Fridge vent covers

Hi Ron

That winter cover shown in your link is the same one I am talking about. It clips onto the permanent cover, and effectively closes up all but the top row of ventilation slots.

You could achieve the same effect by removing the permanent covers, and use duck tape to seal off the inside of all except the top row of slots. They are pretty easy to remove and replace, and at a whopping 16 quid each (plus postage) for the proper covers, that's exactly what I would do for the winter.
If I bothered at all, which I probably wouldn't!

Dave



P.S. Just saw your addition to the post Ron.

Don't be confused between Dometic and Thetford fridges - they are quite different. The Dometic fridge has a chimney which exits at the right hand side of the top cover, and this should not be obstructed at any time, summer or winter.

The Thetford fridge doesn't have a chimney at all, so there's no need for a permanent flue in the top cover. Simply reducing the air flow during the winter is sufficient, and it doesn't much matter how it is done.

I was not talking about a big hole. It wa sonly the Electrolux that had a cover with a separate section for the flue gases.
I have a Thetford fridge but the flue is still at the right hand side (just like the Electrolux/Dometic), hence my preference for a gap at that side to allow free passage of flue gases.

The plot thickens!

There must be different variants of which we are not mutually familiar! Always a problem when trying to describe something a bit complex!

Dave

Thanks, Dave.

I note, and understand, that "The winter covers are a bit smaller and clip onto and over the permanent ones, but have only a single ventilation slot at the top." Thus only one set of "covers" per se.

But my Nuevo (new March 2015) has no such winter covers to clip over the permanent ones.  Did your new vehicle (about a month or so later if I recall) come with such clip-over covers, or did you buy them? If they came as standard, I may phone our mutual dealer.

Thanks,

Cymro

They came with the van Cymro.

If I remember correctly they were in a plastic bag on the seat when we took delivery, and I'm not sure whether they were supplied by Frank or Autosleepers. The latter I would suspect, though I can't understand why some folk got them while others apparently did not.

Rob will know, but they will all be at the NEC Show now so you won't get him until next week.
Dave

Well, I picked up mine at the beginning of June and there were definitely no winter vent covers, either on or, in the van.  I got a very speedy reply from Alan at A/S (many thanks for that  ) giving me the part number, FF0152G @£13.75 + vat each 

Now, where did I leave the roll of duck tape again 

£15.99 for a pair. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/A-Pair-Of-Thetford-Fridge-Winter-Covers-in-Cream-white-RAL9001-Vent-62445557-/191419196553?hash=item2c91792489

£1.55 and the work of five minutes 

http://www.gaffatape.com/GafferTape/default.aspx?gclid=CjwKEAjwnf2wBRCf3sOp6oTtnjYSJAANOfheVrAO4-XZhumMC9Bw2tqnXFxmuxNUtF4GZT_44z3hKxoCVtnw_wcB

This would be my answer rather than spend 30 quid on something I didn't really need!

Dave



P.S. Reckon I need some of this though.

My van will be a prime target for all you winter coverless bods. It would take all of 5 seconds to get them off - they are not very securely fixed!!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gorilla-1044201-Glue-60ml/dp/B001W030CW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1444921160&sr=8-1&keywords=gorilla+glue+super

I've discovered that my local(ish) Caravan Shop has exactly the same ones at £17.90 a pair. After taking advice from here, I'm going to wait until I can check the sizes, but the duck option remains a possibility

Well, perhaps not a duck.........but some duck tape 

Gromit wrote:£1.55 and the work of five minutes 

http://www.gaffatape.com/GafferTape/default.aspx?gclid=CjwKEAjwnf2wBRCf3sOp6oTtnjYSJAANOfheVrAO4-XZhumMC9Bw2tqnXFxmuxNUtF4GZT_44z3hKxoCVtnw_wcB

This would be my answer rather than spend 30 quid on something I didn't really need!

Dave



P.S. Reckon I need some of this though.

My van will be a prime target for all you winter coverless bods. It would take all of 5 seconds to get them off - they are not very securely fixed!!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gorilla-1044201-Glue-60ml/dp/B001W030CW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1444921160&sr=8-1&keywords=gorilla+glue+super

Good luck with removing the adhesive in the spring!

It wouldn't matter Ron as it would be inside and invisible, but you are quite right. It sticks like you-know-what to a new blanket after a while, doesn't it!!

Dave

Well, survived without the vents covers this time  Our trip started in sub zero temperatures but it picked up quickly so the fridge worked without any problems. Definitely no winter covers hiding in the van so I will get them (from my local supplier) for when the van is stored.

On a related matter, we did get a lot of high winds when away and a consequential (annoying) noise of something rattling. We eventually tracked the noise to the wire mesh behind the fridge vent, both of which seem to be fairly loose. Is this unusual?

bikeralw wrote:Yes, the covers are expensive for what they are, a Dutch motorhomer I parked next to at an aire in Italy was telling me that his had been stolen a few days before. Shame, it could only have been a fellow motorhomer.
Al.

