Dometic Refrigerator Cooling Fan

**surfintom** · 05-02-2020, 04:45 PM

I know this has been discussed before, but not with specific details that pertain to my situation. I've got a 2018 29RS and the fan in the back of the fridge is noisy and inadequate. I've had it in for a fix and they said "No Trouble Found". I pulled the fan today and it's a 92 x 92 mm, 12v Sunon ball bearing fan with specs of 75 CFM and 47 dB. Those seem like pretty good specs. I'm sure it's noisier than that. Maybe there's a vibration. Anyway, it's hard to find a 92mm fan with better specs.

Some have the same configuration of the bracket across back that has an unused second set of mounting holes. If I use that bracket, both fans need to be the same size as the original.

Any advice from someone that has had the same problem and fixed it? If not, I'm going to get 2 new 92mm fans with the best specs I can find and install them. I'll probably jam a piece of rubber between the bracket and the back of the fridge to dampen any vibration.

HELP!

**jkwilson** · 05-02-2020, 05:02 PM

I installed 2 of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Very quiet and move a lot of air. I mounted them on the lower access panel.

Not sure why they are so expensive. When I bought them it was $14.24 for 2 fans. Now it appears to be nearly twice that much for one fan.

**surfintom** · 05-02-2020, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by jkwilson

I installed 2 of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Very quiet and move a lot of air. I mounted them on the lower access panel.

Not sure why they are so expensive. When I bought them it was $14.24 for 2 fans. Now it appears to be nearly twice that much for one fan.

Those are monsters. They wouldn't attach to the bracket. Any pics of how you did it?

**jkwilson** · 05-02-2020, 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by surfintom

Those are monsters. They wouldn't attach to the bracket. Any pics of how you did it?

Can’t find any right now, but I know I have some.

I attached them to the inside of the lower access panel using cable ties with cushions of neoprene tape between the fans and the cover. I used connectors from an old computer power supply which is what comes on the fans to hook up power. I put an adjustable thermostatic switch near the top of the of the cooling unit. I adjusted it so the bigger fans come on before the original fan. The original hasn’t come on since I installed the new ones, but I haven’t had it in extreme heat without shade .

**surfintom** · 05-03-2020, 07:30 AM

Originally Posted by jkwilson

Can’t find any right now, but I know I have some.

I attached them to the inside of the lower access panel using cable ties with cushions of neoprene tape between the fans and the cover. I used connectors from an old computer power supply which is what comes on the fans to hook up power. I put an adjustable thermostatic switch near the top of the of the cooling unit. I adjusted it so the bigger fans come on before the original fan. The original hasn’t come on since I installed the new ones, but I haven’t had it in extreme heat without shade .

Is the original fan like mine - attached to a bracket which is screwed to the back of the fridge? Was it loud and inadequate when it came on?

**jkwilson** · 05-03-2020, 08:03 AM

Originally Posted by surfintom

Is the original fan like mine - attached to a bracket which is screwed to the back of the fridge? Was it loud and inadequate when it came on?

Yes, mounted between the vents blowing up with a space for a second fan. I also considered mounting a second, higher CFM fan in the bracket and using a different thermostatic switch for it giving be a two-stage fan setup.

**surfintom** · 05-05-2020, 08:28 PM

Update.
I ordered 2 Arctic F9 fans from Amazon. In the mean time, I pulled the fridge into the camper. I had to build a little 7" stand for it to pull onto. No big. There isn't a lot of space between the cabinet and the island, but I managed to get pretty good access to the whole back of the fridge. I removed the bracket with the fan. The fans showed up and they were the wrong ones. So Amazon is sending me another order which is supposed to be here Thursday now. The 29RS has been in the street TOO LONG. While I was waiting, I powered up the Sunon fan with a 9v battery. It was pretty quiet and powerful. Then I thought I'd see if it worked in reverse. Fried it. Don't power those fans with reverse polarity. Good thing I ordered two. I'm not sure one fan is adequate, but the fan wasn't noisy. It had to be vibration. I'll make sure to dampen the new fans. It should move more air and be quiet.

