unlevel frig not running is it OK?

drc5900 wrote:
. . .
No damage ever occurred with fridge running, or not running, when not level.

A couple of years ago had a TT parked in our driveway and decided to turn the frig on. Our driveway has a slight incline--enough that a car will very slowly roll into the street with just a slight push. Came out the next morning and noticed the frig wasn't cooling very well. Had the frig checked out by two techs--the frig was toast. They both said it's not uncommon to find some frigs much more sensitive to being off level than others. Ended up being cheaper to buy a new unit than repair. Since then I always make a point of using a level (leveling left/right and front/back) before I ever turn an RV frig on.

Hi,

If the refrigerator has been off, then it can not become damaged just sitting there.

When the refrigerator is not level and you are running the burner or electric heating element, then the water and ammonia mixture in the boiler leaves and goes towards the evaporator, where it mixes again. If level, it will quickly return to the boiler, driving will also cause it to return. If not level, then it is possible for the boiler to run dry, and the ammonia to return back to a powder. This can clog the orifices inside, and prevent it from working the next time. Just driving around can cause the water to circulate and mix with the ammonia powder and it can start working properly (a 10 mile drive down a favorite road with lots of curves in it will work well).

One Rv. Net member said that at a campground their new refrigerator had quit working, so they shut it off. On the way to the campground, they spent about 45 minutes in slow construction traffic, that was not sloshing the ammonia around, and the boiler went dry. Their question was "We came home, turned it on, and the refrigerator worked perfectly, should we take it in for service?" They actually fixed it on the way home, the ammonia mixed with the water and it started working again once level at home.

Fred.

My TC fridge doesn't cool well when my truck is nose down, but works good with truck nose up.
When driving in mountains I turn the fridge to a colder setting to compensate for that.
If level parking isn't an option, I just make sure I park nose up.
No damage ever occurred with fridge running, or not running, when not level.

Thank you...always wondered about that.

Thanks

X3

Just make sure it is level when you start it up.

X2 what old biscuit said.

IF it is NOT in service......doesn't matter.

ONLY matters if it is ON.
OFF level disrupts the gravity flow of fluid which only is flowing when fridge is ON.
Otherwise the fluid is sitting in bottom tank.