Inside refrigerator fans

[cpaharley2008]

You are correct Dave, sorry about that.

[jamman]

I talked to Mike at Fridge Fix.

Apparently some 8555s have the upper fins grounded but NOT the lower. That would explain what I have seen.

I am concerned the white power wire and its supply may be inadequate for the fan, so I plan to run a new pair of wires to the DC terminal block on the back of the fridge.

I will verify this tomorrow, hopefully get my fan going, and post pictures.

[daveandsandyclink]

I installed a Fridge Fix unit this morning in my 5cf refrigerator. It was very simple and straight forward to pull my positive wire through the thermistor exit to outside and clip the negative wire to the fins. I have not cooled the refrigerator down yet to know if this will help me in Texas heat.
I use weed eater line to pull with and don't know why you could not lengthen the negative wire and land it behind the fridge too.

[cpaharley2008]

Doug, it would not be hard to run the ground up to the freezer, just notch the inset a tiny bit. As far as the load on the small white wire, it works and besides, the fridge fix draws very little when on.

[jamman]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Doug, it would not be hard to run the ground up to the freezer, just notch the inset a tiny bit. As far as the load on the small white wire, it works and besides, the fridge fix draws very little when on.

Agreed. And Mike will send anyone who needs it a jumper to connect the fins.

But there is the slight(?) possibility that the wire will be overloaded and Dometic could void the warranty. And I saw less than 12V on that wire - especially concerning with the low LED draw. So why take a chance?

[azjack]

When I put the two fans in the back of my fridge and one inside I tapped into the wires for the 12 volt plug that is under the fridge, fused the wire and put two small toggle switches below the fridge door. One circuit powers one fan and the other the external fans. They both have wires coming up through the bottom of the fridge, one set in the back and one set in the box. The fans definitely help on a hot day 80 to 90 or more. I should have a fan fix unit setting on my door at home and daughter will pick it up and bring it to San Diego Friday and I hope to use it to replace the one fan inside the fridge. I just drilled through the box floor and sealed the wires where they passed through. After my trip home next tuesday I should have an idea if the fridge fix is better than my one fan attached to a shelf.
Jack

[Kountrykamper]

I received my Fridge Fix and installed on my 4.3. Run my power wire through the thermistor hole and connected outside. My lower Evaporator is not grounded too. Spoke with Mike at Fridge fix and he is sending me a wire to jumper them together. For now I removed the freezer and connected it to the upper Evaporator. We don't use the freezer much anyway and had already purchased a extra shelf you can add when you remove the freezer. We may leave the freezer out and just install it if we ever need it.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Kountrykamper

We don't use the freezer much anyway and had already purchased a extra shelf you can add when you remove the freezer. We may leave the freezer out and just install it if we ever need it.

This is interesting, and I have seen a few others that have said the same.

Our freezer seems to be always full. Like this weekend, heading out today for 5 days, we have a couple extra bags of iced stuffed in it to replace the stuff that will melt in the beer cooler and to use for cocktails, plus a few ice cream treats. We also keep ice cube trays in it once the bagged ice is gone, to have a good supply of fresh ice, especially in hot weather like we are getting now. On longer trips we usually have extra food for our dog that we bring along, rather than trying to find decent priced meat for him on the road.

[amirie]

our freezer isn't that big as we have the smaller fridge in our 17...But it works so well and I seem to have it pretty jammed--heck we even got some ice cream one trip.
I have a small bag of the plastic "reusable" ice cubes for drinks--enough to make it a bit cooler and doesn't dilute the drink... Does not leave a plastic taste either...

[jamman]

Fridge fan installed - but I won't test it until we go on a trip in 2 weeks. (We have to store it in a remote lot, which does not have power.)

I also installed insulation above it - thanks to Jim for this idea.

Pic 1 - Fridge top as it comes
Pic 2 - Fridge top with insulation

Pic 3 - Fridge interior with Fan and power cord
Pic 4 - Fridge exterior with power cord exiting box
Pic 5 - Fridge terminal block with power cord

[MyronL]

See, now this is getting just too weird. The back side of my 4.3 looks nothing like what you got Jamman. Dave emailed me the back of his fridge, which he got the month before me, and it looks nothing like mine.

I ran that wire to the back for fan power but there's nothing I can see to connect it to. In fact, that outside access door is small enough to see only what you see here. Groped a bit to find the wire I slipped through the thermistor hole. Seeing no terminal board. Can Dometic be that quick to change its designs?

By the way you don't need no special "wire Jumper" for the ground. Why not simply wrap it around one of the grounded fins plate screws? There's enough of them.

[jamman]

Myron,

NEITHER my fins NOR the screws are grounded.

Is there anything to the right that we can't see - that is where my terminal blocks are.

It *looks* like the 12V feed (black and red wires) from ETI comes in at the left and goes up. Can you trace it? It *should* go to terminal block which SHOULD look much like mine. Connect your power wire to the ETI red wire.

The terminal block MIGHT be above the gray box - and maybe very hard to get at.

[MyronL]

There is nothing to see on the right. No terminal block there and in fact everything that might be at the right and up cannot be accessed without removing the fridge, it's all that tight. If I can connect a wire to power I can then check every screw on either fins plate for ground and thereby test the fan (or maybe (?) blow up the control module in front.)

[jamman]

MOST RV fridges have all the fins grounded. Most RML8555s (and RM8551s?) have both sets grounded. So you are likely to have a ground handy. If not you can run a scond wire out and connect it to the black ETI wire.

Which fridge model do you have?

Can you trace the red/black pair that appear to come in from the left and go up?

If not you can splice onto the red wire. I am not very fond of them but you can use a clip on splice. Do check the wire gauge it is made for, the fridge power wire may be fairly large.

[cpaharley2008]

I think Myron mentioned he has the 4.3 and you, Doug have the 6.7 correct?

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I think Myron mentioned he has the 4.3 and you, Doug have the 6.7 correct?

Hi: cpaharley2008... It is my understanding that the 4.3 is the same as a 6.7 minus one interior shelf. Same operating system I think. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[jamman]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I think Myron mentioned he has the 4.3 and you, Doug have the 6.7 correct?

For me - RML8555 aka 6.7. Myron said he had the 4.3 - I just wanted to verify it was an RM8551. The SAME installation manual applies to both so it is very strange that he does not have an obvious 12V terminal block.

[Jubal]

The battery ground and battery positive terminal blocks for the RM8551, 4.3 fridge are up high and above the condenser. It appears that ETI makes the terminal attachment before installation and routes the wires down the left side. The terminal attached wires are then joined to wires from the power distribution box with yellow butt connectors just inside the lower vent.
Edit: our 19' TT was assembled 7/13

[dave1]

Originally Posted by Jubal

The battery ground and battery positive terminal blocks for the RM8551, 4.3 fridge are up high and above the evaporator coils. It appears that ETI makes the terminal attachment before installation and routes the wires down the left side. The terminal attached wires are then joined to wires from the power distribution box with yellow butt connectors just inside the lower vent.

Not on all of them, the terminal block on my 4.3 is in plain view when you open the side access panel. Must be more than one cooling unit design.

Dave

[MyronL]

My 4.3 is the RM8551, SN#13700005. I picked up my Escape one month after Dave got his. His terminal block is clearly accessible, mine is no where to be found. Go figure.