Not relevant here but what is the internet for if not digression.

The fridge on my Transit camper decided to stop working on our last trip, it just would not turn on for any fuel supply. The next day we discovered the "permanent" grill was missing! It may have fallen off earlier but I cannot believe I wouldn't have noticed a large black hole in the side of the van when plugging in the day before. We now have a grey cover of the type mentioned elsewhere in this thread.

Hi Askit we too had the rattling from behind the vents by the nylon screens, I cured it with 4 or 5 blobs of blue tack that was 3Yrs ago and its still fine! But it did lead me to find where a lot of drafts were coming from around the fridge and wheel arch where A/S hadn't sealed correctly so that got sorted as well ,lot better now not so breezy in bed!!     Regards        Paul

Paul, that sounds like a plan

I wondered if the loose fitting was deliberate (perhaps to accommodate expansion) or just poor workmanship. Whatever, it became a really irritating noise in the early hours. Now, where did I put the blue tack 

Gromit wrote:They came with the van Cymro.

If I remember correctly they were in a plastic bag on the seat when we took delivery, and I'm not sure whether they were supplied by Frank or Autosleepers. The latter I would suspect, though I can't understand why some folk got them while others apparently did not.

Rob will know, but they will all be at the NEC Show now so you won't get him until next week.
Dave

 Further to your helpful reply, Dave / Gromit, I contacted our mutual dealer, who confirmed that if the AS had the winter / premium upgrade, it should have had fridge covers. They immediately sent a pair to me, which came the next working day. Excellent service. Excellent result. Many thanks.

Cymro wrote:Further to your helpful reply, Dave / Gromit, I contacted our mutual dealer, who confirmed that if the AS had the winter / premium upgrade, it should have had fridge covers. They immediately sent a pair to me, which came the next working day. Excellent service. Excellent result. Many thanks.

Glad to help.

That's why he's our mutual dealer, eh?

Dave

Well done! When I took delivery, the salesperson "scavenged" a Peugeot handbook from another van so I would have one. My guess is, if there were ever covers supplied with my Nuevo, they are probably now adorning someone else's van 

Askit wrote:My guess is, if there were ever covers supplied with my Nuevo, they are probably now adorning someone else's van 

When we were ordering our new van last weekend we remembered in time to ask for an extra fridge shelf. The salesman said jokingly "I'm not sure about that". I replied I know where to get one if you don't - looking into his motorhome stock area. (It is now on the order form.)

I took some advice..........from SWMBO, she said "you paid £xxxxx for a van and then quibble about buying the proper covers   Chastened, I phoned A/S yesterday at 4pm to order them and they arrived today at 11am 

Well done A/S    Just need to figure out how to make them difficult to take off easily now

Askit wrote: Just need to figure out how to make them difficult to take off easily now

I've been thinking the same.

A couple of stainless self tappers through into the fixed covers underneath is the best I can come up with so far. Those little plastic screw head covers would make it look tidy, and a spot of araldite in the screwdriver slot would deter most opportunist thieves.

Not that I would be too bothered about losing them since a bit of Duck tape on the inside of the permanent covers would do the same job - but I would be very miffed to think that some scrote had pinched mine!

Dave

Back then to making your own out of some vinyl floor covering or whatever and fitting between the outer cover and the fly screen. Cheap, effective, quick to fit and not that obvious to wannabe thieves  

Cymro wrote:

Gromit wrote:They came with the van Cymro.

If I remember correctly they were in a plastic bag on the seat when we took delivery, and I'm not sure whether they were supplied by Frank or Autosleepers. The latter I would suspect, though I can't understand why some folk got them while others apparently did not.

Rob will know, but they will all be at the NEC Show now so you won't get him until next week.
Dave

 Further to your helpful reply, Dave / Gromit, I contacted our mutual dealer, who confirmed that if the AS had the winter / premium upgrade, it should have had fridge covers. They immediately sent a pair to me, which came the next working day. Excellent service. Excellent result. Many thanks.

Just put mine on. Does that mean my van has had has had a winter upgrade

Rose49f: I don't think it's possible to draw that conclusion (that because you have covers, so you have a winter upgrade) when comparing the specs of 2006 and 2015 vans. My 1998 Clubman came with a cover, but there wasn't such a thing as an option for winter upgrade.

The winter upgrade consists of little more than some extra insulation, and heater pads under the 2 water tanks. They are switched by a switch inside the van - mine is above the hab door and has a sticker saying "Fresh water tank heater isolation switch". If you've got something like that, you have the winter kit.

The presence or absence of a fridge cover alone is not determinative.

Cymro

cymro,

I suspect rose49fleft this Emoticon off her post.