Is my refrigerator working correctly??

[RFKosar]

Have a 2013 Rockwood Windjammer 26 foot trailer. This is our first RV trip and the refrigerator stops cooling once disconnected from the RV 110 volt hookup. Our refrigerator stops cooling when we tow the trailer. The refrigerator is a Norcold unit that says it can operate from electricity or propane gas. I keep the refrigerator control switch in its "auto" power on setting (runs on electricity or switches propane when no electricity.)

The Rockwood manual is not clear (to me) about refrigerator operations while towing the trailer. I THINK the manual says the refrigerator will operate using the trailer's 12 volt battery power. I also thought 12 volt power from the brake cable connected to my pickup truck would keep the trailer's 12 volt battery charged while the truck's engine is operating and also keep the refrigerator operating while we tow. Should we keep the propane valve open so the refrigerator can operate from the gas while we motor down the road?

Help!

[jtstromsburg]

The refrigerator needs either 110v or 12v & propane. I keep my propane on all the time and the fridge too. When on auto mode, if you unplug from 110 and the fridge goes into trouble (not working on propane), try lighting a burner in the stove for 30 seconds or so and then retry the fridge. Sometimes the line needs bled a little.
Joel

[funkyJunk]

Originally Posted by RFKosar

Have a 2013 Rockwood Windjammer 26 foot trailer. This is our first RV trip and the refrigerator stops cooling once disconnected from the RV 110 volt hookup. Our refrigerator stops cooling when we tow the trailer. The refrigerator is a Norcold unit that says it can operate from electricity or propane gas. I keep the refrigerator control switch in its "auto" power on setting (runs on electricity or switches propane when no electricity.)

The Rockwood manual is not clear (to me) about refrigerator operations while towing the trailer. I THINK the manual says the refrigerator will operate using the trailer's 12 volt battery power. I also thought 12 volt power from the brake cable connected to my pickup truck would keep the trailer's 12 volt battery charged while the truck's engine is operating and also keep the refrigerator operating while we tow. Should we keep the propane valve open so the refrigerator can operate from the gas while we motor down the road?

Help!

It's propane or 120v. The refrigerators do not run on 12v DC.

[RFKosar]

Funky,

Is it safe to tow with the propane valve open so the refrigerator stays cold? Otherwise we dump all the food in our refrigerator when we start traveling to next place. Please don't laugh at my questions - I am a baby RVer.

[beanoil]

You need to make sure your gas bottle(s) valves are open, (tanks are filled right?) and check your fridge before leaving home by disconnecting shore power (or throw the main breaker) and make sure the fridge switches to gas. Please don't take offense at the question about the bottles being filled... I have been there and done that. And yes, towing with the gas bottle valve open is normal.

[funkyJunk]

Yes. Run with the gas open on both tanks.

There are no stupid questions here. Stupid answers.... maybe.

[RFKosar]

Hey Beanoil,

Thanks for setting this newbie straight!

Ron K

[RFKosar]

Originally Posted by funkyJunk

Yes. Run with the gas open on both tanks.

There are no stupid questions here. Stupid answers.... maybe.

Thanks Funky!! This is a big learning curve for a city slicker starting out with no idea what is right or wrong.

Thanks!!

Ron K

[BeagleIL]

Our shore power coming into the trailer on our 233S is right there below the fridge. You can here that gas kick on as soon as you disconnect. Even if I'm near a breaker at the campsite and disconnecting that end, I can usually hear the gas fire. I'm guessing you either need to turn the valve on or bleed the lines good from the stove.

No worries about asking all kinds of questions. We all had to learn sometime too!

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by BeagleIL

...No worries about asking all kinds of questions. We all had to learn sometime too!

And some lessons were quite costly for some of us.

[Great Horned Owl]

Originally Posted by RFKosar

Funky,

Is it safe to tow with the propane valve open so the refrigerator stays cold? Otherwise we dump all the food in our refrigerator when we start traveling to next place. Please don't laugh at my questions - I am a baby RVer.

Yes, it is safe too drive with the fridge running on propane. However, you should shut it off when gassing up. If you use diesel, that is not so important.

Joel

[bikendan]

if you have a trip under 3 hours, the fridge can stay cold for that amount of time.
we just took a 2 1/2 hour drive to camp. we had left the fridge hooked up to electric overnite before we took off.
it stayed cool till we got to the campground, without running it on propane.

but we have run it on propane, enroute, on longer trips and have no problems with doing it.

[RvBill3]

Just to clarify-you do need 12 volt supply to power the refrigerator control circuits when on propane. The propane burner does the cooling. If you are parked for a long time without shore power and the battery voltage drops below a usable level, the refrigerator will stop working. Otherwise just leave propane valves open and refrigerator set to auto. Last week we returned to campsite to find power had been off for a couple hours due to blown transformer in 100 degree heat. Not to worry, refrigerator had switched back to gas and all was good. At least had cold drinks while waiting for power for the AC.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by BeagleIL

No worries about asking all kinds of questions. We all had to learn sometime too!

Sigh, I am still learning and ask silly questons all the time.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by funkyJunk

Stupid answers.... maybe.

Yep, did that too...