Installing Cooling Fan in Fridge Enclosure

jade46 · Senior Member

Installing Cooling Fan in Fridge Enclosure

CC Bear · Senior Member

Ordered a similiar one this afternoon will just have to wait. Wanted to do the temperatures and order the bit from the states so all gear arriving about the same time. No problems other work to do. Cheers

ST391GQ · Senior Member

I have a Jaycar brushless fan for my fridge....not sure what its model is ....but its the 5" (approx. ) one with the light blue blades. It came with the 3 wires ...and I wired it direct and correct polarity... chopped off the yellow one and it goes fine through a 50 deg. thermostat.

I also fitted two to my quad bike ...to replace the shagged originals...wired the same...and they work fine.

Cheers Keith

CC Bear · Senior Member

ST what type of thermostate did you use and where purchased. Cheers

ST391GQ · Senior Member

CC Bear wrote:
ST what type of thermostate did you use and where purchased. Cheers

Not sure what the code number for it is ....but is a round button style one from Jaycar. they come in 50 deg , 75, and 100....and has 2 blade terminals for quick hook up.

Being a puta numpty....cant work out how to load a link...so hoping someone who reads this can put a picky up for you.

Hope my description is enuff for you to go on hey.

Cheers Keith

jade46 · Senior Member

I think you probably mean this one www.jaycar.com.au/normally-open-thermostat-switch-50-degrees/p/ST3831

ST391GQ · Senior Member

jade46 wrote:
I think you probably mean this one www.jaycar.com.au/normally-open-thermostat-switch-50-degrees/p/ST3831

That's the one.

Thanks Jade.

Cheers Keith

CC Bear · Senior Member

How did you attach it to the pipe,

ST391GQ · Senior Member

CC Bear wrote:
How did you attach it to the pipe,

I didn't. I installed a bracket from the wall of cavity and suspended it above the whole works...about 25mm above. I aint a fan of tying things to pipes etc unless I know how thick the walls are. Being a dirt road van ..I figured even a slight movement over time may wear a hole...something not wanted really. Fan cycles quite well on warmish days....but if its bloody hot ...keeps going all the time ....and shuts off late at night when its cooler. Fridge goes like a rocket too.

Cheers Keith

CC Bear · Senior Member

Thanks Keith no problems there, suggest that if you can take a photo and post as a reference, could be handy for some who are not that handy.cheerd.

CC Bear · Senior Member

Has any one had trouple with their fridge after the fans are working. Below is a report back on the results of my set up i posted on another forum

Hylife I know you said to measure the temperature of the pipe but as the thermometer had not arrived I gave it ago. Will do full measurements when and if it gets here. This just to pass on my experience so far and an article worth reading. I also realise that our temperature and humidity is at the extreme for these fridges to be working efficently. The van is undercover but the fridge side does get the afternoon sun.

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Morning all another hot and humid day in this so called paradise.

Yesterday after my success with the instalation of the fans for the fridge cooling I reported that the fridge was running on 240v but not getting cold. Even the water bottle I leave in the freezer was no longer frozen and was warm. After checking that all 240v connections were right I took the vent covers of and disconnected the fans. I then shut the fridge down as the pipe work was still hot and then could start afresh to solve the problem.

As it was pushing towards 38c outside I finished work for my siesta and did some research on reasons why the fridge would be operating but not getting cold. Came across an interesting article from Capalaba Caravan Repairs in Brisbane this is the link.
http://www.capalabacaravanrepairs.com.a ... epairs.php

As my digital thermometer had not arrived I had used a 50c thermostat to control the fans as this appeared to be the norm. I was wrong and I wonder how many other people have had the same problem but not reported back. I have seen people's build where they use between 1 to 3 fans top and bottom and I have used 2 on each vent.

I may do a bit of experiment removing one fan from each vent and using a 90c thermostat to see what happens. This following line from the article needs to be remembered when the fridge operating.

" Even fans against the vents when not running are reducing airflow, and therefore efficiency, of the fridge."

I restarted the fridge so it could run overnight and when I rechecked the freezer this morning the water bottle was again frozen so there was no problem with the fridge just the efficency of the fans and not knowing certain facts about the operation of the fridge itself.

A useful experiment and a good lesson learnt I hope. At lest I learnt that the existing 12v wire is too small and needs replacing which was the next project on the list