The shelf on top of the fridge would get hot when we ran it on propane -- it turns out that the flue vent is under that shelf, and there is no tube conducting the heat and exhaust to the roof.
So I created a sheet metal deflector and added some insulation -- it was a very easy project. If you are interested, check out this brief blog entry, with more details:
2012 Fun Finder X-139 "Boondock Style" (axle-flipped and extra insulation)
2013 Toyota Tacoma Off-Road (semi-beefy tires and components) Our trips -- pix and text About our trailer
George and Ann
2012 Dodge 3500, SLT Big Horn,CC,DRW,Cummins HO,4x4,3:73, Dual Cam Hitch
2008 Keystone Springdale 291RK Retired Army, but still working....until 2015
D'oh! Zero clearance?? Then why do they leave this big gap around the fridge? Why not stuff it full of insulation, which costs . . . something . . . . . I see.
Seriously, insulation is so cheap. Can I safely stuff the area around the fridge with lots of pink fuzz? Will that make the fridge more efficient? Chris, are you an expert on this? I sure am not!
It turns out that someone who REALLY knows what they are doing (unlike me) has posted a very good explanation of what to do and how to do it, complete with diagrams:
Based on this description, it looks to me that I should indeed insulate the top of the fridge. And I can insulate the sides. And I should NARROW the gap between the side wall and the coils, to enhance the draft of cool air rising from the bottom vent, past the coils, and out the top vent. Counter-intuitive, but it makes sense when you think about it.
profdant139 wrote: ... I should NARROW the gap between the side wall and the coils, to enhance the draft of cool air rising from the bottom vent, past the coils, and out the top vent. Counter-intuitive, but it makes sense when you think about it.
You mean the "back" of the fridge - which is the "side wall" of the trailer indeed. Sides of the fridge should just have insulation without any gap. As to the narrow gap on the back, the manual for compressor fridges that boaters and truck campers often install in place of their old propane units, recommends 1.1/4"-1.1/2" clearance from the wall. Which is a little more than the above link recommends, even though there is less heat there (no flame). In any event, it sounds like you can safely narrow it down to 1.1/2".
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