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Old 02-15-2018, 08:05 PM   #41
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I have the Avenue Suite, not an Interstate, but have the same problem with no lower ventilation and the only vent for the refrigerator being the grill surrounding the microwave. When the sun is on the driver's side (fridge side) the heat wafting out of this grill and the temperature of the shelf above feels like you are cooking something when you're not.

I bought one of these 16/cfm fans https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and a length of 1-1/4" ID flexible hose and wired it to a lighted wall switch I added. I routed the hose behind the wardrobe and out the panel above the rear tv using this 1-1/2" OD round vent cover https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1. The fan uses less than 1 amp and pushes a good amount of air, but of course, changed the ventilation path by using the microwave grill as an intake rather than outlet which works so long as the coach is cooled. I'm thinking of adding a thermostat, but for now I just look for the lighted switch to remind me the fan is on.
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Old 02-16-2018, 11:46 AM   #42
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I have the Avenue Suite, not an Interstate, but have the same problem with zero lower ventilation and the only vent for the refrigerator being the grill surrounding the microwave. When the sun is on the driver's side (fridge side) the heat wafting out of this grill and the temperature of the shelf above feels like you are cooking something when you're not.

I bought one of these 16/cfm fans https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and a length of 1-1/4" ID flexible hose and wired it to a lighted wall switch I added. I routed the hose behind the wardrobe and out the panel above the rear tv using this 1-1/2" OD round vent cover https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1. The fan pushes a good amount of air, but of course, my mod changed the original ventilation path (if you can even call it that) by using the microwave grill as an intake rather than outlet.
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Old 05-24-2018, 08:42 AM   #43
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Looking into improving ventilation for the fridge.

Quick question... those with a Lounge (Mike, John), did you have this vent on the side?

I forgot to take photos to compare with what John has... wanted to confirm if I have the same space under the drawer for the additional vent he created/installed in front under the cabinet drawer...
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Old 05-24-2018, 09:05 AM   #44
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No. Mine did not have a vent in that location. That should help, but it does not really provide nearly the chimney effect that I get with my higher top vent. Given that your window is filled with wine rack etc., I suspect your vent location is only present in the TB models.

The board at the bottom, below the large drawer, is exactly the right size for an Atwood marine vent. The Atwood vents come in black or white. The first one I bought was white and I sprayed it black after seeing the result.

If you decide to do the bottom vent, that board is held in place with 4 pocket screws plus 4 dowels, 2 of each at each end. Definitely top quality woodwork. I removed the square-drive pocket screws and sawed through the dowels from the rear with my vibrating SonicCrafter.

My box stayed at 35 degrees all yesterday with outdoor temps in the high 80s and just the vent fan running. I can feel heat pouring out of my top vent.
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Old 05-24-2018, 09:31 AM   #45
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No. Mine did not have a vent in that location. That should help, but it does not really provide nearly the chimney effect that I get with my higher top vent. Given that your window is filled with wine rack etc., I suspect your vent location is only present in the TB models.

The board at the bottom, below the large drawer, is exactly the right size for an Atwood marine vent. The Atwood vents come in black or white. The first one I bought was white and I sprayed it black after seeing the result.

If you decide to do the bottom vent, that board is held in place with 4 pocket screws plus 4 dowels, 2 of each at each end. Definitely top quality woodwork. I removed the square-drive pocket screws and sawed through the dowels from the rear with my vibrating SonicCrafter.

My box stayed at 35 degrees all yesterday with outdoor temps in the high 80s and just the vent fan running. I can feel heat pouring out of my top vent.
Any chance that you have the part number? Or dimensions? I will search for it by name... but just want to make sure that I get the right one...

Will see if I can find it in black.

Photo of your finished project:

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Old 05-24-2018, 10:00 AM   #46
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I think there is a link near the start of this thread to a source for the vent. I'm getting the AI ready for 2 weeks on the road, so I will not look for it now. I think the second vent came from Amazon.
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Old 05-24-2018, 10:11 AM   #47
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I think there is a link near the start of this thread to a source for the vent. I'm getting the AI ready for 2 weeks on the road, so I will not look for it now. I think the second vent came from Amazon.
Found it:

https://www.amazon.com/attwood-1494-.../dp/B003MFGCA2

Order placed.
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Old 05-24-2018, 10:31 AM   #48
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wachuko View Post
Looking into improving ventilation for the fridge.

Quick question... those with a Lounge (Mike, John), did you have this vent on the side?

I forgot to take photos to compare with what John has... wanted to confirm if I have the same space under the drawer for the additional vent he created/installed in front under the cabinet drawer...

