Turbo-Charge Your RV With Ease! (Ice Cold Fridge)
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2022
- Camping fridges have the HARDEST time staying cold. Today, we show you how to supercharge your camping fridge into arctic conditions. HappilyEverHanks just took RV camper hacks to the next level!
A little context for what's going on. Our camper fridge normally runs around 44 degrees, but drastically improved to a whopping 32-36 degrees Fahrenheit. This was done by doing a simple camping hack (installing a fan on the rear of the fridge). We now always have a cold fridge in our RV and never have issues with combating warm temperatures.
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*Items In This Episode*
_▸Dual Fan for Fridge_
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_▸Flush Cutters_
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_▸Bucket Boss Tool Bag_
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Share with us some of your favorite camping hacks in the comments!
Had the same refrigerator. I ended up finding the issue and had the RV shop replace this part. Very simply, when you open the right or the left door (one at a time) slowly open it. See if the middle flap (door flapper) is flat - mine would stick partially open intermittently not allowing the refrigerator to get cold enough. I chased this issue for months and months before I finally figured it out. They replaced the door flapper and never had the problem again. We are down in Texas and it gets very hot! No problem keeping things cold anymore!
Fans will work better if you mount them in the upper vent and blow outwards. They will cause an updraft to ventilate from the bottom up. Also won't suck in rain water like yours do now.
A tip that helped our fridge even more. Have one fan blowing out and one fan blowing it. It actually circulates the air better in that compartment for even better fridge performance. But you have to spread them apart about 4" - 6".
A fan at the top of the fridge chimney helps dissipate heat 👍👍
@@alanbolla8443 That is very true. But our camper didn't have a vent at the top. We both agree, that air circulation no matter how achieved is better than just a one-way push or pull.
Came to recommend this as well. I have a fresh air in at the bottom and a hot air out at the top. I can't believe this isn't standard OEM practice. I also added a fan inside that clips to the cooling fins. Made a drastic improvement.
Maybe look into refrigerator defender. It is pricey but works well. It took me a couple hours to install but I think well worth the money. It doesn't run all the time, only when needed. It works well on my gas/ electric dometic.
Did you have to add an outlet or was there a plug for each fan available?
I follow a lot of full-time RV UA-cam channels but I have to say I love your channel the best because Carl is Goofy and always making me laugh.. Carl you are one of them people that everyone loves to be around... You and your wife Nae Nae make a great team and you guys are lucky to have each other... Keep up the great videos and God bless!
We did a couple of upgrades to our RV refrigerator. I put one and a half inches of foam insulating board on top of the refrigerator. There was enough space to slide it in there. That made a huge difference because the sun beating on top of the slide then wasn't heating up the top of the freezer. Second thing was I put in a fan just on the upper vent. The air is being pulled in the bottom vent and pushing out the top vent. I hooked the fan to a thermostat control. When it got to a certain temperature it would turn on and when it got to a cooler temperature it would turn off. In addition I hooked it up to a RF switch which has a fob. It had two leads on the RF switch. One was hooked to the fan and the other was hooked to a light that I put on the slide. I could turn the fan on and off if I wanted to and I now had a light on that side of the trailer. So when it was really dark I had some light to do something like with the sewer system as an example.
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Karl just love your editing of your videos with all your B-roll and snippet videos you add. It cracks me up how you can take a maintenance video and just make it so fun. We have been with you from earlier on towards the beginning.You guys are still nailing it. Safe travels!
Thanks for making me smile! First time commenting, My hubby and I are planning the big size down and getting a RV. I've watched you guys for awhile now. Can't wait to apply what I have learned from you! Thanks for sharing! Hope y'all are safe thru the Hurricane!!!
Aww thank you for being here! We appreciate you both! We hope you are safe as well. Keep these great comments coming 🤗 Cheers!
