Outside venting for a 12 volt CF110 compression frig

[Smokecreek1]

Here is my required stupid question of the year ! As some of you know I replaced my old 3-way frig with a Dometic CF110 and went solar (with all the whistles and bells like extra batteries, new solar panels and 30 amp comp) on my 05 Granby earlier this year. Okay, I've learned how to use this setup and all works well, so here is the stupid question? A couple of months ago I was camped up in the high country on the Modoc NF and storm came in and I was parked just right or wrong and the wind came in thru the outside 3 way frig panels behind the new frig , then under and around the small spaces around the frig/freezer and into the back of the FWC (not a gentle gust but a Norther in intensity). Once I figured out where the wind was coming from, I blocked the spaces around the frig as best as i could and the rear of the camper warmed up! I use my set up allot and this is the only time this has happened since I went solar.

So here is the question-everything I have read about compression frig's says that they don't require outside venting, so can anyone think of a reason why I should not just block up the old outside vents/panel to stop the wind from coming in? Doing it this way is so much easier than trying to close all the openings around the frig or trying to change the position of the frig itself (it was put in my a lic. dealer); or maybe I could just leave it as is and hope I never get hit by a Norther again ! I use my FWC year round so I really don't want to be out in NW Nevada or the Sierras in January and have this happen again . Any comments!

Smoke

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Smoke, my opinion... seal the small openings in the cabinetry. Your refer will perform better with the outside vents intact.

 

[MarkBC]

You need a vent to the outside because you need somewhere for the heat (the heat extracted from inside the frige) to dissipate.
If you don't vent the hot air then the heat transfer from the heat exchanger to the air will be slower because the difference in temperature between the exchanger and the air will be less. The compressor will have to work harder/longer to pump heat out of the fridge.

I have the same situation -- not a good seal around my fridge, so cold air sometimes blows in. And the solution (if/when I do it) will be to seal around the front edge of the fridge, not block the vent in the camper wall.

 

[longhorn1]

Smoke, I have the 80L compressor fridge and FWC installed 2 vents, one high and one low so I assume this was done for a reason, but beyond that I couldn't give a reason. John

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Wander The West mobile app

 

[Alley-Kat]

Your statement... " I have read about compression frig's says that they don't require outside venting" sort of depends on which type of compressor fridge you have... 1) a portable unit that can be used in any vehicle, at any time, or 2) a non-portable (built-in type) of unit (pretty much stays where it is mounted).

If your Dometic CF110 is the portable unit (a top opening unit), there are plenty of guys here that own similar units and just have it sitting with a fair amount of space around the exterior of the portable fridge in a cabinet or on the floor. In those cases the portable fridge has venting that can be to the inside of the camper and the exterior "old 3-way" vents can be covered up with a nice piece of aluminium, sealing the edges of course.

If your Dometic CF110 is a non-portable unit (built-in type, front opening door), venting to the outside is preferred, and thus it would be better to seal around the interior fridge edges of the cabinet it is mounted in.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In a previous incarnation of the interior of my camper I had two built in top loading fridge units that each had a re-positional compressor which I mounted under the fridges and vented to the inside of the camper. These were "top of the line marine style fridges" and they worked great, I could barely hear the fan or compressor motor at night, and they each used only 0.8 amps per hour after the initial start process to achieve the cool down temperature of 35 degrees F. They were not working extra hard. So, venting to the inside can be done on built in compressor fridges. It is just not a common thing on most built in compressor fridges.

Here's the two top loading built in fridges.

And, the vent area for each fridge is just above the floor, see the horizontal grey rectangles of perforated aluminium the same width as the fridge tops?

 

[longhorn1]

Smoke,

Go to the post with removing and installing kayak/canoes and one of the last posts is a picture of a Hawk with compressor fridge. Zoom in and you will see the 2 vents

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Wander The West mobile app

 

[billharr]

I put just the top vent in my Hawk build with a CR 65 fridge. I have read of campers who have put foam under the fridge to stop the draft, I feel it when it is cold out. I do plan on stuffing some foam under my fridge. You do need to get the heat away from the coils. I have seen one on line where the owner but a divider that directed the air coming in to the coils and the fan took it out. I did install a fan that runs when the fridge runs. Works for me see pic below.

 

[Smokecreek1]

Thanks guys! I was starting to seal up the spaces around the frig and got lazy and started to google if there was an easier way and one answer lead to another -so figured it was time for my stupid question to WTW-where all the answers are ! It's a small world- I seem to remember talking to Mark about his set up when we were up at the Steens several years ago and last summer how that 3way frig accident I had when I was camping with Steve up on the Sheldon sort of started my hurried change over to solar! Yep, it's a built in type and not a top opener-so many things to learn to be a good WTWer- and yes, I looked at allot of on line photo's here and at the FWC site trying to see a 05 Granby with the vent to compare to a new one that had a compression frig in it! Figured someone must have had a new pop-up with/wo vents and a compression frig. So again thanks---now back to sealing those spaces-what do hey say, do it right the first time so I can keep on WTWing!

