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Norcold 3-Way Fridge Exhaust Fan Kit

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  • bgualtieribgualtieri Member Posts: 272
    Camping lunch cooking in our cool rig and cold fridge (with its new fan running great)


    image
    2015 T@b S Max | 2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited | was PHX East Valley, now Dallas!
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  • mnpilotmnpilot Member Posts: 4
    Thanks for the insight and quick response.
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  • keithpkeithp Member Posts: 31
    I just received my exhaust fan kit and was looking at the schematic diagram for the fridge. There's already a fan in there, wired through a thermostat that turns on when the condenser is hot (I think). I'm wondering why the new fan isn't just wired in parallel with that existing fan; eliminating the need for the switch, and making it run only when the fridge is actively cooling.
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    I believe this was discussed when the kit first came out (or before) - One reason it's good to have them separate is you can leave the exhaust fan off when it's chilly and the heated countertop helps heat the cabin.
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  • mash2mash2 Member Posts: 581
    Isn't it that the fan already installed takes heat off the cooling unit of the frig and the new fan pushes heat from the space above the frig?
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    mash2 - I believe that's how it works but that would lead to keithp's question of why not have both work together.
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  • keithpkeithp Member Posts: 31
    So, the thermostat for the existing fan is set too high to be useful -- it's labeled F130-15F, and that appears to turn on at 130F and off at 115F. I can't recall ever hearing it run, even in fairly hot weather. I ran the fridge on AC today with the covers all off so I could watch, and the thermostat gets 13V on one side, but never provides 13V on the other side, even when the fins were pretty warm to the touch.

    So, my best guess is that it's some kind of safety device, designed to keep 'bad things' from happening if the fridge gets way too warm, and won't be useful for the problem the new fan is trying to solve.

    I went to home despot and got an attic fan thermostat and bolted it right above the fridge fins. My plan is to wire that in with the new switch and fan, and then set the new thermostat (it's adjustable) so that the fan automatically turns on when it gets a little warm, but turns off when it's cool. Oh, I'm also going to wire the new fan *after* the 1A fuse; seems like a safer plan than wiring it directly to the incoming 12V supply.

    One option I considered was putting the new thermostat+switch combo in parallel with the existing thermostat, and then wiring both fans to that -- then both fans would run whenever it was either really hot in the cabinet (> 130F), or the switch+thermostat were both on. I may change things around later, but for now, I'm leaving the existing 'safety fan' setup alone.
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  • ChanWChanW Member Posts: 3,161
    That's what I did. It works well.
    Chan  -  near Buffalo NY
    2014 S Maxx
    2011 Tacoma 4cyl ... edit: 2022 Tacoma 6cyl - oh yeah! 

     A_Little_T@b'll_Do_Ya
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    So you two don't have it set up to operate independently I take it.
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  • keithpkeithp Member Posts: 31
    My two fans are completely independent -- the original fan remains connected to the 130F thermostat, the new fan in the vent is connected to a switch *and* a new adjustable thermostat.
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Ahhh - so, if you want it totally off, you can do that then?
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  • keithpkeithp Member Posts: 31
    I can turn the new fan off with the new switch (it's in series with the new thermostat). The old fan is still going to run if the temperature of the fins ever goes over 130F, which I doubt will ever occur.
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  • ChanWChanW Member Posts: 3,161
    edited August 2015
    Mine operates the same way as keithp's does.

    Only other thing I did was to add some rigid foam insulation to redirect the air flow a bit, to make it more likely to go past the cooling fins. The foam board also sits just below the countertop, helping to insulate it some.
    Chan  -  near Buffalo NY
    2014 S Maxx
    2011 Tacoma 4cyl ... edit: 2022 Tacoma 6cyl - oh yeah! 

