Inside refrigerator fans

[Kountrykamper]

On our 8551 they are on the bottom too. Our 19' was built 8/13.

[MyronL]

V-e-r-y interesting. Here's what mine looks like. Guess unless I want to pull the entire unit out ...never gonna happen... there's no easy power access on the back side.

Well that kinda Tee's me off.

[jamman]

3 options

1) Tap into the red wire visible coming in from the left and going up - see one of my previous posts.

2) Run a new wire from another 12V source - TV or radio power, new circuit from power distribution panel, etc. It is quite easy to run wires behind the bath. And there is access to the area below the fridge from under the bed.

3) Use the white wire from the interior LED light power. (I don't think this is a good idea but a number of others on the forum have done so. Again see previous posts.)

[MyronL]

It is very tight quarters up there, but your option #1 sounds best for me. If I succeed in unscrewing what that red wire seems secured by I'll splice into it, connect power to fan. Got front interior set up, room there for a second fan, and an on/off switch. Ya, it's all ugly, but it's mine.

[Vermilye]

The dual fan I purchased from eBay uses a pair of alligator clips to attach it to the cooling fins. The clips are attached to the negative side of the fan motors so only one wire needs to be run to the refrigerator terminal. I added a switch so I could turn it off when defrosting...

[tractors1]

Here's another option for internal fridge fan that's considerably less $:

Dometic Norcold Refrigerator Fan for RV 12 Volt | eBay

[MyronL]

Just finished your option #1 Jamman, and it is a go! What's left now is to test for beer (I mean fridge) temps when it's in the sun and 98°F outside. Can't do that until next week. Regardless, it's been fun. Only cost was $3.59 for the switch. Got everything else from my (-where else?) junk too good to dump drawer.

If needed, I'll add a second fan. Love them cool blue lights.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by tractors1

Here's another option for internal fridge fan that's considerably less $:

Dometic Norcold Refrigerator Fan for RV 12 Volt | eBay

I'd be interested to see if these smaller fans would work as well. A few things I notice though right away -- they don't look as good installed, they have smaller fans so they may not move as much air, and they don't eliminate defrosting like the Fridge-Fix does.

[Parker]

Originally Posted by jamman

Pic 3 - Fridge interior with Fan and power cord

Doug, did you drill a hole from inside the fridge in the lower right corner? I'm pretty sure that's what I'm seeing, but want to be really sure before doing that. One of the other photos is labeled Fridge Power Hole, so I guess that's the case. Gutsy, but it appears to have worked! Like you, I would like to avoid tapping into the light switch.

[jamman]

Originally Posted by Parker

Doug, did you drill a hole from inside the fridge in the lower right corner? I'm pretty sure that's what I'm seeing, but want to be really sure before doing that. One of the other photos is labeled Fridge Power Hole, so I guess that's the case. Gutsy, but it appears to have worked! Like you, I would like to avoid tapping into the light switch.

NB: RML8555 (6.7 cu ft) fridge

Yes - I drilled from the inside out.

I was careful to move the gray and the black wire bundles WELL out of the way. I measured 3-4 times before drilling. I drilled about 12" up from the bottom and 2 3/4" in from the side - measured from the OUTSIDE of the fridge. And I angled the hole slightly toward the front of the trailer.

[Parker]

You measured on the outside and drilled from the inside? That sounds kind of sporty sitting here where I can't have a look at ours while writing this. I'd like to do my fan install tomorrow if possible.

[jamman]

Originally Posted by Parker

You measured on the outside and drilled from the inside? That sounds kind of sporty sitting here where I can't have a look at ours while writing this. I'd like to do my fan install tomorrow if possible.

Oh - make the wire bundles I avoided gray and WHITE (not black.)

I measured the spot to drill inside the trailer - the distances are FROM (not on) the outside of the fridge carcass. (And I triple-checked them via the hatch behind the fridge - outside of the trailer.) My fridge buts up against the ETI trim - none of the carcass is covered - important when measuring.

OR you can measure on the back to be sure it is ok and just count the shelf slots on my interior picture to figure out where to drill.

[MyronL]

But why drill any holes if you can feed the wire through the hole for the thermistor like I did?
See pix in my post #33.

[Parker]

I was about to say that on the 6.7 the hole for the thermistor is somewhere behind the fins and I didn't want to risk removing them to find it. I didn't notice your photo earlier. I guess there is no great risk in removing the fins, so I'll likely do the same thing. Thanks!

[jamman]

The thermistor hole exits too far up behind the fridge. With the ETI baffle and 6.7 fridge it is not accessible without removing the fridge.

[Parker]

Ours is pre-baffle, so I wonder if I can run a piece of lawn trimmer through from the inside like someone else mentioned here and fish a wire back through that way. I may try that before getting out the drill. I really appreciate you providing pictures and measurements for your drilling. I guess the box is nothing more than a box, but I would have been afraid of hitting something between the inner and outer walls.

[MyronL]

It is very tight quarters back there. I pushed stiff wire through my thermistor hole and was able to push enough through to reach up from behind, grab and pull down. Very anal job, but if you don't want a second hole at the very least, worth the effort.

[MyronL]

After a couple days of testing I decided my little fan with the blue lights is either totally irrelevant or simply not strong enough to make a difference in the cooling. Going with the second possibility, I decided to try Fan B, and add a second fan. No cute lights this time, since I got it at Surplus City where a mountain of dusty, cannibalized electronics may be had. The fan cost 5 bucks, draws 120mA, but is considerably stronger than Fan A.

[Test B in progress.]

[tractors1]

Call me a skeptic, but I can't see a whole lot can be gained stirring air in the fridge beyond helping to keep the fins from frosting over. I've received the "Fridge Fix" fan to play with when I pick up my 21. The key is to move the heat off the fins at the rear of the fridge - baffles will help convection, but I'm going to futz with extraction fans at the top of the vent for a new hobby.

[MyronL]

Expect my test results will either confirm your skepticism, bash it all to hell, or leave me beached and awash on Irrelevance Island. No matter, Fortesque. We dance!