Refrigerator Test

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Patandlinda

As far as the fans really don't see anything dramatic.

Pat: I assume by 2013 they were doing the top fridge vent on the roof. I think those naturally draft better without fans. Not sure while going down the road though. The documentation I found for my model shows a fan required when installed with top and bottom sidewall vents. Nothing there stock. Hoping the two fans I’m adding work well. Should only need during high outside temps and maybe while towing to keep a positive draft.

Glad you like the SAM-1 upgrade. We enjoy it immensely, especially the night light.

[Kent]

For those looking to add or change external fans to help with refrigerator airflow/venting. I came across this project on Youtube and listed links to the company that supplies the fans.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wVTP89-Btg

Be cool! Be Aerocool!

https://www.amazon.com/AeroCool-Sile.../dp/B009XERK6G


Cheers!

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Pat: I assume by 2013 they were doing the top fridge vent on the roof. I think those naturally draft better without fans. Not sure while going down the road though. The documentation I found for my model shows a fan required when installed with top and bottom sidewall vents. Nothing there stock. Hoping the two fans I’m adding work well. Should only need during high outside temps and maybe while towing to keep a positive draft.

Glad you like the SAM-1 upgrade. We enjoy it immensely, especially the night light.

Yup top fridge vented on the top and that makes sense . We use propane and never had a problem going down the road .Good luck with the fans . Pat

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Kent

For those looking to add or change external fans to help with refrigerator airflow/venting. I came across this project on Youtube and listed links to the company that supplies the fans.

The Aerocool fans are a larger diameter but spin quite slow so only 75 CFM. They have sleeve bearings so will not last as long as ball bearing design in a high heat application and can only be mounted in the vertical orientation. They are computer fans and not rated for a high moisture environment. Just food for thought. Obviously they work, but the video only shows a few minutes of operation. Just cautioning on the potential for a short life expectancy. I was looking for something I never need to touch or worry about again once installed. Unfortunately it takes $45 x 2 to get the fans I wanted but they sure are nice.

Ball vs. Sleeve: A Comparison In Bearing Performance | NMBTC.com

[rubicon327]

Mounted the fans today and powered them up. Took a bit of time on the custom aluminum bracket and working in the rather tight space, but came out real nice. Powered off the 12V coming to the fridge for the igniter. Good volume of airflow. This should really help with high ambient temperatures. Fans are very quiet. Can’t even hear them 10 feet away when outside. On the inside with the insulation now around the fridge it is virtually silent.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Mounted the fans today and powered them up. Took a bit of time on the custom aluminum bracket and working in the rather tight space, but came out real nice. Powered off the 12V coming to the fridge for the igniter. Good volume of airflow. This should really help with high ambient temperatures. Fans are very quiet. Can’t even hear them 10 feet away when outside. On the inside with the insulation now around the fridge it is virtually silent.

Looks like a nice neat job ! Let us know how your refrigerator numbers come out . Pat

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Patandlinda

Looks like a nice neat job ! Let us know how your refrigerator numbers come out . Pat

Thanks Pat. Since we will be running out of warm weather to test soon we turned it on propane yesterday. Both fans running. Outside temp about 83F. Fridge and freezer started at 80F at 3pm. By 4 we saw 78F fridge / 54F freezer. By 6pm we had 64 fridge / 6 freezer. By 8pm 47 fridge / -3 freezer. By 9pm we had 39 fridge / -7 freezer. Down to acceptable temperature in 6 hours seems pretty good. It never would go down that quick on a hot day before the insulation and fans.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Thanks Pat. Since we will be running out of warm weather to test soon we turned it on propane yesterday. Both fans running. Outside temp about 83F. Fridge and freezer started at 80F at 3pm. By 4 we saw 78F fridge / 54F freezer. By 6pm we had 64 fridge / 6 freezer. By 8pm 47 fridge / -3 freezer. By 9pm we had 39 fridge / -7 freezer. Down to acceptable temperature in 6 hours seems pretty good. It never would go down that quick on a hot day before the insulation and fans.

Sounds good Dave and after my modifications what I found also even though we have different models . I really feel good insulation is the number one improvement . Both lack from manufacturer and installation .Ours had numbers in the high 50's after one door opening with outside temps in the 70's , shaded refrigerator. Refrigerator took all night to recover . Now I discovered water needs to be in the cup at back . But temps were only in the 40's and recovered in a couple of hours .Then when I added water to cup at back when we were coming home we were back down to high 30's with outside temps high 90's -100's . The sad part of all this we have to modify and fix our refrigerators or remove them and go a different route . But it sounds like you have made great improvement . Pat

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Thanks Pat. Since we will be running out of warm weather to test soon we turned it on propane yesterday. Both fans running. Outside temp about 83F. Fridge and freezer started at 80F at 3pm. By 4 we saw 78F fridge / 54F freezer. By 6pm we had 64 fridge / 6 freezer. By 8pm 47 fridge / -3 freezer. By 9pm we had 39 fridge / -7 freezer. Down to acceptable temperature in 6 hours seems pretty good. It never would go down that quick on a hot day before the insulation and fans.

Forgot to mention that this test was on setting "5". This is an older fridge so it may not equate to how newer fridges are set. Aux fans were turned off at 11pm and the temps this morning were 34 fridge / -4 freezer.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Forgot to mention that this test was on setting "5". This is an older fridge so it may not equate to how newer fridges are set. Aux fans were turned off at 11pm and the temps this morning were 34 fridge / -4 freezer.

