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Old 08-30-2022, 12:12 PM   #21
coralcruze
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After my fiasco with finding all the rat damage to the fridge...I have been going through everything. I am puzzled about the OEM fridge fan and the direction of air flow. Our previous 2720, the air flow was downward (sucked heat off the top and expelled it out the bottom. That seems right for me...

However, on our 3023 it is just the opposite. The fan pushes air upwards. That seems backwards since (IMO) the goal is to remove the hot air from the top and exhaust it away versus pushing cool air upwards and out the top vent and between the roof shells when closed.

So, Which direction is correct? Thanks!
Wife and I were flippin through the tube and came across your vid. about rat damage to your newly acquired TM. I am so sorry this happened but I am not surprised. I have some info. that may be helpful.

Firstly, the most likely reason that fire started is rats love the flavor of wire insulation. Ask me how I know and I will tell yah that they found thier way into my AC cover through the vent slits luckily for us I caught the issue B4 it caught on fire when i climbed on the roof for yearly AC coil maintenance. I could not believe the extent of the damage they caused. I did have to get the ac wiring replaced and some capacitors and the AC still runs like a champ until today. The guys who replaced the wires confirmed my suspicion of rats when they found the nest up there. According to the guys they jokingly added red tastes like cherry and yellow like banana. Lol They sell vent covers that go over these areas with a little enginuity. So looking at your you tube I'd bet the fire started right at the group of wires that melted together and near the flash over areas to the top and side.

Anyway, the direction of airflow out the ref. Compartment most def. should be down and out with the vent opening near the top of the ref. close to the metal finials in the ref. cycle. As for airflow inside the ref. It may not matter as much because it's such a small box. As long as there is a fan in there it would make the stagnant cold air that tends to accumulate down towards the bottom circulate.

Out of curiosity. How are you making out finding components for the ref? From my understanding Norcold discontinued the N300 and N400 units and are no longer fabricating most of the thermostat parts. Also how did you find out that the fan was put in backwards from factory? That's nutz SMH

FWIW, when we travel across country and we know we are going to be on the road for more than a three hour stretch we always put the ref. fan on and it's never been an issue. However, we run it using the battery not propane. The caveat here is when we got the bargman wiring done on the TV we had them wire it so the TV alternator supplies the power and power cuts out when the TV alternator is off. ie: at a rest stop. We also have a battery quick disconnect which we pull when we stop. This way power is not drawn from either the TV or the TM. I Know they never reccomend using the ref. on battery and I normally agree but when the TV alternator is running it supplies plenty of power to recharge the TM battery while in tow. It's never been an issue and to me alot safer knowing there is NO propane flame on back there. Besides there are tunnels that forbid having propane on while traveling through so unless people are pulling over to turn off thier propane tanks and cutting power to thier ref. fans when having to go through a tunnel its just too much to think about. Then yah got to pull off after the tunnel and open the TM up to relight it. To me, I never saw an open source of propane with a lit pilot light as a good option on the road.
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Old 08-30-2022, 01:26 PM   #22
FlyboyTR
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Firstly, the most likely reason that fire started is rats love wire insulation. Ask me how I know and I will tell yah that they found thier way into my AC cover through the vent slits luckily for us I caught the issue B4 it caught on fire when i climbed on the roof for yearly AC coil maintenance. I could not believe the extent of the damage they caused. I did have to get the ac wiring replaced and some capacitors and the AC still runs like a champ until today. The guys who replaced the wires confirmed my suspicion of rats when they found the nest up there. They sell vent covers that go over these areas with a little enginuity. So looking at your you tube where you had flame and fire was right at the group of wires melted together.

Anyway, the direction of airflow out the ref. Compartment most def. should be down and out with the vent opening near the top of the ref. close to the metal finials in the ref. cycle. As for airflow inside the ref. It may not matter as much because it's such a small box. As long as there is a fan in there it would make the stagnant cold air that tends to accumulate down towards the bottom circulate. .
Thanks for the response. The fire started because of the gas leak on the line that goes from the thermostat to the burner. Rat urine has basically eaten through it. Enough LP made it to the burner allowing it to light. I assume the leaking LP slowly built up everywhere at eventually the gas reached to the open flame. It was a flashover type fire. Just thankful I went outside to check on things. The electrical had lots of burned paper around them. The smoldering fire melted the wiring...all of which I repaired/replaced.

All of the other components of the fridge are in working order. I was cleaning out the cabinet and happen to turn on the fan and that was when I noticed it was blowing upwards instead of downward.

For 46 years I have used fans inside all the RV fridges. They do help a lot!
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Old 08-30-2022, 02:34 PM   #23
coralcruze
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Thanks for the response. The fire started because of the gas leak on the line that goes from the thermostat to the burner. Rat urine has basically eaten through it. Enough LP made it to the burner allowing it to light. I assume the leaking LP slowly built up everywhere at eventually the gas reached to the open flame. It was a flashover type fire. Just thankful I went outside to check on things. The electrical had lots of burned paper around them. The smoldering fire melted the wiring...all of which I repaired/replaced.

All of the other components of the fridge are in working order. I was cleaning out the cabinet and happen to turn on the fan and that was when I noticed it was blowing upwards instead of downward.

For 46 years I have used fans inside all the RV fridges. They do help a lot!
I see... well thankfully no one got hurt and you were able to catch it in time. That's the most important thing. For us also and I guess every situation is differant. In my case chewed wires was the cause in yours something else. If the fan was on when the fire started would make sense that the gas was carried back down to the flame. Insane...

As mentioned I agree that a fan inside a small box ref. Would circulate the cold air. Just nit sure if it make all that much of a diff. If the fan is on top or bottom. Glad you are able to refurbish and all is not lost.
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Old 08-31-2022, 07:34 AM   #24
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If the fan was on when the fire started would make sense that the gas was carried back down to the flame. Insane...

As mentioned I agree that a fan inside a small box ref. Would circulate the cold air. Just nit sure if it make all that much of a diff. If the fan is on top or bottom. Glad you are able to refurbish and all is not lost.
Actually, propane is heavier than air. It naturally seeks the lowest place. He was extremally lucky that it wasn't a huge explosion.

I've seen that happen on boats before. There can be a small propane leak and the gas will pool in the bilge for weeks. Then it finds a source of ignition and the boat goes off like a bomb.
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Old 08-31-2022, 10:52 AM   #25
coralcruze
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Actually, propane is heavier than air. It naturally seeks the lowest place. He was extremally lucky that it wasn't a huge explosion.

I've seen that happen on boats before. There can be a small propane leak and the gas will pool in the bilge for weeks. Then it finds a source of ignition and the boat goes off like a bomb.
I was thinking just that and if the fan was installed backwards, with fan on the fresh air would have been forced into the ref. Box than the fresh air would have created positive pressure forcing most of the propane down and out the bottom vent the fan installed backwards in this case may actually have been a blessing...?

Either way very scary indeed!
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