Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2007 12:48:49 -0700
Reply-To: Keith Ovregaard <kovregaard@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Keith Ovregaard <kovregaard@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Dometic Fridge Mod Update
In-Reply-To: <062820071929.20052.46840C0A0002E8CD00004E542200763704979A09019B0E0D9A9D@comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Thanks Todd
Good point about the door seal. I will check that out. Yes, there is a
fan on top of the heat sink inside. Not sure if adding more heat sink
would make much difference.
On Jun 28, 2007, at 12:29 PM, rubatoguy@comcast.net wrote:
> Did you check sealing around the door?
> I've always felt that the door set-up with the Dometic fridge was a
> design which would allow lots of cooling losses because of bed
> sealing.
>
> Also, did you add a fan inside the fridge to blow air over the heat
> sink on the inside?
> Have you considered adding extra mass on the inside heat sink (maybe
> adding some computer CPU heat sinks)
>
>
> Todd
> '88 Westy
>
>
> -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: Keith Ovregaard <kovregaard@COMCAST.NET>
>> For those of you interested in the results so far on the mods I did to
>> the fridge...
>>
>> Problem:
>> Not cold enough during warm daytime temps, would not start on LP very
>> easily, fan in the back was not working at all, lots of heat coming
>> from the vent in back of the stovetop heating up the van too much.
>>
>> Mods done:
>> Added 4 fans (one exhausts hot air out the
>> what-used-to-be-city-water-inlet, two are cooling the fins in back of
>> the fridge and one circulates inside air), cleaned burn chamber,
>> cleaned orifice, blew out intake/exhaust/drain tubes, added check
>> valve
>> to pump, reamed out pump outlet, added extra pump inlet hole, wrapped
>> intake and exhaust flues and burn chamber with fiberglass insulation,
>> added foil-backed foam insulation to back, bottom and sides (had to
>> remove it from one side to fit), replaced thermal mastic with Radio
>> Shack silicone-based heat sink compound, insulated area in back of
>> cabinets with 2 layers of foil bubble insulation.
>>
>> Enough already!
>>
>> Results:
>> Disappointing:-(
>> After re-installing the fridge, I turned on the AC mode, the temp
>> control to maximum cooling and let it chill down over night. It is
>> empty for this test. This morning the temp inside the fridge was 28°F.
>> Outside temp was 65. So, a 37° differential. I switched to LP mode.
>> Started right up! Just as before, I could hear the flame very clearly
>> at the flue. Right now, the temp inside the fridge is almost 41 and
>> outside is 75, a 34° differential. The exhaust fans are doing an
>> amazing job of cooling and almost NO warm air is coming out of the
>> vents behind the stovetop or to the left of the cabinet. I can feel
>> cool air going into the area under the fridge and warm air coming out
>> of the new exhaust port outside the van. Ventilation is working fine.
>>
>> Question is, why is this thing not working any better with all of
>> these
>> "improvements"!
>>
>> Any suggestions? Roger? Anyone?
>>
> Keith O
>
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