We have always turned off our fridge when not using the unit and fire it back up a few days before we head out on our next adventure. I was talking to a friend who is in the refrigerant business and he said when I store it at home I should leave the unit on because of particles in the ammonia could possibly clog up the coils if it sits too long off. My question is leave it run or turn it off?

so the fridges that sit for years will go bad being new in warehouses?

"I was talking to a friend..."Keep the friend, lose his/her advice.

I turn ours off. Look at all of the RV stored in storage yards with no electricity, they're not going bad sitting there.Bill

We have a 96 Southwind with the original refrigerator. I usually turn it off when not being used. It just sat for over a year turned off. I turned it on about two weeks ago, it works as it always does. Water in the freezer is frozen solid, the frige is about 35 degrees.Some leave them on all the time, some don't.

We turn ours off, just like everything else in there.

Fridge on or off when stored? | Good Sam Community

DrewE
Explorer II
Jul 01, 2017
CavemanCharlie wrote:
ctilsie242 wrote:
My TT, I turn it off when I'm not using it, just because I don't have the battery power, and don't want to waste the quarter gallon of propane each day.

Come the motorhome where I can have it plugged in, in a driveway, different story. There, it will stay on and ready to go at anytime.

Is "quarter gallon of prpopane each day " A number that you got from the manufacture ? It seems high to me. But, I really don't know.

I think it's about right, perhaps a bit on the high side. My own rough rule of thumb in the general case is a pound per day, which I think is equivalent to about a fifth of a gallon per day. Naturally propane (and electric) use do vary a good bit based on the fridge model, the ambient temperature, how much the door is opened, etc.
CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Jul 01, 2017
ctilsie242 wrote:
My TT, I turn it off when I'm not using it, just because I don't have the battery power, and don't want to waste the quarter gallon of propane each day.

Come the motorhome where I can have it plugged in, in a driveway, different story. There, it will stay on and ready to go at anytime.

Is "quarter gallon of prpopane each day " A number that you got from the manufacture ? It seems high to me. But, I really don't know.
12thgenusa
Explorer
Jun 30, 2017
ScottG wrote:
It's not going to clog being left on.
OTOH, I spoke with a rebuilder of RV firdges who told me the units that they rebuild the most are those that are turned on and off between frequently trips. They feel the thermal stress creates cracks.

:h Except that in normal operation you have a heat up and a cool down at each cycle, multiple cycles every hour.
free_radical
Explorer
Jun 30, 2017
I have 12 Volt electric only fridge,,runs all the time,
solar panel charges the battery and even at night doesnt lose much power..
ctilsie242
Explorer II
Jun 29, 2017
My TT, I turn it off when I'm not using it, just because I don't have the battery power, and don't want to waste the quarter gallon of propane each day.

Come the motorhome where I can have it plugged in, in a driveway, different story. There, it will stay on and ready to go at anytime.
2oldman
Explorer II
Jun 29, 2017
downtheroad wrote:
We turn ours off, leave food in it and close the door when our rig is in storage.
Of course you do.
Sam_Spade
Explorer
Jun 29, 2017
downtheroad wrote:
We turn ours off, leave food in it and close the door when our rig is in storage.

Wait.....WHAT ???

What kind of food exactly ?
Canned goods and things like dry pasta only, I hope.

IF you are going to keep it closed, it is necessary to:
Be sure it is absolutely clean.
Be sure it is absolutely dry.
Otherwise MOLD can develop.
Sam_Spade
Explorer
Jun 29, 2017
ulvik wrote:
he said when I store it at home I should leave the unit on because of particles in the ammonia could possibly clog up the coils if it sits too long off.

This just goes to prove that just because someone works in a particular field, that does NOT automatically make them an expert.......or not even competent, maybe.

OFF, with the doors cracked open.
C_B_
Explorer
Jun 29, 2017
downtheroad wrote:
We turn ours off, leave food in it and close the door when our rig is in storage.

And nothing spoils?????????????:E

Like kevden Turn it on in Spring, plugged in use all Summer, and off in the Fall when winterizing.

C.B.
Jayco-noslide
Explorer
Jun 29, 2017
I haven't heard any compelling reason to leave it on so I don't and save the elec. or propane. No problem through many years and RVs.

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Fridge on or off when stored?

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