Refrigerator On or Off During Down Time

LSRuss3d · 06-18-2017, 07:48 PM

Just back from our maiden voyage and really enjoyed our time. Home and cleaned out / straighten up / and closed up till next trip in about 3 weeks. However, the big discussion between my wife and I - to leave the refrigerator on or off. She says "on." I say "off." Of course right now the refrigerator is on... yes we have our 30 amp service at the house.

What is the consensus?
On or Off?

mblee21 · 06-18-2017, 08:20 PM

If I had the option to leave mine on or off, I would leave it on but I don't have that option since I don't have power at the storage building. I have a residential so I don't know if that matters in this discussion or not.

Finallygotone · 06-18-2017, 08:30 PM

I just got back from our maiden voyage and I'm leaving it on. Because I too am heading out in 3 weeks again. Unless you have an extra frig n freezer to move everything then I'd leave it on.

rsdata · 06-18-2017, 08:31 PM

I have the RV (propane or AC) fridge and I plug mine into my house current most of the year. The camper is either at home plugged in, or on the road not plugged in or on propane or at a campground on AC. I have had to defrost it a time or two, and then I unplug it to let it thaw and warm up so that I can clean it.

crunchman12001 · 06-18-2017, 08:41 PM

Leave it on until you winterize as long as you have shore power where you park.

SidecarFlip · 06-18-2017, 09:00 PM

I've left mine on before if going back out in a couple weeks and I've run it on propane for an extended period as well. I can get over 30 days on a single 20 pound bottle.

Lately though I've been turning it off and restarting it the night before because I bought a Dometic 'Cold Box' compressor fridge/freezer cooler that goes in the backseat of the truck, so the frozen stuff goes in there and the fridge is cold enough to keep the perishable stuff from 'perishing' in about 5 hours run time from ambient.

The Dometic cold box is the best investment I ever made in coolers. Ir will refrigerate down to -22 (f) and runs on a cigarette lighter plug.

Just like a residental refrigerator only smaller and a much more efficient compressor system.

great white · 06-18-2017, 11:09 PM

If it's empty and dry I leave it off and open between trips/visits.

Don't see the need to waste electricity on cooling nothing, mine or the camp grounds.

If I'm getting ready for a trip I'll probably plug it in the night before and let it drop to temp though...

lugoismad · 06-18-2017, 11:32 PM

I leave mine on, and leave condiments and other stuff in it. They only pull about 300 watts. At the 12 cents a kilowatt hour we pay, thats like 50 cents a day to run it. Not a huge deal. We also use it for overflow occasionally, if my wife buys too much stuff that needs refrigerated.

Swampy · 06-19-2017, 12:48 PM

I have had mine up and running continuously since summer of 2014 when I received the TT from the dealer,. Normally on 120V ac, or propane while in transit to the CG. No worry about mold & mildew or stinky odors. I have had to defrost the freezer once ... last summer. As long as the refer is level, it doesn't harm or wear out anything. ....... Swampy

Harris85 · 06-19-2017, 12:54 PM

We leave ours on if we have another trip within 2 or 3 weeks. We get charged for electricity at our storage facility whether we use it or not. Also we cannot leave the fridge doors open to air out with the slide in so we really have to just keep it running since we can't keep the slide out at the storage facility.

Bikersarge · 06-19-2017, 12:55 PM

Now I am a green horn in RVing, now I am wondering if I should leave mine on....

Lovestogo · 06-19-2017, 01:06 PM

I leave ours plugged in at home on extension cord if we are going out in 2-3 weeks. Otherwise I turn off and leave the doors ajar to air out. I restart about 3 days prior to our next camping trip.

McCormickJim · 06-19-2017, 02:19 PM

When I bought my first motorhome, 20 years ago, I was told during walkthrough to keep the frig on all the time, if I had shore power where it was parked.

I kept it on for 10 years. No issues.

I now have another new motorhome. No shore power available where it is stored so I have to the frig off between trips. I wonder how long the Frig will last?

burkede · 06-19-2017, 03:08 PM

I turn mine off and open the doors when not in use - RV type. I've had power blips that have caused it to shut itself off in an error mode when it lost AC power. If that happens when you aren't aware, you can lose whatever is in there - could get ugly depending on what you store. I haven't tried taking it off of autoswitch mode to see if it would error out on power blip. Not a big deal for me to empty it out after a trip and I don't feel as wasteful.

I've also had residential fridge in prior TT and left that on without any issues.

Dalin · 06-19-2017, 03:14 PM

Not wanting to beat a dead horse, but just adding my "opinion" on the question of the refrigerator....we've had about 8 campers and RV's since 1988...We never have left any of ours turned on other than to start them the day before we pack and turn it off when we get home. We don't leave anything in it except a couple beer mugs that we sometimes use while camping. We always leave the doors ajar when parked to keep fresh air moving around to lessen the chance of mold etc...we clean it well when it needs it. Never had a refrigerator failure....I will say however if I was going to be using it within a week or so, I might leave it on. We use gas on it when needed and if AC is available we let it switch to that. I don't see an advantage to leaving it on unless you are using your camper often.

LSRuss3d · 06-19-2017, 03:44 PM

Well it looks like On wins out, don't tell my wife...
So we'll leave it on and keep things (life) happy...

Thanks for all the replies and support! Loving this FR forums...

OLDNAVY · 06-19-2017, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsdata

I have the RV (propane or AC) fridge and I plug mine into my house current most of the year. The camper is either at home plugged in, or on the road not plugged in or on propane or at a campground on AC. I have had to defrost it a time or two, and then I unplug it to let it thaw and warm up so that I can clean it.

Not trying to hijack the thread but I have a question about an extension cord. Do I need a larger than normal(normal=regular is residential outdoor ext. cord) when I plug in my TT to run the fridge the night before a trip, or will the "normal" cord suffice?
Thanks in advance for responses

**Mr. Dan** · 06-19-2017, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LSRuss3d

Well it looks like On wins out, don't tell my wife...
So we'll leave it on and keep things (life) happy...

Thanks for all the replies and support! Loving this FR forums...

Did you count the "offs"? Just wonderin'. I turn mine off when I park the trailer close to the garage before unloading. Then I put the trailer in the shed. A day or two before the next trip, I turn it on.

325BH · 06-19-2017, 04:24 PM

Once I de-winterize, I turn everything on... and leave it on until I winterize. Mostly because I don't unpack/repack between trips.

Broadway Joe · 06-19-2017, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OLDNAVY

Not trying to hijack the thread but I have a question about an extension cord. Do I need a larger than normal(normal=regular is residential outdoor ext. cord) when I plug in my TT to run the fridge the night before a trip, or will the "normal" cord suffice?
Thanks in advance for responses

You ask about an extension cord, if all your running is the refrigerator and convertor an outdoor rated extension cord 14 awg or better is all you need. I personally wouldn't even look at a 16awg cord.

I have left my ref on a/c all year long, kept full of condiments and a few cold ones. I only have to defrost the freezer every so often for ice build up.

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