fridge vent

wnewman53 · 08-10-2019, 11:25 AM

Advice from anyone. I have a '19 GT5 34H5, just checking vents for refrigerator and to make sure nothing has decided to nest, and noticed there is a thin piece of plywood behind the upper vent cover is that standard? Seems I read a lot about refrigerators over heating, just wanted to make sure this was normal. I will try and attach photos.

Iggy · 08-10-2019, 11:48 AM

If it looks like factory installed leave it alone.
In my experience the purpose of the 2 vents are to have the hot air rise and pass across the fins to extract the heat and sent it up and away.
They may have (FR) had better results this way than totally open.

I have sent your pics to my contact at Forest River (Class A Manager) and ask what goes.
When I get a reply I will post for you.
Till then I wouldn't do anything a sit looks like it was factory installed.

Iggy

wnewman53 · 08-10-2019, 12:09 PM

Thanks Iggy, it is factory as I don't do anything above my pay grade which is pretty low. look forward to hearing what your FR contact says.

TominVegas · 08-10-2019, 02:53 PM

I have the same unit and my set up is identical.

wnewman53 · 08-10-2019, 06:49 PM

Thanks Tom, glad I've got company.

Iggy · 08-12-2019, 08:02 AM

OK EVERYONE I have received an answer from my contact at Forest River.
And need your immediate attention.
Please email your information to Kevin's email below with the problem and your information.

Read below
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
8/12/2019 FROM FOREST RIVER CONTACT.

Hey John,
To be honest, that concern for your friend does need to be corrected. However he can still use it as it will not harm it but once it is corrected it will optimize the performance…
Please forward me his coach vin # and name, and contact info and I will make sure someone from the office calls him today…..

Thank You,
Kevin Stratton
Forest River, Inc.
574-206-7629
kstratton@forestriverinc.com

So whomever has this on their rig should contact Kevin with your information.

Funengineer · 08-12-2019, 08:14 AM

It would be helpful to know what FR says about this.

Scrapper · 08-12-2019, 08:19 AM

My fridge is the same as yours though it is in a TT. It works good without the installation of the additional fan mod many others on the forum have done. Mine is in the shade most of the day.

Iggy · 08-12-2019, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funengineer

It would be helpful to know what FR says about this.

Read previous messages in RED from Forest River.

Funengineer · 08-12-2019, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iggy

Read previous messages in RED from Forest River.

I did but the email from FR doesn’t indicate what the specific correction is. Total removal of the plywood or partial removal or why this was installed in the first place? Inquiring minds want to know. [emoji16]

Iggy · 08-12-2019, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funengineer

I did but the email from FR doesn’t indicate what the specific correction is. Total removal of the plywood or partial removal or why this was installed in the first place? Inquiring minds want to know. [emoji16]

All I can tell you is that its wrong and most probably needs to be removed for better cooling. (my opinion)
Kevin the person from FR is the Class A Manager and may not know every aspect of every rig but knows its not right.
The only way to find out is wait until someone gets it corrected.

Scrapper · 08-12-2019, 09:15 AM

The small gap is intentional so to force the air to the top fins as seen in op's photo. If the gap is too large the air will bypass the upper fins as it leaves the vent. Download the installation manual from the manufacturer for your fridge. It will explain the purpose of the gaps dimensions.

5picker · 08-12-2019, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrapper

The small gap is intentional so to force the air to the top fins as seen in op's photo. If the gap is too large the air will bypass the upper fins as it leaves the vent. Download the installation manual from the manufacturer for your fridge. It will explain the purpose of the gaps dimensions.

Correct.

And others shouldn't jump to conclusions.
First... the FR guy said the R/V could be used as-is without harm so no need to believe the sky is falling.

Second, there have been some modification notices from FR that involved a curved baffle at the top of the refrigerator compartment. The OP's wooden piece says intact and another curved metal baffle is installed to keep hot air from being trapped at the top of the refrigerator compartment.

Those of us that have added fans never needed the curved baffle.

Whether this is what the FR guy was recommending, I don't know?
We never seen that communication in this thread.

NXR · 08-12-2019, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5picker

Second, there have been some modification notices from FR that involved a curved baffle at the top of the refrigerator compartment. The OP's wooden piece says intact and another curved metal baffle is installed to keep hot air from being trapped at the top of the refrigerator compartment.

My 2020 34H5 has the same factory-installed panel as the OP but it's a thin piece of wood-grained plastic, not wood. The Norcold manual notes it is to be installed for the aforementioned reasons.

I had read the Norcold install manuals ahead of time and I knew that Norcold requires an angled baffle at the top to direct hot air out the side vent. I wrote it up and the dealer installed one but did not quite get it correct so now it's back for re-work.

The gap between the inside edge of the baffle and the top of the fridge is supposed to be no more than 1/4" and the gap between the outside edge of the angled baffle and the top of the exhaust vent is supposed to be no more than 1/4" so heat does not go across the refrigerator into the coach or into the space above the exhaust vent.