Mine does not have the vent on side either - must be something Airstream recently added. I only opened the upper vent under window. The space under the drawer on mine is where I installed the compressor for my air bags, so no vent grill there.
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Old 05-24-2018, 04:18 PM   #49
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Originally Posted by wachuko View Post
Looking into improving ventilation for the fridge.
Quick question... those with a Lounge (Mike, John), did you have this vent on the side?
I have lounge though have not even remotely thought of adding ref vent, but no side vent here either. I suspect that's only in TB, alongside the swanky nice TB gear, to justify the $15k upcharge?
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Old 05-24-2018, 04:26 PM   #50
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I have lounge though have not even remotely thought of adding ref vent, but no side vent here either. I suspect that's only in TB, alongside the swanky nice TB gear, to justify the $15k upcharge?
So more room for improvement for ventilation. In your case you can look at adding both.

I am doing it just for improving the air flow... not hot enough here to notice any cooling degradation in the fridge... but would like to proactively attack this since it is a simple modification.

And because I can't resist it.... attaching a gif for your comment on the TB I got
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Old 05-24-2018, 04:44 PM   #51
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And because I can't resist it.... attaching a gif for your comment on the TB I got
Of course, WHO wouldn't be jealous of your TB. You won't have problem selling it when you get your 2nd one. I think Jackson Center should be jealous too.
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Old 05-25-2018, 06:17 AM   #52
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Just took a couple of photos of what mine looks like... will have to relocate the light... I did not measure the available space... will do so after I get home from work today to see if the vent I got will fit in there... concerned about height...

We cancelled the trip this weekend due to the weather, so I should be able to work on stuff that is inside the AI...
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Old 05-25-2018, 10:01 AM   #53
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My Lounge has essentially no ventilation. No opening in bottom or sides. One grid on back of galley cabinet, but it is blocked by a mouse fur panel. While at destination this summer, I am adding vent in side panel....as low as I can. Also going to cut away mouse fur panel in front of grid. If that doesn’t help I have a dual refrigerator fan and speed control.
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Old 05-25-2018, 10:47 AM   #54
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My Lounge has essentially no ventilation. No opening in bottom or sides. One grid on back of galley cabinet, but it is blocked by a mouse fur panel. While at destination this summer, I am adding vent in side panel....as low as I can. Also going to cut away mouse fur panel in front of grid. If that doesn’t help I have a dual refrigerator fan and speed control.
Suggest you follow what Airstream did with the Tommy... a vent high on the side. And then add one low. If you look at the photo I posted earlier, the side vent is right at the top of the fridge.

I am adding one below to improve flow...
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Old 05-25-2018, 06:14 PM   #55
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John,

As you indicated... perfect fit!
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Old 05-27-2018, 11:19 AM   #56
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This was easy thanks to John's photos and instructions. Woohoo!!

Removed the four screws. I cut one side of the dowels and the other side just slid out...

Drillied a hole to relocated the light. Pulled the wires from the cabinet side to avoid any extra wires next to the heater.

Vent just bolts in place... it is a perfect fit. Slide cabinet and you are done!
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Old 06-26-2018, 09:42 AM   #57
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Fridge vent and fan

My Nova Kool R3100 performed very poorly. I put in the Atwood bottom vent and removed some obstructions and it improved to marginally acceptable in moderate weather.

I decided to insulate the enclosure and modify the fan as described in previous posts.

Imagine my surprise when I pulled the unit and there was NO FAN at all.

It was ordered that way by Airstream. What a curious choice on their part.

I'm going to add a fan and I expect that warm weather performance will improve.
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Old 06-26-2018, 10:19 AM   #58
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Old 06-26-2018, 10:29 AM   #59
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Keep us posted via here and take photos of the process if possible... this is on my list as well...
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Old 06-26-2018, 12:32 PM   #60
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My Nova Kool R3100 performed very poorly. I put in the Atwood bottom vent and removed some obstructions and it improved to marginally acceptable in moderate weather.

I decided to insulate the enclosure and modify the fan as described in previous posts.

Imagine my surprise when I pulled the unit and there was NO FAN at all.

It was ordered that way by Airstream. What a curious choice on their part.

I'm going to add a fan and I expect that warm weather performance will improve.
Your bottom vent helped, insulation will help more, adding a coil fan is better still. But it will still only push relatively hot air around inside the wall compartment.

Adding a ventilation fan to exchange hot air inside the fridge cabinet with comparatively cooler air inside the RV is another good consideration. Given the limited space for additional grills, I used this small 16 CFM squirrel-cage fan behind the cabinet which requires only a 1-1/4" round vent attached to the fan with a similar diameter ridged hose.


Mine is wired to a button thermostat that switches on at 100 degrees and off at 85 degrees. That way, even if I leave the switch on, it will run only as needed and possibly not at all over-night.
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