# Dometic RMD 8555 not cold enough



## wp1234 (Sep 29, 2009)

Hi All,

Has anybody had probelms with a Dometic RMD 8555 fridge not being able to cope with outside temps of 35 deg plus.The fridge seems to work very well in 'normal' UK outside temps and takes the internal temp down to about 3-4 deg but in France we had iinternal fridge l temps up to 12 - 14 deg at times .

Is fitting an electric fan to the vent system the answer to this problem as some tell me?If so where do I get one of the fans from and are they easy to fit ?



Thanks for any advice in advance


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

it may well be that there is insufficient ventilation for it to work well. Other peopel have mentioned fridge fans, and I fitted one to our Pilote. A doddle to do, get a computer fan from maplins or maybe a "dead" computer, a length of 2 core wire and a small switch. Run 12v from a nearby lighting circuit, and fit the switch in line. I had the switch in a locker, and turned it on when on site in hot conditions. The fan fitted in the top ventilator grille, and worked well by sucking more air through the back of the fridge, to get the temperature down.


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## TheNomad (Aug 12, 2013)

Yep. 
Just fit a fan.

Solves the problem every time. They really should be fitted from new to all MH's!!

We live in Spain. It gets VERY hot here in summer.

I've fitted a twin fan with auto thermostat kit inside the upper external vent for a large size 3-way fridge freezer. It draws almost zero power, and almost impossible to hear when running. It has got an on/off switch, and a manual override switch which will make both fans operate all the time.
It cost about 50 euros from a motorhome accessories shop in France.
Took no more than half an hour to fit, including its little control panel and attaching live and neutral 12 volt power from leisure battery supply.
But if you are handy, then any little 12 volt fan for computer use, plus a little switch, would do broadly the same job for less money.

Ever since then our fridge and freezer have been utterly brilliant.
I have also found as an unexpected by-product that we now use quite a bit less gas (we almost always wild-camp or use Aires rather than campsites with EHU, so fridge is on gas almost all the time we are parked up)

This is the type of thing that I fitted:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VENTO-ELE...ervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item1e7ddbe5ac

Very very highly recommended for every motorhome.


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

We also fitted a fan, and it does help. But all absorption fridges (which is what 3 way fridges are) struggle to get more than 20 or 25 degrees C below ambient temperature, even with a fan. A fridge needs to be at 4C ideally, so if the temperature is above 30C you are in danger of food poisoning. In Portugal where we were a month ago it was 43C.

Positioning the side of the MH the fridge is on facing north helps a bit.

We got fed up of throwing food away the first time we went abroad and invested in a Waeco fridge/freezer, about the size of a large coolbox. It's brilliant! It works off 12v or mains (not gas because it's a compressor type), and it's very quiet. We run it as a freezer all the time, and always have at least 2 blue freezer blocks in it, which we put in the MH fridge to lower the temperature.

Invest in a fridge thermometer and try the fan route first, but f you want peace of mind and travel regularly to hot climates, consider a Waeco or similar compressor type. Expensive, but we think it's well worth it.


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## VJP (Dec 8, 2010)

Take the outside grill off and remove the mesh. Others don't bother putting the grill cover back.


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## kenp (Sep 8, 2006)

Lots of good advice here: http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-129566-fridge.html+fans

Or type " refrigerator fans" into the Search Forums box.

kenp


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## sideways (Jun 2, 2008)

Just back from 3 weeks in Germany staying on stellplatz it was 98 in the van some days, the fridge was on gas and defrosted the ice box we had to resort to electric and it improved things my van is 10 years old and my mate who was with us has a 3 year old van they never struggled with the fridge. i thought it was an age thing so will try the fan trick and see if it works.


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

TheNomad said:


> Yep.
> Just fit a fan.
> 
> Solves the problem every time. They really should be fitted from new to all MH's!!
> ...


Much cheaper outside of EBAY from same seller. Less than £39 delivered
http://www.grasshopperleisure.co.uk/vento-12v-electronic-fridge-fan-126-p.asp


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Fridge*

Hi

I agree with "Easyriders" - we too park the fan with the fridge on the easterly/shaded side when in hot places. It makes a big difference.

Russell


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## teensvan (May 9, 2005)

Hi wp1234.

I fitted 2 90mm dia computer fans to the cooling fins of the fridge 3 years ago when we were in Germany. Worked very well. They are about £6/7 in maplins. Just use tywraps to fit the fans to the cooling fins. Just wire them up to the leisure battery via a 3amp fuse and switch. I have seen kits for this in Spain 

steve & ann. ----------teensvan


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## wp1234 (Sep 29, 2009)

.[/quote]

Much cheaper outside of EBAY from same seller. Less than £39 delivered
http://www.grasshopperleisure.co.uk/vento-12v-electronic-fridge-fan-126-p.asp[/quote]

Just wondering if anyone with a new Autotrail has fitted the Vento unit yet ? Any hints or help before I fit mine would be appreciated

Thks


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

I imagine your fridge has a 12 volt control circuit supply so this would be a convenient source to supply the fan controller as the load is so tiny it wont impact on the circuit. This would also ensure that when you turn your 12 volt distribution off the fan will be isolated too


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