Dave our temps were with refrigerator always on 4 . In beginning use to experiment with 3 or go up to 5 . For couple of years now just leave ours on 4 . Never use 12 volt , if 120 ,use or boondocking or traveling , gas . Except for little waterproof fan inside refrigerator, which runs all the time , have a switch to turn on or off. The 2 exterior fans turn off at night which also I have switched with on or off . Really don't open door at night . Did also find the fridge quard helps to not lose temps when door is opened in hot weather and I discovered had more condensation , filling up the cup in back of refrigerator . This last trip tried not using the fridge quard and found cup was empty of water , causing our refrigerator temps to rise at least 10 degrees . Also always carry a cooler which has the drinks in . So can live with this refrigerator unless something drastic changes . Pat

[float5]

Originally Posted by Patandlinda

Sounds good Dave and after my modifications what I found also even though we have different models . I really feel good insulation is the number one improvement . Both lack from manufacturer and installation .Ours had numbers in the high 50's after one door opening with outside temps in the 70's , shaded refrigerator. Refrigerator took all night to recover . Now I discovered water needs to be in the cup at back . But temps were only in the 40's and recovered in a couple of hours .Then when I added water to cup at back when we were coming home we were back down to high 30's with outside temps high 90's -100's . The sad part of all this we have to modify and fix our refrigerators or remove them and go a different route . But it sounds like you have made great improvement . Pat

Pat, no doubt you are right on the biggest factor being insulation. After some people such as yourself did that and found such an improvement, I wonder if Escape starting putting more and that is why ours is fine. Heard that they had increased it. So thank you for that!

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by float5

Pat, no doubt you are right on the biggest factor being insulation. After some people such as yourself did that and found such an improvement, I wonder if Escape starting putting more and that is why ours is fine. Heard that they had increased it. So thank you for that!

Hi Cathy besides looking at Dometic instructions for our refrigerator and having had 2 previous Dometic's in previous RV's was disappointed in lack on insulation in our new trailer so I felt that was a very important mod to make . Also the new Dometic was also not as robust in insulated walls as what we were use too. Use to go camping , turn on the gas and in 5 hours was down to 40 . Of course the food added was cold too before adding . One more thing I was thinking at bottom of Freezer in older Dometic's , it was aluminum not plastic . For good measure may cut a piece and install in freezer . But Thankyou for the Thankyou . Pat

[float5]

Originally Posted by Patandlinda

Hi Cathy besides looking at Dometic instructions for our refrigerator and having had 2 previous Dometic's in previous RV's was disappointed in lack on insulation in our new trailer so I felt that was a very important mod to make . Also the new Dometic was also not as robust in insulated walls as what we were use too. Use to go camping , turn on the gas and in 5 hours was down to 40 . Of course the food added was cold too before adding . One more thing I was thinking at bottom of Freezer in older Dometic's , it was aluminum not plastic . For good measure may cut a piece and install in freezer . But Thankyou for the Thankyou . Pat

Good idea. Don't think ours is aluminum.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by float5

Pat, no doubt you are right on the biggest factor being insulation. After some people such as yourself did that and found such an improvement, I wonder if Escape starting putting more and that is why ours is fine. Heard that they had increased it. So thank you for that!

Members have posted shots of the rear of fridge in the thread discussing water entry on the lower vent on newer models. In most of those pictures you can see batt insulation around the fridge filling the cavity.

[rubicon327]

Did some more testing with the recent hot weather. Fridge was pre-cooled over night and maintained low-mid 40's throughout the day with 95F temps and trailer in full sun. This is an RM2510 on setting "5". Inside of trailer was cooled with A/C to ~75F. I think the insulation around the fridge cabinet has made the biggest difference and the aux fans I added also help when the temperatures are really high. Very impressed with a 50-55F differential. Looking forward to trying it out during some upcoming trips.

[cpaharley2008]

I assume this is on 120v ac? I have always found that while on propane, while in motion, that the refer operates better than sitting still on 120v ac. In other words, I can set back the thermostat to a 4 or even a 3 while on propane.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Did some more testing with the recent hot weather. Fridge was pre-cooled over night and maintained low-mid 40's throughout the day with 95F temps and trailer in full sun.

IMHO that's not cold enough to keep your food safe. Might be fine for beer and beverages, but not cold enough for protein, dairy and left-overs. Cold food should be 40 degrees or colder.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

IMHO that's not cold enough to keep your food safe. Might be fine for beer and beverages, but not cold enough for protein, dairy and left-overs. Cold food should be 40 degrees or colder.

Donna: I didn't have time to see how low I could go in the hottest weather. I still had setting 6, 7 and max left on the dial. I was just happy to see a very good differential of fridge temp to outdoor temp at setting 5 on such a hot day. I'm hopeful that most of my camping isn't in 95 degree weather!

[cpaharley2008]

Wow, most refers go to 5 in the rv, never seen one higher, is this the stock unit

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I assume this is on 120v ac? I have always found that while on propane, while in motion, that the refer operates better than sitting still on 120v ac. In other words, I can set back the thermostat to a 4 or even a 3 while on propane.

Pre-cool overnight was on 120V, but it was switched over to propane for the testing. Trying to get as close as possible to conditions of actual use because I use the trailer sometimes in hot weather without electric hookup.