Cold Draughts - Fridge Vents

[bertieboy1]

I suppose every caravan is the same - but why is there strong cold draughts inside the van coming from the fridge vents.The cupboard and drawer next to fridge are like ice boxes and the draughts cooldown the inside of the van.(on a cold windy day).Surely there must be some way for manufacturers to seal these vents from inside the van yet still let the fridge get the ventilation it requires.

 

[swpostie]

I haven't noticed draughts from the fridge vents in my 'van - possibly because the awning is that side.

I do get draughts from all the other vents in the floor under the seat boxes and in the lockers though!

Presumably these are there to prevent a build up of gas in the event of a leak and to allow sufficient ventilation to prevent the formation of carbon monoxide (I could be wrong).

 

[Damian]

There should NOT be any draughts from the fridge vents.
The back of the fridge SHOULD be totally room sealed to prevent exhaust gases coming into the van.
I would suggest that you look behind the outer vents and see if the sealing is in place, if not, it needs looking at.

What van do you have and what age?

 

[bertieboy1]

It's a Bailey Pegasus,just turned 3 years old.
I haven't taken off the vent covers yet but the draught is strong and can only come from the fridge vents (the only access to the outside ) that I can see - unless there is a floor vent.
This is not the only van on which we have experienced this.It has been the same on all our previous vans more or less to the same degree.

 

[Thingy]

I too get the same effects. More noticeable on this van than any of my previous but as above, had it on all of them to a greater or lesser degree. Van in for service next week, Ill ask them to have a look.

 

[Woodentop]

We have a Peg 462 2010 and that too produces a gale through the slots above the oven (which is next to the fridge.) What baffles me is that there is often a draught in the upper lockers above the kitchen area and it blows out of the vent behind and below the microwave.

I took the fridge covers off today and as far as I can tell it is full sealed - certainly no gaps big enough to produce our tame gale! There is a vent in the floor under the cooker which I have temporarily covered to no avail.

If anyone solves it please let me know...... 🙁

 

[chrisbee1]

Are you sure the draught is coming from the fridge vents and not from under the cooker? Don't know about your van but mine has a gas drop vent in the pan storage locker under the oven which, depending on wind direction, causes a terrific draught..

 

[Damian]

Quote " There is a vent in the floor under the cooker which I have temporarily covered to no avail"

That vent is a gas drop hole and MUST NOT be covered AT ANY TIME !!!!!!!!!!

Near each gas burning appliance will be a gas drop hole and the same applies to those. NEVER COVER !!!!!

 

[tenpole]

I was going to cover the vent during winter storage when no gas will be connected as stops damp getting in. Wife had stored all her pots and pans in the cupboard under the cooker and all had gone rusty.

 

[Hutch]

Tenpole, try using the van all year round, It can be wonderfull, waking up to snowy and Frosty mornings, as long as you have covers for Aqua roll and pipes. No rusty pots and pans then.

 

[Damian]

I was going to cover the vent during winter storage when no gas will be connected as stops damp getting in. Wife had stored all her pots and pans in the cupboard under the cooker and all had gone rusty.

Covering those drop holes will make absolutely no difference unless you intend covering all the fixed ventilation throughout the van as well, then you WILL have big damp problems !!!!!
The van MUST be able to breathe, which is why they have fixed ventilation to allow air flow to keep the van interior dry.

To stop pots and pans going rusty TAKE THEM HOME !!!!

 

[tenpole]

Dont have the room in our little terraced house to take all the caravan stuff home. This year however I have obtained industry size silica gel bags to distribute around the caravan.

 

[Damian]

Dont have the room in our little terraced house to take all the caravan stuff home. This year however I have obtained industry size silica gel bags to distribute around the caravan.

Why????? What good do you think they will do?
The air changes so often inside the van that all you are attempting to do is dry out the worlds atmosphere !!!!

If you have no leaks you should not need any such items.

 

[tenpole]

Dry out worlds atmosphere.

Need some time to think about that one.

 

[tenpole]

Tenpole, try using the van all year round, It can be wonderfull, waking up to snowy and Frosty mornings, as long as you have covers for Aqua roll and pipes. No rusty pots and pans then.

Now there is an idea.

 

[Hutch]

That photo was 3 years ago in Northern France, van was three weeks old. 🙂

 

[Raywood]

You can get covers for the vents which should help assuming the problem is when it is cold but they need to be taken off when it is hot or one off at others. We did have the problem in our last caravan at the bottom of the kitchen unit where wires and pipes came into the seat base and there was no problem in blocking the hole round these.
A previous caravan had a draught along the top of the fridge but that also could be sealed. What you must not do is block the external vents as Damian says but I see no problem with any gaps around the fridge that let cold air into the living area.

 

[Woodentop]

You can get covers for the vents which should help assuming the problem is when it is cold but they need to be taken off when it is hot or one off at others. We did have the problem in our last caravan at the bottom of the kitchen unit where wires and pipes came into the seat base and there was no problem in blocking the hole round these.
A previous caravan had a draught along the top of the fridge but that also could be sealed. What you must not do is block the external vents as Damian says but I see no problem with any gaps around the fridge that let cold air into the living area.

Firstly please note all that I said "temporarily" covering the drop vent under the cooker as part of trying to find out where the draught is coming in.

As for your last line above, may not see anything wrong with it but I would rather stay warm at night. We were in Somerset a couple of weeks ago and despite some warm clear days, at night we often got close to freezing outside - indeed our water froze up twice (serviced pitch,) we had several air frosts, and one small lot of snow. When the wind blows from the N or NE as it was then (caravan facing west) the heater just cannot keep up with the gale coming at it from the fridge area and we wake up at less than 10C inside the 'van.

All I want to know is the source/inlet of that internal gale.

 

[Damian]

Quote " All I want to know is the source/inlet of that internal gale."

Unfortunately without actually seeing the van it is simply not possible to pinpoint the source.

 

[Hutch]

In our van, It's normally the dog after a lamb bone 🤢
In our last Coachman , a 545, we always seemed to have a draught at the front right hand side, from the gas drop hole near the water heater, in this van there is no draught even though the gas drop hole is still there. :huh:

 

[Raywood]

To find the source you need to establish where the wind is getting into the living area. previously we have had a hole where the water and electrics ran from the front seat to under the kitchen unit and gave us a draught up the side of the cushions. This was easily blocked without compromising safety. The other problem we have had is the slight gap between the top of the fridge and the kitchen unit. Not easy to block that but you can seal it if necessary.
After that I would be looking at the drawers and doors on the unit. It is possible for there to be air coming in from around these and if so I would look at a sealing tape. It should be a case of going round feeling for the draught coming in to the living area and dealing with that. Not sure what you have got but if the heater cannot get the temperature above 10c then there must be a serious draught somewhere.

 

[crazyguider]

f stand in front of our fridge in the Avondale, there is a howling gale round your feet. When taken out there is a vent that blows straight into the van that has nothing to do with the fridge. Nice in summer, not so in spring!!