unlevel refrigerator question
I had to camp at a few spots that I could not get even close to level, the refrigerator seemed to work fine but does using it when it is completely "outside the bubble" have a cumulative affect?
Forum Discussion
Carl n Susan wrote:
I wouldn't be overly concerned about being level. Newer Dometic (and Norcold) refers operate at up to 3 degrees off level side-to-side and 6 degrees off level front-to-back (http://dutchmen.com/image/data/documents/parts/Norcold_1200_Series_Refer_Manual.pdf Page 18). If you are comfortable walking about inside, the refer will be fine.
Question:
A RV which is off-level by 3° degrees is how many inches side to side?
Answer:
1 degree = Pi/180 radians, so 3 degrees = Pi/60 radians. The width of the RV is typically 8’. Therefore the arc length (the curved distance traveled (close enough for our work)) is radius times the angle as measured in radians. So arc length = 8(Pi/60) feet and Pi is roughly 3.1416
Solving the formula gives:
8(3.1416/60) = 8(0.05236) = 0.4188’ = 5.02656"
I suspect most of us would be very uncomfortable if one side of the RV was 5" lower (or higher) than the other.
Actually, it is worse than that. The fridge needs to be less than 6 degrees front to back. Since the fridge front to back is side to side in the RV, you need to use 6 degrees or Pi/30 radians. So it is
8(3.1416/30)=8(0.10472) = 0.8377'=10.05 inches.
Side to side for the fridge is front to back of the RV and is 3 degrees, when applied to a 32 foot rig with a 220 inch wheelbase gives 11.5 inches.
If you can walk, the fridge is OK.
That being said, I keep it within 1/2 bubble.
On edit:
An easy way to figure the numbers for your rig is the TAN(angle in degrees)*length(in inches). The TAN(3 degrees) is 0.05241 and the TAN(6 degrees) is 0.1051.
So, use the width of your rig in inches multiplied by 0.1051.
Use the wheelbase of your rig in inches multiplied by 0.05241.
