

| Subject: | Re: Couple of minor propane fridge mods |
| From: | David Beierl |
| Date: | Tue, 20 Jun 2017 14:46:02 -0400 |
I would personally reserve "squirrel cage" for a blower where the rotor was a modified cylinder rather than a plate with wings. But that's me. On Tue, Jun 20, 2017 at 2:42 PM, Edward Maglott <emaglott3@gmail.com> wrote: > I agree you have squirrel cage fans there. but there is a muffin fan too, > in the 3rd pic down. the 3 little squirrel cage fans are best visible in > the 5th photo. David, is a squirrel cage fan a type of centrifugal > blower? Or are they by definition always the same thing? > > I used reflectix type insulation on the back of my fridge to try to keep > the heat from getting into the back of the fridge. somewhere I have photos > of it. I had to cut it to fit and I think I may have done several layers > where there was room. > > If this link works it will show my attempt at insulating the exhaust tube. > https://goo.gl/photos/LwUTcCyDjNHi7mTS8 There should be improved draft in > the combustion circuit because the temperature differential between the hot > and cold side should be greater. I know the fridge vent plate on the > outside of the van is much hotter after doing this mod. That westy habit > of always checking to see if the propane is still lit when you walk by... > Edward > > > On Tue, Jun 20, 2017 at 12:18 PM, Alistair Bell <albell@shaw.ca> wrote: > > > Hi Ed, > > > > Well the thermal wrap on the exhaust tube does reduce the heat, but not > > eliminate it. After about 40 min the wrap is warm, not hot. Maybe I > should > > stick the temp probe on it to give you a better feeling about it. > > > > I know, the backside of the fridge. I couldn't figure out what to use and > > there is a lot of stuff in the way that makes a full back insulation > > difficult. But I will say that if I had suitable material I would have > > jammed some in between the sheet metal shroud of the "generator" ( the > > mineral wool insulated part above the combustion chamber) and the fridge > > body. That shroud does get hot. But I just didn't know what to use to > > insulate. > > > > Neil documented or posted about pulling the entire heat exchanger from > the > > tube inside the fridge. I chickened out after just a little trying. It's > > just clipped on the tube right? Maybe I'll try again. > > > > Ok laff it up about my thermal paste choice. I used the aluminum coloured > > anti sieze, im betting the copper based stuff would work even better. > > :-) > > > > Alistair > > > > > On Jun 20, 2017, at 6:37 AM, Edward Maglott <emaglott3@GMAIL.COM> > wrote: > > > > > > very nice mods! I insulated my exhaust pipe with a high temp wrap > > blanket > > > thing made to put on the starter motor. Does your double wrap of > > > fiberglass tape stay pretty cool to the touch on the outside? the one > > > thing I would suggest is to insulate the back of the fridge from the > heat > > > of all that hot stuff behind it. this seemed to make a big difference > on > > > mine, along with the above mentioned insulating of the exhaust pipe. > > > > > > I don't remember the fins coming off of the part inside the fridge that > > > snaps onto the cooling pipe. seems like that was all one piece on > mine. > > > I was scared to pull on mine too. I found that I could get my fingers > > > beside/behind the fins unit on the left side, at the end of the cooling > > > pipe and hold it, then pull on the fins unit and it came off starting > at > > > that end. it was having quite poor contact with the cooling pipe. for > > > replacing it, I first tried mayonnaise, then astroglide to improve > > thermal > > > transfer, but neither worked better than the Radio Shack thermal paste > I > > > found later. ;) > > > > > > Edward > > > > > > > > > > > > On Mon, Jun 19, 2017 at 6:13 PM, Steven Johnson <sjohnso2000@gmail.com > > > > > wrote: > > > > > >> Thanks, I'll check it out. > > >> > > >>> On Jun 19, 2017 5:50 PM, "Alistair Bell" <albell@shaw.ca> wrote: > > >>> > > >>> About the sim based wireless control of propex. Found it , here ya go > > >>> Stephen, knock yerself out :-) > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> https://www.sharkbait.website/1064/controlling-the- > > >>> heatsource-hs2000-heater-from-your-iphone/ > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> Alistair > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> On Jun 19, 2017, at 1:52 PM, Steven Johnson <sjohnso2000@GMAIL.COM> > > >> wrote: > > >>> > > >>> And while you are at it Alistair, can you rig it up so it can be > turned > > >> on > > >>> remotely via > > >>> wifi on Android and iPhone? :) > > >>> > > >>> Steven > > >>> > > >>> On Mon, Jun 19, 2017 at 4:39 PM, Roy Nicholl <RNicholl@nbnet.nb.ca> > > >> wrote: > > >>> > > >>> Alistair, > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> Next fridge challenge: a set of rails (one part of fridge, one part > in > > >>> > > >>> van) and quick connects to allow easy installation and removal. > > While I > > >>> > > >>> agree the fridge lights easily when squeaky clean and adjusted, it > does > > >> not > > >>> > > >>> stay that way long (at least mine doesn’t). > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> I’d probably clean it more often if getting to the bench (and back) > was > > >>> > > >>> smoother. > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> On 19-Jun-2017, at 17:01, Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote: > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> Nothing super earth shaking, just exhaust insulation and a bank of > > three > > >>> > > >>> wee squirrel cage fans. > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> https://shufti.blog/2017/06/19/vanagon-a-couple-of-minor- > fridge-mods/ > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> Alistair > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >> > > > > >
Have something to add on this topic today? Revive this thread in the forum »