Forum Discussion

74vette's avatar
74vette
Explorer
Jan 05, 2014

Running refrigerator with freezing temps

I will be leaving tomorrow for parts unknown heading south. This will be our first trip where we travel for 2 or three days in temps that will range from 15 to 45 degrees. I am not concerned about stopping overnight when the 5th wheel will be heated but traveling during the day with sub freezing temps. Can I run the frig on propane while traveling with these temps? I will have items in both the freezer and the frig. I am not sure the freezer will stay cool enough during the day of traveling. Any thoughts are appreciated.
  • skipnchar's avatar
    skipnchar
    Explorer
    Jan 05, 2014
    IF you turn them ON then they will only actually run when the fridge is above the temperature setting. If it's below that it will simply sit there in stand by mode until it needs cooling inside the fridge. Pretty much the SAME thing happens in summer time as if the fridge ran all the time it was "turned on" it would freeze everything in the fridge. There are no gradiations of "on" with an RV fridge (or any other type), they simply run a higher percentage of the time when they need more cooling.
  • pianotuna's avatar
    pianotuna
    Nomad III
    Jan 05, 2014
    Hi,

    At -6 C (21 f) it would be good to restrict the air flow on the Fridge access hatch side panel. Additionally I use a light bulb on a TC-3 thermocube.
  • old_guy's avatar
    old_guy
    Explorer
    Jan 05, 2014
    we had some very cold days here for weeks on end. I had put a 12 pack of soda in our frig and when I remembered they were in there I found them to be frozen and several had exploded. lucky for me they still were in the frozen state so it was easy to clean up. So lesson learned for me is not to run the frig or have any thing in it that will freeze.
  • WyoTraveler's avatar
    WyoTraveler
    Explorer
    Jan 05, 2014
    I have run both my previous TT and present MH fridge in temps as low as about 5 above zero with no problems. I always also run my furnace while traveling. I winterize below 10 above zero.

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