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Refrigerator condenser fan for hot weather

July 29, 2015, 09:28:00 pm

Those of you who own a coach that has been operated in a hot climate may have a little 12 volt DC condenser fan in the outdoor compartment of your refrigerator. It helps the refrigerator maintain a cold enough temperature for the food even in 119 degree outdoor temperatures, which mine experienced this summer in Aridzona. The fan was probably installed as an aftermarket add on because Dometic doesn't normally install them from the factory based on information I read on their website. The condenser fan is only useful in extremely high temperatures, so I only run mine when daytime highs are around 100+ degrees. Unfortunately my condenser fan experienced a few too many days like that and died... (sniffle) ...After a brief but heartfelt funeral I ordered a 200mm diameter computer fan that runs on 12 volt DC and turns less than 700 rpm but moves a lot of air due to its large diameter. I zip tied the big fan to the inside of the refrigerator's louvered outside door so it would pull in air from outside. It works a lot better than the condenser fan it replaced. The previous condenser fan was small, turned much faster, and was located inside the refrigerator compartment under the boiler and condenser. No doubt it was recirculating a lot of the air it was moving instead of pulling in fresh air from outside the louvered door. I immediately noticed my refrigerator was able to reach a satisfactorily cold temperature and shut itself down frequently. Without the condenser fan the refrigerator runs constantly and never gets the food cold enough to satisfy the thermostat, which of course means the evaporator never gets a chance to melt the frost, which gets thicker and thicker as a result. With the condenser fan running I can see the frost melting off the evaporator and running out the drain in the back of the refrigerator. The previous condenser fan is sold as a kit on the internet for $50 (cough) ...that's not a typo... but the computer fan was $15 total cost with shipping included. I reused the wiring and switch from the previous fan. Don't order a fan larger than 200mm unless you've measured and are sure it'll really fit... (it won't) ...and get the skinniest fan you can and the slowest rpm / lowest amperage motor. In reality the fan won't draw enough power from your battery to matter, but if you're like me you take stuff like that seriously anyway. The very low rpm computer fan is almost completely silent and makes no vibration that I can feel. Pay attention to the fan's direction and make sure you install the fan so it pulls outside air through the louvered door. If you order a computer fan with a ring around the outside of the blade connecting all the blade tips together like a big wheel you'll be able to leave the fan running while you're driving. The fan doesn't matter when you're driving but you might forget to turn it off before you start driving only to discover the fan blades stuck in the louvers and the motor locked up... Doh! ...and that's about everything I've learned about refrigerator condenser fans in 119 degree Aridzona... (pant, pant)... Hopefully this helps someone. I'm no longer at Lee's Ferry (Glen Canyon national recreation area) where the aforementioned 119 degree temperature was observed. I transferred to Bandelier national monument where it's much cooler... (ahhh)...

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Re: Refrigerator condenser fan for hot weather

Reply #1 – July 29, 2015, 10:40:18 pm

So Scott, where's the pictures of your location   

Larry

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Re: Refrigerator condenser fan for hot weather

Reply #2 – July 30, 2015, 08:02:53 am

I had a friend when I lived in AZ that had a T shirt of the devil at the gates of hell. It read "but it's a DRY heat"

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Re: Refrigerator condenser fan for hot weather

Reply #3 – July 30, 2015, 11:21:20 am

Here are photos of our new back of fridge fans, that we turn on in warm temps and leave on 24/7.  We have an on/off lighted switch inside the motorhome.  Fans are VERY quiet, and not expensive.

The row of smaller fans are attached together with cable ties and mounted facing up, just above the fridge vent opening.
We did not cut fan wires and wired a matching plug to 12-volt power.  So if a fan breaks the new one will be plug replaceable.

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Re: Refrigerator condenser fan for hot weather

Reply #4 – July 30, 2015, 01:08:36 pm

I would like to do the same thing on the roof vent opening for our residential refrig.  But I want to have a way to close the opening in the winter.  The opening is about 75% closed now with pink foam wrapped in aluminum foil tape. Cold air comes in during the winter.  It is not sealed around the fridge.

A clever solution will emerge with time.

Heading west to see Brad in the Big Sand Box and then on to the Pacific Ocean.

Roger

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Re: Refrigerator condenser fan for hot weather

Reply #5 – July 30, 2015, 01:32:50 pm

Larry,

Here's a photo of my previous location at Lees Ferry, which is on the edge of Glen Canyon NRA and Grand Canyon NP... and Vermilion Cliffs NM actually but nobody ever mentions that. I'm not there anymore and you shouldn't be either unless you like it really hot! I posted some photos in the "work camping in National Parks" thread also. Scroll down to the bottom of the last page and you'll see them.

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Re: Refrigerator condenser fan for hot weather

Reply #6 – July 30, 2015, 02:59:14 pm

These fans I see are on the or in the exhaust vent for the refrigerator.  I do not have these. Something I need to look into.  I do have fans on the fins inside the refrigerator to keep the frost off.  So I need more fans for the exhaust area.  Are these blowing in or out? 

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Re: Refrigerator condenser fan for hot weather

Reply #7 – July 30, 2015, 07:56:19 pm

Dometic's website says not to put the fan in the exhaust stack which goes up to the roof. Put the fan on the inside of the louvered door so it pulls air in from outside and hits the condenser. I don't use an evaporator fan inside the refrigerator but some people do. The condenser fan is only useful in very hot weather. You'll know when it's hot enough to turn on the condenser fan because the food won't be as cold as it was during cooler weather and frost will start to build up on the evaporator. When you turn the condenser fan on both of those symptoms will go away the next day.

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Re: Refrigerator condenser fan for hot weather

Reply #8 – July 31, 2015, 04:01:09 pm

Some more info on our back-of-fridge-fans described 5 postings earlier:

Two larger fans that are cable tie mounted to the inside of the grill move air from outside to the inside of the fridge compartment. Our intent is to pull air in from the side grill and out the top roof vent.

The set of small fans also 'assist' in moving the same air up & over the back of the fridge.

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