Fridge, heat wave and the awning

karlpeg
karlpeg Forum Participant Posts: 33
edited July 2018 in Caravans #1

We have just had a wonderful nine nights on a CL site in Gods own. Downside was the fridge freezer stopped chilling on the 3rd day. All was not lost as we had the electric cool box to keep the wine chilled down to something like. After a bit of research it was looking like the fridge needed to come out and be  turned upside down for a couple of hours. I decided to try the obvious and turn the appliance off for a day.
Hurrah, fridge and freezer came back to life. I can only put it down to the ambient temperature in the van and mainly under the awning where the grills are.

Comments

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2018 #2

    You can get 2 small fans that can be fitted to the back of a fridge to help the air circulate. When its high temps camping fridges can struggle especially if you have an awning up as well. 

    We are lucky in our MH as the fridge happens to be the best we have ever had in any leisure vehicle in 40 years. The one we have is a Dometic while we always had a Thetford in caravans. Don't know if that makes any difference or not, will find out soon when we go back to a caravan and a Thetford fridge. 

    A tip we found out was not to turn the fridge to its coldest setting, sounds daft I know but it works we have been in 42c temps last year and the fridge had no problems at just half way round the dial, we don't have fans fitted either.

  • hitchglitch
    hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2018 #3

    We have a Thetford in our two year old motorhome and it performs exceptionally well in temperatures of 35 deg. C. I think there has been a step change improvement in design recently.

    Fridge fans will help a bit but not a massive amount. I fitted two computer fans to a Bailey Unicorn.

  • karlpeg
    karlpeg Forum Participant Posts: 33
    edited July 2018 #4

    Hi thanks for the replies. Our fridge freezer is a Dometic. I was thinking about fitting a couple of fans as electrical connections are behind the lower grill with plenty of room for a couple of 12volt fans. Looking back we did have the fridge rather rammed with a weeks worth of food and the temperature was on full wack.  

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2018 #5

    Thanks  for that H, our new caravan has a Thetford fridge in it, hope it better than the one we had 6 years ago. 

  • ocsid
    ocsid Forum Participant Posts: 1,395
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2018 #6

    For what amount of work is involved I would remove both the upper and lower vents whist it remains so hot and dry.

    That will reduce the restriction they and their built in fly screens cause, to the needed free circulation of cooling air.

    If the fridge vents into an awning then ensure that is well ventilated, particularly at the upper level.

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