All your content has been so HELPFUL!! We are saying “what would Carl & Ney Ney say to do🤣
Thank you
Hi Hanks!! We did the same thing last winter for our Solitude 375RES, when we were in Arizona . We also added a computer fan at the top vent to help blow the heat out and it really helped! The fridge side was constantly in the sun, (we were planted in the same spot for 3 months), so we also added a Coolaroo roller solar shade and affixed it to a 2x4 and clamped that at the top of the kitchen slide with some rubber pads to protect the finish of the RV, and a couple bungee cords at the bottom of the solar shade attached to two 5 gallon buckets full of water to help hold down the solar shade incase of high wind. All of the above really helped keep our fridge cold and after all of that, we had no issues. LOVE watching your videos and look forward to them every week. Keep up the good laughs! We enjoy you guys....AND Dexter! (We travel with 2 cats).
Interesting shade idea! 🍻
Wish I could see a photo of the shade. UA-cam would improve to allow photos.
One beautiful thing about buying new last fall was the unit came w/a 12V fridge. It creates perfect size food cooler for the two of us - we camp about 20-24 weeks a year (not consecutive) and so far…..its better.
We, too, just bought our first RV with a 12V fridge. Wondering how this works with boondocking?
I installed window screening to the covers to the refrigerator and water heater access covers to stop nesting bees and wasps.
Works great!
As a former nurse, I’m picturing you in a clinic setting and I can just imagine you being this talkative with your patients!😂 Any comments from the docs you’d like to share? 😊
Love watching you guys. Keep the vids coming and be safe.
I went through this with the Dometic 3-way in our class B, and our configuration has 2 vent openings. I mounted four 12v computer fans exhausting at the top vent, fully covering the upper grill area. I fabricated a baffle to direct the air drawn in at the bottom vent through the fins. This I believe is better at creating a chimney effect rather than just churning air inside the space. I used 12v fans because they draw very little current and run when we are not on shore tie. I also wired them to a switch inside that either turns them on manually, or puts them in thermostatically controlled mode using a thermotatic switch mounted to the fridge fins, which is my usual operating mode. Also added a 12v double circulating fan by Dutch Aire that clips to the cooling fins inside the fridge. Also very low current drain.
Love the great advice we will be adding a fan outdoor and inside as you suggested previously # Thanks So much Kyle !!!! Missing Ney Ney, Glad to see Dex is doing better 🙏, Also #Thanks Hanks for sharing all the deets!!! And not charging a join fee. Thanks for keeping it real 💯
Ours came with top vent fans. We added a battery operated fan that was made for RV fridge. Helps keep air moving when fridge gets full. Really helps.
We really like the 12volt compressor fridge. Gets cold quickly and stays cold no matter how hot it is outside.
I did the same thing, plus I put a fan inside the fridge, tap into the power going to the light, also changed the cover on the roof to Exhaust the hot air more, our fridge can hold 34 to 38 degrees almost all day in hot weather. Good luck, their's alot of videos to watch and yours is top notch...
Thank you for ALL the information and fun. We are are soon-to-be empty-nesters. Thinking to dip dip are toes into weekend RVing traveling around to watch our son play college baseball. LOVE your content!!
Great video as usual! You always are entertaining to watch while delivering valuable content. Safe travels everyone!
I used this idea when you first put a fan in. I put mine at the top blowing out and it has been working like a champ at less than half speed. Got to love new ideas that really work great. ThanksHanks!
Nice video! Have you thought about changing to a compressor style fridge so you don't have to deal with a propane/ammonia fridge?
Thanks guys! I enjoy your sense of humor in this challenging amazing lifestyle!
Thank you Rachel!! This means a lot :) Cheers!
Installed fans in our motorhome after your first video on this. Thank you, it works well. Recommend this tip to everyone! Thank's Hank's and safe travels.
Hope you both were safe during Ian! Thanks Hanks, for the tips!
Such a great tip "Carl". I have helped a few people along our travels with the same tip. We have a fan inside and outside. I also appreciate your plastic cutting boards in the back of the freezer. That makes De-icing must easier. I hope you guys were safe where you were in Florida. Safe travels Hanks.
Check out JC Refrigeration out of Shipshewana. They can switch out the entire back of your fridge to a 12v. Best decision we have ever made. Freezer stays at -15 and fridge at 35. This is with it set on #2. Over the hill Stan wat there when we did ours
We are having this done tomorrow on our Notcold 2118. 🎉🎉
@@nikkifleming6290 I think you will like it. Even when it's 105 outside fridge and freezer stay cold.
