torodefuego Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 I have fitted covers to grilles, but still very cold when windy.is there a retro fit for fridge. The van is a elddis 115 2012.does it mean i have to take sink out to gain access thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Assuming your fridge is, first, Dometic, and second, an RM 7*** model, if you follow this link and enter the model you have, you will find detailed installation instructions at the back of the downloadable user manual: http://tinyurl.com/kmughy4 From what you say, the manufacturer of your van did not follow Dometic's instructions for sealing around the fridge, resulting in draughts. Not an uncommon problem, though they do now seem to be getting a bit better at reading the instructions! Depending on what you find when you compare what you have with what you should have, you may need to completely remove the fridge to do the job properly. You should then find that not only are the draughts cured, but the fridge will function better during hot weather. If unsure what model fridge you have, look inside near the bottom of the rear wall of the fridge for its rating plate, on which you will find the model number, probably beginning with the letters RM. For the 8*** series Dometic seem to have omitted the installation instructions from the user manual, and I can't find these for this series. However, if you download one of the 7 series manuals with installation instructions it will reflect what is required, and the principle will be similar for other "three-way" absorption fridges by other manufacturers. It is all about sealing the fridge into its enclosure, and providing an appropriately shaped baffle at the top to guide the rising hot air to the upper grille. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 As a temporary cure running masking tape all around the fridge sealing it and it's cabinet works wonders for draught proofing and usually can only be seen when the fridge is open - so much so that I just change the tape when it dries out every year or two. A bit of a bodge I know, but it is simple to do and it works! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Brian Kirby - 2015-04-13 4:29 PM ...For the 8*** series Dometic seem to have omitted the installation instructions from the user manual, and I can't find these for this series... Installation instructions for Dometic 8-series fridges are in a separate document. http://www.caravanfridges.co.uk/pdf-manuals/rm-rms-rml-installation-manual.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 ...a notoriously common problem. Only two of the nine 'vans I've owned have had a fridge installation that came anywhere near acceptable. Resolution of the problem will depend on just how bad the installation is (and some can be very bad) and where and what causes any gaps. (as an example, simply perimeter sealing around the back of the fridge could be quite easy, but resolving issues arising from a badly fitted or non-existent baffle, or gaps to surrounding kitchen furniture for pipe-runs, etc. can be much more difficult). First step for me would be to investigate the state of the rear of the fridge, something that can be done on many 'vans by removing the fridge vents - if they happen to be the relatively easily removable "service access" type. If it looks as though the issues can be resolved from here, then it may be possible to achieve a good result working through the vents. I've done a passable job on my current 'van in just such a manner, including replacing a very poorly fitted foil-lined cardboard baffle with an aluminium plate, but it was long and tedious work, and the aluminium plate had to be split and rejoined to get it into position. Whatever material you use to block any gaps, make sure it stays well away from the heater elements and the flue! As already mentioned, a by-product of correcting the installation, and particularly properly positioning a functioning baffle, is a much more efficient fridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mardee Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Our previous motorhome was a Swift Suntor 630L with a Thetford fridge bought new in 2008 from Brownhills. I have heard this referred to as a "nightmare combination" - it certainly was for us. We had numerous problems with malfunction of the fridge and reported to Brownhills and Swift that it was very draughty; we also told them the cutlery drawer above the fridge was becoming very warm. We had many visits to Brownhills at Birtley. Our van was left at Brownhills for 3 weeks then later was taken to Swift for 2 periods of 3 weeks. On one occasion the fridge was removed and then reinstalled. Just after this we awoke at 4am to a smell of gas. We have no proof that this was due to faulty reconnection - you can make up your own mind about this. Eventually we were asked to take the van to Swift on our way to the ferry from Hull. I mentioned again the heat in the cutlery drawer. They then found that the baffle behind the fridge, which would divert gas and waste combustion products, had never been fitted in the factory. Indeed no holes had been drilled in it. This was why we had smelt gas and in spite of us informing both Swift and Brownhills it was several months later this was found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 This was one thing that for some time put me off getting a production built van, I've seen some appalling installations. On our van the rear of fridge has a set of sealed baffles which isolates the burner area from rest of van, and also around the sides of fridge just set back from door is a rubber 'gasket', quite how hard this might make it if the fridge needs removing I don't know, but I sleep safe knowing there's little chance of any CO from a faulty burner getting into the van. