Fridge fans

Simon Meadwell

Simon Meadwell

Joined
Jan 28, 2016
Posts
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Stockport, Cheshire
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41,498
MH
Bravaria i740 AClass
Do all fridges need fans in Mediterranean heat. Our former van struggled so fitted fans, whilst better not brilliant. Is it the age of the fridge that causes the problem?The reason i ask is we have a new to us moho and havent been to the sun in it yet so wondering if fridge will be cool enough?
 
3 way fridges are not very efficient and often struggle in the heat. Sometimes this is exacerabated by poor ventilation design when installed. They also come in different climate ratings. Mediterrean conditions in summer could really use T (tropical) or ST (sub tropical) rated fridges which might not be supplied in a UK market vehicle.

Compressor fridges are much more efficient and will rarely struggle at all. Indeed, most can be set to deep freeze.
 
Depends on the fridge and your van.
When we started the van came with a Thetford fridge freezer which was dire in warm weather. As someone remarked, Thetford make Ok toilets, why should that qualify them in the Fridge arena?
We spent a lot of money and time trying to improve it including replacing everything possible. Nothing worked and finally we shelled out for a new one, Dometic this time.
Only to find it just a little better during hot weather.
Further research including here of course led us to suspect the vents were not good enough, just too small. So we replaced them (as per Dometic spec) and that made a really big difference.
So Chausson obviously ballsed it up when building, installing vents for a smaller unit.
Subsequently we have fitted 2 x12v fans and switch these on if it's really hot. Might not be necessary but good to have the option.
 
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All 3 way fridges tend to suffer from poor performance once outside temperatures get above 25 deg. Always fitted fans to mine and on the current van I fitted an internal one as well.
 
Our 2016 Rapido V68 pvc came with a thermostatically controlled fan fitted as standard to the 135-litre, 3-way fridge-freezer.

All works well in the summer heat of the Med. (y)

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I think there is not enough air circulation through the vents. Thetford have fitted much larger vents to my new 2019 van but I have fitted 2 x 90 x 90 fans this winter just to be sure.

IMG_20201209_140006.jpg
 
Mine are at the top and I can set it on manual or thermostatically controlled. They make a big difference and when hot, you stand by the vents and can feel the heat being extracted.
 
Toady said:
Mine are at the top and I can set it on manual or thermostatically controlled. They make a big difference and when hot, you stand by the vents and can feel the heat being extracted.
Click to expand...
Can I ask what are you using to control them?

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Itsmcb said:
Can I ask what are you using to control them?
Click to expand...
I use cheap 12v Chinese temperature controllers to switch our fridge vent fans on and off, plus I have fitted a fan in the fridge compartment to circulate the air around the contents of our fridge.

1610905290045.png


1610905300467.png
 
Itsmcb said:
Can I ask what are you using to control them?
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Hi,
These are the fans I use with everything included:

TITAN- 12V DC IP55 Waterproof Double Rack Mount Ventilation Cooling Fan with Timer and Speed Controller- TTC-SC20 (120mm)​



  1. TITAN- 12V DC IP55 Waterproof Double Rack Mount Ventilation Cooling Fan with Timer and Speed Controller- TTC-SC20 (120mm)
 
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Fridges are regional, depending on the expected temperatures.
A fridge installed in a British van isn't designed to cope in 35°, nor tropical conditions.
 
I followed Lenny HB fitting fans with thermostatic controller
he has info in his thread “ fitting out gin palace “

last van was a tethford , temps above 25c it needed it , my new one is a dometic
Although I haven’t used it yet I’ve fitted it out as it made a huge difference

i used 2 x 120mm artic fans & a stc100 thermostatic controller

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Langtoftlad said:
Fridges are regional, depending on the expected temperatures.
A fridge installed in a British van isn't designed to cope in 35°, nor tropical conditions.
Click to expand...
I think that only applies to domestic (i.e. house) fridges, not 3 way fridges for motorhomes. European converters use the same ones wherever they are based AFAIK
 
peterc10 said:
I think that only applies to domestic (i.e. house) fridges, not 3 way fridges for motorhomes. European converters use the same ones wherever they are based AFAIK
Click to expand...
That may very well be true - but IIRC, there was a discussion here about 12v only van fridges, and the option of a tropical specific version.
I could be wrong but I think it was Minxy Girl who found out about it.

Of course I could be totally mis-remembering :unsure: .

Also, see post #2
 
peterc10 said:
I think that only applies to domestic (i.e. house) fridges, not 3 way fridges for motorhomes. European converters use the same ones wherever they are based AFAIK
Click to expand...
Dometic do different versions for hot climates but for some strange reason the converters in Europe only fit the ones for lower temperature climates which are only rated to 32°. They don't appear to realise southern Europe's often gets into the 40's in summer.
 
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Lenny HB said:
Dometic do do different versions for hot climates but for some strange reason the converters in Europe only fit the ones for lower temperature climates which are only rated to 32°. They don't appear to realise southern Europe's often gets into the 40's in summer.
Click to expand...
Phew, I'm not going nuts.
 
Lenny HB said:
Top, fans are always more efficient sucking air out.
Click to expand...
I'm gonna have to think about putting some in our Carthago seeing as we've now got a 3-way fridge again ... trouble is the top vent is in the roof ... not sure how I'd fit them!!! 😄
 
Minxy Girl said:
I'm gonna have to think about putting some in our Carthago seeing as we've now got a 3-way fridge again ... trouble is the top vent is in the roof ... not sure how I'd fit them!!! 😄
Click to expand...
May not need it, roof vented ones appear to work a lot better. Downside is you probably have to take the fridge out to clean the chimney.
The top vent is in two parts so should be able to take it apart to fit fans inside, if not it will have to be pushers in the bottom vent.
 
Langtoftlad said:
That may very well be true - but IIRC, there was a discussion here about 12v only van fridges, and the option of a tropical specific version.
I could be wrong but I think it was Minxy Girl who found out about it.

Of course I could be totally mis-remembering :unsure: .

Also, see post #2
Click to expand...

I think you're thinking of me regarding fridges for a different reason ... I discovered there were two version of the Thetford T1090 compressor fridge, we had a mk 1 in the Globecar Campscout we had and ended up getting it replaced with a mk2 which was far, far better. Prior to this I recall finding out that some of the early compressor fridges fitted in PVCs didn't like being 'cold' so the inside temperature had to be kept warmish in order for them to work properly! Nuts or what!
 
If we do get to the sun this summer i will just suck it and see how the fridge copes and take my small house fridge I bought for £30 as back up.
 

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