Waeco Fridge/Freezer Mods

Thanks Alan, that's the thread I was looking for. Excellent stuff!
Still struggling with the 'shroud' concept, must be oldtimers disease as I just can't visualise it. I have both the 50 and 30L fridges, very happy with them, but if they can be made more efficient, I'm all for it. You can carry just so many batteries!
Cheers, Mark

Mark, the "shroud" referred to in that thread is in the form of a baffle with the fan mounted over a hole in the baffle so as to discourage the recirculation of air from the fan outlet to its inlet. A good idea if it can be managed. Somewhat similar to the shroud associated with an engine radiator fan.

In practice I tested the airflow pattern with and without a baffle by using a small strip of thin paper to reveal the flow and did not find any recirculation using a computer fan possibly because it already has some degree of shrouding in its construction.

Thanks Alan, now I understand. Will go with the fan mods first and see how I go.
Mark

G'Day Allan,
One more question please - in the original thread, there was discussion about the thermistor (the green gizmo). When you swap out the fan, did you leave the thermistor in circuit or did you remove it? Anything else I should note?
Cheers
Mark

Hi Mark,

I had another look at the original thread to see what was said about a thermistor and I can see the photo with a green device (possibly a thermistor) connected closely to the fan.

I did not observe such a device on the original fan in my fridge, a Waeco CF35. In any case, I left the original fan intact and merely added a second fan electrically connected in parallel with the wiring supplying the original fan, crossing my fingers that the driving source would handle the added load. It seems to have done so as this fridge has now run some 14 weeks since the mods, and with improved performance.

I puzzle at the merits of having a thermistor to reduce fan current when the fridge is operating at a lower environmental temperature, if in fact that is what it does. The fan consumes so little energy compared to the compressor motor that any power savings in fan current would be negligible. In fact the more fan cooling of the condenser would provide more benefit in energy consumption at any ambient temperature.

The only other thing to note is to take GREAT CARE. Any damage to either the electrics or the refrigerant components could be VERY EXPENSIVE.

Thanks Allan, I appreciate your assistance. I hear your warning.
Mark