Exterior shade screen over fridge side of van

poor but proud

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Aug 25, 2018
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redlands
i am looking at placing a shade screen over the fridge side of my van.i have a couple of issues bouncing around in the old head about the plan.
1 my van is a pop top. will the screen direct the fridge exhaust (when using gas)into the vents of the pop top skirt, when fitted to the upper roof edge
2 if i were to mount the screen below the skirt , the screen is getting close to the fridge exhaust (fire hazard?? )but then leaves the skirt open to the sun
i see plenty of the small fridge screens advetised, but they all appear to be very close to the fridge exhaust so is it an issue?
i plan on using a full length sail track and have a screen (smaller than the van )that i can slide around to suit the sun,but the exhaust issue concerns me i would be glad for any direction thanks,
 

Boots in Action

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Mar 13, 2017
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Ferny Grove, Queensland
i am looking at placing a shade screen over the fridge side of my van.i have a couple of issues bouncing around in the old head about the plan.
1 my van is a pop top. will the screen direct the fridge exhaust (when using gas)into the vents of the pop top skirt, when fitted to the upper roof edge
2 if i were to mount the screen below the skirt , the screen is getting close to the fridge exhaust (fire hazard?? )but then leaves the skirt open to the sun
i see plenty of the small fridge screens advetised, but they all appear to be very close to the fridge exhaust so is it an issue?
i plan on using a full length sail track and have a screen (smaller than the van )that i can slide around to suit the sun,but the exhaust issue concerns me i would be glad for any direction thanks,

Hi @poor but proud, there should not be a problem with the shade cloth on the fridge side of van. Sure, there is heat coming out of the gas exhaust, but not hot enough to ignite the screen or anything else either. In any case, the exhaust port has a plastic cover and is there to protect against weather getting into exhaust tube. So not enough high heat to melt that, and in any case, your screen will not be actually touching that area at all. Where ever you place the screen, there will be plenty of space for any heat to dissipate. The screen is usually 80 to 90% sun protection and would not block any air flow from the gas exhaust. Have you ever thought about installing fan/s behind the back of fridge? Simple job and very effective, reduces the need for sun shield in most cases. I have two fans and have never had the need to use a screen to assist fridge cooling, but a screen does help keep the side of the van cooler.
 
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poor but proud

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Fridge cooling is normally not an issue, I have read lots of articles going on about gas fridges belonging in past but so far ours has served us well ,especially as generators have never been in our plans. the main reason for this exercise is to keep the van a little cooler in summer when we are off grid with no aircon.i carry a couple of USB fans which I can use if the need arises( I mainly use them in the back of my tug to keep the air moving around our imbedded freezer) I believe I was overthinking the fridge exhaust getting into the vents , but second opinions never go astray ,thanks for the reply
 

Crusty181

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Feb 7, 2010
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Mentone, VIC
We have the 3 way fridge, and we always camp in full sun wherever possible for solar collection. My preference where possible is to just orientate the van to provide shade on the awning side, so the fridge wall always faces the northern sun. We've spent extended periods up north over summer with many consecutive over 40deg, and the fridge wall pointed toward full sun. Our Dometic 2553 fridge is "T" designated so rated by Dometic to 43deg. We are realistic about it's pros and cons in hotter environments and with that in mind managing it's limits is easy enough and we've always had great performance from our 3 ways fridges. Without wishing to ignite a 3 way/compressor debate I'm still tilted slightly toward the 3 way. I do have 2 x fans behind the fridge but very rarely use them, and only ever on the hottest of days. I've never bothered giving the fridge awning, the fridge works fine as it is and I don't need yet something else to set up.

As for the flue vent, it can get quite hot on gas but not hot enough that I can't touch it. It can feel hot enough that ive wonder if it could delaminate the composite caravan wall around the vent, but it's not hot enough to burn something. (and no, my wall isn't delaminating). Our fridge consumes 18g of gas per hour, so not enough to pose any CO issues.

