1960 fridge venting

[Safari Tim]

I'm getting ready to put a new dometic in the Ambassador. It's 60" tall.

Originally the vent was in the wall cavity and only exited at the roof through a small 3" hole for the exhaust gases.

Of course these days they vent the enitre back of the fridge and not just the exhaust fumes.

So I will need to add some additional venting. I'm planning on adding a air intake in through the bottom of the floor by opening up the floor and belly pan and add some screening there.

On the exhaust side, there are basically two ideas that I know about.

Add a louvered panel slightly above the fridge height in the exterior wall. Pros, keeps it more period look and does not alter the *eyebrow* chimney vent I have now on the roof. Cons, cutting a large opening on the side of the trailer which will span over a vertical rib.

Or, buy a modern aluminum roof chimney. Pros, just altering a hole already on the roof. Cons. removing the orignal *eyebrow*, spaning the roof rib for the opening, having to build an interior chimney to curve the wall up to the ceiling.

Can't decide which way to go. I'm leaning toward the louverd vent on the side.

Any helpful tips?

[C Johnson]

Tim, Something I have been thinking about on mine. Couldn't you just continue to use the wall cavity and install a couple fans at the top to pull the air through ? That way you wouldn't have to manufacture a curved vent and avoid cutting a big hole in the side of the coach.

I'm not sure what your vent looks like on top.

What I am talking about is using a later model vent top and instead of the 3" hole on top, you could make it more oblong.

[markdoane]

Tim,

I just finished doing mine. Here are a few pictures.

The original im my '59 was a Frigidaire, so it had a single louvered vent about waist level. Since this was useless as either a lower vent or an upper vent, I fabricated a door for it and turned it into a shallow, but wide and deep storage locker.

I put in a regular lower refrigerator vent that i got at CW. Not very complicated. The worst part was removing the paint so it matches the aluminum look.

The upper vent I got off eBay a few weeks. I don't know who it belonged to, but my thanks to whoever wrapped it.

I wasn't going to pay the big bucks for a cheesy looking fubeglass scoop, so I fabbed one out of aluminum. It's a little shallower than a fiberglass scoop because it uses the space between the skins. Dimensions of the air passage are 4.5" x 22".

I mounted the Dometic 2652 on a platform to keep a few inches clearance above the floor. It fit perfectly inside the old compartment.

Here's a few pictures. If I can help, give me a hollar. Love the VAP!

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Safari Tim

I'm getting ready to put a new dometic in the Ambassador. It's 60" tall.

Originally the vent was in the wall cavity and only exited at the roof through a small 3" hole for the exhaust gases.

Of course these days they vent the enitre back of the fridge and not just the exhaust fumes.

So I will need to add some additional venting. I'm planning on adding a air intake in through the bottom of the floor by opening up the floor and belly pan and add some screening there.

On the exhaust side, there are basically two ideas that I know about.

Add a louvered panel slightly above the fridge height in the exterior wall. Pros, keeps it more period look and does not alter the *eyebrow* chimney vent I have now on the roof. Cons, cutting a large opening on the side of the trailer which will span over a vertical rib.

Or, buy a modern aluminum roof chimney. Pros, just altering a hole already on the roof. Cons. removing the orignal *eyebrow*, spaning the roof rib for the opening, having to build an interior chimney to curve the wall up to the ceiling.

Can't decide which way to go. I'm leaning toward the louverd vent on the side.

Any helpful tips?

Tim.

If you use the louvered door, then you "must" totally waterproof the refrigerator cavity.

The original system is fine. You can if you wish, add a solar fan, but place the fan on top of the floor over the screening that covers the hole in the floor.

Why a solar fan? Daylight hours are the warmest, therefore moving more air accross the refer coils during the day is fine. At night, you don't need the fan. Being solar, solves the problem, in that it will not run at night.

Andy

[Over59]

For my 59 I did a vent low on the outside wall and one just above the fins on the outside wall. I added some small switched fans for hot days attached to the underside of the fins, pushing air up and out. After reviewing the installation guidelines it was the only way I could be sure I had enough air movement. You need to create a chimney for a draft. For the upper vent I used a whole saw and drilled two round openings then put a rectangle vent cover on the outside.
Fridge runs excellent even without the fans.

You want the space small enough that the fridge can heat it and create a draft.

[Chuck]

also, check out RV_Cool's invention...he sells a device that incorporates an air scoop and a computer fan that mounts to the back of the fridge...neat thing is that the fan is rigged with a heat-sensing switch, so it comes on automatically as the fridge warms up. So you don't have to remember to turn it on or off.