**Stephen/Kerri** · 05-16-2020, 05:45 AM

So we bought a 2020 337RLS last summer in MI. We brought it home to MO. Within the next month we made two trips in very hot summer weather. Our Dometic Fridge was struggling big time. I chalked it up to the hot weather & thought to my self that's going to be a problem down the road. I've read all the post about putting additional fans inside & out & was about to go that route. I got the ladder out & looked at the top outside vent just to check it out & make sure nothing was blocked. I noticed the piece of plywood(someone else had mentioned) & thought that doesn't look right...do I need to cut it out?(I read where someone else did that). So I called Grand Design & they told me that the plywood is not Dometic's design...it's theirs. They put the piece of plywood in when they install the fridge and strongly suggested leaving it intact. It's to direct the 4 fans to the cooling fins....makes sense. So I'm still looking for the problem & a fix. Well I'm doing another dollar bill test on the gaskets. My left lower door is the problem. They other 3 doors all test fine with the dollar bill. I then realize I'm seeing light thru a crack between the gasket & fridge door. My eye just happened over to the latch & I suddenly realized my left door was never engaging the latch. Are you kidding me? I had to push very hard to get the latch to hook & engage. I left the fridge running & in no time it's down to 35. Could it be that simple? Well maybe. Yesterday, I turned the fridge on, it was showing +60...and in 2 hours it was down to +35. Before my epiphany, it would take 10 hours to drop from 60 to 50 and then only settle somewhere in the mid 40's after 24 hours of running. Now we haven't been out yet in hot weather. We have a trip to Shreveport in 4 weeks so we'll see how it does then...But I'm thinking this simple issue of the door latch has fixed it. I hope so....It's never run this cool before or cooled down so quickly. I'll update after our trip to Louisiana(It's always hot & muggy right?) In the meantime, you just might check that left door latch & make sure it's engaged.

**Richter** · 05-16-2020, 06:47 AM

Originally Posted by Stephen/Kerri

So we bought a 2020 337RLS last summer in MI. We brought it home to MO. Within the next month we made two trips in very hot summer weather. Our Dometic Fridge was struggling big time. I chalked it up to the hot weather & thought to my self that's going to be a problem down the road. I've read all the post about putting additional fans inside & out & was about to go that route. I got the ladder out & looked at the top outside vent just to check it out & make sure nothing was blocked. I noticed the piece of plywood(someone else had mentioned) & thought that doesn't look right...do I need to cut it out?(I read where someone else did that). So I called Grand Design & they told me that the plywood is not Dometic's design...it's theirs. They put the piece of plywood in when they install the fridge and strongly suggested leaving it intact. It's to direct the 4 fans to the cooling fins....makes sense. So I'm still looking for the problem & a fix. Well I'm doing another dollar bill test on the gaskets. My left lower door is the problem. They other 3 doors all test fine with the dollar bill. I then realize I'm seeing light thru a crack between the gasket & fridge door. My eye just happened over to the latch & I suddenly realized my left door was never engaging the latch. Are you kidding me? I had to push very hard to get the latch to hook & engage. I left the fridge running & in no time it's down to 35. Could it be that simple? Well maybe. Yesterday, I turned the fridge on, it was showing +60...and in 2 hours it was down to +35. Before my epiphany, it would take 10 hours to drop from 60 to 50 and then only settle somewhere in the mid 40's after 24 hours of running. Now we haven't been out yet in hot weather. We have a trip to Shreveport in 4 weeks so we'll see how it does then...But I'm thinking this simple issue of the door latch has fixed it. I hope so....It's never run this cool before or cooled down so quickly. I'll update after our trip to Louisiana(It's always hot & muggy right?) In the meantime, you just might check that left door latch & make sure it's engaged.

This is an “order” to closing up the fridge. If you close the left door first, and ensure that the flapper is flipped, then close the right door, we have found that it works better. Sometimes when you close the right door first, the flapper doesn’t flip.

**Richter** · 05-16-2020, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by surfintom

I know this has been discussed before, but not with specific details that pertain to my situation. I've got a 2018 29RS and the fan in the back of the fridge is noisy and inadequate. I've had it in for a fix and they said "No Trouble Found". I pulled the fan today and it's a 92 x 92 mm, 12v Sunon ball bearing fan with specs of 75 CFM and 47 dB. Those seem like pretty good specs. I'm sure it's noisier than that. Maybe there's a vibration. Anyway, it's hard to find a 92mm fan with better specs.

Some have the same configuration of the bracket across back that has an unused second set of mounting holes. If I use that bracket, both fans need to be the same size as the original.

Any advice from someone that has had the same problem and fixed it? If not, I'm going to get 2 new 92mm fans with the best specs I can find and install them. I'll probably jam a piece of rubber between the bracket and the back of the fridge to dampen any vibration.

HELP!

We’ve had a fan that makes a lot of noise and had it checked under warranty. They found that the mounting bracket for the fan is broken, and will be replacing it next week.

I couldn’t figure out how to get into a position to see the fan. You mentioned pulling the fan out. How do you do that?

Thanks,