Refrigerator Heater/Burner and Outer Insulation

[Bill-2020]

2020 Passport SL - the right side of the lower rear pantry wall is directly next the burner assembly in the back of the refrigerator. This close proximity and lack of insulation between the wall and the burner causes a lot of heat buildup inside the pantry where the dry food is stored (preheating the dry goods and melting the midnight snacks!) Has anyone installed insulation between the burner and the luan cabinet wall to keep some of the heat from migrating through and heating up the space next to the refrigerator (whatever might be there in your rig)? If so, what type did you use? (I’ve searched here and didn’t come across any previous threads. If you remember one can you post a link please.). Thanks in advance.

[chuckster57]

I have installed heat/noise shield on other brands and it has helped. IIRC it was the same stuff race cars use, not cheap!!

[JRTJH]

I just added a "metal heat insulation package" to our Slingshot. It consists of about 10 or 11 properly shaped adhesive metal panels with insulation material/metal grids inside the outer covering. It made a remarkable difference in heat buildup inside the cabin. Cost for about 3 sq ft of that kit was almost $200. Granted, it is a custom cut kit, but the material is not cheap...

You might try some "foil backed 3/4" foam sheeting. Use "double stick tape" to hold it in place inside the pantry on that wall and in the refrigerator compartment, if you can cut the pieces to fit them through the removeable vent grills. That would give you 1.5" of foam, a total of about R10 or so. It won't be easy to insulate that wall from behind the refrigerator. If it makes a significant difference, then you might consider pulling the refrigerator (not a difficult job) and applying a single sheet of foam to the inside of the compartment on that side. With the refrigerator removed, you can install a solid sheet of foam "from bottom to top" along that side.

[Bill-2020]

You’re both saying what my brain was thinking and you’ve pretty much confirmed it for me. Thanks for the input. I like the idea of insulating that entire wall. $200 or a bit more doesn’t scare me too much considering what it’ll gain me (room temperature dry goods versus preheated cans of whatever and melted chocolate bars meant for the g-kids s’mores).

[flybouy]

Don't know their reputation but seems like they offer a lot of products.
https://www.heatshieldproducts.com/

[Bill-2020]

Don't know their reputation but seems like they offer a lot of products.
https://www.heatshieldproducts.com/

I see they have some home DIY stuff for cabinets and such. Thanks! I’ll call the local dealer and see what the costs are.

[Customer1]

I removed the refrigerator and added baffles and fiberglass insulation. All RV manufacturers are notorious for doing poor refrigerator installs.

[Bill-2020]

I removed the refrigerator and added baffles and fiberglass insulation. All RV manufacturers are notorious for doing poor refrigerator installs.

This one actually has a proper baffle. The burner tube is surrounded by another wall of thin gauge galvanized and bent metal. The heat is still radiating from that metal wall and directly into the pantry luan wall. There is insulation further back (toward the front) to fill gap that has to be filled, but nothing more all the way back toward the camper wall and vent. See image below. (black ABS pipe is a gray water pipe vent).

[Bill-2020]

I added a sheet of aluminum out from the luan sheet about 1". Attached at top (36" high) and bottom using small pieces of hardwood as the 1" shims. I'm hoping this will reflect the heat from the stack. There is only a space for that 1" filler. There is the standard fiberglass insulation on both sides to fill the air void from the rear of the refrigerator cabinet forward, from there back to the outside wall, next to the stack is where it's left uninsulated and allowed the stack to heat the wall. This aluminum "heat shield" should reflect that heat back to toward the stack (idea here is much like the heat shield above your catalytic converter, shielding the floor of the vehicle from excessive heat. We'll see soon enough. If needed, I can add that foil-faced styrofoam within that 1" gap I left. Here is before and after while the refrigerator was pushed forward for the install.