Live feed for internal fridge fan

[pwilmo]

I have just fitted an internal fridge fan and thermostat controller, but cannot find a 12v live feed for the control box that will only be live when the fridge is turned on.

I see on the back of the fridge a connector block near the gas valve, that says 12v and three connections(+,-,#) but am reluctant to test by turn on fridge ON or turn OFF fridge off method as I daren't mess with the connections on the block ..is it ok to hold wires onto the connector block screws to test while someone turns the fridge on and off?

At the moment I test with a 9v battery and fan, controller and thermostat all work ok.
Once the live feed is sorted, I will experiment to see if fan blow onto cooling fins or away from is best.

I am hoping not to have need of a wire from the back of the gas fridge on/off switch!!

The van is 2006 Bessacar with plenty big vents to work through but motorhome elecktrickery is a mystery to me. Wiring diagrams seem written in code, so please easy advice!!

 

[Reallyretired]

I shall be doing exactly the same once the post office gets round to deliver my controller. I shall just use a multimeter on the screw heads. If I can't find a switched supply I will use an unswitched one and fit a switch in line and a fuse. After all though inconvenient to switch on and off, for 3 seasons of the year the fan is redundant.

Just touching wires on the screws will work but be careful not to short circuit anything with stray strands. That's why a multimeter probe is better.

 

[Vansflyer]

We have a 2019 van with a Dometic fridge freezer and oven on top, sadly the feeds out were all constant live even with the fridge off. I fitted an internal fan a while back and took the feed from the connector that feeds the oven ignitor and the Dometic external fan which is an option, I then added a small switch inside the fridge to isolate the fan when not using the van.
Having played around with various locations for the fans (on the metal rack blowing in and out) I have settled for it being under the top shelf blowing down. This really does work well and the whole fridge is cooler apart from the bottom shelf. Average temps are 0-4c on the top shelves and max 6 on the other two, (three BT sensors in the fridge to be sure). So now meat and dairy live near the top, beer is on the top shelf and the salad lives in the bottom.
Internal fan runs whenever we are using the van and makes a crap fridge useable all year round.
If you don't want a switch in the fridge you could always wire up a switch in an area accessible inside the van, for the power used the cables can be pretty small.
Good luck.

 

[Landy Andy]

My fridge connections were permanent 12v so I just use the switch on the control box where I set the temp. It has a three way switch, auto (stat controlled), off, and manual (full power). I could have easily got a 12v supply that was only on with hab power enabled, but want fridge fan to do what ever it wants so it can do it’s job.

 

[Off da Grid]

Seem to remember someone did this from the internal light somehow on Dometic fridges, try search on the forum

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[Lenny HB]

Seem to remember someone did this from the internal light somehow on Dometic fridges, try search on the forum

The internal light is fed from the control panel it's not 12v so not suitable.

 

[Off da Grid]

12v in our fridge

 

[Lenny HB]

12v in our fridge

Ours is an 8505 fridge freezer with the blue internal LED light.

 

[pwilmo]

Thank you all, each one of you for taking the time to contribute.

All fitted, now sat at Stratford Avon Racecourse Show.

For me the fan performs best blowing away from the cooler fins and as many of you said, I've fitted an ON/OFF switch on the controller live wire..

Works as it should now, fan comes on at 6.2C - off at 5.7C. with the internal thermostat positioned at the lower height and nearest the fridge opening side.