Covering frig vent

[brulaz]

Our 8 cu ft Dometic propane/120VAC frig has a lower vent on the back of the trailer and a roof vent. We will be running the frig on 120VAC when traveling this summer, but as I understand it, that's still heater based and the coils still require ventilation for proper cooling.

We're going to be traveling 100's of kms on dusty roads. Initially I was thinking to cover the lower back frig vent to keep the dust out. But maybe not ...

Any suggestions?

The frig has to be working while we travel, and I'm not switching to a household frig at this point .

[12thgenusa]

I think it’s a needless worry. We traveled hundreds of miles on non-paved roads on our trip to Alaska including the Dalton Hwy. Our 5er has a rear fridge vent and rear stove vent. No issue with dust getting in the kitchen or the fridge compartment.
When it rains, driving on those muddy roads packs mud everywhere imaginable! However not in the fridge compartment.

[Lynnmor]

Get a dry ice machine, just be careful using it in confined spaces as it releases CO2. With it you can turn off and seal the openings for some time.

Dry Ice Machines

[brulaz]

I know rear range hood vent will be a problem. Dust gets into the trailer from there all the time. Will plug/tape that up while travelling.
But hopefully the dust that gets into the back of the frig will just fall to the bottom of its compartment (sealed away from the trailer interior) and can be sucked up regularly.
It's the Dempster Hwy up in the Yukon that I'm worried about.

[2oldman]

Having the vent on the back could increase dust intake quite a bit. You're wise to be concerned.

[JaxDad]

Don’t fret the dust. There isn’t enough air flow to cause it to inhale much dust. Besides, dust doesn’t like to go up, it’s heavier than air.

Have you ever seen the precleaner on a farm tractor? It’s a simple round housing surrounding the air intake that cause the air to swirl as it’s drawn in, dust being heavier it can’t make into the center, centrifugal force pushes it outwards till it’s against the outer wall where falls harmlessly to the bottom.

Your fridge will do much the same thing.

Years back we drove thousands of km’s of dusty roads to Goose Bay Labrador, dusty as could be, no problem.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I look at things this way. Dust is dust and dirt is dirt and with propane or other how many refrigerators have I seen caked with dirt when they are pulled? None? I am getting ready to have an 18 gauge aluminum sheet bent to replace the steel cover on the back of the big refrigerator (24 CF) used in an umbilical house.

[wolfe10]

But, you can sure turn OFF the refrigerator for a couple of hours at a time if you hit particularly dusty conditions and block off the vent(s) at that time.

[brulaz]

OK, that answers that.
No compressed air, but we will have a vacuum cleaner that I can use to suck and blow out the dust. Will just plan on doing that every few hundred kms.
Thanks all.

[Lwiddis]

“but as I understand it, that's still heater based and the coils still require ventilation for proper cooling.”

A fridge of any type without coils that doesn’t require ventilation? Look at your home fridge.

[dpgllg]

MrWizard wrote:
Do not cover, fridge will not work right and you could damage it

If things get so dusty that fridge operation is affected

Turn off fridge and use comprised air to blow out the dust
Then turn it back on

X 2

You should never cover refrigerator vents while it is being operated. Both electric and propane are still heat based evaporation modes.

[Old-Biscuit]

YEP.......what he said^^^^^

Airflow/draft is required to remove the heat from absorber tubes and condenser fins REGARDLESS of which heat source is being used to boil the ammonia

If you want the fridge to cool,,,,,do NOT block ANY vents while fridge is ON

[MrWizard]

Do not cover, fridge will not work right and you could damage it

If things get so dusty that fridge operation is affected

Turn off fridge and use comprised air to blow out the dust
Then turn it back on