Westy fridge fan replacement

[lhd]

http://gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php? ... parent_id=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Right been meaning to do this for a long time so thought lets get to it.
Found an identical fan on ebay(apart from lazer printed name) obviously generic and probably Chinese.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PC-CASE-FAN-A ... 922wt_1009" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I went for the aluminium fan as I thought GW probably spent at least an enth of tenth of "feck" all on R&d.....
Easy peasy using top screw from your original fan and original hole (how much easier can it get) and drilling a tiny hole in the fan housing.

I also used Plastic Padding Super Steel Epoxy weld (All Parts) as I was worried that as mine's a Syncro, the bouncing around may cause the screw only fixture to weaken and fail.

Roughed up both surfaces with a wirebrush drill and a few scrapes with a screw driver to get a scored surface, then cleaned this off with brake cleaner.

Obviously before I applied the Plastic Padding I did a temporary fit just to make sure everything was fine.
Fan comes with three wires, clip the blue one (not needed) red + black to -.
Make sure you get the fan the right way round, blowing not sucking......




All in all probably about £15.00.

I recon I could lift the whole fridge by the fan due to the Plastic Padding......
Now ready for a face off with Jed on ice lolly making....

Rob.

[jed the spread]

You have no chance mate.... Bloody fan, Peasant

jed

[lhd]

[PetenAli]

Thanks LHD, that's a helpful post. One day I will probably go the Jed / Jake route (waiting to see their how to on Campervan Culture) but for the time being I need to make my fridge as efficient as possible and this will help a lot as my fan is bust.

Do you work yours off a thermostat or have a manual override switch?

Cheers,

Pete

[ninja.turtle007]

Do you work yours off a thermostat or have a manual override switch?

Cheers,

Pete

The rm184 has a thermo switch but you could also run it manually with a little extra wiring. This could then be used as Turbo mode to get the beers chilled more quickly.

I'm still really infavour of these 3 way fridges. I only ever use mine on gas and even when the van isn't level it works really well. Infact it is never turn to full power.

I have an underslung LPG tank so I make the most of it.

Nice post Rob.

[PetenAli]

The rm184 has a thermo switch but you could also run it manually with a little extra wiring. This could then be used as Turbo mode to get the beers chilled more quickly.

Yes - mine has a thermo switch which I assume is working but the idea of a manual override is quite attractive. As long as it gets the beers cold and makes ice for the bosses G&T - I don't want frozen beer!!

Would a manual switch need a relay?

[jed the spread]

Hey Rob, you might want one of these to go with your fan,




jed

[ninja.turtle007]

Hey Rob, you might want one of these to go with your fan,




jed

Now that's a good idea!

[AdrianC]

Now ready for a face off with Jed on ice lolly making....

Mebbe I'm missing something, but isn't this just the overtemp fan? Comes on when it's about 50deg at the fins round the back? Only time ours has kicked in so far was when the gas safety valve (which now works again) was having a sulk, and we'd got it on both 240v & gas in low 30 deg ambients...

[lhd]

Now ready for a face off with Jed on ice lolly making....

Mebbe I'm missing something, but isn't this just the overtemp fan? Comes on when it's about 50deg at the fins round the back? Only time ours has kicked in so far was when the gas safety valve (which now works again) was having a sulk, and we'd got it on both 240v & gas in low 30 deg ambients...

Your not missing anything, it was a joke.
Rob.

[AdrianC]

Now ready for a face off with Jed on ice lolly making....

Mebbe I'm missing something, but isn't this just the overtemp fan? Comes on when it's about 50deg at the fins round the back? Only time ours has kicked in so far was when the gas safety valve (which now works again) was having a sulk, and we'd got it on both 240v & gas in low 30 deg ambients...

Your not missing anything, it was a joke.
Rob.

I'll go back to sleep, then.

[pirate-pete]

How much time is the fan working Rob? I see Adrians is hardly ever on but on mine the fan seems to run more on than off.

I fitted a couple of CPU fans last year, one where yours is and one on the next set of fins above. With the fridge set on medium the things kick in every few minutes regardless of source. The fans are relatively quiet but you can still hear them especially at night. Think the worst it got was in France in early June and I was timing about 3 minutes on and 30 secs off. Just wondering if my thermostat needs adjusting. Can't complain too much as at least my beer stays cool.

[California Dreamin]

The switch has a fixed temperature so can't be adjusted...it looks a pretty standard item to me so could be replaced with something from Maplins etc I did see a temperature on it but I really can't remember what it was.
At least it wasn't the old mecano fan coming on all the time.....now that would have driven you crazy!!!!

I must admit, mine was coming on a fair bit at night (also in France) but I fitted a quieter 120mm SINGLE fan as apposed to the two 80's you have......so just audible and certainly not annoying, thank goodness.

Martin

[lhd]

How much time is the fan working Rob? I see Adrians is hardly ever on but on mine the fan seems to run more on than off.

I fitted a couple of CPU fans last year, one where yours is and one on the next set of fins above. With the fridge set on medium the things kick in every few minutes regardless of source. The fans are relatively quiet but you can still hear them especially at night. Think the worst it got was in France in early June and I was timing about 3 minutes on and 30 secs off. Just wondering if my thermostat needs adjusting. Can't complain too much as at least my beer stays cool.

Pete I'm sure they changed the thermo switch on later models, I have an early fridge which had a white switch, when I sold my old interior I kept my old fridge as I had replaced both elements and I knew it worked well. Before I sold it I swapped the thermo switches and changed it to the blue type, now it comes on all the time,
I dont know if they had problems with the early fridges over heating but it seems the blue switches definitely turn the fan on earlier.
It was getting on my nerves so much I bought a new switch £23.00, it arrived and was exactly the same which leads me to believe there was calculated reason for doing this.

The fan mod I have done is almost silent, you can just hear it if it's quiet but I could hear the old fan from outside the van.

[pirate-pete]

Thanks Martin & Rob

Think my switch will be the blue type, have a pic from when I first worked on it and it looks almost black. The fans are not too loud -as Rob says you just really notice them when everything else is quiet and it seemed strange they stay on for so long. Will maybe tinker next time the fridge comes out for something and see if I can get either a higher temp switch or move the existing one further from the heat.