this is the fan set I got.

[BehindBars]

We have a Dometic 2-way and if anything it stays too cold. No need for fans on mine.

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by larry2c

Hey Scrapper - are these the fans you got? Click here

I never had to add fans to my fridge as the original fan seems to do a good job. The TT is in a wooded area and we never experienced erratic temperature swings in the fridge. I periodically check the temperature with a HVAC thermometer that I found in a HVAC service van we were about to send through the car shredder.

[pgandw]

Originally Posted by rracer5

There are VERY SPECIFIC instructions dictated by Dometic that the manufacturers must follow when installing specific models. Instructions include space dimensions and location & angle of air flow baffles to optimize air flow over the cooling coils.

I have seen installs that look similar to yours.

Forest River (at least Flagstaff and Rockwood in my experience) do a very poor job of following Dometic instructions for installing Dometic fridges. In my 2 A-frames, I have seen the following installation errors:
- failure to seal off the sides of the fridge with insulation
- failure to seal off the top of the fridge with insulation
- failure to have the top of the top vent at the top of the fridge compartment. this creates a dead airspace full of hot air.
- propane exhaust is aimed at the back of the fridge instead of the top vent
- baffle wrong size, and not installed at the correct distances from cooling fins
- propane fume outlet (also used for fridge water drain) in floor of compartment covered with hoses and wires

The closer you can bring your installation to Dometic installation specs, the better it performs.

There is still the problem that the plastic Dometic side vent grills that Forest River uses can't pass gas in a hurricane. They are great for making sure sideways rain never enters the fridge compartment, but they are also great for making sure the heat never escapes the fridge compartment either. I install computer case fan(s) - 12V, low RPM, 120mm, 400+CFM, 70-80ma directly on the back of the fridge top vent grill to blow the heat out. They work great; I have a manual switch inside the camper for simplicity. With these fans, the noisy factory fan below the baffle never comes on.

I also use a little D-cell powered fan inside the fridge to just barely circulate the air. With the fan mods, the fridge now works great in any temp we are willing to camp in.

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ge-104964.html contains the details of my quest to get consistent fridge performance in any weather.

Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time

[rracer5]

Just before I replaced my Dometic with a residential (DW wanted a larger capacity), I found the fans installed either by Dometic or the coach manufacturer had shorted and blown the inline fuse. I never noticed any difference in the performance of the fridge. Don't even know how long it was blown!

So, check to see if you have any fans already installed & see if they're working. Mine were installed near the top coils & I could only "see" them after removing the fridge when I replaced it. You may be able to see them with the assistance of your phone camera.

[SlowrideHD]

I replaced the original condenser fan in my fridge because it was noisy every time it ran. I bought two 120mm super quiet computer case fans and installed them, one wired into the original electric path to the thermistor on the condenser, the other on a manual switch that I could turn on if needed.
To do the install, I had to remove the Luan panel that restricts part of the upper vent opening. Whether its from increased airflow from the improved fans, or just the larger opening, I don't know. But I did the install probably four years ago and have had excellent performance from my fridge ever since. Even in Az heat, I have never had to manually turn on the second fan.
I am not convinced the restricted vent opening to direct the airflow over the fins is helpful. I'm sure it was tested that way and verified (under a lab condition, most likely).

[campers302]

Originally Posted by JWood422

Scrapper was absolutely right! I got an email back from Dometic saying not to cut it. She wrote it in all caps. So, no cutting will be done by me!
I’ll check in to the fans. Thanks for the help, y’all!

if you cut it to put a fan or fans in aren't you still breaking the integrity of what she told you to leave as is?


Or maybe the fans are going somewhere else?

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by campers302

if you cut it to put a fan or fans in aren't you still breaking the integrity of what she told you to leave as is?


Or maybe the fans are going somewhere else?

If there is enough space to fasten the fans to the panel there is no need to cut it. Though you may have to make some holes to attach the fans they would not effect it much.

[JWood422]

Just so everyone will know, I’m not planning on making any changes to the fridge anytime soon. I have a feeling the freezer takes longer than most to stabilize after being defrosted. I woulda thought that after 4 days it would have been perfectly cold. It seems to be perfectly cold now. Or at least it was yesterday.
My biggest reason for starting this thread was it looked just plain wrong to me. As it turns out, looking just plain wrong is just plain right!