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Old 07-06-2015, 04:25 PM   #1
JimBlum
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Dometic Side by side Frig

new 2015 Mountaineer 375FLF, has the big 2 door side by side Dometic Frig in it, runs all the time. seems to anyway. is this normal. the camper is on a seasonal site, frig is in a slide on the shady side of the camper, has not been all that hot this year up in Wisconsin
 
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Old 07-06-2015, 04:50 PM   #2
K0LCB
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Fan runs a lot
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Old 07-06-2015, 07:42 PM   #3
bigskyjimmy
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Yep my fans run all the time and I'm use to it now but the Dometic fridge compared to my 2012 Norcold is a much better fridge and the pass thru freezer is nice
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Old 07-07-2015, 01:22 AM   #4
1retired06
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My dealer added some flashing behind the refrigerator to help push hot air out and block pockets and fan runs less now.
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Old 07-07-2015, 01:36 AM   #5
TLightning
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Refrig runs all the time. I put a small AC fan on the outside at the top of the unit that blows down on it to try to keep it cool. It is controlled by a remote from inside. It's a very tight fit.
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Old 07-07-2015, 01:43 AM   #6
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by TLightning

Refrig runs all the time. I put a small AC fan on the outside at the top of the unit that blows down on it to try to keep it cool. It is controlled by a remote from inside. It's a very tight fit.
For what it is worth, and I am out of my element here, I discussed with my dealer putting a small 4 inch fan behind the outside vent. They indicated that might help, but should be aimed up to create an air current and push hot air out of the vent, and not to aim at the cooling unit itself. Have not installed to date. I did put a fan inside the refrigerator itself (Valterra product) which is supposed to allow the unit to run cooler (and resultant less heat) and it has helped. Outside fans kick on and off, but are off more than they are on (90plus degree temps). The flashing modification was the key improvement.
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Old 07-07-2015, 01:50 AM   #7
DarMar
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The very first thing owners of these fridges notice is the frequency and growl type sound coming from those fans. As Jimmy says one does get used to it and the more it runs the less chance there will be of fridge problems.
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Old 07-07-2015, 01:57 AM   #8
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by TLightning

Refrig runs all the time. I put a small AC fan on the outside at the top of the unit that blows down on it to try to keep it cool. It is controlled by a remote from inside. It's a very tight fit.
I don't claim to be an expert in the field but I certainly wouldn't recommend you do that from our experience. As we have learned it one needs to get all that hot air up and flowing out of the cavity in a nice flowing pattern.

On our unit the extra fan such as yours faces directly out of the cavity at the very top helping to pull air out. If we were to install a fan facing into the cavity it would be in the BOTTOM fridge vent forcing air in at the bottom to be sucked out at the top.
JMHO.
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Old 07-07-2015, 02:28 AM   #9
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As mentioned ... any additional fan behind the fridge should be installed near the lower third of the fridge opening blowing upward to compliment the natural movement of heat rising. Most factory installed fans are positioned as such. Any flashing modifications inside the cavity should be aimed at eliminating dead air pockets and do help.
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Old 07-07-2015, 05:49 AM   #10
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by TLightning

Refrig runs all the time. I put a small AC fan on the outside at the top of the unit that blows down on it to try to keep it cool. It is controlled by a remote from inside. It's a very tight fit.
Tom, as others have said, the purpose of the fans are to cause a UPWARD flow of air behind the frig and OUT the top vent.

IF you are blowing air downward from the top, you are defeating the effect of the OEM fans.

The fins inside the frig do not put cold into the frig, they absorb the heat inside the frig and transfer the heat to the rear of the frig where convection air flow allows the hot air to escape out the top vent. Fans on the back of the frig, blowing UP, help the convection air flow.

Remember what we learned in 9th grade science, absence of heat is what? cold. Go outside and hold your hand over the top of your A/C unit when it is running. You got hot air coming out the top of it. That is heat from the inside of your house. Take the temp of the outside ambient and then the temp of the air coming from the top of your A/C unit. The discharge air will be higher.

You must remove the heat from the back of the frig for the inside to be "cold".

I have a small 4" 120vac fan from W/Mart blowing UP in the outside compartment. It runs 100% of the time I am plugged in. My frig works perfect.

Jim
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Old 07-07-2015, 07:19 AM   #11
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by jlb27537

Quote:
quote:Originally posted by TLightning

Refrig runs all the time. I put a small AC fan on the outside at the top of the unit that blows down on it to try to keep it cool. It is controlled by a remote from inside. It's a very tight fit.
Tom, as others have said, the purpose of the fans are to cause a UPWARD flow of air behind the frig and OUT the top vent.

IF you are blowing air downward from the top, you are defeating the effect of the OEM fans.

The fins inside the frig do not put cold into the frig, they absorb the heat inside the frig and transfer the heat to the rear of the frig where convection air flow allows the hot air to escape out the top vent. Fans on the back of the frig, blowing UP, help the convection air flow.

Remember what we learned in 9th grade science, absence of heat is what? cold. Go outside and hold your hand over the top of your A/C unit when it is running. You got hot air coming out the top of it. That is heat from the inside of your house. Take the temp of the outside ambient and then the temp of the air coming from the top of your A/C unit. The discharge air will be higher.

You must remove the heat from the back of the frig for the inside to be "cold".

I have a small 4" 120vac fan from W/Mart blowing UP in the outside compartment. It runs 100% of the time I am plugged in. My frig works perfect.

Jim
Top or bottom outside vent?
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Old 07-07-2015, 08:03 AM   #12
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Add to bottom vent...always! John
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Old 07-07-2015, 09:35 AM   #13
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Thanks!
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Old 07-07-2015, 12:45 PM   #14
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Sounds like I need to turn my fan around and have it blow up rather than down. As to the comment about placing it lower...no room.
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Old 07-08-2015, 03:54 PM   #15
jlb27537
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If you are adding a fan, it does not matter top or bottom, you are trying to remove the heat from the rear of the frig.

My friend has a 4 door frig, there is limited space behind the frig at the bottom. My suggestion was to get a 3" or 4" muffin fan and attach it with a couple of screws to the framing of the lowering opening with it pointing up. He has 4 Oem fans now, but still over 90 degrees it is stressed.

Figure a way to remove the heat from the back, the inside will be cold.

My thought is the OEM thermostat that controls the fans comes on too late, it is already hot and the fans are just not enough if they come on late. There are snap thermostats available that will turn the fans on earlier.

I have used this thermostat to control fans and it does a great job. It turns the fans on at 110 and off at 90 degrees. Not sure of the setting of the Oem snap thermostat.

http://www.grainger.com/product/GRAI...AS01?$smthumb$

This switch has the same specs but is only $3. Either will work. Don't worry about the 120vac rating, it works just fine on 12vdc.

http://www.grainger.com/product/WHIT...APPD&pbi=6UED5

Jim
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