Are the outside fridge vents needed, non-gas only

[stungjoe]

I've been chasing a leak on my kitchen slide (2008 3600RE). The leak starts right in the middle of the slide and always along the wall under the cabinet/fridge area. I've have caulked everything on the outside that I can. I saw a youtube video about making a drip ledge on the bottom seam on the sides of the slide, which I will do as well.

However, I was wondering if the outside vents for the fridge are actually necessary since I never use the gas mode. I live in the 5'er for work and will always be using shore power. I actually want to replace the Dometic with a residential unit but the darn original keeps on working. I was thinking about taking the vents off and filling them in with some form of spray foam insulation to basically make them a solid piece.

[washley1]

I am not positive, but I think even the electric mode needs the cooling those vents provide.

[1retired06]

Vents are absolutely critical. Spray foam insulation on those vents and you will cook the refrigerator.

[vangoes]

X2 with Mike. The purpose of the vents is to provide air flow over the cooling coils of the refrig. Without the air flow the fridge would not cool in either mode and would eventually fail.

[Starmaster]

Joe,

Short answer, RV frigs always have to have ventilation whether on electricity or propane.

An RV type refrigerator uses heat to run the process that allows the refrigerator to cool. It does not matter whether the unit is running on propane or on electricity. Proper ventilation is required to allow the heat to escape.

Without ventilation the frig will not cool and eventually the entire cooling unit will un-repairably fail and will require the replacement of the frig or at least the entire cooling unit. Worst case scenario is a fire as a result of a catastrophic cooling unit failure.

In short operating an RV type frig with no ventilation will result in a $1000+ repair bill, and possibly a fire.

Dave

[1retired06]

Re your leak, is it possible your drain hose is missing? If so, water collected in the tray under the inside fins could be dumping out as designed, but then running down the outside wall of the frig. If you see water collecting inside the lower vent, that could be the source.

[stungjoe]

thanks for the replies! I will not cover them over.

1retired06, That hose has long since broke I covered over the holes and use the ol' small tupperware bowl which I pour out on occasion..haha

[DarMar]

I too was thinking drain hose until you mentioned your Tupperware fix!!!

[stungjoe]

I re-read my original post and as usual my brain was way ahead of my typing...sorry guys and gals!

I failed to mention this is a rain induced leak. It only happens when there's a heavy rain. Wind seems to make an impact as well. The windier it is the more it leaks. That was what was making me think the fridge vents. I.E. wind blowing it up into the vent openings

I found the following video on youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIFK6gNe9y0

any thoughts on this? Maybe it's just seeping in and running to the middle of the slide before coming into the interior??

[DuneBuggyBuilder]

quote:Originally posted by stungjoe


....I failed to mention this is a rain induced leak. It only happens when there's a heavy rain. Wind seems to make an impact as well. The windier it is the more it leaks. That was what was making me think the fridge vents. I.E. wind blowing it up into the vent openings....

What you describe was common in that era Montana (it may still be a problem with the newer rigs but not enough for anyone to complain here).

The "Search" tool is your friend as most every problem you might encounter has been diagnosed, repaired and documented here. Do a Search (be sure to check the Archived Posts box) using the keywords "ref vent leak" (without the quotes) and you will see a list of postings addressing the issue.

This one describes the issue you have:
http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...=ref,vent,leak

These posts shows a repair with pictures.
http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...ad.php?t=29699
http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...ad.php?t=30260

There are other possible causes described in the postings but the most common cause is the vent leak addressed in the above postings.

[stungjoe]

quote:Originally posted by DuneBuggyBuilder

What you describe was common in that era Montana (it may still be a problem with the newer rigs but not enough for anyone to complain here).

The "Search" tool is your friend as most every problem you might encounter has been diagnosed, repaired and documented here. Do a Search (be sure to check the Archived Posts box) using the keywords "ref vent leak" (without the quotes) and you will see a list of postings addressing the issue.

This one describes the issue you have:
http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...=ref,vent,leak

These posts shows a repair with pictures.
http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...ad.php?t=29699
http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...ad.php?t=30260

There are other possible causes described in the postings but the most common cause is the vent leak addressed in the above postings.

