Insane 1999 Wildwood repair....pic heavy!

[rollscanardly]

Thanks for the kind words, folks! I've still got quite a bit more to do, but with the weather getting cooler, I should get more time to work on it.

Summer2Go....I've known this woman for over 30 years. She had no idea that this camper had these issues. She drives by me working on it all the time, so...she has seen pretty much everything that I've done to it.

In the beginning, when I had the sheet metal off, and all the wet, rotted wood was exposed, she felt terrible.

She offered me all my money back. I refused.

Rich

[Jay2504]

That looks beautiful! I keep checking to see progress. I bet you are glad the roof is done and you can move on to other things. I wouldn’t hesitate to turn and reuse those drums. The actual mileage on them is probably very low. If the water heater is not a gas/electric model I would exchange it for one that is. We run ours on electric when we have a site with electric hookups. Saves on Propane. The tile around the window looks great. Jay

[rollscanardly]

Originally Posted by Jay2504

That looks beautiful! I keep checking to see progress. I bet you are glad the roof is done and you can move on to other things. I wouldn’t hesitate to turn and reuse those drums. The actual mileage on them is probably very low. If the water heater is not a gas/electric model I would exchange it for one that is. We run ours on electric when we have a site with electric hookups. Saves on Propane. The tile around the window looks great. Jay

Yes...I'm very glad that the roof is finished. I agree with you. That camper really did not have many miles on it. I used to see the PO's go camping with it. Some years they'd go maybe once or twice. Some years, not at all.

And they never went far. They had a small farm to tend to with livestock, so they had to be around for that. They never went for more than a few days at a time.

The reason for all the damage was from neglect.

I have the new replacement hot water heater. It is gas/electric.

Re-installing the refrigerator next is a priority, so we'll see how that goes....

Rich

[rockfordroo]

Rich:

Suggest you install some computer fans with that fridge now, so you won't have to do it later. Lots of threads here on different ways folks have done it. Some people have them tied to a thermal switch that turns them on and off. I just went with a manual switch.

Make sure you've got a good "chimney" and vent for air flow, too.

[rollscanardly]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

Rich:

Suggest you install some computer fans with that fridge now, so you won't have to do it later. Lots of threads here on different ways folks have done it. Some people have them tied to a thermal switch that turns them on and off. I just went with a manual switch.

Make sure you've got a good "chimney" and vent for air flow, too.

Thank you for suggesting this. I will admit that this is completely foreign to me. I will search for those threads.

As far as the venting, etc. I have the refrigerator Owner's Manual. I'll follow their installation instructions as best as I can. Hopefully, it's just the reverse of the removal of it.

Rich

[rollscanardly]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

Rich:

Suggest you install some computer fans with that fridge now, so you won't have to do it later. Lots of threads here on different ways folks have done it. Some people have them tied to a thermal switch that turns them on and off. I just went with a manual switch.

Make sure you've got a good "chimney" and vent for air flow, too.

Quick question....

Is adding these cooling fans absolutely necessary if there was no previous issue, or is it a "might-as-well do it" thing to do while I'm in there?

The PO said that the fridge worked fine....

Rich

[TheWolfPaq82]

Originally Posted by rollscanardly

Quick question....

Is adding these cooling fans absolutely necessary if there was no previous issue, or is it a "might-as-well do it" thing to do while I'm in there?

The PO said that the fridge worked fine....

Rich

Seems some have trouble, some don't. My 2018 Cherokee does fine in the hot weather, but my sons 19' hybrid has issues in the heat and we're adding fans before putting it away this fall. Mine vents to roof, his vents out the side above the frig. His just doesn't get the circulation that mine does.

[B and B]

Originally Posted by rollscanardly

Quick question....

Is adding these cooling fans absolutely necessary if there was no previous issue, or is it a "might-as-well do it" thing to do while I'm in there?

The PO said that the fridge worked fine....

Rich

Hi Rich

You have a direct roof vent. Fans are relatively new item in the RV world for in slide fridges. It won't hurt but not entirely necessary in your case. My 1992 Corsair I installed a electric muffin fan (computer style) to help with an old aging fridge to run better.


Great work on this project!

Brian

[rockfordroo]

Unfortunately, you wont know until you've installed the fridge and tried to run it when it's 95 degrees outside. For a few bucks, putting a fan in now might be cheap insurance.

[rollscanardly]

Thank you for the replies! I think that I am going to install a fan(s) of some sort. I've read a bit on this, and there are so many different theories on doing this that my head is going to explode!

Plus...it seems as though I'd have to install the fridge first, just to see where I could fit the fans.

So...because this guy

this guy

has the same setup that I have, I may do what he did, but a much neater version of it.

I'd be buying 3 of these and this kit, too.

Any obviously wrong with this??

Rich

[itat]

If your fridge is in a slideout with the upper vent on the wall of the slideout it’s more important than if the upper vent is on the roof.

[rracer5]

Originally Posted by rollscanardly

Thank you for the replies! I think that I am going to install a fan(s) of some sort. I've read a bit on this, and there are so many different theories on doing this that my head is going to explode!

