Norcold Three Way custom fan mod

ChanW

Here's how I installed my exhaust fans for the 3 way fridge. It requires lifting the stovetop up out of the way.

Remove the stovetop by loosening each screw at the corners of the stove (screws are under the rubber caps that cushions the glass). Loosen the screws only enough for the toggle anchor to swing aside. You'll feel the stovetop able to lift, once the toggle is free of the countertop.

I used 3 small ultra-quiet 3" fans made by Cooler Master, which are actually pretty close in size to the size of the vent. They draw 100ma each, according to the packaging.

I screwed them together, corner to corner, and then screwed them into the inside of the fridge vent, ie: inside the fridge compartment. The three power wires are combined, and are controlled through an adjustable attic-fan thermostat, which is mounted above the fridge heat fins.


 

I added a switch which will disable the fans, for those cool days when the heat from the fridge is welcome inside the Tab.

I also installed some rigid board foam insulation, foil-wrapped for fire resistance, which helps redirect the airflow to go through the fin area, rather than allowing it to be drawn from the back and side of the fridge.

 

Finally, I installed a 1/2"-thick-foam 'shelf' directly above the fin area, which keeps the warm air away from the bottom of the counter and stove. (Sorry no photo)

It works very well, no heat on the stove/countertop at all.

I might try using only two of the fans, and then try only one, to see if I can reduce the power draw.

I also don't yet know if I've left enough room for natural convection to happen without the fans, or if it's now going to require fans all the time. Time will tell.

Credit should go to Joe Rimsky, who devised this mod, and described it on the Yahoo group in the 'Files', titled "Refrigerator Upgrade".

Nomad

You've got way too much ambition...Will you come do mine? ;-)

jkjenn

Thanks for the detailed photos. They really help make the mod clear.

ChanW

Yeah, well...

About half way through I thought "this is taking way longer than I want it to..."

Glad it worked tho.

JiroTX

Thanks Chan! I really wanted to add some insulation on mine, but I only had access from the vent and was not sure if it was safe to add insulation or not (Ed from LG confirmed it is safe). I think I'm going to wait for now since the vent fan is working great. I will probably add some insulation when the warranty is expired.

I got a question about the thermostat. Does it turn on the fan(s) whenever it is above 90F (your setting) even the fridge is turned off? It gets

Jiro

ChanW

No, it doesn't come on unless the fridge is actually running. It gets its power through the same circuit that the small factory-installed fan does, which is controlled by the fridge's thermostat.

The factory-installed fan is controlled by the fridge's thermostat switch, but it also has its own thermo-disk temp-sensor switch mounted on the condenser coils (the cooling fins). So the factory fan only comes on when the fridge is on and operating (switched via the fridge thermostat), and the coils are warm (switched via the 'thermo-disk').

I wired these fans to also be powered via the fridge thermostat, but then going through the new attic-fan thermostat, bypassing the 'thermo-disk' sensor on the coils.

I set that temp as a tester temp, but I still have to work on the best setting for it. I think Joe found the best temp to be 105 degrees or so, but his thermostat had been removed from its metal case, and he insulated differently than I did, so I think it'll be trial and error before I get it just right.

ChanW

Jiro, glad to know adding insulation is safe, now that I've done it!

Actually, I did look into it before insulating. I thought about, but nixed, using Roxul stone-wool batt insulation, which is considered fire-proof, but it's too dirty, and breathing the fibers might be a health hazard.

The poly-iso board insulation is fire-resistant when covered, so I covered all cut sides with aluminum-foil sticky-tape, and didn't put it near the exhaust pipe or fire-box.

The board insulation works better than batt insulation would have, for my intentions, because it's mostly being used to redirect airflow.

AldebaranJill

@ChanW Is it possible to
- bypass the factory fan disc thermostat so that the fan is always on when fridge is on and
- add a switch so you can shut it off (when cold outside and heat is welcome)

ChanW

Hi Jill! I almost missed your message!

I don't see why not, other than the fact that the fan might wear out more quickly, running constantly. If you installed a high-quality ball-bearing type computer fan, it might last forever. 

I didn't put a switch on the factory fan, but I did switch the supplemental fans, to keep the waste-heat in the Tab in the cooler months. 

I put the supplemental fans (those that I installed at the waste-heat exhaust vent) on a secondary thermostat, which is located at the top of the condenser fin assembly. I think I may have put the thermostat in series with the factory one so that it would only come on when the factory one came on (don't remember!).

AldebaranJill said:

@ChanW Is it possible to
- bypass the factory fan disc thermostat so that the fan is always on when fridge is on and
- add a switch so you can shut it off (when cold outside and heat is welcome)