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Subject Topic: Fridge not coping with heat . Post Reply Post New Topic
Personnora
via mobile 12/8/2024 at 7:43pm
 Location:  Whitchurch shrops
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I am going to have to dump a lot of food due to our fridge not coping . I’m going to try it on gas not sure if it will help
Any advice please ?


Personmarg6
12/8/2024 at 8:22pm
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i dont know what your caravan is like, but if its like ours then the cupboards next to it have a gap at the back, can you get some sort of fan heater on just the fan setting to blow behind and get the heat to go out the grills?

in the mean time, rather than dump a load of food get a bag of ice and put that inside the fridge


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Personnora
via mobile 12/8/2024 at 9:37pm
 Location:  Whitchurch shrops
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Good idea thank you


PersonAncient Uncle
via mobile 12/8/2024 at 11:53pm
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Couple of years ago, I bought a 12volt computer cooling fan from ebay, made a couple of brackets and installed it behind the fridge (through the outside vent) and installed a switch inside a cupboard.

Now, when the outside temperature gets too much, I just switch on the fan. It forces air over the cooling fins and works a treat. Cost me less than £20.

Alternatively, you can buy various kits for the job which also include a thermostat to make switching automatic.

If anyone wants to try the diy method, I will happily post some photos as a guide.


PersonGeorge-Mildred
13/8/2024 at 7:12am
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Hi, as well as the other good suggestions, I would try it on gas first before throwing away food. They normally work better on gas than EHU.

What setting are you on? we tend to run at 3 (halfway ish) as for some reason I was told they run better there than being put on full at 5, don't ask me why, doesn't seem to make sense, but always worked for us.


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Personnora
via mobile 13/8/2024 at 8:09am
 Location:  Whitchurch shrops
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Thank you everyone I put it on gas now . The fridge is cooler but freezer not freezing at all . I always keep ice blocks in the freezer as a stand by and to use when returning home . I know it’s been unbearably hot so I will wait and see . Also put it back on electric when the weather cools down . I have it on the highest setting which normally is much to cold .


PersonPickled Onion
13/8/2024 at 1:15pm
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Caravan fridges work differently from domestic ones at home. They are silent as they have no moving parts and cheaper to make but they have a big drawback in summer, they can only cool to somewhere close to 20 degrees below anbient temperature. Fine until the temperature at the fridge goes above say, 24 degrees, (and remenber the heat it is getting rid of is warming the back of the fridge, so cooling fans are the cheapest option to get the heat out and cooler air in as fast as possible.

As already said, 12 volt DC computer fans often fit the bill and can be used manually or for a bit more sophiistication a thermostat or control box. Don't buy the kits, they are horrendously expensive (like everything leisure related) and parts can be obtained easily, so with a little DIY skills you will be pleased with the results.

For anyone going to the south of France or Spain however, my advise is to invest in a small compressor fridge as absorbsion fridges deffinately have their limitations.

Dave.

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Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day,
Teach a man to fish and you can get rid of him for a whole weekend.


PersonSHANTY SINGER
via mobile 13/8/2024 at 4:05pm
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I've fitted two computer fans and a switch on the front of my van fridge. One to pull air in and the other to extract warm out. Works great in super hot weather. Quite a easy job.


Personnavver
13/8/2024 at 7:34pm
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I seem to remember seeing some vans with fridge vents which can be closed, presumably for winter use,

Maybe worth checking that doesn't apply to yours.


Person664DaveS
via mobile 13/8/2024 at 8:50pm
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The winter covers usually clip on.

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DS-There's more to life than football!!!


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Personnora
via mobile 13/8/2024 at 9:15pm
 Location:  Whitchurch shrops
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No winter covers . We have never had a problem before I always freeze ice packs that I can transfer into the fridge if needed. And I don’t normally carry much food . I was trying to avoid shopping for a few days . I think the fan sounds a way forward .
Thank you every one it is cooler today but fridge is still recovering .


PersonColin21
13/8/2024 at 9:56pm
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Someone installed a domestic fridge in our caravan and it works great. Obviously it won't work on gas though.


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Best Regards,
Colin


Persontango55
14/8/2024 at 12:02am
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I read a few years ago the facts regarding the effective function of a caravan fridge. When operated by means of 240 volt mains, the fridge should work effectively with outside temperatures reaching up to about 28 degrees celcius. Once the outside temperature reaches above this figure then the fridge will struggle to cope so the solution is to switch the fridge over to gas which will keep the fridge colder. However, one important factor to take into consideration is that if the fridge vents are on the same side as the entrance door and you have an awning erected then this will severely reduce the amount of air entering the vents so you need plenty of air circulation for the fridge to operate effectively even on gas. In terms of winter caravanning, when the outside temperature drops to 8 degrees celcius the fridge will effectively start to over-cool which the advice then is to clip detachable external fridge vent covers to the existing ones which will make the fridge perform more effectively during the colder season.



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