Ok to run refer at an angle if on electricity?

Wonder what specs are for a Dometic for % of grade out of level.

I try to keep mine as level as possible at all times when I set up camp.

myredracer wrote:
What if you are driving up a long mountain road? Is that a concern for being off-level too long?

no, but if it concerns you, turn it off.

Our Norcold manual says this (I actually read manuals, lol):
The refrigerator is made to operate within 3 degrees off level side-to-side and 6 degrees off level front-to-back (as looking at the front of the refrigerator). Operating it at more than these limits can cause damage to the cooling system and create a risk of personal injury or property damage. Make sure the vehicle is level before you operate the refrigerator.

and also:
While the refrigerator should be level when the vehicle is stopped, performance during travel is not usually effected.

Question is, is it still better to keep the fridge as level as possible even if Norcold says up to 3/6 degrees is okay?? However, Norcold still says the fridge should be level before operating it so the manual is somewhat confusing.

What if you are driving up a long mountain road? Is that a concern for being off-level too long?

Would a fan system with temp control reduce/extend this type of failure?

Are any of you using the ARP system?

dougrainer wrote:
if you had been reading on some Internet forum from people that have no clue that 120 does not have to be level. That is one of the oldest fallacies out there on RV refer operation. Doug

That's a bit confusing.

ALL refrigeration units need to be level; even home A/C units but for slightly different reasons (efficiency).

As posts in this thread have clearly shown, RV units need to be near to level regardless of what they are powered by.

thealexdexter wrote:
Haven't heard that one Doug. I was just trying to be informed.

I have been around too long:) In years past, you would get someone asking your question and someone would post you do not have to be level on Electric. Doug

Haven't heard that one Doug. I was just trying to be informed.

thealexdexter wrote:
Dougrainer I asked the question thinking it might a different mechanism to cool when running on AC that would not have a level requirement. Obviously not the case.

Thinking of a heater. Runs on propane or could use electric resistance coils. Both completely different things with different requirements. Fridge not so much it seems.

The reason I asked was to find out if you had been reading on some Internet forum from people that have no clue that 120 does not have to be level. That is one of the oldest fallacies out there on RV refer operation. Doug

Sam Spade wrote:

2oldman wrote:
I'm sure the link above explains it.

It does and the ammonia goes from liquid to gas and back.....but without actual compression.....and that's why it is still the refrigerant of choice in this kind of application.

VERY informative link. A link to a complete article is almost always better than just a few snipped pieces.

I found these parts good:

Running the refrigerator while driving eliminates the leveling issue altogether;
in most cases, there is enough rocking motion while traveling down the highway
to keep the contents flowing through the system without the fear of overheating.

Though a blocked percolator tube is but one cause of rendering a cooling unit faulty,
by far the largest cause of unit failure today is due to leaks in the tubing,

the best thing any RVer can do to protect the refrigerator is to always get it
as level as possible when it's in operation with the coach is sitting still,

Emphasis is mine.

I guess you have your answer. The Blockage is as hard as a weld and that is why Burping/Vibrating will NOT fix a blockage. In the OLD days(30 years ago) Dometic used to rebuild the blocked Cooling units. Rebuilders do that today. They have to cut out the upper tube assbly where the blockage is and weld a new tube in place, since you CANNOT remove that hard weld like blockage. Doug

2oldman wrote:
I'm sure the link above explains it.

It does and the ammonia goes from liquid to gas and back.....but without actual compression.....and that's why it is still the refrigerant of choice in this kind of application.

VERY informative link. A link to a complete article is almost always better than just a few snipped pieces.

I found these parts good:

Running the refrigerator while driving eliminates the leveling issue altogether;
in most cases, there is enough rocking motion while traveling down the highway
to keep the contents flowing through the system without the fear of overheating.

Though a blocked percolator tube is but one cause of rendering a cooling unit faulty,
by far the largest cause of unit failure today is due to leaks in the tubing,

the best thing any RVer can do to protect the refrigerator is to always get it
as level as possible when it's in operation with the coach is sitting still,

Emphasis is mine.