Will the Norcold refrigerator/freezer be able to chill down my "blue ice" pack?

[dhaig]

6 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

I have installed similar fans, and am thinking of doing both sides.  Purpose obviously is to reduce the bypass of outside air into and then out of the fans so that they pull fresh air in below.  I also know that there have been changes in the grills between your and my older OE2.

Hard to tell, but it looks like you have blocked off airflow on the aft side of the fans, but maybe not on the fore side.  Is that what I'm seeing?  IF so, what's your thoughts?

Thanks

GJ

@Geronimo John, the airflow around the fans is unobstructed.  I suspect what you are seeing is the sloped interior wall above the refrigerator covered in aluminum tape.  The fans do pull outside air into the lower vent and out the upper vent, where they are mounted.  The flow of air is noticeable and I usually have them running at 50% of max speed, or less.  The two fans easily produce sufficient airflow to significantly improve the performance of the refrigerator.

Don 

[Ronbrink]

As @SeaDawg mentioned earlier, an interior fan can be installed, as well. I have the Norcold 3 way, which does not have a refrigerator light to access power for this fan; thus the wire will need to connect to a constant power source behind the fridge. Thanks to @MAX Burner for pointing that out. Hopefully there will be a convenient routing path without having to drill a hole to gain access for power. Mounting this fan is easy, alligator clips to the evaporator fins. 
 

My combo:

[MAX Burner]

FYI: Our experience shows these low-current draw fans allows the fridge a higher efficiency for any given ambient conditions - also makes me wonder why the heck they're not included as OEM from Dometic and Norcold back in the day....(?)

[topgun2]

2 hours ago, MAX Burner said:

also makes me wonder why the heck they're not included as OEM from Dometic and Norcold back in the day....(?)

I can't speak for Norcold - but - I do believe that the fan(s) were OEM from Dometic back in the day.  And, this is the reason that many of us had those fans at delivery.  Either that or it was an option from Dometic that Oliver chose to install.

Bill

[Ronbrink]

On 3/14/2024 at 8:48 AM, MAX Burner said:

Last summer, we mounted the same low-amp draw Beechlane double-fan assy in our upper fridge compartment with the remote mounted in the lower compartment

 

On 3/14/2024 at 8:48 AM, MAX Burner said:

 

 

I checked if my fans would fit on the cover/vent in like manner as you, but unable to make it work without some trimming. Next tried fitment as @dhaig shows in his above pic, but now thinking laying it flat may be more efficient. What think you? (A change was made to my initial post once I realized you both had the fans facing the same direction, my bad)

Edited June 20 by Ronbrink
I realized the fans are oriented the same, but have another question.

[Ronbrink]

On 6/20/2024 at 5:36 AM, Ronbrink said:

I checked if my fans would fit on the cover/vent in like manner as you, but unable to make it work without some trimming.

Upon completion of wiring requirements I was able to test the fans both upright (as @MAX Burner and @dhaig mounted theirs), and laying flat and facing upward; the upright orientation seemed to produce better airflow through the upper vent. The panel control was routed into the cabinet above the microwave for easy access and convenience of use; the blue tape is temporary, I will likely use either Velcro or a hook to stage it at the upper front corner when unneeded. 

 

 

Edited June 22 by Ronbrink

[MAX Burner]

@Ronbrink - Ron Clean install, brother!  You'll be saving on energy running that fridge...

[Cameron]

I'm reading every word of every comment on this topic. I got my Beech Lane delivered today, and I'm hoping to put it in tomorrow. I was recently towing the Ollie in 113 degree heat and the poor Norcold wasn't so cold. I'm hoping the install goes as smoothly as some of you have described. I'll also take pics and provide a follow up.

[jd1923]

2 hours ago, Cameron said:

I'm reading every word of every comment on this topic. I got my Beech Lane delivered today, and I'm hoping to put it in tomorrow. I was recently towing the Ollie in 113 degree heat and the poor Norcold wasn't so cold. I'm hoping the install goes as smoothly as some of you have described. I'll also take pics and provide a follow up.

Not much can help while towing in that heat! It will help more when the air it pulls is some degrees lower than in the cavity behind the fridge.

Read this post too - 

 

Edited August 6 by jd1923

[Cameron]

On 8/5/2024 at 9:06 PM, Cameron said:

I'm reading every word of every comment on this topic. I got my Beech Lane delivered today, and I'm hoping to put it in tomorrow. I was recently towing the Ollie in 113 degree heat and the poor Norcold wasn't so cold. I'm hoping the install goes as smoothly as some of you have described. I'll also take pics and provide a follow up.

I can't believe I waited so long to do this mod. It was easy! The only problem was trying to fish wires up to the cabinet above the micro for the controller. I did not succeed, so the controller is down behind the bottom fridge vent for now. It was in the high 90s when I did the install and only got down to 75 or so overnight so there was lots of hot air coming out of the top vent, thanks to those Beech Lane fans. Before going to bed I dropped the fridge cooling level down to 6, and it was 37.5 degrees when I woke up. 

I think I also learned something important. In the middle of the afternoon, while it was still in the high 90s, I put a plastic container with water in the freezer to make a chunk of ice, and I think that made it hard for the Norcold to maintain it's temp. In the future, I'll only do that at night or when the outside temp is lower.

[jd1923]

1 hour ago, Cameron said:

The only problem was trying to fish wires up to the cabinet above the micro for the controller. I did not succeed, so the controller is down behind the bottom fridge vent for now.

That's great! If you decide to run these wires, fish down vs. up. Not a big deal since it is just as easy to pull the fridge vent on the exterior. Once you get temp set, there is not much need to change it, with one exception. When 12VDC is turned off to the controller it must be reset when reconnected.

Yes, good observation. We refill ice trays only after dinner and the less you open the fridge door in the heat of the day, the better. During afternoons, I will grab a cold bottle of water quickly and shut the door!