[Safari Tim]

So it sounds like either way works fine. It just depends on how you want it to look.

But Andy's post suggests the original 3" hole roof vent would be enough?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Safari Tim

So it sounds like either way works fine. It just depends on how you want it to look.

But Andy's post suggests the original 3" hole roof vent would be enough?

3 " hole ?????

The original reefer vent hole in the roof was about 5" wide and about 18" long with a cover.

Andy

[flyfshr]

I have the wierdest vents I've ever seen on a vintage unit plus they're galvanized tin. I put in two computer muffin fans, one in the bottom of each roof vent, and put them on a switch for the warmer days, which seem to be quite a few here in Phoenix. Seems to do quite well except on the warmest days and when the curbside faces the western sun.

Brad
FF

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by flyfshr

I have the wierdest vents I've ever seen on a vintage unit plus they're galvanized tin. I put in two computer muffin fans, one in the bottom of each roof vent, and put them on a switch for the warmer days, which seem to be quite a few here in Phoenix. Seems to do quite well except on the warmest days and when the curbside faces the western sun.

Brad
FF

Brad

Your reefer vents are correct for your year.

If it works, don't fix it.

Or, you can update them to the newer style.

Andy

[flyfshr]

Andy ~

On several occasions I've had the opportunity to get the oblong style and passed them up after careful consideration. I like the uniqueness. So these are original for this time period? They sure look like they are from the inside. Thanks Andy.

Brad
FF

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by flyfshr

Andy ~

On several occasions I've had the opportunity to get the oblong style and passed them up after careful consideration. I like the uniqueness. So these are original for this time period? They sure look like they are from the inside. Thanks Andy.

Brad
FF

You have a genuine virgin.

Be happy.

Andy

[flyfshr]

I am!!

Brad
FF

[scottanlily]

I too was thinking of Rv cools device which looks like it would work good .
I hate the idea really of cutting the outside skin .I have a door at the bottom
right where markdoanes large vent is ,and I could get it punched for louvers
and the door is original .my fridge is an RM660 that sits above the floor a
good 8 " also .Tim I think your floor idea is good ,with the venting holes to draw air up into the trailer and expell it thru the roof vent,via a fan or RVcools device that directs the air to cool the fridge .Right where markdoanes upper door is is where the dreaded flying open door damage was
on my trdwnd ,but ive got it at about 90% straightened out .Ive thought about a vent right there for my fridge ,still hate to cut it you know .

Scott

[Scott S]

The approx 3" vent hole in the roof is correct (at least for an Ohio built trailer). And yes, it was designed only to vent the exhaust gases, not the heat...that went into the coach. When the refrig on my 60 Overlander was replaced many years ago at the Ohio factory they basically did the same thing that markdoane did on his '59 (above).

Scott

[scottanlily]

Markdoanes ,venting setup is first rate ,a very nice job .It emulates the later
models venting setups.Scott S is right ,mine has the eyebrow vent (ohio)
and a small vent in the wall for the exhaust gases to exit .Rv cools vent
and fan setup vented into the vent cavity should work pretty good .Now
the fridge works well ,but it could be better for sure .My dometic is no
where near as big as markdoanes ,so Im not needing that capacity of venting
I don't think ,but surely a way to pull air up from the bottom .The front area
below my fridge is open (decorative screen ) so it can draw air from the front floor area also .well ,Ill get it figured out using the good ideas posted here .

Scott of scottanlily

[Safari Tim]

Yep,

This is the original ven that was only ment to vent the combusible gases. The rest of the fridge heat went back into the trailer from behind the countertop via a fancy metal trim.

So, the question is. Do I take this original vent out and buy a 2007 AS vent to put in? Or do I cut a large hole behind the fridge for a louvered vent?

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

3 " hole ?????

The original reefer vent hole in the roof was about 5" wide and about 18" long with a cover.

Andy

[markdoane]

Tim,

I would recommend you download the installation instructions for the frig you plan to install. They are very explicit about the vent size and height requirements for optimum performance.

Of course you can "cheat" the requirements, that's when you start putting on fans and other convection aids.

[Safari Tim]

The recommended approved venting is exactly the way you did it. A lower side wall vent and roof chimney.

I called one dealer today for the fridge vent and they totally blew me off. The next dealer did not know but said they would call AS and see what they recommend.... argh! :-(

[markdoane]

There is no "certified" vent arrangement for a two door reefer that lets you put the upper vent in the wall instead of on the roof. If you want to use the side vent, you need to put in the fans.

Nothing against a wall vent, it's just a choice you need to make.