Plus...it seems as though I'd have to install the fridge first, just to see where I could fit the fans.

So...because this guy

has the same setup that I have, I may do what he did, but a much neater version of it.

I'd be buying 3 of these and this kit, too.

Any obviously wrong with this??

Rich

I'd be a little leary about blocking that much of the opening with tape & fans. I wouldn't want to interrupt the natural flow of hot air rising. Especially if they were to stop working for some reason. I would put the fans down low blowing air up across the coils & out the wide open vent.

Another reason would be if you chose to boondock for a short time, those fans would be a extra 12v draw on your battery. Unless you put them on a manual switch.

Just MHO.

[rollscanardly]

Originally Posted by rracer5

I'd be a little leary about blocking that much of the opening with tape & fans. I wouldn't want to interrupt the natural flow of hot air rising. Especially if they were to stop working for some reason. I would put the fans down low blowing air up across the coils & out the wide open vent.

Another reason would be if you chose to boondock for a short time, those fans would be a extra 12v draw on your battery. Unless you put them on a manual switch.

Just MHO.

Good points....

I looked at the whole picture, again, and came up with a couple of modifications to that plan.

This is a shot of looking up into the fridge compartment, toward the roof vent....



I would be able to mount a few fans across the span of the opening.



Plus, I believe that I could fabricate a mounting bracket below the fins and mount a fan or two there, as well.



Sound like a plan?

Rich

[rollscanardly]

Another thought, though...

If for some reason the fans were to quit, it'd be a SOB to swap them out.

It's always something....

Rich

[Jay2504]

Rich, we have a 2016, 2504s with the same vent system that you have. So far in up to 95 degree heat we haven’t had any problems keeping the fridge cold. I also haven’t pulled mine out either! If I did have it pulled out for some reason, I’d make sure that the sides and top were insulated around the fridge. Then just in case, I’d put in a couple of fans like you linked to. And both a thermostat switch and also an on/off. Top or bottom? I’d go top but not blocking the whole vent like in the video. Both will work. IMHO the most important thing is to make sure all the air comming in the bottom is forced to go over the coils on its way out the top. With your skills some sheet metal ducting should be no problem. Jay

[rollscanardly]

Originally Posted by Jay2504

Rich, we have a 2016, 2504s with the same vent system that you have. So far in up to 95 degree heat we haven’t had any problems keeping the fridge cold. I also haven’t pulled mine out either! If I did have it pulled out for some reason, I’d make sure that the sides and top were insulated around the fridge. Then just in case, I’d put in a couple of fans like you linked to. And both a thermostat switch and also an on/off. Top or bottom? I’d go top but not blocking the whole vent like in the video. Both will work. IMHO the most important thing is to make sure all the air comming in the bottom is forced to go over the coils on its way out the top. With your skills some sheet metal ducting should be no problem. Jay

I think that I will try for the top fan installation, too, only in the event that I ever have to replace them.

I like the idea of some duct work, too!

Thank you.

Rich

[rracer5]

Originally Posted by Jay2504

Rich, we have a 2016, 2504s with the same vent system that you have. So far in up to 95 degree heat we haven’t had any problems keeping the fridge cold. I also haven’t pulled mine out either! If I did have it pulled out for some reason, I’d make sure that the sides and top were insulated around the fridge. Then just in case, I’d put in a couple of fans like you linked to. And both a thermostat switch and also an on/off. Top or bottom? I’d go top but not blocking the whole vent like in the video. Both will work. IMHO the most important thing is to make sure all the air comming in the bottom is forced to go over the coils on its way out the top. With your skills some sheet metal ducting should be no problem. Jay

Sounds like the best plan, Rich

[rracer5]

Originally Posted by rollscanardly

Good points....

I looked at the whole picture, again, and came up with a couple of modifications to that plan.

This is a shot of looking up into the fridge compartment, toward the roof vent....



I would be able to mount a few fans across the span of the opening.



Plus, I believe that I could fabricate a mounting bracket below the fins and mount a fan or two there, as well.



Sound like a plan?

Rich

How about the best of both!!?? You could fabricate a bracket that could be lowered down from & secured at the top (given clearance issues of course). Therefore, the fans could be lower enough to blow up across the fins yet leaving the top near the vent wide open.

And, still be able to pull them out through the top if they ever need servicing.

[rollscanardly]

Originally Posted by rracer5

How about the best of both!!?? You could fabricate a bracket that could be lowered down from & secured at the top (given clearance issues of course). Therefore, the fans could be lower enough to blow up across the fins yet leaving the top near the vent wide open.

And, still be able to pull them out through the top if they ever need servicing.

Imaginations are running wild here!! Great idea, but that would take some engineering to pull off! It would all have to be calculated prior to installation.

Not completely out of the question, though.

Another thought...make a bracket that mounts the fans just below the fins.

The wall to the right that you see in the fridge compartment could easily have a square or rectangular hole cut into it, creating an access panel for future fan replacement.

I've got a lot to think about...

Rich

[Bdlnky]

Restoration looks great....question...was the “uncapped” hvac duct supposed to be the heated underbelly vent to keep all that plumbing protected.