Smoke

 

[PaulT]

Venting has two meanings in this context.
1. Removal of heat from fridge compartment as result of fridge's heat pump to reduce the temperature surrounding the fridge box.
2. Three way venting to remove products of combustion from inside the fridge compartment to outside air.

The first venting improves fridge efficiency. The second makes the inside of the camper safer for occupant survival.

My 2 cents
Paul

 

[MarkBC]

In this context "12 volt...compression fridge", there's only the need to vent the heat -- no combustion products from a compressor fridge.

 

[Basin Deranged]

As long as you have good interior vents below and above the fridge to allow good air flow I see no reason for exterior venting unless you are in the habit of leaving your camper in full sun on hot days with all the windows and vents closed, in which case a high vent to let out the small amount of hot air created by the compressor is not nearly as important as a low vent to allow in cooler outside air.

 

[MarkBC]

The fridge mounting in my FWC Hawk (2005) (and similarly for Smokecreek, I believe) has no venting to exchange air with the interior space of the camper. It's designed to vent to, exchange air with, the outside.
It's just random/accidental air leaks between the fridge and the frame/cabinet that let in the unwanted cold when it's windy outside.
Maybe different brands or years of camper are designed differently....

 

[Smokecreek1]

You need a vent to the outside because you need somewhere for the heat (the heat extracted from inside the frige) to dissipate.
If you don't vent the hot air then the heat transfer from the heat exchanger to the air will be slower because the difference in temperature between the exchanger and the air will be less. The compressor will have to work harder/longer to pump heat out of the fridge.

I have the same situation -- not a good seal around my fridge, so cold air sometimes blows in. And the solution (if/when I do it) will be to seal around the front edge of the fridge, not block the vent in the camper wall.

Well Mark, spent the day-in the sun-filling in the spaces around the frig! Also added tape and filler to my repair kit to get ready for that test that will happen this Fall or Winter-maybe it will work !

Smoke

 

[MarkBC]

Well Mark, spent the day-in the sun-filling in the spaces around the frig! Also added tape and filler to my repair kit to get ready for that test that will happen this Fall or Winter-maybe it will work !

Smoke

Well, Smoke, projects like that are a good way for a guy to stay out of trouble. Something about "Idle hands..."

As I said, I have the same issue...but I haven't yet done anything to seal around the fridge. The way I see it, that extra outside-air venting in winter gives me a bigger safety margin against carbon monoxide poisoning when I'm running my catalytic heater.

 

[cdbrow1]

Your statement... " I have read about compression frig's says that they don't require outside venting" sort of depends on which type of compressor fridge you have... 1) a portable unit that can be used in any vehicle, at any time, or 2) a non-portable (built-in type) of unit (pretty much stays where it is mounted).

If your Dometic CF110 is the portable unit (a top opening unit), there are plenty of guys here that own similar units and just have it sitting with a fair amount of space around the exterior of the portable fridge in a cabinet or on the floor. In those cases the portable fridge has venting that can be to the inside of the camper and the exterior "old 3-way" vents can be covered up with a nice piece of aluminium, sealing the edges of course.

If your Dometic CF110 is a non-portable unit (built-in type, front opening door), venting to the outside is preferred, and thus it would be better to seal around the interior fridge edges of the cabinet it is mounted in.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In a previous incarnation of the interior of my camper I had two built in top loading fridge units that each had a re-positional compressor which I mounted under the fridges and vented to the inside of the camper. These were "top of the line marine style fridges" and they worked great, I could barely hear the fan or compressor motor at night, and they each used only 0.8 amps per hour after the initial start process to achieve the cool down temperature of 35 degrees F. They were not working extra hard. So, venting to the inside can be done on built in compressor fridges. It is just not a common thing on most built in compressor fridges.

Here's the two top loading built in fridges.

And, the vent area for each fridge is just above the floor, see the horizontal grey rectangles of perforated aluminium the same width as the fridge tops?

Oh that is just beautiful. I wish the factory offered that setup.

 

[LookyLou]

Originally my 2012 Grandby was delivered without vents for the 110L compressor fridge. It wasn't until the summer about 7 months later that I realized there was a venting issue because the fridge kept running in high ambient temperature conditions. The FWC solution was to add a top and bottom exterior vent and seal around the rear of the fridge. This is how they are delivered today.

John

 

[Timothy McGowen]

Here is my required stupid question of the year !

What? We only get one? I better save mine.

 

[ski3pin]

What? We only get one? I better save mine.

Around these parts we all get as many stupid questions as we want or need without limit.