| When the temperature gets hot out, your RV | | | | this mod. It is recommended that you use one of the |
| refrigerator can struggle to keep it's temperature | | | | permanent-mount types as the battery-powered kind |
| cool enough to avoid food spoilage and to keep your | | | | can require frequent replacement of the batteries, |
| beer at the perfect drinking chilliness. There are | | | | especially if you forget to turn the fan off when not |
| several factors that contribute to refrigerator | | | | using it. Some use computer fans that are 3 to |
| efficiency, such as the sun beating down on the | | | | 4″ in diameter. These require little power and |
| refrigerator side of your RV, or a dirty gas burner | | | | move a surprising amount of air. |
| creating a poor heating flame. Even the levelness of | | | | A thermostatically-controlled fan however, is the best |
| your RV can cause inefficiency over time. One of the | | | | way to install a refrigerator ventilation fan. These are |
| simplest and most effective mods that can be made | | | | permanently mounted and have a thermostat that |
| is to improve the ventilation at the back of the | | | | provides power to the fan when the ambient air |
| refrigerator by using a fan to direct air up and out of | | | | temperature reaches some set point. Different |
| the refrigerator vent column. | | | | temperature set points are available with the most |
| An RV refrigerator is not like a residential unit. It uses | | | | common switching at 80°F. A switch can also be |
| a heat absorption system rather than an electric | | | | wired in to the fan's power supply so that you have |
| compressor, condenser, and evaporator, as a | | | | control over when the fan is on. |
| residential refrigerator does. Heat absorption requires | | | | There is some debate as to where the most |
| removing the heat from the absorption unit via | | | | effective place to install the vent fan. Camco, for |
| chemicals and air circulation. This is accomplished by | | | | example, has a solar powered fan and refrigerator |
| convection or draft. A narrow space behind the | | | | roof vent combination. This puts the fan at the top |
| refrigerator allows cooler air to be drawn in to the | | | | of the vent stack, pulling air through the lower vent |
| space at the bottom of the unit. The air rises and | | | | and up through the roof vent. Still others mount the |
| passes over the heat absorption unit fins, and out of | | | | fan at the bottom of the vent stack, right at the |
| the vent on the roof above the unit. | | | | lower vent. This position pushes air up through the |
| Some refrigerator installations actually prevent this | | | | stack. Both have been found to work equally as well |
| convection action to work. In a typical RV installation, | | | | so the choice is your on which way to go. Either |
| a dead air space can exist directly above the | | | | way, using a vent fan will ensure a cold beer on a |
| refrigerator. This space can trap warm air and | | | | hot day. |
| drastically reduce the draft effect. This reduction in | | | | Tip: Try to park your RV where the refrigerator side |
| draft is why you should do the refrigerator cooling | | | | of the RV will be in the shade as much as possible. |
| fan mod. While not a cure all for a poor refrigerator | | | | This will help reduce temperatures inside the |
| installation, a fan can dramatically improve refrigerator | | | | refrigerator vent column dramatically. If shade is |
| cooling performance. | | | | unavailable and your refrigerator is on the curb side, |
| There are several fan types that can be used for | | | | use the awning to provide shade. |