Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

 
 
 
 
 
 
kabundi
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Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 19.06.2018  ·  #1
We usually travel to the continent each summer. On several occasions we have found that the fridge does not cool as well as we would like.

I have just fitted a cooling booster fan to force air over the cooling tubes at the back of the fridge.

The following photos show the installation on a Dometic RM8505 fridge/freezer,

1. 12volt DC picked up from the back of the fridge. This view is with the bottom external grill removed.



All of the following views are with the top external grill removed.

2. 12volt connections showing the 12volt DC 'mains', switch wire from the On/Off switch and the fan connections.



3. Temperature sensing device attached above the radiator fins at the back of the fridge.



4 Fan clipped to the rear of the top grill using cable ties



5. On/Off switch illuminated



6. External view of the top grill with fan fitted behind. Using clear cable ties, the ties are virtually invisible.



Overall the installation took less than a half day to complete. The fan and switch cost about £10. The most difficult part was finding a cable route to the On/Off switch.

Note that the fan is intended for a computer and is supplied with a 3 core cable and a plug. Cut off the plug. It is essential to connect it correctly. The black core is GND, the yellow core is +12Volts DC (from the On/Off switch). The green(blue?) cable is not used and is cut off. Incorrect connection will damage the fan ( I have the teashirt).

When the switch is turned on at say 25C the fan runs at 300rpm provided the temperature sensed behind the fridge is under 30C. If the temperature is above 30C behind the fridge the fan speed is dependant on temperature up to 38C when the fan runs at full speed of 1350rpm.

I don't yet have any experience of the performance of the fan, however it has been recommended on other forums as being very effective in higher ambient conditions.


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 19.06.2018  ·  #2
Thanks for taking the time to give such a detailed discription of the work done


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 19.06.2018  ·  #3
Saw a van coming home from France on Saturday with the winter covers still on the fridge , that can't have been good for it


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 19.06.2018  ·  #4
Just reminded me have to take the winter covers off


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 19.06.2018  ·  #5
This exact setup has been on my to do list for some time Kabundi. I have a fan put aside for just this purpose and was planning to mount it on the top grill in the same way. I willl also try mount an air deflector (cardboard) to try restrict/ force air over the grills. Keep us posted on how it performs.


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 19.06.2018  ·  #6
Quote by eirebus

Saw a van coming home from France on Saturday with the winter covers still on the fridge , that can't have been good for it


AFAIK the winter covers should be off if the ambient is above 10C


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 20.06.2018  ·  #7
Or even 8 C but deffo not 24 C as were the temps where we were


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 21.06.2018  ·  #8
Just a small point about fitting these fans.
Make sure that the direction of the air flow is OUT through the top grill and not IN as this will oppose the natural convection set up by the hot air rising through the fridge condenser. The purpose of the fan is to aid the convection when the ambient temperature is so high that convection slows down, or stops, reducing the cooling effect of the fridge.


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 21.06.2018  ·  #9
I replaced the fan in the kitchen extractor with a computer fan at a fraction of the cost


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 21.06.2018  ·  #10
Quote by TommyS

I replaced the fan in the kitchen extractor with a computer fan at a fraction of the cost


Probably a lot quiter aswell?


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 21.06.2018  ·  #11
Excellent piece Colin...very helpful. Let us know how well it operates.


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 22.06.2018  ·  #12
The artic camper fans are great and I've used them for around 7 years now. The 4 inch / 100mm work great.
If you take the installation one step further for just a few pounds you end up.with a temperature controlled automatic system that turns itself in and of plus you can tweak the fan start stop temps and range to suit the climate you are in.
Simply add in a controller 12v . They come with the thermocouple probe with you mount at upper vent the controller you mount in the camper.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0…2003333749



Pic above is my controller in the Hymer


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Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 10.08.2018  ·  #13
Quote by kabundi

We usually travel to the continent each summer. On several occasions we have found that the fridge does not cool as well as we would like.

I have just fitted a cooling booster fan to force air over the cooling tubes at the back of the fridge.

The following photos show the installation on a Dometic RM8505 fridge/freezer,

1. 12volt DC picked up from the back of the fridge. This view is with the bottom external grill removed.



All of the following views are with the top external grill removed.
.


Colin. T
The fridge vent grill you show your fan connected to what are the dimensions of it and what make is it?. I am looking for a large vent something around 400x300mm and yours looks quite big
Thanks.


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 11.08.2018  ·  #14
I've been playing with some cheap ebay purchases, with the same purpose in mind.
Would only work on sunny days obviously, but seems like it'd work fine.



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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 11.08.2018  ·  #15
Where would one put the Solar Panel though?


