Your RV refrigerator may need extra help on those hot summer days. A refrigerator fan may be exactly what you need!
Just to clarify a few things about the RV absorption refrigerator: The heat source—meaning the propane flame or the electrical heating element—is used to "elevate" the ammonia/water mixture to the top of the cooling unit. Thereafter, it is gravity and the physical change of state of the chemicals that does the rest of the cooling work.
The air flow across the back of the refrigerator is also gravity-controlled. Hot air rises and flows out the roof vent, while cooler air is drawn in through the bottom or side vent to replace it. This rising air collects heat from the evaporator fins as it passes by, effectively removing heat from the cooling unit.
Any assistance, especially in HOT weather, will help with this heat dissipation. A fan to move the air does not need to be large to achieve a higher efficiency. Additionally, adding sheet metal baffles to direct the moving air directly through the evaporator fins can be very effective.
Use a mirror to look up into the back of the refrigerator compartment. There should be a maximum of one inch of clearance between the evaporator coils and the facing wall. If the clearance is more than this, your refrigerator will benefit from the addition of baffles. It may be necessary to remove the refrigerator to install the baffles, but it is not a difficult task and can result in greatly improved cooling efficiency.
There are two primary kinds of fridge fans to consider:
Intended to circulate the air inside the fridge compartment to help maintain a uniform temperature throughout. These are usually self-powered and run on two D-cell batteries for days on end.
These are typically 12-volt, thermostatically controlled fans mounted in the exterior fridge vent. They ensure consistent air circulation over the condenser coils to improve cooling efficiency during hot weather.
I use one of the small battery-operated fans that sits on the shelf inside the fridge where it blows over the cooling fins. It helps circulate the air and keeps food—that might otherwise be farthest from the cold source—safely chilled. They are inexpensive and require no hardwired electrical connections.
I also highly recommend keeping a wireless digital refrigerator and freezer thermometer inside. By placing one sensor in the freezer and one in the fridge, a quick glance at the external display tells me exactly how the unit is performing. Most wireless units also feature an alarm you can set to warn you if temperatures start to rise.
Hope this gives you something to think about to keep your food safe and cold!
If you are looking to improve your fridge's efficiency, here is the gear mentioned in this article:
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