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JIMandPJ · 12-25-2014, 11:31 AM

I need advice on venting my refrigerator. I have completed replacing my floor and have a new refrigerator to install in the original location. My original refrigerator vented thru the roof with an intake thru the floor. It also has an access door thru the trailer wall at the back of the refrigerator.
My new refrigerator shows different methods of venting and I'm tempted to make the access door into a lower intake vent instead of cutting a hole thru the floor as it was originally installed. I'm asking advice on whether to cut a hole in the floor or not. Looks to me like the wall vent would work and I wouldn't have hole in the floor... Comments? suggestions?

perryg114 · 12-25-2014, 11:55 AM

Getting a louvered door would be a good option in my opinion. There are some purists on here who would say no. If you already have an opening there why not us it. You can buy those doors at many of the Airstream online places like VTS, Outdoor Mart etc.

Perry

Tom Nugler · 12-25-2014, 12:19 PM

My '67 Globetrotter and '72 Tradewind both have floor vents. Both fridges work well without additional fans sometimes found on side vented installations.
I wouldn't discount the idea of vents in the door as long as it has the same area. Additionally you have to sure the there won't be any water intrusion while parked or driving in rain.

Tom

overlander64 · 12-25-2014, 12:25 PM

Greetings Jim and PJ!

I think it is a question of personal preference. My 64 Over lander has the through the floor (and underbelly) while my 78 Minuet has a sidewall vent. My preference is the sleeker appearance of the Over lander, but each serve their intended purpose.

Good luck with your project!

Kevin

DFlores · 12-25-2014, 12:37 PM

Call your local speed shop and find who they use for punching louvers, take two screws out that hold door together and remove outer skin and get hot rod louvers punched into outer piece. The inner aluminum piece can be drilled with 2" hole saw to create airflow. Well that is what I am doing for my 68.

m.hony · 12-26-2014, 10:38 AM

Don't most modern RV refrigerators vent through the wall? Some have a lower vent and an upper vent through the wall, others have a lower vent through the wall and a roof vent-

JIMandPJ · 12-27-2014, 11:48 PM

My refrigerator installation manual allows for installation with a lower vent thru the wall or through the floor. I thought someone out there might have done some tests or something to demonstrate one method is better than the other. Currently I like louvers in the wall opening.

overlander63 · 12-28-2014, 06:13 AM

Because of their side wall curvature, the two side wall vents will have to be too close together, and too far away from the back of the fridge, for it to crate an effective draft. Many of the SOB trailers with two side vents also have a fan to force a draft on their fridges.
You could probably get away with a louvered side door, but don't cover the vent on the roof to add a vent on the side. No good will come from that.

JIMandPJ · 12-31-2014, 08:00 PM

I'll use the existing roof vent and make the access door at the floor level into an intake vent.

Glenritas · 01-09-2015, 06:16 PM

Boy talk about timing and great minds thinking alike.

I've been planning for months to louver the compartment door for the refer instead of cutting the floor open after installing the new floor.

Well day before yesterday I found a guy and yesterday the louvers were punched.

Today I installed screen to the inside of the door and hot melt glued it in and here is the result in the next post.

Glenritas · 01-09-2015, 06:17 PM

These are 4" hot rod louvers 16 of them.
It should flow fine.
I left the inner shell with a lip to help stiffen the door and act as a splash catcher.

And the screen installation and final result.

I also flipped the door upside down so it would be out of the way when open just like I did all the other hatches on our '69 Tradewind .

JIMandPJ · 01-12-2015, 09:25 PM

Those look nice. My access door is about 12" hi by 15" wide. Haven't found anyone to punch them yet but I still plan on it.

ALANSD · 01-13-2015, 11:58 AM

while you all are talking about this...my 66 has a hole inside the cabinet over the fridge. This has a cover inserted in it. I remove it to vent the warm air out. Is this typical on these old ones? It strikes me as weird as it vent the warm air into the cabinet... Or you have to leave the cabinet open.

Tom Nugler · 01-13-2015, 12:17 PM

How big is the hole? As far as I know there should be a molded plastic duct riveted to the wall inside the cabinet extending up through the upper cabinet to the roof vent. Most are 20 inches wide and a couple deep.
Tom

ALANSD · 01-15-2015, 11:48 AM

That duct is there, but next to it is a removable piece of countertop that opens the little hole for venting..Doesn't look home made

TG Twinkie · 01-15-2015, 01:05 PM

Pics would help.

Sent from my iPod touch using Airstream Forums

JIMandPJ · 01-15-2015, 09:32 PM

My counter top also had a hole cut in it near the back with a piece of formica to cover it. I don't think it was for venting. It was an access to remove the flue baffle that is a part of the refrigerator (heater?). My replacement fridge also has a flue baffle but my new counter top will cover it so the only way to remove it will be to pull the fridge out of the opening.

REDSLED88 · 01-30-2015, 10:42 PM

I'm in the same boat. Right now I have a solid lower access door, and louvered upper access door for the fridge, and I think I'm just going to switch them, putting the louvered on the bottom....
Altough if I find one I may just go for both.

Is there a reason the upper access door would be louvered?
It sits just at the top of the fridge. I as well have the mesh hole in my floor, but will be replacing entire floor. So maybe the upper louvered access door creates some kind of venturi effect (lol), who knows.

Thanks

TIMK

JIMandPJ · 02-01-2015, 10:30 PM

Don't think I've ever seen an upper and lower access door for the refer. Mine is a lower door only and I'm still looking for someone local to put louvers in it.

dsmyser · 07-22-2019, 01:32 PM

I completely gutted and disassembled my '73 Land Yacht (31') and am currently putting it all back together. I am at a loss for how the refrigerator floor vent is put together. Of all the photos I took I only have photos showing the rectangle hole cut in the sub floor but none to help me see how that carried through to the underbelly.
Can anyone help me figure out how to set this up ?
-Is there a duct from the subfloor to the underbelly ?
-What do I use as a vent on the underbelly skin ?