Fridge fan installation ... DIY info please

Minxy

Minxy

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Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
Okay you lot ... I need help ... now then settle down ... not that type of help (well I don't THINK I do!) ... o_O

I want to install a fan and rear of our fridge to help it when we're in hotter climes, although it copes well it's located at the side where the sliding door is so when the door is opened it partially obscures the vents, so I'd rather have a fan already on it to 'help' when necessary rather than wait for the ice-cream to melt! :rolleyes:

Today I picked up a 'new' PC fan at the car boot sale for the massive sum of 50p ... it's a bit dusty but other than that it's fine, its 120mm and says Anidees 12v-DC 0.25A on it:

fan 1.jpg
fan 2.jpg


The connectors are the same as this, one with 4 sections, the smaller one having 3.

upload_2017-5-24_19-7-16.png


Soooooooooooooooooooooooooo ... can someone tell me exactly what else I need ... keep it simple as I don't need anything complicated, just a basic set up, I've already got some little switches so can use one of those (with a light on) but not sure what else I need.

Advise on the best way to install it would be good too! :)
 
Tbf @Minxy Girl, I've got a fan fitted but it was done by the guy that looks after all my Moho needs. I thought it was the fridge packing up because it was so hot a few years ago but it just needed forced air. Works a treat
 
I thought that surely someone would have written up a document in the resources section - but I couldn't find one.
I'm interested in knowing how to do it too so I hope someone will give @Minxy Girl the advice she needs!
 
We have a dedicated fridge fan kit, along with the thermal switch to activate it. You need the fan to blow air over the cooling fins. Experiment with the connections to find out which lead does what, and install a switch to turn it on and off. Should be easy! :D
 
Chop the lead off to leave just 2 wires, 1 wire is negative the other positive put a switch inline on the positive side. Simples.

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Diabalo said:
Chop the lead off to leave just 2 wires, 1 wire is negative the other positive put a switch inline on the positive side. Simples.
Click to expand...
Should I put a fuse in-line too?
 
I fitted fans to our fridge vent and it a has made a big improvement as we are going to Spain later this year.
I'm more than happy to go through the installation with you but I would advise you first if you have not already done so to read through the threads about this subject already on the forum,
just search "fridge fan" to get a bit of background info.
 
Yes close to the pickup feed, if you think the fan runs the wrong way simply swop the wires over.
 
If you want to get more complicated and have it thermostatically controlled you can fit one of these, cheap at £3.59

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Personally I would fuse the live side and have it permanent live and switch the earth side. I know it's a low demand I just prefer earths to be switched :)
 
This is what I did with mine, links further down the thread to suppliers.
I would throw your 50p fan in the bin and buy a couple of decent fans, you need quiet ones that will shift a fair bit of air. You also need two.
 
I am in the process of building a couple of thermostatically controlled fan kits for some friends. basically using the Chinese thermostat board mounted in a plastic box, all pre wired ready to connect just 2 wires and cable tie the fan to the inside of the grill blowing OUT. I will take some photos as I work as a how to if youre interested. back home after thetford and hopefully all the parts will be waiting. I went for 200mm case fans to move more air
 
You need to know which wire is positive and which is negative as in my experience they don't run in reverse if connected incorrectly - they go "pfut". This is because there are electronics in them which make the alternating current which is what makes the fan turn. Of course some fans might survive being wrongly connected but you will lose your car boot investment if you get it wrong. :)

It is possible you can work which wire is which from the larger plug. It looks a bit like the connectors used on some hard drives. If it is this link may help.

http://www.pcguide.com/ref/power/sup/partsDrive-c.html

The third wire will be for speed control which you can ignore. Add the fuse in-line with the positive feed and put the switch in the same wire.

:)

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DBK said:
You need to know which wire is positive and which is negative as in my experience they don't run in reverse if connected incorrectly - they go "pfut". This is because there are electronics in them which make the alternating current which is what makes the fan turn. Of course some fans might survive being wrongly connected but you will lose your car boot investment if you get it wrong. :)
Click to expand...
They are a DC shunt motor shouldn't blow up just don't work.
 