I have a feeling fridge wall awnings may well be one of those "things" that started out in some old Gonads garage with a misplaced theoretical idea that was never ever actually tested but once observed out in the field just went viral anyway, became a must have and the trinket shop best seller. I would be interested to know if there is any merit in it and I suspect it would only be a matter of putting a thermometer behind the top vent and comparing the air temps with and without the mesh ..... @poor but proud, your move Sir
 
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Drover

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Nov 7, 2013
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I use the shade screen from my 14.44 it not only keeps the sun from cooking the wall around my fridge it shades a good bit of the side wall, especially the kitchen area........... I have even used the full size screen for BIg Mals awning on that side when its been really hot and no need for the screen off the awning ............. no chance of combustion, does drop the wall temp down I wouldn't buy one of those dinky fridge screens they dont cover much at all and the wall seems to stay as hot as the uncovered wall.
 

Drover

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Big Mal with awning on one side and near full size shade screen on other is quite nice in the sun, fridge wall is heaps cooler and my boudoir is comfortable......while the panels eat sunlight to power Mrs D's tablet.....get a tablet, read e books, save carrying 80kgs of books, need 80kgs of battery and panels to power the damb thing as its always on........

15958298639551327409694.jpg
 

poor but proud

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Aug 25, 2018
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redlands
To answer my own question about awnings on the fridge side of van ,the screen does lower the asorbed heat coming through the van wall facing the direct sun,running my hand along the metal skin of the van was quite cool behind the screen,but I could not even touch the wall that was not shaded, the same result inside the van the walls and skirt were defiantly cooler where shaded,the downside was all the extra ropes and pegs,but for a longer term stay it was defiantly worthwhile
 

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BJM

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Sep 29, 2018
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Yamba
Imagine the heat retention/ transfer on these new dark grey,black vans.! Jayco apparently now going to an even darker grey exterior this year ,.After the driving rain the last week in Yamba will be looking at covers for the fridge vents , water in the bottom floor area .Obviously a problem from number of complaints on forums.
 

Drover

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Nov 7, 2013
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Imagine the heat retention/ transfer on these new dark grey,black vans.! Jayco apparently now going to an even darker grey exterior this year ,.After the driving rain the last week in Yamba will be looking at covers for the fridge vents , water in the bottom floor area .Obviously a problem from number of complaints on forums.
These vents of yours are they the new style large finned jobbies or these old style ones.....

1608237104600.png
..New......................................................Old........
1608237021208.png
 

poor but proud

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Aug 25, 2018
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redlands
These vents of yours are they the new style large finned jobbies or these old style ones.....

View attachment 66179..New......................................................Old........ View attachment 66178
Wind driven rain has been an issue this week even around our house we has water being driven into areas we do not normally see, such as over the top of the garage door and wind driving water uphill on a path ,maybe wind has been part of the water ingress into these vents , no vent can stop water coming from below, what type of cover are you thinking about? Something for rainy days or something more permenant ?
 

BJM

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Sep 29, 2018
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Yamba
Wind driven rain has been an issue this week even around our house we has water being driven into areas we do not normally see, such as over the top of the garage door and wind driving water uphill on a path ,maybe wind has been part of the water ingress into these vents , no vent can stop water coming from below, what type of cover are you thinking about? Something for rainy days or something more permenant ?
Maybe covers just for the the weather we have just had.
 

Drover

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Nov 7, 2013
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Must have been some howlers then, you did check the roof vent they have been known to leak.....
I have been toying with the idea of using a 2m vehicle awning mounted on fridge side, save stuffing around with my 14ft screen.... Mod the arm joint and dshorten legs which slot at van side with big okkies as hold downs, no pegs in ground.
 

poor but proud

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Aug 25, 2018
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redlands
Must have been some howlers then, you did check the roof vent they have been known to leak.....
I have been toying with the idea of using a 2m vehicle awning mounted on fridge side, save stuffing around with my 14ft screen.... Mod the arm joint and dshorten legs which slot at van side with big okkies as hold downs, no pegs in ground.
if you do a google search on double awnings or screens you will see some photos of vans , campers that look very much like a crippled pelican trying to take off, they look like they would be an issue in any type of wind
 

Drover

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Yep Ive seen them in the real, some have absolutely no idea and thats with store bought ones with instructions.... Rest assured mine would hold the fort.
This is my curent set up a 14ft shade or I can use the biggie which is 18ft, tent pegs and okky straps, really is a pain to thread in sail trak but heck it works very well.
20201120_150320.jpg
 
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