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 If you don't already have one fitted Colin may I recommend investing in a carbon monoxide alarm? Too risky without one in my view? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torodefuego Posted April 14, 2015 Author Share Posted April 14, 2015 Hi all, i would like to thank you for the information posted. I have a carbon monoxide detector,a sink sits above the fridge and on closer inspection there are large holes in the units located either side(cooker and a set of drawers ).there is no insulation to be seen it must have blown away. I think? I am going to order the fitting kit. Once again its nice that yourselves pass on helpful know how thanks toro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torodefuego Posted April 14, 2015 Author Share Posted April 14, 2015 Hi all, i would like to thank you for the information posted. I have a carbon monoxide detector,a sink sits above the fridge and on closer inspection there are large holes in the units located either side(cooker and a set of drawers ).there is no insulation to be seen it must have blown away. I think? I am going to order the fitting kit. Once again its nice that yourselves pass on helpful know how thanks toro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Tracker - 2015-04-14 12:28 PM If you don't already have one fitted Colin may I recommend investing in a carbon monoxide alarm? Too risky without one in my view? Twenty years ago a friend died of CO poisoning in a van, since then I've had CO alarms at home and in van, the one at home quite probably saved my life when our multifuel stove decided to reverse flow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 torodefuego - 2015-04-14 4:18 PM Hi all, i would like to thank you for the information posted. I have a carbon monoxide detector,a sink sits above the fridge and on closer inspection there are large holes in the units located either side(cooker and a set of drawers ).there is no insulation to be seen it must have blown away. I think? I am going to order the fitting kit. Once again its nice that yourselves pass on helpful know how thanks toro When it comes to installing a 3-way absorption fridge the challenge facing a leisure-vehicle manufacturer will be to devise a method that hermetically seals the rear of the fridge from the vehicle’s living area. This seal will need to be made when the fridge is installed in its enclosure and cannot be so ‘permanent' that it becomes impossible to remove the fridge later should that prove necessary. For example, although (say) squirting expanding foam into every nook and cranny around the fridge’s cabinet would undoubtedly draught-proof it, removing it subsequently would be a nightmare. It would be unusual for a motorhome/caravan manufacturer to install insulation around the fridge as the appliance itself is already well insulated. You haven’t said which model of (presumably) Dometic fridge your Elddis motorhome has, but I’m doubtful that you will be able to order a ‘fitting kit’ for it. A good few years ago Dometic used to market a sealing kit that was fitted within the fridge’s enclosure and into which the fridge slid when it was installed. However, this was discontinued due to lack of take-up by motorhome/caravan constructors. As Robinhood advised earlier, completely isolating the fridge’s rear from the leisure-vehicle’s living area may be very difficult to achieve with the fridge in situ, and may turn out to be hard even if the fridge is removed. My Hobby motorhome had a large Dometic fridge/freezer and massive external ventilation grilles. Hobby had done a fair job of draught proofing, but when the fridge was run on gas and a strong wind was blowing against the grilles, the smell of gas exhaust fumes became noticeable within the motorhome. I tried everything I could think of to stop this (silicone-sealed every tiny gap I could reach through the grilles, used Tracker’s duct-tape ploy, etc.) but was unsuccessful. Even if I had removed the fridge/freezer I doubt that I would have been able cure the smell problem without radically changing how Hobby had built the motorhome. Having accepted defeat, when I was running the fridge on gas and it was windy I used to park the motorhome with its ventialtion grilles in the vehicle’s lee, which stopped the smell penetrating as long as the wind did not change direction! (If you do manage to source a 'fitting kit’ for your fridge that successfully adddresses the draught problem, please let the forum know where you obtained it from.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torodefuego Posted April 15, 2015 Author Share Posted April 15, 2015 Hi it is dometic 8400,looking at the layout im thinking of useing some high density foam under the sink and down each side.far from the gas.or might use foil to seal the fridge from the hob and oven, same to drawers on other side. I will let you know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Whatever draught-proofing approach you take, you would be wise to bear in mind the highlighted advice at the foot of Page 6 of Dometic’s installation Instructions for 8-Series fridges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave225 Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Just to add my personal comments. I have a Thetford N80 fridge fitted in the kitchen unit under the hob. However, in order to have the fridge front lining up correctly there is a gap between the rear of the fridge and the outside wall. As the kitchen unit is standard size I guess others have a similar situation. To remedy this the manufacturer fitted a large aluminium cowl to the whole rear of the fridge which incorporates the sloping baffle plate etc. This is duck taped as well as being scrwed to the rear of the fridge. It also has rubber seals at the edges which butt against the inside of the van wall. I would point out it was an