TheBig1 said:
I am in the process of building a couple of thermostatically controlled fan kits for some friends. basically using the Chinese thermostat board mounted in a plastic box, all pre wired ready to connect just 2 wires and cable tie the fan to the inside of the grill blowing OUT. I will take some photos as I work as a how to if youre interested. back home after thetford and hopefully all the parts will be waiting. I went for 200mm case fans to move more air
Click to expand...
Yes please, lots of photos.
Edit. P.s. We're all friends here:)
 
I too am about to do a "mod" to aid cooling and have got 2 old PC fans and I bought a thermostatic control unit.. This is the one I got from Ebay and it cost £1.29p with free postage ! ! ! ! Here is the description that will take you to it :- (( -50 to 110°C Digital Heat Cool Temp Thermostat Temperature Control Switch DC12V ))
I am going to join them up and try them on a spare battery I have, before I install it.
I am also intending putting some thin aluminium sheet along the top of the back of the fridge enclosure to prevent the heat in the enclosure transferring to the van interior.
I'll tell you how it goes Mel.
Mitch.
 
jenny and mitch said:
This is the one I got from Ebay and it cost £1.29p with free postage ! ! ! ! Here is the description that will take you to it :- (( -50 to 110°C Digital Heat Cool Temp Thermostat Temperature Control Switch DC12V ))
Click to expand...

Can't find the one you've mentioned ... can you give a direct link please.
 
First things first, you will need find where you can pick up a 12 volt permanent feed from in the van and a safe cable route to the upper vent of the fridge.
Our fridge is a Thetford N90 with the narrow vents so the biggest fan I could fit were 120mm units.
Computer fans seemed to be the way to go and I settled for Noctua 120mm whisper fans that are quite at 18dB yet pushed through 60 cubic foot of air a minute and draw only 0.075 of an amp each.
If you have the taller fridge fitted with the larger vents then you may want to fit larger fans but think about the chance that the fan noise may wake you up at night.

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@CCC we've got a Dometic 80L fridge freezer and the vents look pretty large so I'm not anticipating any problems with them as the fan I've got is 120mm. No problem with getting a permanent feed or cable routing either. (y)
 
MMM magazine last month had an article on exactly this topic. get you hands on it and see what you think. I think you fan is a bit flimsy and the others on Ebay are a bit more robust you do want a slower one as the fast one might drive you mad at night with the buzzing.
 
Mel.. Just put ""12 volt temperature controller"" in and scroll down and you will see a little green box with
a digital screen and 4 buttons on it ! ! !
The box itself is only Broken Link Removed
I have spent 15 mins trying to get a link for you with no joy.. Sorry.
Mitch.
Broken Link Removed

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I mounted 2 fans side by side on a piece of perspex sheet (you could use plywood or what ever suits) with hole cut out to the fan blade diameter and then mounted them to the back of the vent frame (looking from the outside of the van) with screws. I can take a few photos in the morning if that will help to clarify things.
 
These are the cheap controllers, they work well but for a few quid more much easier to fit one of these.
I really don't understand why you want to use a clapped out fan that's had thousands of hours use in your nice new van. work well they are quiet and cheap.
 
This site contains affiliate links for which MHF may be compensated.
CCC said:
I mounted 2 fans side by side on a piece of perspex sheet (you could use plywood or what ever suits) with hole cut out to the fan blade diameter and then mounted them to the back of the vent frame (looking from the outside of the van) with screws. I can take a few photos in the morning if that will help to clarify things.
Click to expand...
If it's not too much trouble that would be good.

I'm gonna try it with the single fan I've bought already and see how it goes from there ... the fridge works fine but I want to keep it that way so am looking at a 'preventative' measure rather than a 'problem solving' one ... hopefully a single fan will be sufficient, if not I'll just get another to go alongside ... at least the bits would already be there so it would be an easy job to put on a second fan if needs be.
 
Lenny HB said:
These are the cheap controllers, they work well but for a few quid more much easier to fit one of these.
I really don't understand why you want to use a clapped out fan that's had thousands of hours use in your nice new van. work well they are quiet and cheap.
Click to expand...
Thanks I'll have a shuftie at the controllers. It's not a clapped out fan, it's new, just a bit dusty from being at the car boot sale ... everything there gets covered in dust as the ground is like the stuff you get on some aires etc, fine powdery compacted 'grit', that gets on everything.
 
This site contains affiliate links for which MHF may be compensated.
Mel. Lennyhb has sent you a link for the type I was trying to show you ! ! !
The 5th one down the page is the one I have and it comes from a UK seller, so it came in 8 days ! ! !
Good luck, I will try mine soon..

Mitch.

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