Fridge Venting - So very disappointed!

[MaGordon]

That is interesting, because you captured the strategy of the AS designers: Let as much water as you want into the vehicle, but then it will pool in the space behind the fridge, where metal has been put on the floor and sealed at the sides, and it will just run out the vest.

The problem is that water, once inside the trailer, will NOT simply drain out the vent, plus there is no floor drain, and because of this, water will find its way over the years to the floor and rot the wood. By sealing the space, I'm sure it will slow the rot by a couple of years (past any warranty) but it raises huge red flags in the design. Just watching the amount of water flow into the space was shocking.

Again, I have a 2007 trailer, and its obvious that for several years the problem was building, but I was essentially left with a 5 foot wide hole in my subfloor- which is really a nightmare.

If this was a car instead of a trailer- those plastic vents would have been recalled.

Originally Posted by Turbobill

I had a 2013 Sport and noticed water inside on the floor. I took the Bambi in (Nov 2015) for service and the service person said there wasn't a good seal on the outside refer compartment. After they sealed the compartment the leak stopped. They also told me to not spray directly on the vents when I washed the Bambi. The outside compartment never seemed to have much moisture possibly because of a drain. The sealing the dealer did must have saved my floor. I just traded in my Sport16 for a Sport22 so I don't have a way to verify the compartment drain. Sorry for your predicament.

[Freebird73]

I designed a fix to those darn plastic fridge vents and it works. I also helped the owner of a 2005 Bambi ccd gut her trailer and replace the subfloor. I am amazed the fridge didn’t fall through the floor. I have a hard time trying to post videos or information on this forum though. The trailer has gone back home but I can get pictures and an explanation of what we did. Message me or contact me via airstream Addicts or airstream restoration Facebook page. Lori Adams

[Freebird73]

Originally Posted by MaGordon

I have been reading a lot about my 2007 16' Bambi in these forums, and after my latest issue and lots of work correcting it, I wanted to both share and vent a a little. I say vent a little in jest, because it turns out that the Airstream fridge vents are the post pathetic things I have every seen, and have caused huge damage to my trailer.

Backing up a bit, I had some floor softness, and a bad odor, so I wanted to pull up the vinyl and clean it up and then put down interlocking vinyl plank.

However, when I pulled up the vinyl, I found years of problems in leaking around the fridge area, essentially yanking handfuls of wet sawdust where the underlayment had rotted. It was wet, and there had been rain for weaks, so I though it might be the water tank.

In the end, I had to replace about half of my floor - removing everything except for the walls and galey cabinets (couldn't remove), and that was a huge job as you can imagine.

HOWEVER- when trying to find the leak- I found what it was and it had me seeing red. I removed the fridge, and had my son spray a fine mist up in the air to mimic rain. What I saw was amazing- the water went down the side of the trailer , and then curled into the vent and inside the trainer. this was A LOT OF WATER. I though there must be a hole, but I wended up filming this, and the water was streaming through the gap between the plastic surround, and the actual plastic vent- not through the holes, but at the top and also at the bottom.

WHAT a crappy vent. It was not as bad as the bottom one, but then I saw another huge issue- the vent is installed on the side of the trailer which is not perfectly vertical -- that's right, when my trailer is perfectly flat, the vent is canted towards the inside of the trailer! The area inside the trailer is not weather or water proof. Thus-- floor rot happens in the area of the vent on many of these models from 2004-2012.

I'm so very disappointed in the vents that Airstream choose, instead of metal ones. I have ordered and will install the metals ones with a piano hinge and smaller vents that seem to work well.

Because they saved $150 on parts, my trailer had $5000 of damage.

I'm also mad at Airstream because after many calls about this issue, there was no mention of the vents, and that has to be a fleet-wide problem. I sat inside the trailer during the rain and saw huge rivers flow into the trailer.

What a waste.

I designed a fix for those plastic vents on a 2005 Bambi ccd. I am not sure how to post pics or explanation on this forum but I can be reached via Airstream Addicts or Airstream Restoration Facebook pages. Lori Adams

[Tony Lee]

Originally Posted by Shiny16

My refrigerator has been running for two days now on just the batteries. It’s 245 pm and has been overcast and light rain all day and my two AGM batteries with 180 watts of solar are at 100 percent.
My multi thousand dollar lithium solar system is still in the shop.

