Hook up the night before - refrigerator concern

[5picker]

This was Dometic's reply to someone in another RV forum when this question was asked.

"Thank you for contacting Dometic. The refrigerator should not be more than 3 degrees unlevel left to right, or 6 degrees unlevel front to back. We do not recommend having the unit unlevel for more than 1-2 hours as this can increase the chances of a blockage. However, we do recommend if you can, have the unit level at all times."

3º side to side on a 24" wide refrigerator equates to about 7.5" difference (front to back) on a 25' trailer if the refrigerator is mounted on one of the long walls.

The OP's "couple inches" won't matter one bit.

[Witch Doctor]

If I had to do that, I would have to stop and buy take out, or eat out, but I do get your point....[emoji41]

Originally Posted by emoney

"Level" is within 3 degrees when measuring side-to-side or curbside to streetside and
6 degrees front to back or nose to tail. If you get some free time and play around with
a level, the bubble literally has to be pegged to one side or the other on those small, 6"
torpedo levels in order to be 3 degrees out. As has already been said, when driving it
keeps the chemicals from pooling so level isn't a concern. Not considering how it affects
the truck, shouldn't be an issue keeping your fridge plugged in the night before. Another
way to keep your perishables safe when driving is to freeze a gallon jug of water (or two)
and keep them in the fridge while driving. Worst case scenario it helps keep the food
and stuff cool and you end up at the campsite with 2 gallons of drinking water.

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by 5picker

This was Dometic's reply to someone in another RV forum when this question was asked.

"Thank you for contacting Dometic. The refrigerator should not be more than 3 degrees unlevel left to right, or 6 degrees unlevel front to back. We do not recommend having the unit unlevel for more than 1-2 hours as this can increase the chances of a blockage. However, we do recommend if you can, have the unit level at all times."

3º side to side on a 24" wide refrigerator equates to about 7.5" difference (front to back) on a 25' trailer if the refrigerator is mounted on one of the long walls.

The OP's "couple inches" won't matter one bit.

When I saw a demonstration at a camping rally seminar of how far it can go before the blockage starts to 'freeze', all it took was one 2x4 placed under the left side (as you are facing it) of the refer cooling unit with the 2-inch side flat on the floor.

Freezing started around five minutes and the cooler unit stopped about 15 minutes later.

Now, this was in a parked condition, not a moving down the road scenario.

And, two inches directly under the refer unit is more of an angle than a 5th-wheeler that is 2 1/2 inches nose high with the fridge on the side wall.

The point is that we should try to make our RV's reasonably level when parked to keep them (refrigerators) working properly and safe.

[Freetyme]

Wouldn't worry much about potential damage to the fridge on the road. Plenty of up or downhill and side to side sloshing going on to keep everything flowing. Just my opinion.

[D W]

Originally Posted by tfmdgm

If you're 2" off level across the length of your trailer, you're <1/4" off across you're refrigerator. However, I never hook up the night before. I back up close, but never connect. If I have an over night emergency, I don't want a trailer tied to my truck.

SMART!

[SailorSam20500]

Agree that 2" nose high is not an issue. However, if the OP is o-c, how about just parking on a couple of boards or levelers to get level? Just put the levelers away when leaving.

[jeffnick]

I've never worried about level down the road or at a campsite. Never a problem with my Wolf Pup.


Also, I have a fridge and freezer on my boat and never worry about level and never a problem.

Small household freezer to the left in the pic.

[rock-rocker]

Back in the day I used to be pretty annul (what my DW calls me) about leveling. I was told a long time ago from a seasoned camper that if it feels like your walking up/down hill when walking around in the unit then you should level it. I took that advice since then and I have had MANY different types of trailers and coaches since. It has been off a few degrees here and there for one reason or another (i.e. not enough blocks, the jacks wouldn't extend far enough, etc) and I have never had a problem with the fridge. I'm not a full timer so I haven't stayed in one place longer than 2 weeks +/- so I guess you may have to take that into consideration. Anyway, of course I try to get it level which is all automatically done now but if I can't I don't spend allot of time on it as long as it doesn't feel like I'm walking on the side of a mountain or the doors don't swing open or closed. Works for me and the reefers have worked fine. The beer is always cold.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by jeffnick

I've never worried about level down the road or at a campsite. Never a problem with my Wolf Pup.


Also, I have a fridge and freezer on my boat and never worry about level and never a problem.

Small household freezer to the left in the pic.

Household freezers and refrigerators (often referred to as residential and utilize compressors) are completely different animals than absorption type refrigerators being discussed in this thread.

[bill32]

Two items. First, when you are going down the road, the trailer sways and bounces, which keeps the reefer's fluid moving and thus bubbles can't get trapped in the system, which is the problem. Two, if you are several inches out of level when hooked up, why not fix that problem? Most hitches, whether bumper pull or 5th wheel can be height adjusted to resolve that.

[tuckerdog1]

I'd read 6 degrees out of level is okay. Put one of these on the floor right in front of the fridge & check front to back & side to side.

https://www.amazon.com/Finder-Magnet...ds=angle+level

Tuckerdog1

[davidgarth]

Originally Posted by Davidceder

So what is the difference if you are 2 inches off when parked in front of your house OR going down the road for several hours when towing? Do you run your fridge when towing? If you do than its the same.....