Before they installed the angled baffle I could reach in the exhaust vent and touch the very front of the refrigerator with a piece of wood (too narrow for my arm).

On a trip we noticed that if we placed a hand on top of the refrigerator inside the coach we felt a lot of heat rising. The top of the fridge, looking down from a step stool, got as high as 117 degrees F and the wood trim above the fridge got to 108 degrees F.

A CO (carbon monoxide) detector placed above the fridge inside the coach got as high as 79 PPM when the propane burned fired up. If there was a crosswind the inside CO level would go to 30 PPM.

This is another issue the dealer is to fix: that the sealing is not correct per the Norcold manual and combustion gas products can enter the coach if the wind is blowing in the exhaust vent.

Why the heck can they just not follow the directions?

Ray

NXR · 08-12-2019, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5picker

Second, there have been some modification notices from FR that involved a curved baffle at the top of the refrigerator compartment. The OP's wooden piece says intact and another curved metal baffle is installed to keep hot air from being trapped at the top of the refrigerator compartment.

Would you happen to have any reference numbers or dates for those notices in case I get any pushback?

Thanks,

Ray

wnewman53 · 08-12-2019, 06:34 PM

Goodness, this seems to be a "hot" topic, excuse the pun. I am concerned and I did get a call from an FR rep, not Kevin. stating that the wood panel was required by manufacturer. to be honest he did not seem that he knew much, was going to email me the installation Manuel, still waiting. I think I will contact my FR rep for my area and ask what's up with the installation of a baffle. seems I have more space than what others have posted. I do recall on my last trip that the pantry beside the fridge got extremely hot to the point it melted my chocolate bar I had for s'mores. would not think it should get that hot. Maybe a fan is needed to move hot air. I would like to thank everyone for their information it helps not only me but others with same issue.

Thanks
Wayne

wnewman53 · 08-12-2019, 07:36 PM

What mine looks like and what is in manual, I have an issue. I wondered why so much heat was coming in MH. the plywood piece is actually blocking the vent. It should have been installed at the top of fridge and upper exhaust vent and heat directed outside, it is just going up and inside.

NXR · 08-12-2019, 07:59 PM

Installation manual: https://www.thetford.com/wp-content/...GE-Current.pdf

The section on installing with a side exhaust vent begins on Page 12. Baffle #13 was totally missing in mine.

Baffle #26 is the one you see through the exhaust opening. The red section is the exhaust vent and you can see that the #26 baffle does indeed cover the bottom section.

My dealer called Norcold and got confirmation that baffle #13 and #26 can be made from wood or metal. Mine seems to be plastic and they said that was OK as well. The temps in the compartment are not supposed to get over 140 F or so.

There's a warning on page 15 about a combustion seal to keep the gases out of the living enclosure.

Ray

wnewman53 · 08-12-2019, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NXR

Installation manual: https://www.thetford.com/wp-content/...GE-Current.pdf

The section on installing with a side exhaust vent begins on Page 12. Baffle #13 was totally missing in mine.

Baffle #26 is the one you see through the exhaust opening. The red section is the exhaust vent and you can see that the #26 baffle does indeed cover the bottom section.

My dealer called Norcold and got confirmation that baffle #13 and #26 can be made from wood or metal. Mine seems to be plastic and they said that was OK as well. The temps in the compartment are not supposed to get over 140 F or so.

There's a warning on page 15 about a combustion seal to keep the gases out of the living enclosure.

Ray

#13 is missing on mine also. I would not think anything should be blocking vent.

NXR · 08-12-2019, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wnewman53

#13 is missing on mine also. I would not think anything should be blocking vent.

The refrigerator needs cooling air blowing past the condenser fins at the top. If you remove that panel the air flow that comes in through the bottom panel will not fully run past the fins and that can impair the refrigerator cooling.

What would be a lot better is if the vent was only tall enough to see the condenser through it, and wide enough that the entire condenser and more was able to vent. But I'm sure some sales executive decreed a long thin panel was too ugly so we have what we have.

This is why some people add supplemental fans.

The 1210 has two side-by-side muffin fans below the condenser that turn on when the thermal switch hits 130 degrees. So those fans actually impede vertical heat flow until it gets so hot that the fans turn on.

I've been toying with the idea of replacing the fan thermal switch at the top of the vent, the 130-degree one that is part of the rear-most condenser fin, with this one that close at 115 degrees: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078XNRCMD/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_5?smid=A20UTTG8K1FCHY&psc=1

But not until everything is put the way it's supposed to, of course.

I put this in to monitor the fridge and freezer temps. Everything actually works well the way it is until the afternoon sun hits that side. Then the fridge rockets up about 10 degrees F. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you opt for it, put sensor #1 in the freezer and sensor #2 in the fridge. That makes the top digital readout the freezer, which removes a source of confusion.

Ray

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