     A_Little_T@b'll_Do_Ya
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  • WanderooWanderoo Member Posts: 553
    I ordered the vent/fan kit from Pleasant Valley Trailers (Elsie), and they sent it to me free of charge.  I took it to a dealer for installation, because I don't have the skills or tools to do it.  They did a nice job, and LG covered the cost under warranty.  SWEET!  I have a 2014 T@B S M@xx.  Last weekend I was able to test it out, and the fan definitely makes a difference in decreasing the amount of heat.  I don't have any concrete measurement of temperatures, but I could tell the difference just by placing my hand on the countertop and under the sink.  Thank you Little Guy! 
    Beth, 2015 Toyota Tacoma (Ramblin' Rose), 2014 T@B S M@xx (ClemenT@B)
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Got the kit - Doesn't match the video, the switch is totally different (three wires vs two). Could get the little green light to come on OR the fan to run, not both. Finally gave up, cried uncle. I need to find a good dealer along my way to do a different warranty fix, will just let them deal with it.
    LG - Instead of a jerky, hard to watch/see vid, just shoot some nice, clean stills and update them when you change parts.
    Speaking of changing parts...of the four replacement parts, three had something different about them.
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  • jkjennjkjenn Member Posts: 6,394
    @PXLated, that sounds incredibly frustrating. I am going to order it now, too. At least I expect bad directions. Hopefully, someone with some know-how will chime in to clarify.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • jdargisjdargis Member Posts: 305
    Use the pdf file from the first posting, the video is wrong.
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Where's that PDF?
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  • bgualtieribgualtieri Member Posts: 272
    At the very top of this thread (and here).

    2015 T@b S Max | 2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited | was PHX East Valley, now Dallas!
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    bgualtieri - Thanks - Thought I got back to the top of the thread but didn't so couldn't find it :-( ... Should be easy now as I already have all the splices in place.
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Got installed today - works.
    The email Ed sent me with a link to the video said the only thing that changed from the vid was the size of the switch hole - That's what thru me off - with the PDF it was a piece of cake.
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  • kybobkybob Member Posts: 232
    Is the refrigerator exhaust fan thermostatically controlled? On our recent trip, the fan didn't seem to be working even though the green light was glowing when the switch was turned on. It was not very hot out, so I was wondering if the fan only worked in extreme outside temps. Thanks!  
    2018 Outback S, Silver/Black - 2015 Silver Honda Pilot 4WD - Florence, KY

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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Mine isn't - If green light is on, the fan runs and vice/versa. Mine was user installed, don't know about the ones that are factory installed.
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  • VernaVerna Member Posts: 6,878
    My light is hard to see on the switch during the day. Easy to see at night. Installed at Tearstock last year. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • bgualtieribgualtieri Member Posts: 272
    No kybob. Not thermostat controlled. We had ours installed after we had our unit (yay Little Guy - they didn't charge us) but it is a switch. You flip it (or not) depending on if you want the hot air exhausted. Most of the time in the PHX area we did. Haven't been camping yet in the Dallas area where we moved. Looked at Joe Pool lake and the campground there last weekend. It's gorgeous!!
    2015 T@b S Max | 2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited | was PHX East Valley, now Dallas!
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    When the kit first became available, someone (smarty pants) figured out how to wire it into the thermostat. Thought the factory might have follow suit.
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  • TonydjdTonydjd Member Posts: 111
    Ok have not taken my 2015 max s on first trip since purchasing I'm one to do all modifications and get everything done first then start using. I took cover from left side of fridge and notice a small computer fan installed is this the new fix for newer model units. I do know there hole in floor also below fridge sorry pictured hard to see 
    Tony D
    Central,Fl
    2015 T@B Max-S


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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    No, it's a computer type fan but is mounted to the back side of the external vent to the right of the door. If installed, you will also have a little switch mounted in the wood trim above the fridge controls (unless the factory is now installing something different which I doubt).
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  • VernaVerna Member Posts: 6,878
    I have looked at Rolling Lagrima's (Sally and the hounds) switch. It is mounted on the black area of the fridge, above the right hinge, and it is a blue LED light. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • TonydjdTonydjd Member Posts: 111
    edited March 2016
    Copy that pxlated I'm aware of the fan kit and it's not on my unit as of yet I was just starting to look around and happen to come across this fan and was wondering about it. I will call factory in the coming months and get fan kit. Thank you
    Tony D
    Central,Fl
    2015 T@B Max-S


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