I am living in my travel trailer full time which is permanently parked on a lot. Due to health reasons, I’m no longer traveling on the road. My RV style refrigerator is sick. I need to replace it and I am thinking about replacing it with a residential 10 cu ft refrigerator. However, I read someplace or someone told me that the compressor on a residential refrigerator will shut off at temperatures below 40°. Does anyone know if this is true? If I slip the new residential refrigerator in the hole left by the RV type refrigerator it will be exposed to the outside air temperature by the vent in the roof as well as the vent on the side of the travel trailer. Is it necessary to close off these vents and insulate the outside wall of the travel trailer? I do know that there must be some ventilation for the compressor which I assume will be vented inside the travel trailer.

Close the vent off. No worries about temp until well below freezing.

theoldwizard1 wrote:Close the vent off. No worries about temp until well below freezing.Bingo! When installing a residential frig you block off the outside vents. That is what we did on a previous swap out.

Don't just close off the vents but insulate. Since the residential fridge will need airflow around it, the vent and lack of insulation would let a lot of cold air into the RV. Lots of folks over on another forum where I'm a moderator have done the conversion and are very happy with it. Be sure to research the reliability and customer ratings on the new fridge you are considering.Sorry about your health issues.RobPS: we have a factory-installed residential fridge and have experienced temps in the teens without any issues at all.

Where are you?In northern Florida where mid 20's is very cold, just blocking off the vents is likely quite viable.In Minnesota, where mid -20's is very cold, it may not be enough...of course, you probably don't want to winter there in an RV anyway.

X2 on noy only close off the vents but add insulation.Vents to the outside are not needed for residential fridges and in cold weather exposes them to the cold outside air which can play havoc with how the fridge T stat senses the need for cooling.

Residential refrigerator outside temperature below 40°

17 Replies

RCMAN46
Explorer
Jun 13, 2022
I had a friend that had a residential refrigerator on a patio in Idaho in November. When he got home he found everything in the freezer had melted and ruined several pounds of prime beef steaks. He was told by the refrigerator manufacturer the fridge does shut down when the temperature goes below about 40.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Jun 13, 2022
TenOC wrote:
However, I read someplace or someone told me that the compressor on a residential refrigerator will shut off at temperatures below 40°. Does anyone know if this is true?

You read or heard wrong. Used the same fridge in the shop in multiple homes/locations from Phoenix AZ to 8500' in the Rockies. Year round 120deg down to stints well below freezing (not below zero, but consistently below freezing for extended periods).
It kicked the bucket 2 years ago. Purchased new in 1995.
Gdetrailer
Explorer III
Jun 13, 2022
X2 on noy only close off the vents but add insulation.

Vents to the outside are not needed for residential fridges and in cold weather exposes them to the cold outside air which can play havoc with how the fridge T stat senses the need for cooling.
valhalla360
Navigator
Jun 13, 2022
Where are you?

In northern Florida where mid 20's is very cold, just blocking off the vents is likely quite viable.

In Minnesota, where mid -20's is very cold, it may not be enough...of course, you probably don't want to winter there in an RV anyway.
Second_Chance
Explorer II
Jun 13, 2022
Don't just close off the vents but insulate. Since the residential fridge will need airflow around it, the vent and lack of insulation would let a lot of cold air into the RV. Lots of folks over on another forum where I'm a moderator have done the conversion and are very happy with it. Be sure to research the reliability and customer ratings on the new fridge you are considering.

Sorry about your health issues.

Rob

PS: we have a factory-installed residential fridge and have experienced temps in the teens without any issues at all.
Thunder_Mountai
Explorer II
Jun 13, 2022
theoldwizard1 wrote:
Close the vent off. No worries about temp until well below freezing.

Bingo! When installing a residential frig you block off the outside vents. That is what we did on a previous swap out.
theoldwizard1
Explorer II
Jun 12, 2022
Close the vent off. No worries about temp until well below freezing.

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Residential refrigerator outside temperature below 40°

17 Replies

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