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 11.08.2018  ·  #16
On the roof Jack, Feed the wire to the back of the fridge


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 11.08.2018  ·  #17
I got a fan from back of an old computer,
Paired it withThis and so far it works a treat....keeps the fridge nice n cool

Side ways....sorry🤫
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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 11.08.2018  ·  #18
Quote by sprinter

Quote by kabundi

We usually travel to the continent each summer. On several occasions we have found that the fridge does not cool as well as we would like.

I have just fitted a cooling booster fan to force air over the cooling tubes at the back of the fridge.

The following photos show the installation on a Dometic RM8505 fridge/freezer,

1. 12volt DC picked up from the back of the fridge. This view is with the bottom external grill removed.

l

All of the following views are with the top external grill removed.
.


Colin. T
The fridge vent grill you show your fan connected to what are the dimensions of it and what make is it?. I am looking for a large vent something around 400x300mm and yours looks quite big
Thanks.


Dometic LS300, 519 x 278 overall on the external frame. Aperature probably about 10 mm all round smaller


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 12.09.2018  ·  #19
Hi was reading your thread about the cooling fan unfortunately can’t see any of the photos you put up this may because of the site going down would be greatful if you could upload the photos again thanks


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 18.09.2018  ·  #20
Quote by hillton9

Hi was reading your thread about the cooling fan unfortunately can’t see any of the photos you put up this may because of the site going down would be greatful if you could upload the photos again thanks


Tried to upload tonight without success. I'll have another go over next day or so


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 22.09.2018  ·  #21
Attached are the photos from the OP.

They may be in a different order but each is titled so should be self explanatory
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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 22.09.2018  ·  #22
I fitted a pair of these.
12cm 120mm 120x25mm DC 12V 3Pin Brushless PC Computer Case Cooling Fan 1800RPM. Also 25mm Car Round Dot Blue LED Light Rocker Toggle Switch 12V 25A and then one of these to control the lot. LCD 12/24/220V Digital LED Temperature Controller Thermostat Control Switch UK with the thermocouple sitting above the vents as indicated by Kabundi.
I glued the fans to the body on the inside of the vents ,and mounted the rest above the fridge [mmgr]158_6b6wcekr) at the same time I had to replace the analogue voltmeter
 
 


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 29.05.2019  ·  #23
What temperature would you recommend setting the thermostat control switch to??


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Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 29.05.2019  ·  #24
Quote by Elmo

What temperature would you recommend setting the thermostat control switch to??


As the fridge works great in Ireland, and I have checked the Tempt over the fins it read 37 deg, so I set it to try to keep the fin area, around the same as would be a really good day here 22/24 deg.the two fans are well able to bring it down to that, I tested it out, on one of the really good days last year.


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 30.05.2019  ·  #25
Quote by sprinter

Quote by Elmo

What temperature would you recommend setting the thermostat control switch to??


As the fridge works great in Ireland, and I have checked the Tempt over the fins it read 37 deg, so I set it to try to keep the fin area, around the same as would be a really good day here 22/24 deg.the two fans are well able to bring it down to that, I tested it out, on one of the really good days last year.


Thats great, thanks.


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Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 30.05.2019  ·  #26
Quote by Elmo

Quote by sprinter

Quote by Elmo

What temperature would you recommend setting the thermostat control switch to??


As the fridge works great in Ireland, and I have checked the Tempt over the fins it read 37 deg, so I set it to try to keep the fin area, around the same as would be a really good day here 22/24 deg.the two fans are well able to bring it down to that, I tested it out, on one of the really good days last year.


Thats great, thanks.


I have the fridge on since yesterday on mains as we are heading out tomorrow so I checked it tonight without the fans switched on and the tempt was 43 degrees


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 30.05.2019  ·  #27
I have set mine to switch on at 40 Celsius and to switch off at 32 Celsius. It seems to work well at this, in Ireland anyway. I’ll no more in a week when I get to sunnier climes. Hopefully.


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Re: Fridge Booster Cooling Fan

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Posted: 04.06.2019  ·  #28
Quote by sprinter

Quote by Elmo

Quote by sprinter

Quote by Elmo

What temperature would you recommend setting the thermostat control switch to??


As the fridge works great in Ireland, and I have checked the Tempt over the fins it read 37 deg, so I set it to try to keep the fin area, around the same as would be a really good day here 22/24 deg.the two fans are well able to bring it down to that, I tested it out, on one of the really good days last year.


Thats great, thanks.


I have the fridge on since yesterday on mains as we are heading out tomorrow so I checked it tonight without the fans switched on and the tempt was 43 degrees


A lot higher that i thought it would be. thanks for the update. I have my fans and control finish and need to install and test next weekend. Thanks again.


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