Date:         Thu, 4 Jun 2009 16:24:44 -0700
Reply-To:     Keith Hughes <keithahughes@Q.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Keith Hughes <keithahughes@Q.COM>
Subject:      Re: Dometic Frig - Realistic Cooling
In-Reply-To:  <BAY0-PAMC1-F1FgVMPP0000bb0e@bay0-pamc1-f1.bay0.hotmail.com>
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> Date:    Thu, 4 Jun 2009 16:52:12 -0500
> From:    Deke Rivers <dekeriv@BELLSOUTH.NET>
> Subject: Re: Dometic Frig - Realistic Cooling
>
> I have seen numerous comments over the years about adding new fans to
> promote better air movement around the condenser.  All have been cpu =
> type
> fans.  Has anyone ever put in a blower-type fan that would pull in the =
> air
> from the side and direct it out the top?  It seems to me this might be =
> more
> efficient since it would not just move the air but actually direct it
> towards the top and out from behind the frig.
>
> Deke
>
In my install, I added a second fan below the condenser, blowing upward
across the condenser toward the vents at the top.  I wired it in
parallel with the existing fan (thermostatically controlled), and in
parallel with two CPU fans for the interior.  All the fans now go
through a rocker switch installed in the vent grill on the rear of the
cabinet.  When parking in the sun here, the interior of the van
routinely spends most of the day at >140F, so the fan was running all
day long and running the battery down.  Now I turn them off when not in
use (condenser fans still controlled by the t-stat when the switch is
on, the CPU fans run continously).  For the interior, I cut and bent
1/8" plexiglass to form a shroud around the cooling fins, and mounted
the two CPU fans on cutouts on the top of the shroud, blowing downward
across the fins.  Gained about 5-10 degF delta-t after these mods.

Keith Hughes
'86 Westy Tiico (Marvin)