Fridge off-level not working

[ipeltier]

Prior to leaving for an RV trip, we bring the 5th wheel in from storage and park it on our driveway for a couple of days to pack, clean, etc. The driveway is slightly slanted, and therefore the fridge won't work on electric or gas (confirmed by the owners' manual). We have no opportunity to park the truck/trailer unit anywhere on the street, where it is level. Is there a way to solve this problem? We have a lot of fresh and frozen food that needs to be kept cool while we travel the first day and until we can get the fridge cool that evening.

[mr__ed]

Ed_Gee wrote:
Other than what was already suggested, I can only suggest looking into replacing your 3-way LPG refrigerator with the new style compressor fridge for RVs that run off 12 volts. Pricey option, but will preclude any future need to be level.

X2. If I were to buy another RV I'd opt for a residential type fridge. An acquaintance of mine owned an older travel trailer and did such a good job replacing his older absorption fridge with a compressor model that you can't tell it wasn't original equipment.

[MFL]

Thanks for the update info Chris! Many folks do the same as you did, park off level next to curb, with fridge in operation. Good it is working properly for you now! I think most don't realize, that operating when too far out of level, some damage occurs. Doing this often, will result in cooling unit failure.

Jerry

[SJ-Chris]

SJ-Chris wrote:
I'm having an issue with my RV fridge right now and I'm wondering if it is an off-level issue.

I am parked on the street out front of my home. The street is naturally curved/sloping towards the sidewalk so that water can drain. I'm guessing side-to-side it is probably off by about 3 inches from one side of the RV to the other.

I turned on my refrigerator today while parked and I wanted to see if it would cool off properly on propane. I turned it on at 2pm. It is 8:40pm now. The freezer section has cooled down to about 20 degrees (...it was about 85 degrees outside during the day where I live). The refrigerator (non-freezer) section has not cooled down (it is still showing about 65-70 degrees). Is it possible that it is not functioning properly because it is not level (the RV is not level side-to-side)? Or is it likely another problem?

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks! As always...I appreciate your feedback!

-Chris

2008 Four Winds Chateau 31' Class C
This has a Norcold refrigerator/freezer.

Update: I leveled my RV last night with some blocks. Probably only lifted one side of the RV about 2-3 inches. Almost immediately the refrigerator started cooling down. Within a couple hours the refrigerator was all the way down to ~34 degrees. Looks like being out of level by just a couple inches was the problem. Hopefully this is useful information to others who stumble across the same issue.

Good luck out there!
-Chris

[SJ-Chris]

I'm having an issue with my RV fridge right now and I'm wondering if it is an off-level issue.

I am parked on the street out front of my home. The street is naturally curved/sloping towards the sidewalk so that water can drain. I'm guessing side-to-side it is probably off by about 3 inches from one side of the RV to the other.

I turned on my refrigerator today while parked and I wanted to see if it would cool off properly on propane. I turned it on at 2pm. It is 8:40pm now. The freezer section has cooled down to about 20 degrees (...it was about 85 degrees outside during the day where I live). The refrigerator (non-freezer) section has not cooled down (it is still showing about 65-70 degrees). Is it possible that it is not functioning properly because it is not level (the RV is not level side-to-side)? Or is it likely another problem?

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks! As always...I appreciate your feedback!

-Chris

2008 Four Winds Chateau 31' Class C
This has a Norcold refrigerator/freezer.

[allen8106]

ipeltier wrote:
We can’t disconnect so the trailer is backed in on the slanted driveway and the truck sits on the road. We can’t level the trailer without raising up the back of the truck.

Sure you can, all you need to do is choke the wheels so the unit doesn't roll forward then disconnect, then level the rig front to rear.

[ACZL]

Freeze old gallon size milk/water jugs and stick in cooler to help keep things cold/frozen. If able to get your hands on dry ice, that would be your best bet.

As for the leveling in driveway, like Old Biscuit said, CHOCK wheels and raise front of trailer as high as you need to w/ wood. Steps into camper may require blocking on downhill side to make level (wood itself NOT the steps) so when you come off last RV step your stepping onto a makeshift step made up of the wood.

[Old-Biscuit]

garyp4951 wrote:
I understand level for extended operation, but while towing out of level mine works fine on gas, and I've made many trips 3k miles or more with no problems.

While in transit the coolant stays in motion

20 minutes off-level operation while stationary can cause permanent damage.....gravity flow/natural circulation is disrupted causing overheating issues.
Crystals form and plate out ....they do NOT dissolve back into solution.
The crystals accumulate cause more obstruction of coolant flow which results in overheating and formation of more crystals.

Even while in motion overheating CAN occur during long steep grades as evidenced by ARP Devices....aftermarket temp sensing/monitoring system that logs cooling unit temps in real time and temporarily stops any heating source when/if rise in temp occurs then restores heating cycle when temps drop.....prior to damaging overheating condition
Fridge OEM temp sensing is set WAY higher and shuts down fridge at temps that already allow overheating conditions

[Retired_JSO]

It will have to be way off level to not work. Having 6 RV’s over the past 20 years and have never had a fridge not work. If you feel uncomfortable in the RV then that may be too much lean but off 2-3 “ side to side is normal and should function.

[garyp4951]

I understand level for extended operation, but while towing out of level mine works fine on gas, and I've made many trips 3k miles or more with no problems.

[All_I_could_aff]

I like to think of Old Biscuit as the “Yoda” of all things RV
His guidance has helped me many times over the years

[padredw]

Old biscuit wrote:
then FULLY CHOCK the wheels...disconnect from truck and level trailer

As is so often the case, I agree fully with Old Biscuit.

[2edgesword]

My TT is in my extended driveway next to my house and is slanted (side to side with respect to the trailer). I use leveling blocks to level it when I return from each trip so that when we are preparing for the next trip we can start the frig two days before we are leaving. The day before we leave the frig is cold and ready to be packed with food.

[Old-Biscuit]

ipeltier wrote:
“I'm confused. If you can level at a camp site, why can't you level in your driveway? :h Use wood blocks, lego blocks, etc. to level side 2 side and your landing legs and stabilizers for fore/aft level...just like at a camp site.”

We can’t disconnect so the trailer is backed in on the slanted driveway and the truck sits on the road. We can’t level the trailer without raising up the back of the truck.

then FULLY CHOCK the wheels...disconnect from truck and level trailer

[fj12ryder]

We have a similar issue, so we freeze what food we can and put it in the freezer. Then we freeze some water bottles, and put them in the refrigerator section with the food we need to keep cool. Then we start the refrigerator just as we pull out of the driveway. The frozen water bottles keep things cool until the fridge comes down to temperature, and we drink the water. We've been doing it that way for the last 8 years and works fine for us.

It would be nice if we could start it ahead of time, but c'est la vie. We bought a 5th wheel with a refrigerator so we wouldn't have to hassle with coolers, and we intend to keep it that way.