@@nikkifleming6290 yeah i ‘had’ a solitude with that norcold 2118 fridge, what a piece of crap, frozen food thawing every time fridge did its cycle thing and fridge food freezing, worst fridge ever! Fridge coolant system and thermistor all replaced made no difference. And forget keeping icecream ever. Norcold has zero innovation. JC innovation 👍🏼. 🍻
@@SpykersB ours is now replaced with the JC Refrigeration compressors!!
"RV life is just life itself wrapped up in a little cocoon called a RV." - Carl. Year of Lord 2022.
I recently saw a video from a RV tech who said that refrigerators are not meant to be unlevel or it can cause problems for them. Something about the freon isn't supposed to be moved around and in places that being unlevel will make it go. I've always driven with mine on and never had problems. I don't know anything about it, but just wanted to pass that along
THANK YOU for the seal sound effects!! Personally, I believe you can never talk about seals of any kind without making that sound 🤣🤣🤣
Awesome tip Hanks!!! We struggled with cooling the fridge too this year on our new to us RV. I installed a fan on the inside of the unit to circulate the cool air. I'm going to add this little trick you have too!! :) Happy trails, and until next time!
So fun to watch. Your videos cheer me up thank you so much .stay safe and enjoy your life
Nice job Carl. I will remember this if we have fridg cooling issues.
Thanks Hanks!! We just got rid of our black mold mobile, and purchased a 2022 Grand Design Solitude!!!!
Ok - you are super funny in this video!! Made me giggle and yes, it was also informative!
Thanks for the tips Carl. There is always something new you can learn. I wouldn’t have thought on the back. I have a little one inside the fridge. Enjoy your videos. I found myself today waiting for your video. Funny!!! Good energy from all three of you. Plus the flush tool definitely picking one of those up. Very handy dandy!!! You guys have harbour Frieght for tools we have princess auto. Both pretty similar.
Thanks for all the awesome videos love watching you guys.makes me smile.😀
I mounted fans at the top blowing up and out of the roof vent. This instillation pulls air in the bottom vents and out of the roof. Also, I installed an external thermostat to take the place of the thermistor and added fin fans inside of the refrigerator to circulate air. That was a game changer. Now, I grab a drink out of the RV fridge and wish that my home refrigerator cooled beverages as cold as my camper refrigerator.
Yaas! Perfect timing. Just got a new Iceco 12v fridge.
Oh awesome!! Keep us posted 😊
I am not sure where you guys are at this time but I hope it’s not anywhere near the hurricanes and storms. God bless!
Hope ya'll are safe during IAN, yet another amazing and informative video. I believe if you do the top it will also keep any hot air from fridge out of your RV.
Always educational and lots of laughs from Carl/Kyle! 😂
Our 2021 GD has fans up inside the wall behind the fridge but I like Kyles’ placement better. Way to go Carl ! 👍
same here. We just bought our 2017 Forest River Rockwood Ultra Light this spring. Was so excited to get the larger size frig. Previous owner placed the 4 fan unit inside on the fins and there also are fans in the chimney to draw hot air up. There is also some metal duct material forcing the hot air to go into the black condenser at the top vent. Sadly our frig will not stay cold. It fluctuates between 36 and 60 degrees! Plus the fans in the chimney are quite noisy inside the RV:( We've cleaned any fuzz or debris out. reset the frig. Also, while driving to our campsite with the frig on Gas, it warmed up to 56 degrees within 3 hours. Very worried about food going bad and kinda wished I had my old smaller frig back now:( It was ALWAYS ice cold!
I had an old 80s camper that had a 12 /gas fridge and I installed a small 2" computer fan on top of the cooling fins inside it to circulate the air around it completely made a huge difference and everything seemed to be a bit colder. Just food for thought.🌭🌭🌭😄
Than you for the "hack" at 2:17...it will help me "treemendously"!!!!!
Thank Hanks!! Great video!
Thanks for all Karl. I work on boats and the use blowers to exhaust gas fumes out of the bilge. You should look into those as they are inline and all it takes is hose and 12 volt power
Need some of the screens to put over the vent holes to keep wasps and bugs out of there too
Thanks for another useful video.
Thanks for the tips! Needed!
