venting a fridge - up or down?

[jaygee]

My son is converting a VW van into a camper and has been doing very well so far.
He has a fridge which he is going to install and does not really want to cut a vent into the side of his van and was wondering about venting it through the floor.
Knowing that gas is lighter than air etc.. etc... he was wondering if there are any profesionals out there who would advise him on this?

 

[scotjimland]

My son is converting a VW van into a camper and has been doing very well so far.
He has a fridge which he is going to install and does not really want to cut a vent into the side of his van and was wondering about venting it through the floor.
Knowing that gas is lighter than air etc.. etc... he was wondering if there are any profesionals out there who would advise him on this?

In order to work a gas fridge requires an air flow over the condenser.
A floor vent will allow air in but it will need a top vent to allow the hot air to escape .. so he will need at least one vent level with the top of the fridge on the van wall which also incorporates the flue gas vent .

The other option is to fit a 12v compressor fridge which doesn't require venting to the outside.

Saftey note .
LPG Is heavier than air.. hence the requirement to have a floor vent in any locker housing gas bottles or equipment

 

[Douglas]

If there is no vent at the bottom, IE near the gas burner and igniter that the fridge has to be removed to carry out any maintenance. Also if the top vent is on a different plain that the bottom vent then you will not have the "Balanced flue" effect and the there is a good chance of the wind blowing out the flame.

Doug...

 

[Geo]

Each and every fridge has a specific installation procedure
and these should be followed rigidly,
The price for getting it wrong is too high
I asume hes not a competant gas person or you wouldnt be asking the question.
I have no objections at all to DIY, but get it tested before use:thumb:
Geo

 

[jaygee]

Each and every fridge has a specific installation procedure
and these should be followed rigidly,
The price for getting it wrong is too high
I asume hes not a competant gas person or you wouldnt be asking the question.
I have no objections at all to DIY, but get it tested before use:thumb:
Geo

obviously he had planned to do this!

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

 

[Geo]

obviously he had planned to do this!

Your quite right it was so obvious I dont know how I missed itoh:

 

[VMax666]

Lot of info, advice etc here from people who have done it themselves.

Link Removed
VMax

 

[pappajohn]

Lot of info, advice etc here from people who have done it themselves.

Link Removed
VMax

both correctly and incorrectly.....probably.

a gas fridge must have a 'higher than burner' exit vent and lower than burner inlet vent.
it cant burn without fresh air and if the burnt gas cant escape it cant get fresh air.

 

[jaygee]

Hi people,

Im the son in question, just thought i would let you know whats what with this.


The fridge is installed inside a permanant unit. I have got airflow access for the condensor inside the van via a floor level vent and an outlet vent above the fridge. This is complimented via a through floor port which allows external air to flow over the condensor. This setup is complimented by 2 low poer fan units that cut in at a specified temperature working on the basis of a fridge cooling 30 deegrees below ambiant room temperature.

I am confident in the cooling side as far as airflow over cooling fins, i am more worried about exhaust gases and venting these.

Now i have done my homework and am a fairly competant engineer, back in the old days they use to allow the fridges to vent to the interior as the amount of unburnt hydrocarbons is negligable compared to airflow exchange rates in draughty old VW's. I however am not prepared to go that route.

What i am after is advice regarding routing the exhaust only, the comment of LPG being heavier than air has made me more confident in my idea to vent through the floor, i was worried about pocketing gas and possibly ending with the gas backflowing through the burner and suffocating the flame. Im convinced the length of the pipework and the bends involved will stop the flame being extinguished by airflow through the system. Was wondering if anyone had tried this before.

I know i can vent through the side of the van but i really dont want to cut holes and im not the sort of person to just give up on an idea...

Cheers for any help that can be offered

Jon

 

[pappajohn]

going on the above you have two options.....a compressor fridge or cut a hole in the van..either wall or roof...

there could be one way but very difficult and probably very expensive.

it would need a fan INSIDE the flue vent, as in a domestic balanced flue combi boiler, to force burnt gas out through the floor.
not even sure if that would work.

the exhaust will rise and if it has nowhere to go it will fill the burner cavity and extinquish the flame

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