Fridge installation question

[KateLovesPurple]

I have fully read up and understand all the things I need to do to install my 3 way fridge but I am wondering if it is possible to put the lower air circulation vent in the floor rather than the side of the van. The top vent I intend to put in the worktop under the westy window, for 2 reasons, 1 - to not waste heat when it's cold outside, and 2 - so I can lose the heat through the louvred window if it is hot outside. I know you can let the fridge draw air under the front of itself but if the van is hot and closed up on a camp site, that is the very time it needs cold air from outside rather than recirculating the warmer inside air.

Anybody done this then? Or have any thoughts?

 

[sparkywig]

If it's a 3 way fridge the flue needs to be vented to the outside of the van otherwise it'll fill with carbon monoxide.

 

[KateLovesPurple]

I'm not talking about the flue, that will obviously be vented outside, I am talking about the air circulation vents, cold air in at the bottom, hot air out at the top.

 

[james_stan]

If it's a 'little' RM123/122 I wasnt aware that you needed an external lower vent.

IIRC they recommend a dump hole in case of leakage of fuel, about 2 inch dia (?).
Sure a lower vent wouldn't hurt provided it is baffled somehow to stop the wind blowing out the flame.

JS

 

[KateLovesPurple]

Having a lower vent enables a through flow of air to aid the removal of the heat generated at the back of the fridge and consequently improve it's performance. Have a look here it will probably explain better than I can write. You're right about the dump hole for gas leaks, it crossed my mind whether I could combine a lower vent through the floor with the gas dump to save cutting the side of the van more than I have to.

Just wondering whether anyone has done this before and whether it worked or not, or whether it really is needed in our "hot" summers. I guess it will be beneficial as a parked up and closed up van will get pretty hot inside and if it's only recirculating the internal air it will suffer. The last thing I want is to come back to warm beers!! :shock:

 

[the_troupster]

My plan is a hole in the floor for un-burnt gas (got to drill a hole for a waste water pipe soon too) and then have a small vent through the drivers bulk head panel and then fit/run a pipe out the drivers window when running on gas. I'm really not keen on cutting holes in the side or roof of my van...

I'm also fitting an extractor fan above the hob to also vent out of the drivers window. A small piece of perspex to fill the remaining gaps would stop any unwanted drafts.

Jim

 

[rob83]

On my RM 123 you can take the gas knob off under the door and then take the plate off behind the knob to reveal the lower vent and use the upper vent as you said. This is how i am going to run mine, the fridge will obviusly work better with colder air passing over the condensor coil but should work ok.

 

[KateLovesPurple]

Mines an RM212 with all the controls on top, with no vent under the front. It does sit on the floor slightly raised but not much.

After doing more googling I have finally found that it can be done through the floor. See here. So, my plan now is gas drop out hole under the fridge, flue through the side wall, lower vent through the floor with mesh and a closable hit and miss type panel for closing when not using the fridge, and in winter with an aluminium shield under the floor protecting the inside of the van from road water splashes when driving, the top vent in the top of the worktop under the louvred window as I said before.

The floor vent will be ducted to the bottom of the radiator assembly on the back of the fridge and to the outside wall of the fan like a sort of V to hopefully run any condensation out the vent rather than on the the floor. It should also shield the burner from being blown out by strong winds.

Well, that's the plan, no doubt things will change as I do it! :roll: