Fan does not work

[LL2]

Have a 23 fb and the fan will not turn on and cool the cabinet. 12vdc not present at the thermistor 1 amp fuse is good fridge w/n cool below 51 degrees in this heat. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance for your help,

[JazzDad]

I wonder if I'm having the same problem. The pancake fan near the condensing coils on the back of the fridge (accessed through a door from the outside) runs all the time. I can unplug the fuse, which stops it. I suspect the thermistor, strapped to the coil, is the culprit.

[Phoenix]

The outside fan for the refrigerator has a thermostat that determines when it runs after the switch is turned ON. If it is cool enough outside, the fan won't run. Similarly, if it is hot outside, the fan will run continuously.

The OEM fan is quite noisy. Many have replace them with various brands of ball-bearing computer fans, which are much quieter and draw very little current. See link below for the replacement fan we use; however, there are a lot of other brands that work equally well:

Amazon.com: Magma 12CM Fan Magma Component Twister Bearing Detach Blade: Computers & Accessories

[Phoenix]

Additional note: If your refrigerator and freezer are working, but perhaps not cool enough, it may help to put a recirculating fan in the refrigerator section. This will help even out cold and hot spots on the inside, and may bring the temperature down. Also, RV refrigerators don't recover quickly from opening the door; so limiting how often and long the door is open will help tremendously (hard to do if you have kids).

Amazon.com: Camco 44123 RV Fridge Airator: Automotive

Note: Item also available at WalMart and Camping World.

[nsbcpa]

How well do the computer fans hold up being used in an exterior environment? Does it help to spray the exposed bearings with a anti-corrosion spray?

[Phoenix]

I installed the Magma Twister Bearing Fan about five years ago. It is relatively protected from weather, behind the louvered outside door. However, it does occasionally get covered in fine dust (dirt); so I clean the fan blades in the spring, if dust has built up. The fan normally doesn't get wet, even when towing in rain, snow, etc.

The fan does not run in cold weather due to the thermostat, and we turn it OFF when the outside temperature requires a long sleeve shirt (around 60-65 degrees). However, when we are camping, it runs almost continuously in the summer, when desert temperatures are typically 105 to 115+ during daylight hours and 90 to 100+ at night. It also runs continuously when we camp in the mountains where temperatures are about 85+ daytime and 65 at night.

I have not used any cleaning sprays or lubricants on the fan in five years, and it continues to operate normally, considering it runs 24/7 about four of the 6-8 weeks we camp throughout the year.

I recently purchased a second fan, which I plan to install in the stove exhaust vent, if it will fit. Otherwise, I'll just keep it as a spare.

[TBRich]

We have a Snyder Refrigerator Fan kit installed on our refrigerator (pic below)... I did have to replace the fan just last week ... after nearly 3 years of operation it finally seized. Our Bambi's frig runs while in storage at our home and it runs pretty much 24/7 in our climate, even out of direct sun...

The bracket you see at the top of the access area in the photo is where the OEM fan was installed...you can see that it would not be all that efficient in that position. (Please excuse the dust...it needs a good cleaning...)

Just a note...not all refrigerators with fans have a an off/on switch inside... 19' Bambis do, I don't think 16' Bambis do, and I know 22' and 23' Safari SEs don't...why this is, I don't know.

[JazzDad]

I'm confused.

I do not have the fridge turned on at all, yet the outside fan runs constantly. Granted, it is hot here, but this only started happening recently. (It's been a long, hot summer.) That's why I thought the thermistor that is strapped to the condenser fins went bad.

Confirm / deny my troubleshooting? Thanks!

[TBRich]

Originally Posted by JazzDad

I'm confused.

I do not have the fridge turned on at all, yet the outside fan runs constantly. Granted, it is hot here, but this only started happening recently. (It's been a long, hot summer.) That's why I thought the thermistor that is strapped to the condenser fins went bad.

Confirm / deny my troubleshooting? Thanks!

It doesn't sound like you have anything wrong. Ours runs most of the time when we have it turned on...it is controlled by a thermostat in the comparment. (The only difference for us is that we can turn the whole thing off.) If you don't have an off/on switch inside, it is simply controlled by that thermostat...and I'm not surprised that it's running all the time if it's hot where you are. That sounds normal.