Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2015 07:43:38 -0700
Reply-To: Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Subject: Re: Propane and refrigerator success
In-Reply-To: <CAFnDXk2QWy6sBH2UyeXm6GvQ0qq6DVYfVO6mBUXb1D0z5U4DAg@mail.gmail.com>
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Yes, but I'm thinking it is the localized cooling on the fins that the city water port mod improves. It's just helping the ammonia hydrogen cycle work a little better.
It's a relatively small amount of air being extracted, and it is of course the interior van air that is being drawn over the fins. It's been mentioned many times before just how daft the westy fridge set up is - using interior air to cool the fins.
I wonder if one could measure a difference in interior van temps with the mod working. I can't, when I camperised the syncro I didn't install a city water port. I only have the flue port.
But... What I have noticed is that I can reduce the amount of time the stock fin fan comes on if I am camped in the sun by shading that side of the van with one of those fabric reinforced space blankets, shiny Mylar side out and attached to van with magnets at top and at the bottom, rocks on the ground. Blanket angled out, being sure not to block the flue.
If the sun is beating down on the unprotected side of the van the fridge fan comes on very frequently.
Even with insulated van wall on that side the Mylar blanket helps.
Alistair
> On Jun 28, 2015, at 7:14 AM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> In fact, you could park in the shade so the sun would be less of a variable and measure the difference in the interior temps with the fan on and then off to see if it rises and if so by how much when you turn it off.
>
> Jim
>
>> On Sun, Jun 28, 2015 at 9:13 AM Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Right, I never think about it unless I'm camping and can't do anything about it, but if that little flame was to be outside the living space like it is on RV, by means of a louvered panel or something like what you have done, it would have to be somewhat cooler inside.
>>
>> Jim
>>
>>> On Sun, Jun 28, 2015 at 9:01 AM Alistair Bell <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:
>>> I wish I had done more testing back when I first put one in. I don't have a city water port on my van anymore so I can't install another fan and record some numbers.
>>>
>>> I think it has to have a good effect by removing more of that hot air from behind the fridge. Even if the van interior is warmed up by the sun, it doesn't get as hot as the back of the fridge.
>>>
>>> Alistair
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> On Jun 28, 2015, at 6:31 AM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I remember this mod from when you did it. Does it keep the interior of the fridge cooler (not so likely IMHO) or the interior of the van cooler (it almost has to--running the fridge inside the van is just the same as running a heater in there) or both, or neither?
>>>>
>>>> Jim
>>>>
>>>>> On Sun, Jun 28, 2015 at 8:28 AM Alistair Bell <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:
>>>>> "One little trick that has not been mentioned"
>>>>>
>>>>> Ha! wait, this isn't the joke thread.
>>>>>
>>>>> Some pics of my old city water port with fan here
>>>>>
>>>>> https://shufti.wordpress.com/2010/08/10/westy-city-water-port-fan-mod/
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Alistair
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> > On Jun 28, 2015, at 3:10 AM, Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM> wrote:
>>>>> >
>>>>> > There is one little trick that has not been mentioned here that will improve the efficiency of the fridge. Installing a fan in the side of the van that takes the heat from the fins behind the fridge and pumps it outside ! The original design has that small fan behind the fridge sucking fresh air from under the fridge, hence the space and grill at the booting the fridge, and pumping that heat up and out into the van through that grill work being the stove~sink top. Unless you have a good supply of fresh air, slide door open and the skylight wide open, the circulation is impeded especially on very hot days. I have found that by installing a fan in the place of the fresh water hook up, which BTW happens to be right in line with the rear fins of the fridge, running that fan improves the operation of the fridge by a large margin. I have even found that while in Mexico on our winter hiatus, that running that fan all day, even while driving, keeps the fridge at proper cooling for all foods. How I did this was to cut the back side of the city water outlet to accommodate a 4” computer fan and fit a small micro switch so that if the flap were closed the fan would not run, the flap can be held open with a small prop or if needing it run continually while driving, remove the door altogether. I took power for this fan from the power source at the LED light indicator panel on the front of the stove~sink cabinet and also installed a small push button switch next to the LED light panel to control the fan if the door was taken off. This has proven time and again to be the biggest improvement in keeping the fridge operating successfully in hot weather.
>>>>> >
>>>>> >
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