Obviously hooked up to shore power, or you have managed to find one of those magic systems that always has the batteries full by 9am, because your system is just not capable of running a normal domestic fridge, especially under less than ideal solar conditions.

[MaGordon]

I wanted to reply to this thread with at least some degree of success. This past Thursday I received the Stainless vent from Air Stream, and installed it Friday Morning, using SS screws, not rivets.

This, a tropical storm come up the gulf, and it rained all day Friday, Saturday, and it's currently Sunday night. Each day I went into the Bambi with a flashlight and crawled around.

Verdict: No water! I went from having about 24 oz of water pooling behind my Fridge each time it rained to nothing. I used standard 1/4 rubber insulation (1/4 in thick by 1/2 in wide), and the great thing is that the metal vents have an interior 3/4in metal ridge as part of the vent, so if you spray into it, and mater goes through the vent slats, it will be caught and directed outside.

I just cannot believe that AS used those cheap, crappy, ill fitting, leaky, and worthless plastic side vents on an expensive RV that is "Supposed to last."

I would strongly advise anyone considering a purchase of an Airstream with those vents to tell the dealer to yank them off and put on the metal ones - or not buy it. They cost $160 each, and save literally thousands of dollars and huge pain in the ass to the owner.

[MaGordon]

Lori-

Great. Even without pictures, can you explain the fix? I did have success with my upgrade (explained below), but I would be interested in what you did- plus others on this forum.

I have heard about installing a diverter, or a dam of caulk, or a couple of other approaches. Anything you can share would help.

Originally Posted by Freebird73

I designed a fix to those darn plastic fridge vents and it works. I also helped the owner of a 2005 Bambi ccd gut her trailer and replace the subfloor. I am amazed the fridge didn’t fall through the floor. I have a hard time trying to post videos or information on this forum though. The trailer has gone back home but I can get pictures and an explanation of what we did. Message me or contact me via airstream Addicts or airstream restoration Facebook page. Lori Adams

[Shiny16]

Originally Posted by Tony Lee

Obviously hooked up to shore power, or you have managed to find one of those magic systems that always has the batteries full by 9am, because your system is just not capable of running a normal domestic fridge, especially under less than ideal solar conditions.

Did you even read my post? Are you at all familiar with Danfoss compressor? Normal domestic fridge? We are talking about a 3 cubic foot fridge.

[matthewk]

Originally Posted by scott214

2020’s have a composite floor. AS just switched this year.

Are you sure? How are we not hearing all about this?

[Freebird73]

Originally Posted by MaGordon

Lori-

Great. Even without pictures, can you explain the fix? I did have success with my upgrade (explained below), but I would be interested in what you did- plus others on this forum.

I have heard about installing a diverter, or a dam of caulk, or a couple of other approaches. Anything you can share would help.

I got aluminum angle from Home Depot. One side is 1/2” and the other side is 3/4” I believe. I installed a dam inside the vent using the angle to stop water from coming into the trailer if it gets inside the vent. Then I cut another piece of angle and glued it above the vent slats but still on the vent, basically creating an eyebrow over the vent. Water runs down the side of the trailer, hits they eyebrow and is diverted around it. So far this two part fix has worked even with heavy rains here in Florida. Of course, if someone sprays it head on with a hose or power washer, it’s still going to come through.

The cost including the JB Weld and the angle was under $20.

[BTempone]

This is a easy fix on the Sport 16. You will need to add a UHMW plastic strip 1/4” x 1 1/4 x 19” across the bottom of the vent by bolting the strip to the existing vent mounting holes to act as a dam . There is no sill plate edge at the bottom so any water that come in through running down the vent just come in. Use stainless steel metric cap 5mm screws x 35mm long with nylon nuts. Use RTV sealant along the bottom corner and up the 1 1/4 “ side. I also installed the Camcorder insect screens for the vent. This will correct the problem.

[BTempone]

You can order order the strip from McMaster-Carr. Sorry forgot that. The hardware you can get at a good hardware store and the clear RTV sealant.

[BTempone]

The insect screen keeps the bugs out and you bet the keep the water too since they channel. If you hit it with a hose well oh well.

