Need Refrigerator Venting Help

[Max Well]

I need help! The previous owner removed the refrigerator from our 71 Caravannner and replaced it with a college dorm electric only one. I am replacing it with a propane fridge. The roof exhaust vent is there, but there is no air intake vent in the side of my trailer. There isn't any hole (patched or otherwise) anywhere near the fridge. Did the older Airstreams draw combustion air for the fridge from inside the trailer? I don't want to have a CO problem, but I don't want to cut the side of my trailer, either! What do you think?

Thanks,

Ken

[tracker]

Hi
I don't know if this helps or not but my 69 sarfari has a vent hole in the floor all the way through the belly pan covered over with metal hardware cloth. This allows fresh air to be drawn up into the interior. Could it be that someone made arepair to the floor that covered up this hole?

[Zeppelinium]

I've redone 5 70s Airstreams and all of them had their air source through the belly pan and up through the floor.

Zep

[68 TWind]

My 68 Trade Wind had a dorm fridge. I replaced it with a Dometic that was sized to fit the original opening (it is not as wide as the new ones). Don't remember the model number but PPL in Houston was much cheaper than any other place I tried to buy it. There was a floor vent for mine. Has the floor covering been replaced and the vent covered? The instructions that come with the fridge are very specific about how to properly install it so there won't be an issue with CO. They can downloaded from the Dometic web site.

[Max Well]

Thanks! There is a hole that was covered in the bellypan. I assumed that it was where the gas line had passed through and had since been covered. I will open it up and use it for my air intake.

You guys are great!

Thanks again,

Ken

[overlander64]

Greetings Ken!

Originally Posted by Max Well

Thanks! There is a hole that was covered in the bellypan. I assumed that it was where the gas line had passed through and had since been covered. I will open it up and use it for my air intake.

You guys are great!

Thanks again,

Ken

Something else that bears checking out as your return to an RV refrigerator in your Caravanner is the fiberglass exhaust vent housing that connects the space behind the refrigerator to the ceiling vent. These housings can crack due to age, and in some cases when a prior owner installs an AC electric refrigerator they remove the fiberglass duct. Replacement ducts are available from Inland RV and may be available from all Airstream dealers and sevice centers as I am not certain whether this is a reproduction part or a standard Airstream replacement part.

Good luck with your project!

Kevin

[Max Well]

Thanks Kevin,

I'll check it out!
The REAL project starts after the Air Midwest fall rally in October. We're going to gut her to get rid of that funky smell. It's either decaying plywood or rodent gifts in wet insulation. It's got to go!

Ken

[Zeppelinium]

Originally Posted by Max Well

Thanks! There is a hole that was covered in the bellypan. I assumed that it was where the gas line had passed through and had since been covered. I will open it up and use it for my air intake.
...

Ken, you need about 24 sq in (4x6") for the air source, not just a 1" diameter hole. There's probably a spec for this, but that's my estimate.

Zep

[Max Well]

Zep,

That's about the size of the patch that's down there, so I am pretty sure that's what it is. I am still working on building the cabinet for the new fridge, so I will be checking it out when I remove the old fridge and countertop.

Thanks, I don't want CO problems!

Ken

[Max Well]

Well you were right! The PO patched over the intake air vent under the trailer. Making a screened cover was nothing, he evidently cut the 12v wires and pulled them somewhere? Oh well I will be doing a major reno this fall so I just ran a new set under the floor. Good news is the frame I could see through the vent looked fine! Woohoo!
Now I just want to run the fridge on propane a few days in the driveway with a CO detector in there to reassure myself that it's safe.

Thanks for all the help!

Ken