Adding a fan to a fridge heat x/chngr

[skyflyer]

Whilst wandering the LBS I saw some fridges with a large 12v "computer case type" axial fan attached to blow air across the cooling fins of the heat exchanger.

Our fridge compressor and heat exchanger sits in a portside locker which is also used to store fenders and the like (we have to be careful not to run a boat hook through the gubbins), so although quite a large volume of air it isnt really "ventilated" as such.

I thought it would be a simple matter to mount a fan (£6 from maplin) in front of the cooling fins and wire it into the circuit so that it runs whenever the compressor runs.

a) is it that simple
b) will it work
c) will it consume more power than it saves on cooling

Thanks in anticipation

 

[macd]

No idea what spec of fan you've been looking at, but a few years ago I installed 2 computer fans to do the same job. By plying about with the wiring it was easy to get them to switch on only when the compressor pump was running. They draw 0.1A each, make hardly any noise and seem to help.

 

[skyflyer]

This one, 120mm square for £7.

 

[raggy]

Sounds like a good idea you could put a var risistor in to control the speed. Try overclockers.co.uk you can get up to 230mm I think.