Fridge settings during travel

[19D20]

We're ready for our first trip in our new Travelite Idea I-18. SW Washington to McCall Idaho. About a 12 hr drive. One of my many questions is what is the best way to use the fridge. Load it here? wait till I get there? Settings to use during travel? We will be gone 4 nights. The fridge is a RM2354 (3 way model) If it is set on the DC mode, and plugged in to the tow vehicle, will cool ok during travel? If the tow vehicle engine is turned off for fuel or a break, will the fridge draw from both the house and vehicle battery? Should I turn on the propane and set the fridge on auto? Do I turn off the propane prior to refueling? Any help appreciated!

Joe R.
SW Washington

[19D20]

Thanks for the help. What a response! Heading for McCall, ID and I see the low temps are just over freezing. Works for us!

Joe R.

[time2roll]

Best to run it on propane or 120v for 24 hours to get it cold.
Use 12v in transit is fine as long as you plug in at the destination and switch off 12v mode upon arrival.
JMHO

BTW if you stop for lunch etc the fridge continues to draw 12v power. If the towing vehicle is not isolated you can easily run your start battery down. Fords have an isolation relay, others I don't know.

[dadmomh]

Ditto on the Auto setting. Easy. When traveling, the frig operates on propane, once you plug in, it's on shore power. No need to change with the settings.

A couple of things rarely mentioned is how full to pack the frig and defrosting the freezer. I learned by experience on a long trip to just pack the frig "reasonably full" and just plan to stop for resupply more often. I tried to load it up for a trip to the UP for 2 of us for a full week. Mistake. The frig does not work as efficiently since the air cannot circulate. Give yourself 4 or 5 days tops and then find a Walmart.

When you start to see maybe 1/2" or so of ice building up in the freezer, time to defrost. Maybe sooner if it doesn't seem to be keeping things well frozen. Since we store at home, I just shut off the frig entirely, but leave the frig door closed. Open the freezer door and usually in about 3 hours it's pretty clear. I did ours last evening and it wasn't quite clear. About 10 minutes with a hair dryer fixed the problem, wiped it dry (wish there were a drain to the outside for the freezer) and turned the unit back on. It gets cold pretty quickly and everything I put in was already frozen. Back in business. Don't let it get too frosty.

[shenandoahvalle]

rbpru wrote:
I have a auto switch from Gas to 120 volt. I plug it in before we leave and usually when we camp unless we boonedock with no hookups.

You pay for the electric hook up you may as well use it. The same goes for the water heater. I rarely use the gas option.

X2

[CavemanCharlie]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Auto setting....swaps to propane upon loss of AC power.
DC mode overrides auto select.

IF RV is level..you can turn fridge ON day/night before to cool it down then load it up with pre-cooled items. (Off level operation when parked will cause damage to fridge)

DC Mode is more for maintaining coolness in fridge while in transit. Not real good for all time use due to heavy draw on batteries.

Once again Old-Biscuit nails it.

Remember to always keep the fridge level. You will wreck it using it in a out of level position. While traveling the bouncing of the trailer will keep the fridge OK.

I am just a weekend camper. I start mine Thursday evening, pack it with cold food Friday morning and then head out Friday evening packed and ready to go.

[Old-Biscuit]

Auto setting....swaps to propane upon loss of AC power.
DC mode overrides auto select.

IF RV is level..you can turn fridge ON day/night before to cool it down then load it up with pre-cooled items. (Off level operation when parked will cause damage to fridge)

DC Mode is more for maintaining coolness in fridge while in transit. Not real good for all time use due to heavy draw on batteries.

[ScottG]

Set it to "Auto" and forget about it for the rest of the trip - or season.

[TNGW1500SE]

We run on auto and fill it up a few days before each trip. That way there's a mass of cold stuff in there while we travel. I always leave the propane off but we never go unhooked from power more than 4 hours.

[rbpru]

I have a auto switch from Gas to 120 volt. I plug it in before we leave and usually when we camp unless we boonedock with no hookups.

You pay for the electric hook up you may as well use it. The same goes for the water heater. I rarely use the gas option.

[BubbaChris]

We prefer to load it up at home with items already chilled in our home refrigerator. If you don't have one of the battery-operated fans for circulating the cold air, these travel fridges are pretty slow at cooling warm things.

Like others here, we get the TT fridge chilling a day or two before the trip. I like setting mine at it's coldest setting, then adjust once we're camping.

[ksg5000]

Gas setting will result in the coldest - DC setting will result in the cheapest - your choice.

[AirForceAngler]

If you're using it in DC mode, it will draw from both camper and TV battery so be careful if you park for a long time. Unless you have an isolator installed on TV, it will run the truck battery down.

[DutchmenSport]

We keep our fridge on 24x7 (parked at home) on electric. But it's set on "Auto" so it will flip over to gas if there's a power outage. We leave one propane tank on also.

When traveling, we don't do anything except load the food the night before. Anything frozen, we attempt to put it in the main freezer in the house and get it frozen first, then put it in the camper the evening before.

Traveling, nothing changes. The refer runs on propane and when we reach our site it automatically switches back to electricity when we plug the camper in.

You're 3 way should switch to battery only when there is no electric and no propane.

Just flip the switch on "auto" and have fun!

Good luck. Congrats on your new camper!

[Sandia_Man]

Our TT is stored at home and we turn fridge on auto day or two before we leave so it can cool down to proper operating temp. Of course once we unplug fridge it runs on propane while traveling down the road. Probably a good idea to turn off fridge while refueling but the majority more than likely doesn't. Enjoy your first trip out.