Best way to run fridge while not level

[crazyro]

Had a weird thought this morning... I know TT needs to be level in order for fridge to work properly. However, if that's not an option, I wonder if it's better if TT was unlevel side to side or front to back for ammonia to be "happier" in the pipes. Anyone care to take a stab at guessing or does anyone know? 🙂

(Mods, tried to move to Tech where it may be a better fit; please feel free to do so)

[D_E_Bishop]

The one thing I have learned reading all the posts I have read about how level you have to be is, no one has applied any math to the problem and converted degrees off plumb to inches of rise or fall, which ever way you want to say it, to the problem until now. MyRedRacer has given us some important information.

If my rig were off by 10" side to side my wife would not get in the coach no matter how safe it was for operating the fridge. Parked at the curb in front of our home, with the levelers retracted, my rig is +/- 3" down on the right and that keeps the DW out of the rig.

So to follow the manual, open the door of the fridge, place a spirit level or your cell phone with it's app on the bottom floor or the fridge and fidget with the level till is perfect or just get it close, whatever makes you happy. As so many have said, if walking and sleeping is comfortable it's most likely very safe for the fridge.

Moderation in everything.

[rfinley]

Or install this kit and not worry about it !!

https://www.arprv.com/products.php

PS..... Not affiliated with the company in anyway, Just know it works well.

[Hannibal]

Ours says max 3* side to side and 6* front to back of the fridge. I use my iPhone level app to check. 3* is enough to feel that it’s not level. If it has to run slightly off level, better front to back of the fridge. Could get expensive either way.

[crazyro]

Ours is mounted on side wall, curbside (passenger side). In our case I'm assuming it's better to be off side to side than forward/aft (camper-wise).

[2112]

*never mind*

[Snomas]

SoundGuy wrote:

old guy wrote:
if you are a half bubble off you are good to go. but in saying that it is best to be the half bubble off front to back then side to side. the tubes run front to back in the back of the fridge so that is the logical way to be off a half bubble

This makes no sense at all as some fridges are mounted along a sidewall of the trailer while in others it's mounted along an end wall.

X2

[SoundGuy]

old guy wrote:
if you are a half bubble off you are good to go. but in saying that it is best to be the half bubble off front to back then side to side. the tubes run front to back in the back of the fridge so that is the logical way to be off a half bubble

This makes no sense at all as some fridges are mounted along a sidewall of the trailer while in others it's mounted along an end wall.

[Old-Biscuit]

If fridge is on roadside...then absorber tubes run front to back with downward slope

If fridge is on curbside ...then absorber tubes run back to front with downward slope

Best to be 'comfortably level'...meaning you can walk up/down RV, lay in bed, cook etc comfortably

20 minutes off level operation is all the time needed to being the death spiral....gravity flow of coolant gets disrupted, overheating of coolant occurs, crystals are formed & plate out on inside of tubing, which leads to more obstruction/more overheating/more crystals/more plating out------accumulative and permanent damage until DEATH!

[Lynnmor]

There are no standareds for a bubble or half a bubble.

[old_guy]

if you are a half bubble off you are good to go. but in saying that it is best to be the half bubble off front to back then side to side. the tubes run front to back in the back of the fridge so that is the logical way to be off a half bubble

[Lynnmor]

If you have a smartphone, there are free level apps showing degrees.

[crazyro]

myredracer wrote:
Check your fridge make/model and look up the manual online or contact the manufacturer for max. out of level degrees. Don't know what fridge you have but our Norcold is designed to operate up to 6 degrees out of level front to back and 3 degrees side to side. Older fridges can't be out of level as much.

For a fridge oriented against a side wall, 6 degrees is quite a bit and an 8' wide TT one side would be 10" lower on one side. A 30' long trailer with fridge in same orientation would be 18" lower at one end.

An out of level trailer can be a challenge to sleep in!

This seems to be the major consensus out there. Front to back leveling is more important than side-to-side (speaking TT here and not the fridge unit).

My thought was in heavy rain, would I be better off with a little lean side to side or front to back to drain off the water better. I guess I'll do half to one degree at most side to side.

[nickthehunter]

That's like asking if it would be better to be shot or hung. Pick your poison, there both going to eventually kill your refrigerator.

[myredracer]

Check your fridge make/model and look up the manual online or contact the manufacturer for max. out of level degrees. Don't know what fridge you have but our Norcold is designed to operate up to 6 degrees out of level front to back and 3 degrees side to side. Older fridges can't be out of level as much.

For a fridge oriented against a side wall, 6 degrees is quite a bit and an 8' wide TT one side would be 10" lower on one side. A 30' long trailer with fridge in same orientation would be 18" lower at one end.

An out of level trailer can be a challenge to sleep in!

[twodownzero]

I have had campers for most of my life and I really don't understand why there's so much focus on this. Just run it!