EU van so maybe I was lucky in that they had read the instructions It is a b....r to remove, which has been done to replace the elements, but when re-installed does give a good seal for the fridge and I know some people are concerned that Thetford fridges are not as good as Dometic as the flue is inside the body of the van, but I can assure everyone that with the cowl assembly all fumes can only exit to the outside. One rather silly point I would make re fumes etc is that very often there is a window at the rear of the kitchen unit and if this is open it of course is a natural path for the fumes to re enter the van. Also some fridges are fitted either behind the entry door or inside any awning and again this can restrict the removal of fumes. I would also add that in the 80/90's I owned a Mercedes Compass motorhome which had the usual UK bodged fridge fitting. You could see daylight all round it and of course the fridge never worked that well. Fortunately most of the time we ran it on electric so fumes were not an issue, and at that time knowledge of how to correctly fit fridges was likmited to a chosen few. Despite the usual dealer servicing etc, we never ever solved the problem and eventually sold the MH on. Therefore now having a correctly fitted Thetford, i am very impressed as it works extremely well even in 35 degrees of heat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Dave225 - 2015-05-04 4:04 PM ...I know some people are concerned that Thetford fridges are not as good as Dometic as the flue is inside the body of the van... Before Thetford entered the European fridge marketplace and huge fridge/freezers became almost de rigeur in leisure-vehicles, the norm for caravan/motorhome fridges was for the gas-burner to have a flue that led to to the outside air through a dedicated exit-point either in the vehicle’s bodywork or integrated into the fridge’s upper ventilation grille. This arrangement is much less popular nowadays and, like Thetford appliances, the gas flue of recent Dometic products just exhausts into the void at the rear of the fridge. With the earlier set-up, even if the fridge was draughty there was a sporting chance that gas fumes would not enter the caravan/motorhome. The exhaust-in-void arrangement simplifies installation, but if the fridge isn’t well sealed from the leisure-vehicle’s interior it’s pretty much inevitable fumes will get in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 torodefuego - 2015-04-15 2:24 PM Hi it is dometic 8400,looking at the layout im thinking of useing some high density foam under the sink and down each side.far from the gas.or might use foil to seal the fridge from the hob and oven, same to drawers on other side. I will let you know Without reference to Derek's advice to follow the installation instructions, I would have some reservations about using foam (which I assume would be a foamed plastic of some sort) to seal in the fridge. Something less readily flammable would, IMO, be preferable. Timber battens to close the gaps at the sides, with a piece of carefully shaped aluminium (available from B&Q, for example) to direct the warm air to the upper grille, all sealed all round with silicone, should be reasonable, and seems to mirror what the better installations achieve. Bit of a fiddle, but well worth the extra effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philbee Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 We have a 2010 115-with winter vents on if wind is coming from rear of van a gale blows through.Kitchen tissue poked along top of fridge stops that and a large bathtowel hung from top of hob to floor stops thewind from under the cooker.How are the water connections holding up.Ihad the white connectors but at every march fill up after winter drain down I have leaks,-changing all connections to black Ihope this does the job.Only just seen your post as have been away-van in shop now as another big flood whilst in Belgium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 I vaguely recall a an instance where the push-fit water-hose connectors (which are commonly referred to as “John Guest”-type and I assume are the sort you have) fitted by one motorhome manufacturer (Auto-Sleepers?) proved to be problematical and a different colour of connector was then used,. However, I don’t believe the colour of the connector alone will be a reliable indicator of quality/reliability. If the water system of your motorhome leaks from the hose connectors when you refill the system after winter drain-down. there’s a fair chance that the system has not been drained adequately and that water remaining in the hoses is freezing, damaging the connectors or pushing them apart. It is possible to obtain (or DIY-make) a product that uses compressed air to blow water from the hoses http://www.keepfloeing.com/products-motorhome.html and you might find that would help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 i had a draught from around the fridge in my Chausson and fixed it , I always thought fridges had to be fitted and sealed and thought that my van being French was a mishap, i am very pleased to hear others suffer the same problem and my van is not a one off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave225 Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 Again possibly a sideways way of looking at fumes in the van, may I suggest that all vans have a hob unit and this will produce large qunaties of fumes when in use. Of course if the van is ventilated, these will not be an issue but I merely mention it to give some form of context when considering the possibility of fumes from a fridge burner entering the van. Of course a hob is not on all the time as with a fridge running on gas but I merely make the point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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