running fridge in cold weather?

There are ways to make the fridge work at -37C (-34 f).

Norcold makes a cold weather add on kit.

Restricting air flow and a 60 watt bulb controlled by a thermocube also work.

See the thread in full time RVing called "winter camping". There are a host of cold weather modifications that may be done.

DutchmenSport wrote:
We kept all our previous TT's with ammonia absorption RV gas-electric refrigerators running 24x7x365, on both gas and electric (depending).

What we found out, after doing this for almost 20 years, is when the ambient temperature around the refrigerator gets colder and colder, the refrigerator has to run less and less. When the outside temperature get's colder than the inside, there is a point when the refrigerator will not run at all. Why should it? The inside is already cold, below the set temperature.

Now this worked ok, except for when the ambient temperature got around to 38 to 28 degrees. It at that stage the refrigerator doesn't need to run, to make things colder. It's already cold.

The problem is ... the freezer! The ambient temperature is still above freezing slightly, but the refrigerator is now colder than the setting. Result: the freezer doesn't run. So if you have nothing in the freezer, no problem at all. But if you anything that you don't want melting ... like ice cream ... well, the freezer is now not running either, but still not cold enough to retain things in a frozen state.

Once the inside of the freezer reaches 32 degrees or less, then things will start staying frozen again.

So, it will be fine if you have nothing in the freezer. Otherwise, you have to leave some heat on in the camper so the refrigerator warms up enough to run.

Now, what about household refrigerators and what about Coca-Cola vending machines? What keeps them from freezing in the dead of winter sitting outside? They actually have heaters built in them that will keep things from freezing when the ambient temperature drops below freezing.

Your premise is totally wrong. As the Refer box is INSULATED, it does 2 things. It keeps the outside ambient heat from getting to the inside box and it does the SAME when in freezing temps. OUTSIDE freezing temps will NOT cool the Interior of the refer. Granted, it will cool easier when you do not have to battle the outside HOT in warm/hot climates. Now, for RV refers, COLD WILL degrade the ammonia process. You will be OK down to about 25 degrees. BELOW that you need to install a 60 watt light bulb at the outside rear of the cooling unit to warm up the area. Once you get below about 10 degrees, the RV refer will not function, even with a light bulb. Doug

We kept all our previous TT's with ammonia absorption RV gas-electric refrigerators running 24x7x365, on both gas and electric (depending).

What we found out, after doing this for almost 20 years, is when the ambient temperature around the refrigerator gets colder and colder, the refrigerator has to run less and less. When the outside temperature get's colder than the inside, there is a point when the refrigerator will not run at all. Why should it? The inside is already cold, below the set temperature.

Now this worked ok, except for when the ambient temperature got around to 38 to 28 degrees. It at that stage the refrigerator doesn't need to run, to make things colder. It's already cold.

The problem is ... the freezer! The ambient temperature is still above freezing slightly, but the refrigerator is now colder than the setting. Result: the freezer doesn't run. So if you have nothing in the freezer, no problem at all. But if you anything that you don't want melting ... like ice cream ... well, the freezer is now not running either, but still not cold enough to retain things in a frozen state.

Once the inside of the freezer reaches 32 degrees or less, then things will start staying frozen again.

So, it will be fine if you have nothing in the freezer. Otherwise, you have to leave some heat on in the camper so the refrigerator warms up enough to run.

Now, what about household refrigerators and what about Coca-Cola vending machines? What keeps them from freezing in the dead of winter sitting outside? They actually have heaters built in them that will keep things from freezing when the ambient temperature drops below freezing.

If I understand your question......

If the refrigerator is turned on and set to propane, you have propane and 12v to the fridge it should operate normally. When ambient temperature rises enough that the interior of the fridge warms above the thermostat set point the fridge will fire up the propane.