How to Install an RV Refrigerator Vent Baffle
RV refrigerators do not use compressors like regular domestic units. In fact, they have no moving parts. They use heat generated by electricity or propane gas to chemically alter a refrigerant sealed inside a circuit from a liquid to a gas; the gas then enters conduits inside the cold compartment of the refrigerator and attracts the heat in the compartment, making the atmosphere colder. Attracting the heat turns the refrigerant back to liquid, gravity pulls the liquid back down into the heat source, and the process repeats itself. Anything that obstructs the exhausting of heat from the flue can negatively effect the refrigerator's performance, and installing a baffle can prevent this from occurring.
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Things You'll Need
- Permanent marker pen
- Stud finder
- Electric drill
- Pilot drill bit
- Fasteners
- Screwdriver
- Silicone (or similar) sealant and caulking gun
Instructions
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1
Extinguish the propane flame and turn off the gas supply to the refrigerator. This is typically done through an external door on the wall of the RV that is behind the refrigerator; your RV's manual should give specific instructions. Also unplug the refrigerator from the electrical supply.
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2
Familiarize yourself with the route of the flue. It is a pipe that has an open end immediately above the propane burner at the back of the refrigerator, and it runs upward -- or primarily upward -- until the far end exits through the external wall or the roof of the RV. There should be a grill over a wall exit vent, and a grill or cowl assembly over a roof exit vent.
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Inspect the location of the vent. If it is close to a heat source -- most commonly the exhaust grill of a rooftop air conditioner -- that heat source will have a conspicuous negative effect on the performance of the refrigerator. The force of the air exhausting from a large air conditioner can entirely prevent the natural escape of heated air from the refrigerator vent, effectively suffocating the system and preventing any cooling from taking place. In such circumstances, a baffle should be fitted to protect the refrigerator flue vent from the secondary heat source.
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Use a baffle that will completely shroud the side of the refrigerator flue vent closest to the secondary heat source. The material must be sufficiently rigid so it remains in place without flexing when the RV is being driven. Its design must not create a place for water to pool, and it must have a perforated lower lip to allow fastening to the roof.
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Use a permanent marker pen to mark through the holes in the baffle base, then pass a stud finder over the proposed locations to ensure no wires or pipes are immediately below the proposed locations. If the stud finder does not warn of any such hazards, drill pilot holes into the roof at each mark using a pilot drill bit in an electric drill.
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6
Position the baffle so that the holes in the lip align over the pilot holes. Attach the baffle to the roof using the shortest fasteners possible; it is imperative when working on RVs to minimize the potential for puncturing hidden wires or pipes beyond the range of the stud finder. Half-inch size 10 screws are normally ideal.
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7
Seal around the lip of the baffle once it is fixed firmly in place; use a silicone sealant unless the RV manufacturer advises otherwise due to the roofing material used. Extrude the sealant all the way around each side and both ends of the baffle lip, so that no moisture can penetrate the roof through the new holes.
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8
Reestablish the gas and power supplies to the refrigerator.
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Tips & Warnings
RV refrigerators, especially older ones, work far better if the RV is parked on an absolutely level surface.
Always put pre-chilled food in the RV refrigerator. Loading it with room-temperature goods taxes it unnecessarily.
Take appropriate care when working on an RV roof; be particularly vigilant with the power cord and/or extension cord to the electric drill.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit PhotoObjects.net/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
