running fridge while camper is not level

I learned the hard way about keeping it level. Twice with our newest TT, I turned the fridge on with propane, loaded it up with groceries once cold and the next morning it was flashing. Front to back, side to side close to level and no more problems.

run your fridge on propane while on the road, simple, we do it all the time

if we have to park for a while out of level, we just shut it off

Set the fridge on propane and keep on keeping on.

Being out of level doesn't matter when pulling down the road, because all the jostling that goes on while going down the road, keeps the tubes clear.

Gulfcoast wrote:
So how does one keep items cold when traveling all day... buy ice?

Ralph Cramden wrote:

Lynnmor wrote:
It might work but running it too far from level will do long term damage. It takes a long time in hot weather to cool properly.

If you have a smartphone, get a level app. When facing the fridge, it should be within 6 degrees front to rear and 3 degrees side to side.

Those tolerances are spot on. A lot of people don't realize how far 3 degrees is side to side on a typical sidewall mounted trailer. If its 3 degrees from level you won't want to sleep in it.

Depends on who you are sleeping next to...lol

One thing that will help with getting the fridge freezer to cool down is to throw reusable ice packs in the freezer and fridge. The freezer will be ready to use in an hour or so, the fridge takes longer but can get down to temp in 4-6 hours. I'm talking Texas where the outdoor temp is above 90 degrees.

ScottG wrote:

Ralph Cramden wrote:

Lynnmor wrote:
It might work but running it too far from level will do long term damage. It takes a long time in hot weather to cool properly.

If you have a smartphone, get a level app. When facing the fridge, it should be within 6 degrees front to rear and 3 degrees side to side.

Those tolerances are spot on. A lot of people don't realize how far 3 degrees is side to side on a typical sidewall mounted trailer. If its 3 degrees from level you won't want to sleep in it.

Relative comfort is very subjective. It doesn't mean that if your comfortable, your fridge is safe.

The best thing for your fridge is to keep it level as possible.

If your fridge is against the sidewall and is 3 degrees out of plumb/level (side to side orientation of the fridge itself), and your trailer is 26' long just as an example, your nose is going to be 16" higher or lower than your rear. Are you going to sleep in that? You would probably have a hard time walking in it lol. In the same camper at 8' wide if you were 6 degrees out side to side (front to back orientation of the fridge itself), thats over 10" difference side to side. Try that on lol.

Norcold states---3* side to side & 6* front to rear

Yes Old-Biscuit, I think that's the key. The fridge tubes run side to side (right to left)
If the fridge is on the curbside or roadside of an RV, then it's more important to have the RV as level as you can get it from front to rear.

Also, one of those portable interior battery fridge fans work well to circulate interior air. Having too much food packed in it restricts air circulation. I found that little fan does a very good job and I monitor the temp using a digital outside gauge as suggested by DutchmenSport.

I need to send my DW to RVFTS , 'RV Fridge Training School' because she opens our fridge door and stares into it trying to decide why she opened the door in the first place. :S :B

Gulfcoast wrote:
So how does one keep items cold when traveling all day... buy ice?

We got one of these (or model like it) Wireless!. We can monitor when driving, even though fridge/freezer is 45 feet behind us in trailer. As it turns out, for us anyways...in 70 degree weather we can go all day and keep safe temps.

https://www.acurite.com/kitchen-gadgets/digital-freezer-refrigerator-thermometer-with-temperature-alarms-00986.html

When weather guy says...temps will be above 75 degrees add some of these. Believe it or not, I can form them around stuff even when frozen. https://www.amazon.com/Igloo-Natural-Ice-Pack-Coolers/dp/B000P5TZMO

They lay flat, so able to put in freezer like a blanket of cold. Use 3 if temps going over 90.

(I think a lot has to do with your unit, and how good of shape it is in. Have Norcold in trailer (4 years old) and domitec (16 years old) in class C. Norcold get colder quicker but dometic keeps colder for longer)

And plan your meals...don't keep opening doors every 5 min.

Electric or propane supply the same heat to boil the ammonia into a vapor
Electric heat is transferred to perk tub directly via conduction
Propane heat is transferred to perk tube thru a spiral flue baffle via radiation/convection
Propane will start the boiling a little bit sooner but once ammonia is being heated both are same in regards to heat/cool cycle

Coolant is a mixture of ammonia, hydrogen gas, sodium chromate (rust inhibitor) & water.

The ammonia boils into a hot vapor, condenses into a cold liquid then when it mixes with the hydrogen gas it flashes into a cold vapor which absorbs the heat from freezer section then from food compartment.
Freezer section is 1st so it has to get down to 10*F before any absorption of heat in food compartment can occur

The cooling process can take 8-12 hrs


Moving of the thermistor......
Only make 'minor' changes in temp (4*F - 6*F) and only when the DOMETIC fridge has non-adjustable temp settings. 'Auto Temp Control' models only
UP for cooler/DOWN for less cooler
Otherwise ----leave the thermistor mid position of the fin


Off level......
Only an issue when rig is stationary.
While in transit the rocking/rolling/bouncing/vibrating going on keeps coolant in motion so not an issue
Stationary off level operation disrupts the gravity flow of coolant which causes overheating which causes the sodium chromate to crystallize and plate out on inside of tubing.....which causes an obstruction, more overheating, more crystals, more plating etc etc
Effect is accumulative and PERMANENT

Turning fridge upside down, rolling it across the ground, banging on absorber tubes with a mallet etc will NOT cure the problem. Might dislodge some of the crystals which just move somewhere else inside cooling unit but still will end up with lack of cooling. The crystals once formed do NOT dissolve back into solution.

Level.......
Norcold states---3* side to side & 6* front to rear
Dometic states....comfortably level (if you can walk up/down rig will out tilting good to go)

20 minutes of off level operation can cause overheating....crystals to form
That short stop on side of road where rig is titled, that overnight stop where CG site is not level, parked in the street in front of house and roadway is crowned etc.
Works for a while but over time.........DEATH

LanceRKeys wrote:
it is level front to back, but not side to side, probably a 5-6" drop from one side to the next. Will the fridge work at this angle?

Depends entirely on how the fridge is mounted. in the vast majority of cases, they're mounted so the door is parallel to the sides of the camper. If that's the case, so the fridge is only uneven front-to-back, it should be fine. It's very much more important that the fridge itself be level side-to-side than front-to-back.

Adding an internal fan can help the refrigerator section cool better. Some wire into the light and clip on the cooling fins - those are basically install and forget. Easier are the ones you put batteries in, but they don't work as well and you have to replace batteries and remember to turn them off when in storage.