Thank you! I tried the search but came up with a different thread for every word I used in the search..haha So the more specific I tried to be the more more threads I actually got that had nothing to do with the problem

I need to "ninja up" on my search skillz. Thanks again!

[stungjoe]

Here's a couple pics of the caulking on the sides where the flooring attaches. Each side of the same kitchen slide. It looks like they forgot the caulk the forward side but all of the other slides have caulking where the floor and the slide side meet. I will also caulk this as well as the aforementioned angle iron fix.

[tim43]

Used the aluminum angles on my rig as well and it solved my leaking problem. To bad Keystone can't invest a couple extra bucks and put this fix on all units.

[stungjoe]

Thanks Tim.

I'm actually thinking of a thin plastic "L" material. I mean it really just has to be some form of a raised barrier to keep the water out. I'll see what I find. Living away from home and my tools means I have to find some way of cutting the material. A knife will suffice against plastic.

[rohrmann]

I just located some photos of a rig like yours. I think I see a window in the kitchen slide. If yours has a window, you might have water seeping in past the butyl flange caulking which is the black stuff between the flange and the outside slide wall. We chased a leak in our large DS slide a couple years ago, which turned out to be the front facing window leaking. The gap was so slight, I don't think I could have slipped a sheet of paper in it. Fixed it with a thin bead of silicone caulk, which I intended to remove when installing new butyl caulk. Have still not got around to that repair, and the silicone is still working great, no leaks.

[stungjoe]

quote:Originally posted by rohrmann

I just located some photos of a rig like yours. I think I see a window in the kitchen slide. If yours has a window, you might have water seeping in past the butyl flange caulking which is the black stuff between the flange and the outside slide wall. We chased a leak in our large DS slide a couple years ago, which turned out to be the front facing window leaking. The gap was so slight, I don't think I could have slipped a sheet of paper in it. Fixed it with a thin bead of silicone caulk, which I intended to remove when installing new butyl caulk. Have still not got around to that repair, and the silicone is still working great, no leaks.

Thanks rohrmann,
I have caulked the heck out of the window as well as letting a hose run water on it for about 5 minutes. No leaking inside from that area. I was thinking maybe the ledge where the window slides open but after letting water run it never did leak.

I took the wood trim off from under the fridge. The leak is definitely more under the fridge as opposed to the cabinet area beside the fridge. I see some wires and the propane lines coming through the sub-floor the fridge rests on. The wall is a bit "soft" so it looks like the water damage has saturated the wall. It's a small area that feels spongy so hopefully once the leak is fixed the wall will be OK. The wall in the cabinet area beside the fridge is still hard and looks fine. I do believe the leak is the vent frames. I will do the mentioned vent fix as well as caulking that floor_to_side wall of the slide.

Thanks again to all!

[rohrmann]

The fridge vent frames need to be caulked all the way around, but the vent panels won't leak as long as they are installed properly. They are installed correctly, with the holes only facing down on the outside? The other thing I read, was your drain hose was broken. Is it possible that the hose is also broken higher up where it can't be seen, and is leaking some of the drain water to where you have water damage?

[stungjoe]

quote:Originally posted by rohrmann

The fridge vent frames need to be caulked all the way around, but the vent panels won't leak as long as they are installed properly. They are installed correctly, with the holes only facing down on the outside? The other thing I read, was your drain hose was broken. Is it possible that the hose is also broken higher up where it can't be seen, and is leaking some of the drain water to where you have water damage?

The vent panels aren't leaking per se, but the frame is tilted backwards so any rain that runs down the panels hits the frame and is directed inwards. The side of the frame has a lip to prevent the rain from getting in. The bottom does not have this lip so rain water just enters from the bottom. In this thread; http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...ad.php?t=29699
shows the fix I'm doing. I did find some PVC "L" shaped material that I will be using at Lowes. (Part number 8569). Not sure what it's primary function is but I have two 21" pieces cut and ready to go.

p.s. I'm using the ol' tupprware bowl to catch my condensation from the fridge.