A helpful explanation on whether to use winter covers on your fridge vents.....
Taken from: http://www.motorhomefacts.com/…sc-10.html
Quote
Fridges do not add cold.... they take away heat!
Almost all fridges ( absorption and compressor types) use a refrigerant with a low boiling point. This refrigerant is allowed to evaporate inside the evaporator ( the cooler tubes) inside the fridge compartment and in doing so it takes some heat away with it, thus providing the cooling effect inside the fridge.
After the refrigerant has done its work inside the fridge ( removed some heat ) it has to be converted back to a liquid so that the process can repeat over and over.
In our absorption fridges ( the type of fridges fitted to most motorhomes ) the gas is changed back into a liquid using a method that needs only heat... there are no moving parts, no motor, no compressor.
So back to why we may need winter covers :....
The main reasoning behind fitting them is to provide the fridge with the optimum working conditions.
As I have explained above an absorption refrigerator is powered by heat either from the combustion of liquefied petroleum gas or from one of two electrical elements ( 12v & 240v).
In very cold weather the heater at the back of the fridge which is powering the absorption process may not be able to get hot enough to do its job efficiently or it may only manage it by using larger than normal amounts of gas or electricity.
So if the covers are not fitted the fridge may well work as normal but it will probably be using more energy ( gas or elec) to do it.
Conversely if covers are fitted when not needed the fridge will not have sufficient ventilation to work effectively.
So if you have them fit them when the temp drops below the temperatures recommended in the instructions.
If you do not have any then under most conditions in the UK the fridge will still work... it may just use a bit more energy.
Almost all fridges ( absorption and compressor types) use a refrigerant with a low boiling point. This refrigerant is allowed to evaporate inside the evaporator ( the cooler tubes) inside the fridge compartment and in doing so it takes some heat away with it, thus providing the cooling effect inside the fridge.
After the refrigerant has done its work inside the fridge ( removed some heat ) it has to be converted back to a liquid so that the process can repeat over and over.
In our absorption fridges ( the type of fridges fitted to most motorhomes ) the gas is changed back into a liquid using a method that needs only heat... there are no moving parts, no motor, no compressor.
So back to why we may need winter covers :....
The main reasoning behind fitting them is to provide the fridge with the optimum working conditions.
As I have explained above an absorption refrigerator is powered by heat either from the combustion of liquefied petroleum gas or from one of two electrical elements ( 12v & 240v).
In very cold weather the heater at the back of the fridge which is powering the absorption process may not be able to get hot enough to do its job efficiently or it may only manage it by using larger than normal amounts of gas or electricity.
So if the covers are not fitted the fridge may well work as normal but it will probably be using more energy ( gas or elec) to do it.
Conversely if covers are fitted when not needed the fridge will not have sufficient ventilation to work effectively.
So if you have them fit them when the temp drops below the temperatures recommended in the instructions.
If you do not have any then under most conditions in the UK the fridge will still work... it may just use a bit more energy.
Taken from: http://www.motorhomefacts.com/…sc-10.html
