Behind the Refrigerator

[oldelmer1]

Has anyone ever looked behind the refrigerator, taking the vent covers off the outside and looked inside?

I just looked and much to my surprise, I can see the back of the paneling that surrounds the refrigerator, no insulation or anything.

Has anyone insulated back there? I know there has been discussions about the drain tube, but I don't remember seeing anything about adding insulation.

I can see all the way up to the top outside vent, and I can see the back of the paneling all the way up to the top, a good 4 feet up.

[Bill-N-Donna]

That may have been left un-insulated for a reason. My thoughts would be that it’s a safety concern around the vent and to allow the heat in that area to escape. I would suggest checking with your dealer or Keystone about any concerns.

[bw2]

I am not sure of the paneling you describe, but the vents are there for the chimney effect to remove the warmth pulled out of the refrig.

[WaltandLynne]

This fall, I had occasion to take the top refrigerator vent off outside. I noticed that a piece of paneling covers about the bottom half of the opening. I thought that the factory probably forgot to trim the paneling. But, I asked a dealer tech about it and he told me it was left there purposely to improve the venting action. So, it's still there and I'm glad I asked. I hope this helps.

Walt

[CRUZIN 2]

Walt
Your dealer tech is right, the panel is there to force the air through the upper coils to cool them.

oldelmer1

The back is to remain free of insulation so the air can circulate and cool the coils.

[oldelmer1]

Thanks everyone.

Larry & LaVonne, nice looking truck!!!!

[denandannie]

This reply may be late, but that space behind the frig only concerned me for this reason: a great place for a wasp nest. I took off the vent covers and hot glued window screen over the vent holes. Air can still get in, but critters stay out.

[sreigle]

I think the wasp concern is legit since they seem to love he smell of propane. We have the screen over the furnace vent but haven't done the same for the refrigerator.

As for insulation around the refrigerator, like several others here we've spent quite a bit of time in subfreezing weather, including twice down to 5 below zero F and a couple of weeks never getting above 14 and numerous other times. I've never noticed any more cold air coming from the refrigerator area than any other area in the rig.

One thing I did discover, however, is that when the temperature suddenly drops very rapidly to well below freezing, the Dometic refrigerator can get confused and think it's too cold and thus stop cooling. This happened to us in Kansas one December. Our dealer told me to put a trouble light in the area between that vent cover and the fridge to warm it up. That did the trick.

[stiles watson]

I happened by an RV store very early in our Full timing experience and bought some prefab screens for the refrigerator vents. They have worked well to keep the vermin out. We also have screens on the water heater and furnace vents.

Just a note about the outside drain to the little evaporator pan, if you freeze up and empty the catch pan inside the refrigerator, be sure the drain line is clear (meaning thawed). The last time I emptied mine, I did not clear the line. It wasn't long until the tray was full and frozen again. By the time we cleaned the refrigerator thoroughly, I could blow compressed air through the line.

Sometimes dealing with the little things on these RVs is like being nibbled to death by a duck.

[oldelmer1]

I too have put the screen on the refrigerator vents and the heater vents.