Winnebago cuts another corner

georgelesley · 09-23-2016, 12:09 PM

I just installed the ARP refrigerator safety control on our 2014 Itasca. I decided to put two thermostaticly controlled cooling fans in as well, one sucking cool air in from the bottom access door and one at the top access door blowing air out.

I finished the bottom and was pleased to note that the openings on the access door were screened in. Imagine my shock when I went to install the top fan and discovered the vent openings on that access panel are not screened in. I will order some when we return from a trip next month at a cost of $30 for the set. With a fan blowing exhaust air out, I am not concerned about screening the vent.

I know some will say that since the upper vent does a poor job of exhausting hot air when the industry went to side mounted upper vents and stopped venting refrigerators thru the roof that screening that vent may reduce the air flow. And the screen on the bottom will not?? If the bottom is screened but not the top, what is the point??

Yes I found the beginnings of two wasp nests and more would have surely come. The industry needs to put proper cooling fans to cool these large units common today. But I guess it is easier to not do it and let us make and pay for the mods ourselves.

As much as all the class action lawsuits have cost Norcold and Dometic over the years you would think they would insist on proper cooling of their units.

BTW, cudos to ARP. Their support was awesome and the install a two day project but quite doable. The unit will now switch off if it gets too hot and the fans are controlled automatically

End of rant.

bobmac · 09-23-2016, 04:27 PM

I have a 2009 Journey and neither of the fridge vents on the sidewall had screening on them. I believe the only reason both vents are on the sidewall is because the fridge is on a slideout as mine is and cannot be vented thru the roof. A roof vent is much better and more efficient than one in the sidewall. If you are suggesting that Winnebago is taking short cuts by venting thru the roof, you are wrong.
I got rid of the Norcold and installed a residential fridge three years ago and have never looked back. I suggest you consider that option. Good luck,

Camper Ken · 09-23-2016, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobmac

I have a 2009 Journey and neither of the fridge vents on the sidewall had screening on them. I believe the only reason both vents are on the sidewall is because the fridge is on a slideout as mine is and cannot be vented thru the roof. A roof vent is much better and more efficient than one in the sidewall. If you are suggesting that Winnebago is taking short cuts by venting thru the roof, you are wrong.
I got rid of the Norcold and installed a residential fridge three years ago and have never looked back. I suggest you consider that option. Good luck,

A residential fridge is not a viable option for some of us who dry camp the majority of the time. Unless of course you have a large battery bank and inverter or run the generator.

powercat_ras · 09-23-2016, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by georgelesley

I just installed the ARP refrigerator safety control on our 2014 Itasca. I decided to put two thermostaticly controlled cooling fans in as well, one sucking cool air in from the bottom access door and one at the top access door blowing air out.

I finished the bottom and was pleased to note that the openings on the access door were screened in. Imagine my shock when I went to install the top fan and discovered the vent openings on that access panel are not screened in. I will order some when we return from a trip next month at a cost of $30 for the set. With a fan blowing exhaust air out, I am not concerned about screening the vent.

I know some will say that since the upper vent does a poor job of exhausting hot air when the industry went to side mounted upper vents and stopped venting refrigerators thru the roof that screening that vent may reduce the air flow. And the screen on the bottom will not?? If the bottom is screened but not the top, what is the point??

Yes I found the beginnings of two wasp nests and more would have surely come. The industry needs to put proper cooling fans to cool these large units common today. But I guess it is easier to not do it and let us make and pay for the mods ourselves.

As much as all the class action lawsuits have cost Norcold and Dometic over the years you would think they would insist on proper cooling of their units.

BTW, cudos to ARP. Their support was awesome and the install a two day project but quite doable. The unit will now switch off if it gets too hot and the fans are controlled automatically

End of rant.

Norcold and Dometic both state do not put screens over refrigerator vents because they restrict air flow and warn that adding screens may prevent the refrigerator from cooling correctly.

I doubt that Winnebago put the screen on the bottom vent, my 2015 has no screens.

The best way to prevent wasps is to buy a cheap cat flea collar, cut it in half, and put half in the bottom of the refrigerator. Zip lock bag the other half for future use. Change the half collar about every 6 months. OK to use the whole flea collar if your not as a cheap skate as I am.

georgelesley · 09-24-2016, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by powercat_ras

Norcold and Dometic both state do not put screens over refrigerator vents because they restrict air flow and warn that adding screens may prevent the refrigerator from cooling correctly.

I doubt that Winnebago put the screen on the bottom vent, my 2015 has no screens.

The best way to prevent wasps is to buy a cheap cat flea collar, cut it in half, and put half in the bottom of the refrigerator. Zip lock bag the other half for future use. Change the half collar about every 6 months. OK to use the whole flea collar if your not as a cheap skate as I am.

Good advice but now that I have the fans in place sucking in cool air and blowing out heated air screens on both ends should not be a problem. If it were done this way from the manufacturer we would have better cooling units less prone to failure and no bug issues.

NYBobbo · 09-24-2016, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by georgelesley

Good advice but now that I have the fans in place sucking in cool air and blowing out heated air screens on both ends should not be a problem. If it were done this way from the manufacturer we would have better cooling units less prone to failure and no bug issues.