As much as I love Nay Nay! Its nice to have a little guy time on a project! Thanks Hanks
We just abandoned our trip because we lost shore power. 😭😭 Our camper is brand new and we are so disappointed. Love this video, because we noticed the fridge wasn't as cold as I would prefer. I'll be looking into fans for that area asap!
12 volt computer fans free from thrown away cpu
Good evening enjoyed the video brought a smile to my stressful face since I'm sitting here in Charleston South Carolina waiting for Ian to come visit squeezables to Dexter
Aww we are so glad to hear this Nora! Stay safe ❤️ Dexter sends all his love!
Very entertaining! I feel like I just watched Jim Carrey doing an RV maintenance video. Thanks Hanks for the smiles!
A big plus for excusing yourself to Dexter! And three pluses for showing Dexter. Will forgive you for not showing Nae Nae but only this time. An excellent video even though we only had to see you and had dad jokes. May you always be blessed with a ❄️ refrigerator cold beer a loving wife, and a independent Dexter. All my best
I used 12 volt computer fans in mine and it worked great. I mounted them near the top so they helped to get the hot air out.
Great video. Please consider eye protection when you're using the compressed air
Our frig has been struggling a good bit on our current 10 week outing that started in the summer heat. The source of our problem was a freezer and frig that were too full. Been trying to keep that side of camper in the shade and keep less stuff in the compartments. Will check the outside panel behind our frig/freezer to see if we can accommodate a fan like yours. Thanks for the great idea.
I thought our problem was too much food as well but now that we are home I have emptied most everything out of the frig. It keeps fluctuating between 38 and 58 degrees, even with fans in the chimney and fans in the frig attached to the fins. Plus the fins are always wet. Freezer works great at least staying around 10 below.
Good information. Thank you for sharing.
Carl, I love you!!!! And half of your WALLA is my other half, WALLA...WA!!! Where I live!!! Thanks for this video, laughed whole time!!! 😉😉😉
Hello Hanks, great to see you today.
Hope all is well with everyone.
Hi Charlie! It's great to hear from you :) Thank you! We hope you are doing well
If you live in a hot climate, and you don't do a lot of boon docking, you should really consider switching to a compressor-based refrigerator. They use 90% less energy than absorption-type refrigerators, but require electricity to operate. Compressor fridges used to be residential units that required 120ac, but today there are compressor fridges that run on 12VDC! So if you boondock and don't have a generator or lots of solar, absorption is probably still the way to go. However, if you are like the Hanks and usually have hookups, you should switch to a compressor unit. They don't have the ventilation issues of absorption fridges, and keep food colder in hot weather much more reliably.
#ThanksHanks! Making Thursday Great!
Thanks Scott!! You are the best :)
My Casita finally came home! So, I’m going to file this info away for future reference. Gotta learn how to camp before I attempt any projects. Thanks so much for sharing your brain! (Btw, we just moved to Wisconsin this past May from guess where? CAPE CORAL Florida!) 🙏
If it's not mentioned already there is no other Seal test put a flashlight in the fridge and see there the light comes Thru . I works Fan-tastic . Also Wishing Dexter and you guys all the best.
Yup! I have not installed a fan on the bottom, but we I did install one on top to help exhaust it, it is a 12 volt fan, and I connected it to the one that is installed mid way, so when it gets to a temperature that the mid fan comes on it also turns on the upper fan to help exhaust the hot air. We also put screen on the inside of the vent covers to keep wasps from building nests. A trick to help with that is take a dog or cat flea collar and cut it into pieces that will lay at the bottom of the area to help discourage bugs from building their home there. The propane smell attracts wasps.
Great tip!! These refrigerators are so inefficient it drives me nuts. I think we’re going to try a 12 volt compressor fridge.
Nice job. For your safety I would recommend a Proteng fire suppression tube installed behind the fridge. I don't work with them, I just know about fridge fires.
Carl, If it were me, I would invest in a 12 volt refridgerator. Holds more, Gets cold faster, morethan likely lighter. Just have to keep your batteries charged!
Thanks Hanks
Good Job Carl ! 😇
I have heard that RV fridges in slides have a harder time as the heat doesn’t go straight up to through the roof which why the fans are necessary. Not that you can move it but for people looking for an RV it is might be something to consider.
