Leaving a refrigerator plugged in, at a year-round site.

[Fusefinder]

I just recently decided to keep a site for a year, It has electric & water. My question is is it okay to leave the refrigerator plugged in for extended times (summer until fall). I have heard different opinions, but would like to hear the data or theory behind the opinion.
I have a 2017 Greywolf 26RR Toyhauler.
Thanks!

[houstonstroker]

I had a 5th wheel for 9 years with an RV fridge. We kept it plugged in and the fridge on 24/7. I now have a rig with a residential fridge, same thing we keep it plugged in and on.

[Wiscampsin]

When we had a seasonal site our fridge was on from April 15th to October 15th. Never had a problem in 10 years.

[AudiDudi]

We have a 5th wheel on an annual site in Arizona (it stays there) and we are there for 6+ months in the winter. The fridge costs about $40/mo to run so when we leave for the summer, I shut off all power to the 5th wheel. But I see not a lot of risk of leaving the fridge running 24/7 outside of a possible leak/fire with no one around to maybe smell ammonia before a fire.

[5picker]

I have an absorption type refrigerator in my garage (take out from a used R/V) that has been plugged in to electric running 24/7 for 20 years. Works perfect.

One thing to consider if you plan to keep perishable items in your refrigerator when leaving it plugged in while away... and... I don't see where your mentioned whether your refrigerator is residential or absorption...if absorption, you might want to consider switching the control to AUTO and leave the gas supply ON.

That way if the power goes out at wherever you are parked, the refrigerator will switch (automatically) to LP operation and keep the food from spoiling. If all you plan to keep in there while gone are beverages, then it really doesn't matter.

And of course, if it is a residential type refrigerator you have no auto switch-over choice.

Either way, you might want to get an ice cube tray and freeze ice cubes. Once frozen, place a penny on top of one of the ice cubes. Upon your next visit, look to see if the ice melted and the penny sank. If it sank, throw away all your perishable items.

[rsdata]

My 2014 Shamrock is always powered up ( ammonia type) and fridge works great now for about 4 years running. Only time unplugged is when traveling. I keep everything cold, usually beverages, ketchup, relish, etc. and a couple 1/2 gallon water jugs frozen in freezer. Fridge actually stays pretty cold for the two+ days I may travel with it off. Enough so that the ice jugs are still mostly frozen. Of course I don't travel with ice cream in the freezer... and I don't live in TX...

[dahagen]

Why not give the food to someone who could use it and turn the fridge off for the time you are gone. I am not sure I would want to eat something that has been in the fridge for 6 months.

[Bluepill]

Just my opinion, but for storage longer than a few weeks I disconnect the shore power and turn off the propane. I connect a small battery maintainer to each battery bank.

Less chance of power surge damage to the electrical system, or fire from the propane system.

[oldsmasma]

We are not seasonal but open up the Moho come spring and it stays on till we close it down and winterized in fall. Always on auto and plugged in here behind the garage, going down the road or plugged into usually electric only camping sites. Never a problem over three rigs in the last 15 years.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by dahagen

Why not give the food to someone who could use it and turn the fridge off for the time you are gone. I am not sure I would want to eat something that has been in the fridge for 6 months.

Where did I miss that the food was going to be in the fridge for 6 months?

I understood the question to be asking could they leave the refrigerator on (summer to fall) without issues. Nowhere did I read they wouldn't be visiting their R/V during that period.

[Scrapper]

Our 2-way refrigerator (electric or LP) is plugged in, set to Auto with the LP tanks on and has food in it all season from mid-April to mid-October. I have a PI EMS-HW30C installed behind the power panel to protect from surges along with other problems. Never had a problem in the last 5 years.

[Fusefinder]

My plan is mostly for a convenience. Arriving on a Friday night, to a cold fridge, with a few condiments or staples. Leaving Sunday afternoon-evening. I'm trying to get away from packing a cooler with ice, and waiting 6 to 8 hours for the refrigerator to get cold. Plan is to return every other weekend.
I had read and I don't recall where, that these appliances are not durable enough to be used on a long-term basis.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Fusefinder

My plan is mostly for a convenience. Arriving on a Friday night, to a cold fridge, with a few condiments or staples. Leaving Sunday afternoon-evening. I'm trying to get away from packing a cooler with ice, and waiting 6 to 8 hours for the refrigerator to get cold. Plan is to return every other weekend.
I had read and I don't recall where, that these appliances are not durable enough to be used on a long-term basis.

If you are using the RV every other weekend just leave it on.

Refrigerators are one of those appliances that just seem to last longer if you leave them plugged in and running, RV or Residential type. When closed up and not having doors open a dozen or more times per day, they only run a fraction of each day to cool. More "wear and tear" if you have teenagers and the doors are open longer than they are closed.

[cariboo camper]

Originally Posted by dahagen

Why not give the food to someone who could use it and turn the fridge off for the time you are gone. I am not sure I would want to eat something that has been in the fridge for 6 months.

??? what?

[cariboo camper]

Mostly always leave ours on for summer months. Wife always throwing something into the freezer for our next trip. We do camp often but do not really see a problem as far as doing damage to the fridge, may be even better for it by leaving it on.

Just remember, don't let it get iced up, defrost often as needed. The more frost and ice in fridge the harder it works.

[RECONUSMC]

It is better to keep a fridge running so the compressor seals and parts don't just sit. This is the main cause of AC failures where the compressor sticks and then fails Whether for a fridge or an A/C, the compressor is designed to compress gas, not pump liquid. Compressed refrigerant condenses to a liquid in the (aptly named) condenser where heat is removed from the system, and evaporates in the (again aptly named) evaporator where it picks up heat to cool your food, your room, or your house, before returning to the compressor. Liquid, whether refrigerant or oil, is incompressible, so if any enters the compressor (other than a trace of oil to keep things lubricated), there's likely to be a problem.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by RECONUSMC

It is better to keep a fridge running so the compressor seals and parts don't just sit. This is the main cause of AC failures where the compressor sticks and then fails Whether for a fridge or an A/C, the compressor is designed to compress gas, not pump liquid. Compressed refrigerant condenses to a liquid in the (aptly named) condenser where heat is removed from the system, and evaporates in the (again aptly named) evaporator where it picks up heat to cool your food, your room, or your house, before returning to the compressor. Liquid, whether refrigerant or oil, is incompressible, so if any enters the compressor (other than a trace of oil to keep things lubricated), there's likely to be a problem.

All well and good for a residential refrigerator with a compressor I suppose.

Absorption refrigerators dont have compressors.

[russhd1997]

I run my refrigerator all summer and keep "cold ones" in it. It's handy to get some liquid refreshment when I'm working in the yard. It keeps momma happy too because I'm not going in and out of the house constantly. I've never had an issue with the fridge because of it.

[Bora Boy]

As a guy that travels alot and often empties the fridge at home here is what I do.

Fill or partially fill plastic bottles and place as many as practical in the freezer and fridge; not so much as to block airflow. This will stop it running all the time when you are away saving wear on the compressor and keeping the freezer from frosting up too much.

That is unless they are left full with other stuff.

[G Hollingsworth]

Unless you are coming back intermittently why would you want to leave your refrigerator running? Doesn’t it use energy and wear out components for no reason? Just asking. When we close up the house and head south for the winter I shut off everything I can including the house fridge.