Propane appliances

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Thanks to a very generous gift from a CSF member, I now own a Norcold propane / 120V A.C. refrigerator.

Based on various Google fu queries and utoob vids, it's apparent that venting of the cooling unit is very important to the function.
I intend to use this unit in my hunting camp in the spring, summer and fall.

My idea is to vent the unit at the top, to the outside, either via the eve or a hole in the wall.
I am trying to decide if I can get away with using the interior air as the bottom air supply. The camp is never air tight, always have a window or three open. The interior air is not conditioned, so it will be the same temp as outside or possibly slightly cooler.
I would put a small 12 V fan at the top vent to create a draft.

The fridge would not be used in the winter. Mother nature provides.

Anyone with propane fridge experience? This came from an RV, if it makes any difference.
 
I have no experience but I would refer you to this statement from the installation instructions for one Norcold model (not necessarily the one you have):
The bottom of the intake vent opening must be flush with or below the surface on which the refrigerator is mounted. This configuration allows any leaking propane to ventilate to the outside of the coach.

So you have to consider not only the products of combustion, but also the possibility of a propane leak. Propane is heavier than air, and the manfacturer requires the intake air to come from outside so that any leaking propane will flow to the outside.

Finally, if I were you I'd also install a carbon monoxide detector.

Good luck!
 
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I may have an original installation manual for an RV fridge. Let me know if you'd like a copy.
 
I have owned several campers with these refrigerators. There is a learning curve to the best use of them. Some things that I have learned over the years;
Turn it on a few days before you need it. It will take a day or 2 to cool down.Don't expect to use it the same day.
Both campers I have now seem to cool better on propane.
They are not good at cooling food, only keeping it cool. If you put a case of hot drinks in there, It will take 2 days to cool them down. Always pre cool if possible.
They are not frost free. If you leave them on for long periods of time, the cooling fins will ice over and stop working.
When you turn it off, leave the doors open. There is a lot of frost and ice that melts and will mildew the inside if not allowed to dry out.
When you get something out, don't stand there with the door open looking. Get in and get out.It has to cool all the hot air you let in.
A small electric fan helps a lot on the backside cooling coils. Make sure it is not directed at the heating chimney.On my RV, I mounted 2 computer fans in the top vent cover to come on when it is on 120 vac.
All that I have had used outside air for cooling, with the intake vents lower than the bottom of the unit.
If you ever get an "Ammonia" smell, the cooling unit is toast. They tend to corrode from the inside out.
Hope this helps and does not discourage you to much.
 
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noway2 said:
Don’t go overboard trying to cool coils with fans and things or exhausting the stack. It doesn’t work like a mechanical compressor driven refrigeration cycle. It’s an absorption unit and it needs heat: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absorption_refrigerator
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Good point.
I plan to use a small 12V DC computer fan at the top of the vent stack.
The refrigerator needs 12V, so it will be simple to use the same power run.
I will put the fan on a switch so I can use it in the dog days of summer. I bet it won't be needed in the winter.
 
Pink_Vapor said:
I fully understand compressor driven refrigeration, these make me scratch me noggin'.
Click to expand...
It's similar but instead of mechanically increasing pressure to condense the refrigerant, it gets absorbed into a chemical medium and is then heated up to separate them by boiling it off.
 
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