Have you cleaned your compressor fridge fan lately?

[Ian_H]

A bit of info that might help someone. I have been investigating an intermittant vibration from the fridge in our 2 year old Globecar PVC. I was surprised how much dust had accumulated. We have had 112 nights in the van. I had to bodge up a small pipe on the vacuum to clear the exchanger out. See before and after pics below.
I hadn't noticed a drop off in performance, but I hadn't been measuring anything carefully.

 

[hja]

Which vent did you take off to get to it?

 

[Ian_H]

Which vent did you take off to get to it?

This one

I took the drawer next to it off the runners to have more space.
There are plastic levers to press inwards. Heres a pic under the top drawer

To refit the drawer just put it back on the extended runners and push the drawer closed. It will click back in place.

 

[hja]

This one
View attachment 1111847
I took the drawer next to it off the runners to have more space.
There are plastic levers to press inwards. Heres a pic under the top drawer
View attachment 1111849 To refit the drawer just put it back on the extended runners and push the drawer closed. It will click back in place.

Thank you

 

[Peavy]

Now I have something else added to my list

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[jumar]

Now I have something else added to my list

You have a list? Brilliant, just like an English man....we have lists too..

 

[Peavy]

You have a list? Brilliant, just like an English man....we have lists too..

I do, but every line with a job has a bracketed word at the end (mañana)

 

[BusyBuilder]

My Highland wife says theres no word in gallic, with the urgency of manyana

 

[StillGoing]

My Thetford user manual covers checking for dust that might block the airflow and for cleaning the condenser. For fridges mounted on the floor it suggests removing the fridge every 2 years to completely remove dust from the fridge and aperture. It says to use a vacuum cleaner and compressed air. I can easily access the back of my fridge through the (no longer used) gas fridge vent.

 

[Ian_H]

A bit of thread drift - but hey, its my thread!
I initially had the covers off because of an intermittant vibration that is annoying, especially at night. Sticking my hand in I can feel the compressor vibrating but it is often silent. Sometimes it causes noise, which I can stop by gently pushing the compressor towards or away from the fan. I think as it heats up the copper pipework expands and something is just touching enough to cause the noise. I'll try to attach a vid (for sound) where I am moving the compressor a fraction to start and stop the noise. It has done this since new. I took it back the first day to Highbridge, they took the fridge out and seemed to fix it but it soon returned. On the first hab service SMC failed to find anything.
Any ideas? My first question is, should the compressor be vibrating in the first place, or could this one be out of balance? As I say, with a hand on the compressor you clearly feel the vibration.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[jumar]

A bit of thread drift - but hey, its my thread!
I initially had the covers off because of an intermittant vibration that is annoying, especially at night. Sticking my hand in I can feel the compressor vibrating but it is often silent. Sometimes it causes noise, which I can stop by gently pushing the compressor towards or away from the fan. I think as it heats up the copper pipework expands and something is just touching enough to cause the noise. I'll try to attach a vid (for sound) where I am moving the compressor a fraction to start and stop the noise. It has done this since new. I took it back the first day to Highbridge, they took the fridge out and seemed to fix it but it soon returned. On the first hab service SMC failed to find anything.
Any ideas? My first question is, should the compressor be vibrating in the first place, or could this one be out of balance? As I say, with a hand on the compressor you clearly feel the vibration.

View attachment 1111964

My word, that's annoying..

 

[Richard n Ann]

A bit of thread drift - but hey, its my thread!
I initially had the covers off because of an intermittant vibration that is annoying, especially at night. Sticking my hand in I can feel the compressor vibrating but it is often silent. Sometimes it causes noise, which I can stop by gently pushing the compressor towards or away from the fan. I think as it heats up the copper pipework expands and something is just touching enough to cause the noise. I'll try to attach a vid (for sound) where I am moving the compressor a fraction to start and stop the noise. It has done this since new. I took it back the first day to Highbridge, they took the fridge out and seemed to fix it but it soon returned. On the first hab service SMC failed to find anything.
Any ideas? My first question is, should the compressor be vibrating in the first place, or could this one be out of balance? As I say, with a hand on the compressor you clearly feel the vibration.

View attachment 1111964

It happens, I give mine a shove every now and again to stop it

The big commercial fridges can be terrible for it, they usually have cardboard wedges and all sorts stuffed in and around the condensers by engineers to reduce the vibrations it's a technical fix

 

[Ian_H]

It happens, I give mine a shove every now and again to stop it

The big commercial fridges can be terrible for it, they usually have cardboard wedges and all sorts stuffed in and around the condensers by engineers to reduce the vibrations it's a technical fix

Thanks Richard, I was hoping you would comment, but also hoping for a different answer! Could I do any harm if I put a spring on the copper tubing to pull it a bit? Not too strong, maybe equivalent to say 200 grams.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Thanks Richard, I was hoping you would comment, but also hoping for a different answer! Could I do any harm if I put a spring on the copper tubing to pull it a bit? Not too strong, maybe equivalent to say 200 grams.

Should be fine as long as it doesn't rub on the pipe, vibration on the pipe will wear through it after a few months.

I'd try and sprain the pipe away a bit, not too much, especially near the brazed joints or connections because they are weaker, but the ¼ inch copper pipe is virtually indestructible everywhere else. It won't need much to stop the noise.

 

[KiwiChris]

Thanks for the question & answer re the occasionally vibrating noise from the compressor fridge. We have had the same issue from installing the compressor fridge about 12 months ago. It's only about 10-20 seconds at a time, but loud and annoying.
Have tried loads of wedges front and rear but nothing seems to stop it. I'll try positioning some dampers around the compressor & tubes when I work out where they are. Thanks

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[B-JandBella]

Well done you, Ian_H

Anything with a fan collects dust. And I mean ANYTHING! (Or is that EVERYTHING?)

My brother-in-law said his computer was getting noisier than usual, and I said it might be a good idea to take the side panel off and check his fans as they are very good at collecting dust.
And low and behold, I was right. He gave them a clean and now he's well happy. Silent computer!

God damned dust gets everywhere.....

Sorry, but I know that you will all be looking for dust in your spare time, if you have any!!

 

[MisterB]

Well done you, Ian_H

Anything with a fan collects dust. And I mean ANYTHING! (Or is that EVERYTHING?

Is this a thread about Only Fans .......

 

[Ian_H]

Is this a thread about Only Fans .......

I guess we can extend it to cover anything that gets dirty by sucking or blowing if you want.......

 

[Markman]

Before and after photos
The fridge hinge had broken so had to get fridge out (adjacent drawers off, unscrewed. Bathroom door off for space. Fridge pulled out). Radiator at back a bit gunged up - 1st photo - so cleaned - the others - while I was replacing the hinges. Not a fast job.