Battery powered interior fridge fan - what works

[Yoda]

I tried searching this but no results have come up. In my outside fan research theses little battery power fans popped up. Is anyone using one? Was thinking this might help when traveling.
These are what I ran across
Two different Valterra modesl
https://www.amazon.com/VALTERRA-A10-...4920330&sr=8-4
https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-A10-...920330&sr=8-18
Generic version of Valterra
https://www.amazon.com/Increase-Cool...920330&sr=8-14
Camco
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Fridge-...4920330&sr=8-2
Generic version of Camco
https://www.amazon.com/Fridge-Refrig...923498&sr=8-56
Titan
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094TW31XK...NsaWNrPXRydWU=
Beech Lane - this seems to have best reviews.
https://www.amazon.com/Beech-Lane-Mu...920330&sr=8-10

So is anyone using one of these and how well do the actually work. Is it best placed directly under the interior fins? Photos show them all over the place, but my fridge is usually pretty packed.

Last I also ran across digital wireless thermometers - do they work well and if you have one what brand do you have? Would save us from having to open the door to check.
https://www.amazon.com/AMIR-Refriger...4924958&sr=8-8
https://www.amazon.com/AcuRite-Refri...4924958&sr=8-6

All thoughts are appreciated
Keith

[Tom in PGH]

We use the Valterra battery operated fan in the fridge. I put it about midway (vertically) near where the interior light is. I usually get about a month out of the batteries, then put them into the charger. I use two sets of rechargeable, so that I always have a fresh set ready to go.

We have also used a digital wireless thermometer, with one sensor in the fridge and the other in the freezer. I used to take them in the truck on travel days, but now I just leave them in the trailer. The fridge stays plenty cold, as we use blocks of ice (in Tupperware containers) that we keep in the freezer until travel days. Then I put them into the top of the fridge, and it stays below 40 for about 8 hours or so.

You may want to look at how you load up the fridge. Since all of the cooling comes from the fins, you need room for air to circulate around everything, as that is where a lot of the cooling comes from . The fans help to move the air around the inside, but they may not be much help if the fridge is totally full.

[howson]

Yoda and Tom in PGH

What's interesting about an absorption refrigerator is it transfers heat from inside the refrigerator to the low (freezer) or high (refrigerator) evaporator coils that are on the outside (back) of the refrigerator. The high temp coils are attached to the fins you can see inside the refrigerator. This is very different from how a compressor-based refrigerator works.

To our question: the key is to ensure that air can move around inside the refrigerator so relatively warm air has a path to the fins because it's job is to transfer the heat out of the refrigerator.

Bottom line: no matter what I did (and I think I tried everything) when I had an absorber refrigerator it never performed (nor could it) like a compressor-based refrigerator. A fan inside may help, but don't expect a remarkable change.

[colan]

Yoda and Tom in PGH

What's interesting about an absorption refrigerator is it transfers heat from inside the refrigerator to the low (freezer) or high (refrigerator) evaporator coils that are on the outside (back) of the refrigerator. The high temp coils are attached to the fins you can see inside the refrigerator. This is very different from how a compressor-based refrigerator works.

.

I may be misunderstanding what was written, a technical clarification:

”evaporator coils are on the outside (back) of the refrigerator…”

The evaporator section is encased in foam and cannot be seen. The evaporator section/coils are in direct contact with the back of the freeezer section (metal back wall) and the fins in the refrigerator.

The visible coils on the lower backside of the refrigerator are the absorber section where the ammonia from the evaporator section is absorbed back into the water/ammonia solution.

Yep, TMI. Doesn’t change the fact that many OEM gas absorption cooling units leave a lot to be desired.

[Cooper]

I would think any kind of air movement in the fridge would be helpful. Especially since the fans are relatively inexpensive.
We have the wireless thermometers. We like it. It’s nice to see how the fridge is operating. May have to buy another thermometer as our fridge has 2 separate freezer compartments. So we need 3 sending units and 3 displays.

hope this helps.

coops

[Yoda]

I would think any kind of air movement in the fridge would be helpful. Especially since the fans are relatively inexpensive.
We have the wireless thermometers. We like it. It’s nice to see how the fridge is operating. May have to buy another thermometer as our fridge has 2 separate freezer compartments. So we need 3 sending units and 3 displays.

hope this helps.

coops

Thanks - If I may ask which wireless units do you have?
Thanks
Keith

[Cooper]

Thanks - If I may ask which wireless units do you have?
Thanks
Keith

We have an old Acurite system. Works well… just keep the batteries fresh and remove the batteries for long term storage.

hope this helps

coops

[Capt Bob]

We have an old Acurite system. Works well… just keep the batteries fresh and remove the batteries for long term storage.

hope this helps

coops

X2 on the Accurite system. It has worked very well for us. We keep the display on the dinette table for easy viewing. No problems so far. Our fridge seems to work fairly well. Temps appear accurate. Food is cold and ice cream is hard.

[Yoda]

Thanks folks on the feedback. I think I will skip on the interior cube fan and get the Accurite temp sensors instead. Then Ill get the exterior fans installed and see how it goes,