This may answer someones questions about your fridge.Had a friend of mine take his motor home out as to load it for a trip. He noticed that the fridge would not cool. He tried gas and the electric. Nothing. He called a tech and the tech told him that the circuit board was out of it. He went to Campers World and purchased a new board. Installed it and it still would not work. I didn't know it nor did he, the fridge will not work below 20 degrees. He heated the motor home up and everything worked fine. If you look in the outside compartment at the fridge you will see a receptacle. that was put there so that you can plug in a 100 watt light bulb in the compartment in cold weather to make the fridge run below 20 degrees

Some models have a "LAT" switch ....Low Ambient Temperature ---below 50*F ON to provide heat so fridge cooling cycles run longer thereby keeping cooling solution in motion longer.Those models w/o an 'LAT' can benefit from a 'heat' source in outside compartment for same reasons.Many posts about fridge 'cold weather operations'

I didn't know a RV refrigerator would not work under a certain temperature.But, to me, if it's too cold for the refrigerator to work, it's too cold to go camping. :)

Norcold makes a cold weather kit:https://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/cold-weather-kit_634913

gbopp wrote:But, to me, if it's too cold for the refrigerator to work, it's too cold to go camping. :)x2. Not my style. My rig has pretty poor insulation.

gbopp wrote:I didn't know a RV refrigerator would not work under a certain temperature.The electric element and propane flame BTUs are 'fixed' and can only generate so much heat to change liquid ammonia into a vapor.When coolant solution is TOO Cold then the available BTUs are not enough therefore the natural circulation stops.Adding a heat source helps keep coolant in motion.Have been in 20*F temps and fridge functioned OKHave been in colder temps and had to add that additional heat source...fridge functioned OK even when in -19*F temps.All about HEAT so you can have COLD :B

Cold weather refrigerater | Good Sam Community

13 Replies

ppine
Explorer II
Mar 26, 2018
time2roll wrote:
ppine wrote:
In cold weather I just use a cooler outside.
How do you keep the cooler and contents from freezing?

The cooler is insulated. Unless the temperature is below freezing during the day it is not a problem. If it is really cold I put the cooler in the back of the truck under a closed canopy.

I have some big coolers for week long raft trips and packing elk.
ppine
Explorer II
Mar 26, 2018
time2roll wrote:
ppine wrote:
In cold weather I just use a cooler outside.
How do you keep the cooler and contents from freezing?

The cooler is insulated. Unless the temperature is below freezing during the day it is not a problem. If it is really cold I put the cooler in the back of the truck under a closed canopy.
time2roll
Nomad
Mar 26, 2018
ppine wrote:
In cold weather I just use a cooler outside.
How do you keep the cooler and contents from freezing?
Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Mar 26, 2018
ppine wrote:
In cold weather I just use a cooler outside.

Wow, that sounds inconvenient. How much stuff will fit in there compared to what most folks put in there fridge?
ppine
Explorer II
Mar 26, 2018
In cold weather I just use a cooler outside.
pianotuna
Nomad III
Mar 25, 2018
Get a thermocube tc-3 and plug the bulb into that. Then it will only come on as needed.
boogie_4wheel
Explorer
Mar 25, 2018
Mine was a single recept, I swapped it out for the typical double recept so that I could add an incandescent bulb.

A 100W bulb is excessive; watch out for it being near the controller box or any insulation (depending on recept location to everything around it). With a decently heated trailer, and the fridge vents being covered, my fridge worked well with a 25W bulb in -20*F temps.
dougrainer
Nomad
Mar 25, 2018
The refer outside receptacle is NOT to plug in a light or warming system. It is there to supply 120 power to the refer. But, you can plug a light into the extra socket. BTW, a LOT of those refer plugs are single outlet ONLY. Yes, RV Absorbsion refers will not work or work correctly below 20 to 25 degrees F ambient. It has to do with the Ammonia and how it vaporizes and condensates at low temps. As others pointed out, below 20 degrees you will have a hard time keeping the Water system from freezing even if you take precautions. Doug
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Mar 25, 2018
gbopp wrote:
I didn't know a RV refrigerator would not work under a certain temperature.

The electric element and propane flame BTUs are 'fixed' and can only generate so much heat to change liquid ammonia into a vapor.

When coolant solution is TOO Cold then the available BTUs are not enough therefore the natural circulation stops.

Adding a heat source helps keep coolant in motion.

Have been in 20*F temps and fridge functioned OK
Have been in colder temps and had to add that additional heat source...fridge functioned OK even when in -19*F temps.

All about HEAT so you can have COLD :B
2oldman
Explorer II
Mar 25, 2018
gbopp wrote:

But, to me, if it's too cold for the refrigerator to work, it's too cold to go camping. :)
x2. Not my style. My rig has pretty poor insulation.