I also have installed the ARP in my 2016 24J. I already had one fridge go bad. It works as advertised by shutting down the unit when it overheats, but I'm now in the process of finding the right fan setting. The original fan was coming on and not the additional ARP fans (including the "inside the fridge" fan). I think yesterday I lowered the fan temp to low and it runs a lot. I'll be testing it more when I get the chance to get back on the road.

I did a bit of a write up on the sprinter forum. The install by myself and it took several hours and a few trips to the hardware store.

The ARP site is difficult to find the proper pages since it seems to have been built over time and links were not updated. On install my unit was programed and Paul worked with me on the phone to get this worked out. Recently, when requesting help with the fan issue the response I got from Paul was a link to his website.

Anyway.... if your ARP fans don't come on at the right temp you will have more heat build up if you restrict (screen) the vents.

BRex45 · 09-24-2016, 11:37 AM

So it appears that Winnebago was following the recommendations of the fridge manufacturer.

I wish all new threads had to undergo a BS test before being seen by the forum.

mel s · 09-24-2016, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by georgelesley

I just installed the ARP refrigerator safety control on our 2014 Itasca. I decided to put two thermostaticly controlled cooling fans in as well, one sucking cool air in from the bottom access door and one at the top access door blowing air out.

I finished the bottom and was pleased to note that the openings on the access door were screened in. Imagine my shock when I went to install the top fan and discovered the vent openings on that access panel are not screened in. I will order some when we return from a trip next month at a cost of $30 for the set. With a fan blowing exhaust air out, I am not concerned about screening the vent.

I know some will say that since the upper vent does a poor job of exhausting hot air when the industry went to side mounted upper vents and stopped venting refrigerators thru the roof that screening that vent may reduce the air flow. And the screen on the bottom will not?? If the bottom is screened but not the top, what is the point??

Yes I found the beginnings of two wasp nests and more would have surely come. The industry needs to put proper cooling fans to cool these large units common today. But I guess it is easier to not do it and let us make and pay for the mods ourselves.

As much as all the class action lawsuits have cost Norcold and Dometic over the years you would think they would insist on proper cooling of their units.

BTW, cudos to ARP. Their support was awesome and the install a two day project but quite doable. The unit will now switch off if it gets too hot and the fans are controlled automatically

End of rant.

georgelesley
What "corner" are you accusing Winnebago of "cutting"?
Wondering
Mel
'96 Safari

georgelesley · 09-24-2016, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mel s

georgelesley
What "corner" are you accusing Winnebago of "cutting"?
Wondering
Mel
'96 Safari

My point was if the bottom is screened why not the top. If one is done it only makes sense to do both or do neither.

Hikerdogs · 09-24-2016, 03:15 PM

I don't believe any screens were installed at the factory. We've had 2 Winnebago products and neither have had screens installed on the inlet or outlet air flow covers. As powercat_ras has already said both Dometic and Norcold do not recommend them as they will inhibit air flow.

If you bought the unit new I would check with the dealer as to why a screen had been installed. I have seen dealers install them as a temporary measure to keep rodents and bugs out of the area when they sit on the lot. When the unit is sold the screen(s) are removed.

If you bought the unit used I would suspect the previous owner did the installation without consulting the owners manual.

Your screens may work fine as long as they are new and clean. A few miles down the road you may find one or both are full of lint, pollen, tree seeds, and any of a multitude of other contaminants. We've gone through areas when cotton wood trees are dropping their seeds. At times it's been a snow storm of white fluffy seeds. It wouldn't take more than a few miles of collecting this type of debris to seriously diminish the cooling capacity of the refrigerator.

Decreased air flow will not only affect the cooling ability, it will also affect the lifespan of the unit.

georgelesley · 09-24-2016, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hikerdogs

I don't believe any screens were installed at the factory. We've had 2 Winnebago products and neither have had screens installed on the inlet or outlet air flow covers. As powercat_ras has already said both Dometic and Norcold do not recommend them as they will inhibit air flow.

If you bought the unit new I would check with the dealer as to why a screen had been installed. I have seen dealers install them as a temporary measure to keep rodents and bugs out of the area when they sit on the lot. When the unit is sold the screen(s) are removed.

If you bought the unit used I would suspect the previous owner did the installation without consulting the owners manual.

Your screens may work fine as long as they are new and clean. A few miles down the road you may find one or both are full of lint, pollen, tree seeds, and any of a multitude of other contaminants. We've gone through areas when cotton wood trees are dropping their seeds. At times it's been a snow storm of white fluffy seeds. It wouldn't take more than a few miles of collecting this type of debris to seriously diminish the cooling capacity of the refrigerator.

Decreased air flow will not only affect the cooling ability, it will also affect the lifespan of the unit.

Good points,I had not thought of the fact that we bought two years old. I may have criticized the wrong party. I still don't understand why one panel was screened and one not. I agree I have had three Winnie's and don't recall any having screens on the refer panels.

That being said, now that we have thermostaticly controlled fans directly mounted on the panels, one sucking, one blowing. I will watch and clean any debris I see collecting. I do understand why the makers do not want screens

Thanks to all posters and my apologies to Winnie.