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  1. #21
    Tucsontraveler
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    Atwood refrigerator noise and cooling

    I just have to say that Bill Fenech is wonderful. Turns out that we had a defective part that wouldn't allow us to continue dealing with the fan noise. Bill got us the part in time for us to take our vacation. Bill is genuinely interested in improving our enjoyment of the 5th wheel. We have solved the high pitched noise problem by going to a computer store and buying a larger fan---in fact they used cable ties and put 3 fans together. Instead of the smaller 92 mm fan we got 3 120mm fans. The larger the fan the less noise it makes. My husband had to remove a backer board to get into the space on the outside of the slide. This wasn't easy (I told Bill Fenech that they should allow more room and better access to a part that will probably need replacing every so often) but if you are handy you can mounted the fans with just enough clearance to close up the panel. Click image for larger version. 

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ID:	1055 Hope these pictures help. Make sure you don't buy cheap fans. These 3 fans including wiring them together cost $42.00 out the door. As are as keeping temp. We travel the west coast and have high temps. The freezer stays cold---the body of the frig. when we are on propane hovers close and sometimes enters the danger zone. To solve this we are going to buy some dry ice and try using it on our next trip. I'll keep you posted.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails P1160631.jpg   P1160633.jpg  

  2. #22
    Seasoned Camper
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    This weekend camping our frig died. Would not work on Electric or propane. All I got was the door panel switches working. Lost a lot of our food we brought with us. Bringing it in to the dealer next week. We picked up our new 303 on July 11th of this year. Seems frig problems are pretty common on the GD's. Maybe it's these new Helium refrigerators.

  3. #23
    Setting Up Camp
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    I too have been concerned about the humming noise. I am in an RV park and met a certified Atwood technician that was hear working on another rig. I asked him about my refrigerator, and it was news to him that Atwood was now making one. He came to look at my 303RLS refrigerator and said what I read here. It is functioning correctly, and the noise is the fan and is noiser due to being located in a slide and harder to insulate for noise. I would be interested in more specific info about the computer fan fix and exactly how to get to the fan location....pictures of the newly installed fans in place. Thanks

  4. #24
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    I would like to revive this dormant discussion . . .
    I get that the fan hum is "normal" per Atwood and Grand Design for fridges in slides, but there has to be a way to improve this.
    Our fridge is cooling properly and probably not any noisier than it has always been . . . but this fan hum is getting to me. Probably because we are in the quietest park we have ever camped in .

    Can anyone walk me through how to get to this fan ? Can I pull the baffle board inside the upper outside vent cover to find it ?
    Or does the fridge have to be pulled from the inside ?

    Thanks in advance . . .
    Rob
    Cate & Rob
    2015 Reflection 303RLS

  5. #25
    Seasoned Camper CManley's Avatar
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    Rob,

    The fan is In between the two vent covers. I looked at adding another fan in the same location and would have to pull the refrigerator to get to it. I did see that there are quieter computer fans available however not sure about the CFM or connection over what was provided.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    The mountains are calling and I must go" John Muir

    Chuck
    2015 Reflection 303 RLS
    2005 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD Duramax
    Elk Grove, Ca


    http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...psotab2qdx.jpg

  6. #26
    Tucsontraveler
    Guest
    Hi, We have replaced our fan and are much happier. I would be happy to have my husband discuss it with you. You don't have to take the frig out---but it is difficult to get to the existing fan because the design is terrible. You have to squeeze your hands inside once you cut out the panel. Don't do anything until you talk to my husband. Send a private message with your phone number and we will contact you to discuss. It made all the difference in the world---before there was a constant buzzing hum that drove me crazy---now even at night when all is quiet the frig doesn't keep me up.

    Miriam and jim

  7. #27
    Long Hauler
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    We had a little accident, and our Atwood fridge was replaced by our insurance company. Our local RV refrigerator repair shop suggested I replace it with a Dometic unit. I found removing the faceplate screws and unhooking the propane and wiring on the Atwood a breeze. And it just slid straight out.

    Because the fridge is in a 323BHS kitchen slide, I had to shell out an additional $85 for a Dometic fan with mounting brackets and a thermister (thermostat). The fans don't even come on unless it gets 100 degrees or more in the space.

    I found out that when a Dometic fridge with the Dometic fan (on back) is installed, the fridge is 1" thicker than the space provided. I had to pull the Dometic fridge back out and cut a notch in the back wall and insulation (for the fan). That's no big deal, but a little bit of hassle.

    RV fridges installed in slides also have a chimney that funnels the heat going up out the top plastic vent. Grand Design installed one on my Atwood, but I'm having to slightly modify it for the Dometic--putting in a 5" x 25" plywood piece. No big deal.

    You can certainly mount in any 12 volt computer fan on the back of a slide refrigerator facing up. But it's got to have the thermister to make it cut on and off per the temperature. You don't want it to run unless the cavity gets too hot. And it's just not that hard to pull RV fridges out for service--other than an 8-9 cubic ft. unit weighing 100 lbs. Now, I've got to figure out what to do with a 9 cubic ft. Atwood fridge with the paint slightly cracked in the freezer.

  8. #28
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bamaman View Post
    I found removing the faceplate screws and unhooking the propane and wiring on the Atwood a breeze. And it just slid straight out.
    Hey Bahaman . . . you just answered the question I was about to ask !

    Following Jim's advice (Tucsontraveler) I was looking at cutting away part of the plywood baffle that covers the lower 2/3 of the upper outside access cover, as he did, to get to the fan . . . but began to wonder . . . how difficult can it be to pull the fridge ? , which must be a relatively standard service requirement. The Atwood does not appear to have a temperature controlled fan, it seems to come on every time the fridge does, regardless of temperature. So, as Jim did, I will plan to power quieter fans from the OE circuit that powers the original noisy fan. Thanks for the first hand advice on ease of removal of the Atwood.

    Rob
    Cate & Rob
    2015 Reflection 303RLS

  9. #29
    Seasoned Camper CManley's Avatar
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    Rob,
    The fan on our fridge does have a thermistor, it cycles off and on. If only if stayed it could stay cool.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    The mountains are calling and I must go" John Muir

    Chuck
    2015 Reflection 303 RLS
    2005 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD Duramax
    Elk Grove, Ca


    http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...psotab2qdx.jpg

  10. #30
    Long Hauler
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    To deal with the fan, you've got to remove the refrigerator. The fan is held by 3 screws into a bracket that's permanently mounted to the back of the fridge.
    To pull the fridge, you unplug the 110 volt wire, unscrew and remove two 12 volt wires and disconnect the gas line (after turning off your tank valves.)
    Open the freezer and there are two screws in the wooden face frame above you remove. Open the fridge door and there are two screws going into the wooden face frame below that you remove.
    Then just slide it out. I used a rolling dolly to remove the whole refrigerator. It's a 5 minute or less job.
    Yes, the Atwood does have a thermister, and it's located on the refrigerant tube at the top right of the unit when facing the back. The fan shouldn't run until the compartment gets hot, which means in cold winter temperatures the fan shouldn't run very often.

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