Sebagome - Welcome to the forum! I moved your post to its own new thread, since it does not concern the manuals for Dometic refrigeratora.
You generally want the external fan turned on anytime you are camping when the temperature outside is warm. It moves air past the heat exchanging portion of the refrigerator to help it stay cool inside.
I agree, the Mattel toy fan that the refrigerator came with was a horrible device. It IS noisy and it moves very little air. I replaced mine with two computer case fans that are quiet, move more air and use less electricity. The thread where I describe my modification is here: https://www.hilotrailerforum.com/f35/external-refrigerator-fan-261/ and I start talking about my mod, with pictures in Post #10.
Someone else did a similar mod with three fans, but I don't recall the location of the thread.
- Jack
You generally want the external fan turned on anytime you are camping when the temperature outside is warm. It moves air past the heat exchanging portion of the refrigerator to help it stay cool inside.
I agree, the Mattel toy fan that the refrigerator came with was a horrible device. It IS noisy and it moves very little air. I replaced mine with two computer case fans that are quiet, move more air and use less electricity. The thread where I describe my modification is here: https://www.hilotrailerforum.com/f35/external-refrigerator-fan-261/ and I start talking about my mod, with pictures in Post #10.
Someone else did a similar mod with three fans, but I don't recall the location of the thread.
- Jack
Refer fan
Hey guys,
Thanks for the help. Bought an old beater 1999 td21. Bottom half great, top all rotted. Ripped one side off and welded up new square tubing, new beam, foam, etc. The steel in the roof was gone also so replaced that too. Leaks like crazy. Under tarp now. Have a new magic roof for it going on soon. Been working inside. All bead board, new paint and putting up “tin ceiling”. Styrofoam look like painted silver. Looks great.
Is the refer fan easy to get at?
Thanks Again,
Craig
Hey guys,
Thanks for the help. Bought an old beater 1999 td21. Bottom half great, top all rotted. Ripped one side off and welded up new square tubing, new beam, foam, etc. The steel in the roof was gone also so replaced that too. Leaks like crazy. Under tarp now. Have a new magic roof for it going on soon. Been working inside. All bead board, new paint and putting up “tin ceiling”. Styrofoam look like painted silver. Looks great.
Is the refer fan easy to get at?
Thanks Again,
Craig
f4mnect
Advanced Member
Those are a great installation, f4! *thumbsup* What size are they?
- Jack
- Jack
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Yes, just take off the exhaust vent cover that is held on with millions of screws and it's right behind there. The lower access is easy to get off - only 4 simple twist catches.
I think you'll want both covers off to wire in new fans.
Just so you'll know, f4mnect installed two fans INSIDE the refrigerator against the heat exchanging fins. I have one installed there too. I ran the wire powering it out through a drain hole in the refrigerator as I recall.
- Jack
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f4mnect
Advanced Member
HIGH SPEED 1600RPM :120 x 120 x 25 mm (73CFM) Current 12 volt 0.25A noise Level 30 dB
Thanks - looks great, and bet it works very well too.
- Jack
- Jack
Mine is an older refer..rm2453. I've had it all apart and can't find the fan. I've bought two computer fans to mount as you guys have. I see the red hot wire with the one amp fuse which I assume goes to the sensor first. Couldn't I snip the outgoing wire at
the sensor to kill the old fan and wire in my new fans there?
Thanks,
Craig
the sensor to kill the old fan and wire in my new fans there?
Thanks,
Craig
Sebagome - I think you have the lower access panel off if you are seeing the fuse and wire. The fan should be behind the upper metal vent that is held on by about 17 screws if I recall correctly. You want to put the new fan(s) where the old one was.
- Jack
- Jack
Usagi5678
Senior Member
Ref. fan
Our 1990 25ft. Classic never had a refrigerator fan. When our HiLo dealer put in a new one a fan still couldn't be added. We purchased a cheap cube style fan that is square and takes two D batteries. This sits inside on the shelf. DH rigged up coper wire that holds it together on the outside of the cube. When we had work done at J&R they removed our exterior ref. vent to add caulking. Once the exterior vent is removed it is junk according to J&R. He had a new one to give us.
Our 1990 25ft. Classic never had a refrigerator fan. When our HiLo dealer put in a new one a fan still couldn't be added. We purchased a cheap cube style fan that is square and takes two D batteries. This sits inside on the shelf. DH rigged up coper wire that holds it together on the outside of the cube. When we had work done at J&R they removed our exterior ref. vent to add caulking. Once the exterior vent is removed it is junk according to J&R. He had a new one to give us.
Appreciate the reply but I'm confused a bit. you and others have the new fans mounted blowing out the upper vent. Why will that not work for me? I plan on building a shroud and do the same. Why must they go where the old one was? If I leave the old fan will it hinder the flow? And also why can't I use the original fan feed wire to feed the new ones?
Yes, the new fan will blow out the upper vent, just like the old one did. I suppose you could mount the new fan in a different place, but where the old fan was is a convenient mounting position where the fans can be placed for good airflow. If the old fan is in the path of the airflow, it would certainly add some resistance, but possibly nothing significant. And yes, you would use the original fan feed wire to supply power to the new fans.
I don't know why J&R would have felt that removing the upper vent would ruin it. I've had mine off several times and it's easy to put back on. Maybe J&R bent it badly when they took it off? I've had no trouble removing and replacing the vent, other than cursing the millions of screws.
- Jack
I don't know why J&R would have felt that removing the upper vent would ruin it. I've had mine off several times and it's easy to put back on. Maybe J&R bent it badly when they took it off? I've had no trouble removing and replacing the vent, other than cursing the millions of screws.
- Jack
Jack,
I keep looking up under the bottom vent and all I see is tubing. No cover with 17 screws. I know this is an older unit so it may be different. I know there is a fan somewhere because when I turn it on it is terribly loud. Sounds like a bad bearing. Think I will fire the refer up and try and locate when the racket is coming from.
I keep looking up under the bottom vent and all I see is tubing. No cover with 17 screws. I know this is an older unit so it may be different. I know there is a fan somewhere because when I turn it on it is terribly loud. Sounds like a bad bearing. Think I will fire the refer up and try and locate when the racket is coming from.
f4mnect
Advanced Member
^^^ What he said! That's the one! It's metal with many rows of horizontal slits. It is NOT the one on the bottom. The fan should be behind the upper metal vent.
- Jack
- Jack
pjriss
Advanced Member
Hey Jack,
That vent appears to be sealed with butyl tape, at least on my 1908T. Do you scrape the old stuff off and put a strip of new on to seal it?
f4mnect
Advanced Member
That's what's I did then caulked outside
Sounds good to me. Mine has butyl tape between it and the side of the trailer. I think as long as it has complete coverage, the butyl tape would be sufficient. Caulk on the outside would be added insurance. It's not a part that is subject to heavy flexing and the metal vent is very light, so there's virtually no stress on the area where it meets the side.
- Jack
- Jack
f4mnect
Advanced Member
My issue is my 16 screws came out rusted and rotted
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