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mountain mist View Drop Down
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Joined: 25 May 2010
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Posts: 426 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Greasing the Grooves
    Posted: 14 Jul 2011 at 3:37pm
PawPod/. Just came home from Walmart with that fan. I am leaving my frig. on (is plugged into house) to see if it gets colder. You are right, I had to listen to see if the fan was running.
'11 Forest River r.pod 171
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techntrek View Drop Down
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2011 at 2:12pm

Try this, on a warm day take off the upper cover (outside), put it into a plastic bag and put the cover back on.  That will trap the heat.  Stand there and listen for a few minutes.  It shouldn't take long for the fans to turn on.  They are variable speed so they may start off slow and then ramp up.

Don't forget to take the bag off.  Nuke
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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kymooses View Drop Down
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Posts: 1807 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2011 at 12:08pm
Originally posted by techntrek

When its hot out I'll hear them on, you can't miss them, they sound like a plane taking off.
 
Hmmm, we were out in high 90's over the 4th and I can't say I ever heard them kick on.  But then again it is on the other side of the camper and I'm sure it's hard to hear over the AC unit anyways.
 
I just get this bad feeling mine never kick on since I've never seen them actually spin or heard them.  Ouch
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techntrek View Drop Down
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2011 at 11:21am
I'll try to remember to get a pic tonight.  Ours came with 12 volt 300 milliamp AC transformers, but they use a standard plug to plug into the transformer that I could plug into a battery pack - or the 'pod's battery - instead.  Low amperage draw, I've read its usually about 100 milliamps per 100 feet so ours @ 42 feet each may use 1/6 of what the transformer can supply.  Two of them is enough to completely circle (square?) one 10 X 10 EZ-up plus outline the openings on the Dome.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Pawpod View Drop Down
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Posts: 137 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2011 at 11:18am
Mountain mist, here's a link to our fridge fan.
Fridge fan
Hope that helps. Takes up about the space of a soda can and has ran for the two weeks we've had it so far. Said the batteries last for 30 days. Very quiet too. Had to look at the fan part to see if it was working
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Joined: 08 Jun 2011
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Posts: 130 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2011 at 10:28am
Originally posted by techntrek

<snip>

We always had "tacky lights" with our popup, but only put them up a few times with the 'pod.  This trip we tried something new we both like a lot.  Its called "electro luminescent wire", usually called "EL wire" online.  Very cool stuff, easy to put up and has a neat glow to it.  This will give you an idea of what it is, but we didn't buy from this place (we got ours on closeout from IKEA a while ago).

http://www.elbestbuy.com/

<snip>


Those are cool.  Any pictures of them in use?  How long do you find the batteries last typically?
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2011 at 10:17am
When its hot out I'll hear them on, you can't miss them, they sound like a plane taking off.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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kymooses View Drop Down
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Posts: 1807 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2011 at 8:58am
Originally posted by techntrek

Keep in mind that the 'pod fridge already has 2 12 volt fans, thermostatically controlled, in the rear compartment.  I had to add a 12 volt fan to my popup, I was happy to see - and hear - those fans already in place when I bought it.  

 
 
About these fans. Our Pod has them as well and at first I thought they ran all the time and was concerned.  At the recent ERU I asked one of the engineers and Susan from Forest River about it and yes as you say, they told me they are thermostatically controlled to kick on when needed.
 
I've just never heard them I guess, and since I've never seen them spin at random times that I've taken the fridge side panels off I wonder if they are in fact working.
 
When do you notice yours kicking on?
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kymooses View Drop Down
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Posts: 1807 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2011 at 8:55am
Originally posted by Pawpod

I bought a little fridge fan that curcleates the are inside the fridge. Went from slitly cool to cold. Well worn the $15.
 
 
We also run a small fan in our fridge.  It changes the temperature quite a bit.  For example without the fan you can leave a soda in the fridge overnight, opened because we take drinks if we wake up during the night.
 
That same soda with the fan inside running turns it into complete slush by morning.
 
Our is a small 5 inch battery fan.  Runs on high off two D batteries for almost 3 days.  I soon decided to buy the AC adapter for it though and just shut the fridge on the cord carefully and plug it in near the bed.
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Hodge-PODge View Drop Down
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Posts: 539 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2011 at 7:29am
Originally posted by techntrek

Hodge - don't worry about using the propane, it isn't illegal in any state, just in some tunnels where it is clearly marked.  Most big rigs only have 2 way fridges with no 12 volt option and can only use propane on the road.  The tanks have several safety features which prevent accidents - I've seen videos of them on Mythbusters where even sitting in a fire the worst they do is vent.  No explosion.

Tech, thanks for the safety info regarding propane (I just LOVE Mythbusters - but missed that particular show), and as I'm not going through any tunnels as I travel today, I am going to use the propane after all.  It just seems more efficient to me than the 12 volt, and I won't have to worry about draining the battery when I stop.
 
Pawpod, I used one of those little fans my last trip out.   It does help keep the temperature at a more acceptable level.  My fridge fan has no on/off switch though, so I had to remove the battery to turn it off when not camping.
 
Diane
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