Cold Weather Warning for Residential Refrigerators

[wjell]

We have a residential refrigerator in our Class A. During a recent cold spell (-2F) we lost all of our frozen food due to spoilage. We also lost the stuff in the refrigerator compartment. It seems when the external temperature get colder the unit calls for less and less cooling. The freezer is affected first and the most. I have a PARTIAL solution posted on my blog here:

http://olderthandirtandsurviving.wordpress.com/2014/01/10/cold-weather-rv-lesson-1/

The main point is MONITOR your freezer/fridge temps closely. The results of having food thaw and then refreeze can be...well... unhealthy.

[rockhillmanor]

Who knows WHAT I have been blissfully chomping away on for the last 2 winters. Yuck!

Baggie with ice cubes in it and placed in freezer.......

If you find that baggie with flat frozen water in it?
Don't eat ANY of the food in the fridge! :W

Cheap easy way to avoid food poisoning and KNOW that your fridge didn't have power for an unsafe length of time.

[wjell]

Jim-Linda wrote:
Puzzled, our Whirlpool is installed as it would be in a S&B. The exterior grill is blocked and insulated, the roof vent is blocked and insulated. Using an IR gun, the space on the sides and rear of fridge and the same as interior of trailer.

Do you still have an open rear grill?

Jim

Great thinking. Yes, we are still open (for now) side and roof for three reasons.

#1 I just figured this out a little over a week ago.

#2 I wanted to get and idea were the "tipping points" were temperature wise. (Seems to be at about 25 degrees)

#3 During warm weather I want that ventilation to keep the unit from having to work too hard. Here in Asheville temperature swings can be pretty wide. We could easily go into the 60's with the next week.

So I need to figure out a solution that doesn't require constant installation/de-installation of insulation. Thought I try a little additional heating via an incandescent bulb first. I will probably go to a 75 watt now.

That being said, insulating the exterior side panel access door would be easier to "maintain" than the roof vent.

[Jim-Linda]

Puzzled, our Whirlpool is installed as it would be in a S&B. The exterior grill is blocked and insulated, the roof vent is blocked and insulated. Using an IR gun, the space on the sides and rear of fridge and the same as interior of trailer.

Do you still have an open rear grill?

Jim

[wjell]

rrupert wrote:
Having a refrigerator/freezer in an unheated garage can do the same thing.

Correct. Having been full-timing for almost 2 years, I am SO GLAD this happened to me so I know about it. Who knows WHAT I have been blissfully chomping away on for the last 2 winters. Yuck!

2 pizzas, some soup and meat are sitting outside right now at 20 degrees instead of the 40+ that the freezer went up to early this morning.

Thanks,

Bill

[rrupert]

Having a refrigerator/freezer in an unheated garage can do the same thing.