Informative and very entertaining! 😂
Awesome editing.
We also had to change a fuse in the back of ours, but we'll try this out since we're still having a hard time with ours!
Enjoyed the easy way it fits right in. 🖖🏻👍🏻😘🙏🏻
Yes!! Us too, we are happy that it went smoothly!
I’m just wait for y’all to just convert to a 12v compressor fridge. Could do twin side by sides or a single abs more dry storage.
Oh oh ohhhh 🥰 luv that bucket boss
Switched campers this year to one with a residential fridge and it's so much better. Don't think I'd ever try to full time with an absorption fridge
What kind rv has a residential fridge ?
@@travelingsoldier4671 lots of them. Larger fifth wheels and class A often have an option of what kind of fridge. Mine is a cedar Creek 377bh.
@@travelingsoldier4671 The Highland Ridge Open Range 322RLS has an option for a residential fridge along with several other models.
@@valc8758 thank you kindly
@@travelingsoldier4671 My pleasure. The option comes with the larger units. Hope your search turns out well.
Thanks!
You are funny and helpful. Love your videos
I added a small fan on the bottom blowing up, and the double fans on the top blowing out.
Initially I had the little fan on the bottom too close to the flame and it caused problems. I moved it to the opposite side of the flame (other side of the bottom compartment), and now it is nicely blowing up without interfering with the propane flame, while the two up top suck the hot air up and blow it out. I also installed a baffle on top of the fridge by the top vent hole, so the hot air would not circulate over the fridge. Grand Design had left a big gap over the fridge 🥴.
I can agree that fans help. I was camping one time and there were fairly high winds, somewhere around 30-40 mph, OK maybe 20-30 mph but pretty stiff whatever the speed actually was. My refrigerator had been running at 34 degrees very reliably. When it got windy I couldn't get it below the high 40s as I recall (remember I'm old and forgetful). The next day when the wind was calm it way fine. The same thing happened a couple of days later. I'm convinced it was the wind not letting the air in the bad of the refrigerator rise like it needs to. A fan should help this. Keep the good stuff coming guys, and why wasn't Ney Ney in this one? She's prettier than you are.
Just a thought, vacuuming the debris out is better the blowing it further into the fridge.
I put a dual fan blowing I. And a dual fan going out. Works great.
Fans are on top vent blowing air out is safer and more reliable. Fans on the bottom will disrupt the propane flame. Fan on top blowing out won’t pick up road grime like the bottom one did. But whatever works for you!!
You could use a mini shop vac. There are DeWalt and other battery operated ones if you already have cordless tools.
Thx Hanks! Good tips as always. Got any tips to keep squirrels from crawling around our Class A engine compartment?
Just replace the absorption refrigerator with a 12v refrigerator. No more problems. Doesn’t have to be level, more interior refrigerator space, cools down in less than 2 hours, safer, much much lighter! And so many other benefits
I felt like I was watching French Stewart.
Switched to a 12v RecPro compressor fridge last year....never going back.
Your videos are so fun! I now NEED a Tool Bag hahahaha
Great video
Nice job! But I can’t help but think that those fans may do better mounted to the top vent and pointed out.
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George walks on the keyboard again... Very nicely done. I actually got how the addition of the fan was done. Zip ties are the nicest things to have around. Oh oh George is back on the desk after his drink from the faucet. How is Dexter? Been worried about him.
So do you have AC when you are hauling the RV? If not then you want to use a DC 12V fan unit so the refrigerator can get cool air when traveling and running on 12V. I performed testing after I installed our cooling fans and the refrigerator got to operating temps close to three hours faster than the no fan operation.
One of my dad's favorite sayings was "If at first you don't succeed.....read the instructions." 🤣
I pray ya'll are safe and away from this Hurricane Ian.
😂😂😂 you make it so interesting!
sheesh I came to the right video today Carl! lol Gutter talk galore!
Thinking of you guys and hoping you are out of reach of hurricane Ian.
Great job Carl? Or Kyle. I know. Great info. We have a residential fridge with thousands of square feet of storage, not really that much. I’m starting to think like you. Next time.