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Old 08-19-2008, 09:49 AM   #1
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Somewhere , Between the Tetons and the SF Bay
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Venting Refrig gas on Bambi 19

I have a 2007 Bambi 19', with the undercounter refer and the two side grills on the outside wall. The factory 12v fan is WAY TOO NOISY, and I will replace with a quiet setup (researched on this forum, thanks!) real soon. However, my Bambi does not have a fan switch to turn off the fan, and I want to install that option.

Question is: Must the fan run all the time when using propane for the fuel? I'm worried about trapped combusted gases behind the refer and them leaking into the cabin while we're sleeping.

( The factory fridge setup on these seems sloppy to me. The cavity behgind the fridge is only sealed off from the cabin with the counter/cabinet components and caulk. There is no physical vent directing the gases out of the trailer. ....Well... and the 12v fan is just plain chinzy)
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Old 08-19-2008, 10:20 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tetstream View Post
I have a 2007 Bambi 19', with the undercounter refer and the two side grills on the outside wall. The factory 12v fan is WAY TOO NOISY, and I will replace with a quiet setup (researched on this forum, thanks!) real soon. However, my Bambi does not have a fan switch to turn off the fan, and I want to install that option.

Question is: Must the fan run all the time when using propane for the fuel? I'm worried about trapped combusted gases behind the refer and them leaking into the cabin while we're sleeping.

( The factory fridge setup on these seems sloppy to me. The cavity behgind the fridge is only sealed off from the cabin with the counter/cabinet components and caulk. There is no physical vent directing the gases out of the trailer. ....Well... and the 12v fan is just plain chinzy)
Since LP is heavier than air, any residual LP fumes should exit the rear fridge compartment thru the lower access door. In reality, unless you have a leak, there should NOT be any LP fumes in that compartment. If you're concerned about the exhaust from the use of the fridge on LP, it will vent out the top access door.

Unfortunately, the fan provided by Airstream for the 3 CF Dometic refer in your 75th is lacking in cooling power and very noisy. BTW, it is placed there NOT as an exhaust fan for LP related gasses, but to provide adequate ventilation for the condenser section of the fridge. I have replaced them on a number of 16's (same orientation as yours) with the Snyders' Refrigeration fan upgrade kit. You can find them on Stu's web site : www.snydersrefrigeration.com.

This kit will maximize the cooling power of your fridge, is thermostatically controlled and is QUIET!
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Old 08-19-2008, 11:17 AM   #3
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I just (last weekend) replaced my fan with the Snyder setup and kept my original fan but made a new mount for it in the upper vent opening.

I have greater coolong performance with my fridge and believe that my on-the-road performance will be greatly enhanced. I put a switch inline to the vent opening fan for the noise reason you mentuioned - at night I will turn that fan off - the fan with the Snyder kit is quieter but still noticable - it will be on the sensor (so is the vent fan) and will come only when necessary to keep the fridge cool.

Overall - noise went down, temperatures went down.

I had to modify the Snyder kit a little and can take photos if you need. Really a simple install.

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Old 08-19-2008, 11:35 AM   #4
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Since you have looked through the forum for all the discussion about that fan, you don't need any additional information other than what Lewster has provided.

Installing a switch is not difficult because there is no need to bypass the refrigerator's thermal switch. Your shutoff switch can just interrupt the power to the fan, whether the thermal switch is on or off. A convenient location for the switch is the cabinet wall just inside the door. If your Bambi is still like ours, you will need to drill through two layers of plywood. There is a gap between them.
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Old 08-20-2008, 11:23 PM   #5
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I installed two SilenX 46 cfm 11 db fans in the refer bay, replacing the original fan. I made a nice little bracket for them out of 1x1x1/16" alum angle, and placed each fan so that they directed the airflow thru the center of each open grille area of the outside grills. The orig fan was located right behind the center bar in the outside grill. The new fans are barely audable, and create a nice draft thru the grill.

I also put a rocker switch under the sink cabinet so that I can turn the fans off at night.....if I even hear them.

Thanks for the tips, guys.
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Old 08-21-2008, 06:39 AM   #6
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I had a 19' Bambi and know the beast well. Though my fan never came on, there are several threads here on the forum talking about fan replacement.

Lew's suggestion I believe was one of the top 2, if not the number 1 replacement suggestion. Either way, replacing the fan with a better, more quiet fan seems to have been a winner with most owners with this fridge configuration.
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Old 08-21-2008, 06:50 AM   #7
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Even though we don't have a Bambi, I installed a muffin fan from a computer in the fridge compartment, wired to a fuse and a simple toggle switch. It is a very quiet fan, on still nights you can just barely hear it. If you want even quieter, you could locate and install a 24 volt computer fan there. It would run at half speed, and less than 25% of the noise level.
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Old 08-21-2008, 11:41 AM   #8
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Goin' out today for a three nighter, and it's reported to be 95+. I'll give a report on the reefer fan setup after we return. I am confident it'll work way better than the factory setup.
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Old 08-25-2008, 08:57 AM   #9
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New fans work great. Refrig works great. Vast improvement, and the fans are virtually inaudible. Even tho I put an OFF switch under the sink, I never turned them off because they are so quiet. The refrig got everything nice and cold. Each fan draws .18 amp, and moves 46 cfm.

I think this is a must mod.
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Old 09-04-2008, 08:48 AM   #10
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My fan quit!

It had been noisy ever since I got into some dirty condx at a dry lakes race in CA last Nov. and finally quit altogether about 2 months ago.

Although I will replace it, I can't honestly say that the fridge has ever missed a beat without it and I spent a week at a race in Iowa in August where temps were in the 90's everyday with no shade at all (I never use the awning). And, as my "user name" might imply as being somewhat important, the Miller Lite was always cold!

For info, I have a 2006 19" Bambi. Fan does have a factory installed switch.
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Old 09-04-2008, 10:49 PM   #11
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Beer runner - you're lucky. I think my refrig is different than yours. Our 19' 75th edition has a 3 cf undercounter basic model. It would not even get cold on a 95 degree day with the awning out. If you want your fridge to work less, get some fans.

It's a good thing your fan quit, cause the factory ones suck power.

I still like my beer in cans, on ice. But, any cold beer 'ill do.... So, in my scenario above....I had lotsa cold ones ready.
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Old 09-04-2008, 11:20 PM   #12
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We join the group who thinks those fans are way too loud with questionable efficiency...we often have to get up in the night to turn it off (we do have a switch on the 06 Bambi Safari SE, and ours is thermostat-controlled), especially in cooler weather when the ambient temps are low but the frig still needs the "breeze" for efficiency...in warmer weather it's bearable, but barely.
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