[MattBrick]

Originally Posted by matthewk

Are you sure? How are we not hearing all about this?

This is the subfloor on my 2020 FC 23FB, post bathroom sink leak. Looks like composite to me, at least the bottom and top layers look plastic. Fairly certain about the blue middle portion as well.

[jimmy1585]

I recently purchased a 2018 16RB Sport. The first time out it rained really hard and I see water coming from under the refrigerator. Is this what some of the posts here are referring to? I really don't want to have to worry about replacing my floor. How can I prevent this from happening? As you know, these Coaches are not cheep. I did not expect any thing like this happening. Thanks!

[Bcc75]

we have a 2021 International on order. I have attached a page from the 2021 brochure showing the composite floor as standard

[Andrew T]

Composite floor is standard for 2021 a few 2020’s ( most Canada Airstreams) and earlier units were built with it as test. They could not make the change until testing was done and the new factory was built.
So far we have seen no issues with the composite in Airstreams but many problems in SOB’s which use a similar but different system.
The fridge vents have to be code approved that is why Airstream used the Dometic vent on the 16’. They are not allowed to install the stainless vent in the factory.
I hope this helps.

Andy

[matthewk]

Originally Posted by Andrew T

Composite floor is standard for 2021 a few 2020’s ( most Canada Airstreams) and earlier units were built with it as test. They could not make the change until testing was done and the new factory was built.
So far we have seen no issues with the composite in Airstreams but many problems in SOB’s which use a similar but different system.
The fridge vents have to be code approved that is why Airstream used the Dometic vent on the 16’. They are not allowed to install the stainless vent in the factory.
I hope this helps.

Andy

The material Airstream is using has been the flooring in refrigerated semi-truck trailers for a very long time. It would be surprising if an Airstream was a more challenging use case. Time will tell I guess.

[Andrew T]

I think it is going to be fine, you can't blame them for being cautious though.

We have had zero issues with all the ones we have had through here.

Andy

[Dismal Nitch]

Just chiming in with another Bambi 16 with the same issue. Our recently acquired 2016 Sport had some water under / in front of the refrigerator and, thanks to the help of various FB groups, we think it is indeed from the plastic vents.

As the stainless steel vents appear to be out of stock everywhere (please feel free to PM if you have a lead), we're going to try some of the alternate solutions here. Thanks for the insights!

[ricjones]

Originally Posted by trailerpup

I had the same thing going on when I had my 2006 16 CCD. Those plastic fridge vents are a definite problem.

I now have a 19 FC and the vents are aluminum. I kept an eye on them the first few rains and haven't had any difficulties. Count yourself lucky you have a 2 way. I decided on a new 2019 vs 2020 because of this (and the gas stove).

In a perfect world, Airstream would use some type of composite material for the floors. Never happen.

This is probably the only place to vent. I think we all love our Airstream trailers even knowing of their foibles. But, I will probably always add a little whine to my repair threads.

Glad to hear that you seem to have the problem fixed.

What is the ultimate fix for the plastic vents?

Sure we all know this by now, but with the new models of AS, the floors are composite. And I believe all one piece. I had a big leak and it ran over the floor and out a crack and no damage.

Also the fridge vents are now gone (fridges are all electric and vent out the roof.

I had one of these head scratchers, though. I had a 2008 Safari 16' and kept getting water on the floor, in the front. Did not seem to be roof leak, and the AS had been resealed by a dealer. Finally, my dad was looking at the camper and it started raining hard. He noticed that the front window (very unique to the Safari, not a wraparound), had water between the glass of the outside window that hinges up, and the inside window. And then noticed that water would go into the AS via the little vents in the bottom of the inside window frame. All we had to do was to cut some of the rubber gasket away between the outside and inside windows, and water never accumulated. Problem solved. When I sold the 2008, I showed the dealer what I did and he said that one took them forever to figure out. And he showed me on the new AS models, the factory cuts out pieces of the rubber gasket, exactly like we did.

Expect AS to improve over time. Expect AS to be best RV in the industry. Don't expect Audi or Lexus fit and finish or engineering. But do expect your AS to be around longer than you will need it. It is what it is, as they say.