It’s not the same. Going down the road, normal vehicle motion keeps the refrigerant moving.

[Mistye]

We hooked up the night before on our last 5th wheel maybe 1 of 5 times for almost 6 years without a problem. Slightly nose high also.
Until the night before a 4 a.m leave time...the frig was no longer cold for a cross country trip to the east coast from CA. I tossed everything into a large ice chest and was going to have it checked on the road.
Had it checked in Vegas where it was determined we burned a hole in the coil from to many times of uneven cool down. They were not able to fix it in the time frame we needed. They helped us call ahead to an RV repair in Buffalo NY. They we’re going to order a coil and have it by time we reached there.
Instead of wandering our way to the east coast we b-lined it there to get it repaired to find out there was a mix up and never ordered.
We spent the next Six weeks buying ice for the ice chest and had the coil replaced when we got home for $1,400.00.
Moral of our story I would set the alarm a little earlier and hook up in the morning.

[southfork21]

You are going to get a lot of opinions on this subject and I have mine. Here is my "experience" with running a camper refrigerator unlevel.

Took my fifth wheel and a bunch of young men to a lacrosse tournament across state overnight. In the morning I hooked up the camper and went to the day long tournament (about 10 hours). While at the tournament I left the unlevel camper hooked to the truck (see attached picture) with the refrigerator running. After the tournament ended we went right home and I stored the camper a usual with no problems. The next time I went to use the camper, about a month later, the refrigerator worked for a while then stopped cooling. When I checked into the problem I found that the cooling unit on the back had become clogged.

The cooling unit becomes clogged when chemical mixture in the tubes cannot circulate properly. I my case this was because it was unlevel. The cooling units are designed to be circulated by gravity (no pump to circulate). When they are unlevel the liquid cannot flow properly. This causes the cooling unit to over heat and the anti-freeze in the tubes to crystallize. This was describe to me as, the same as plaque in your arteries. Once the tubes start to get blocked it slows down the flow and causes more heat which causes more crystallization.

$500 later I had a fixed refrigerator. I would never risk running it unlevel and sitting for a long time. Like I said lots of opinions, I am sharing my experience.

[KyDan]

Well there is unlevel and UNLEVEL!!!
To the OP in this thread we still think an
over night with -->2 inches<--- high in the
nose of a big rig is not going to do harm.
Note I said 2 inches in the entire rig NOT
2 inches over the span of the refrigerator.

Also we are sorry you had such bad luck with your units. It's way too late now but maybe some others can benefit from the knowledge that there is an Amish guy in Shipshewana IN who does cooling unit swap out in 4 hours while you wait (or shop in the little town) for about $500 depending on the size of your fridge.

[Chuck_S]

"Level enough to sleep in" is the standard I've always used. YMMV.

-- Chuck

[Mr Towed]

In light of this thread I recalled that I had raised the nose of my trailer a bit because I didn't like the way some water was draining over one the outside hatch. I've had the trailer plugged in since we returned from our recent trip, with some stuff still in the fridge, waiting for a chance to get in there and empty out the fridge so I could shut it off. As I was walking by the trailer I decided to just lower the nose a touch and when I hit the button on the tongue jack I was greeted with a very alarming sound, the thing BARELY moved. After a quick investigation it was revealed that the GFCI had tripped on the outlet the trailer was plugged into!! So the trailer I THOUGHT was on shore power was actually on battery and propane, which was then emptied, evidently resulting in a not-so-cold fridge and a dead (3 week old) battery. I was beyond pissed, as you can imagine, both at myself for not checking on things more frequently, and at the stupid GFCI for tripping, probably due to rain. I'm just HOPING my brand new battery is not shot but I am fearing that it might be.
Between our 2 most recent trips, a span of about 3 weeks we left the trailer plugged in and the fridge running on AC with not a single issue, so I guess I was lulled into a sense of complacency as far as checking on it.

[Kaadk]

Originally Posted by Mr Towed

In light of this thread I recalled that I had raised the nose of my trailer a bit because I didn't like the way some water was draining over one the outside hatch. I've had the trailer plugged in since we returned from our recent trip, with some stuff still in the fridge, waiting for a chance to get in there and empty out the fridge so I could shut it off. As I was walking by the trailer I decided to just lower the nose a touch and when I hit the button on the tongue jack I was greeted with a very alarming sound, the thing BARELY moved. After a quick investigation it was revealed that the GFCI had tripped on the outlet the trailer was plugged into!! So the trailer I THOUGHT was on shore power was actually on battery and propane, which was then emptied, evidently resulting in a not-so-cold fridge and a dead (3 week old) battery. I was beyond pissed, as you can imagine, both at myself for not checking on things more frequently, and at the stupid GFCI for tripping, probably due to rain. I'm just HOPING my brand new battery is not shot but I am fearing that it might be.
Between our 2 most recent trips, a span of about 3 weeks we left the trailer plugged in and the fridge running on AC with not a single issue, so I guess I was lulled into a sense of complacency as far as checking on it.

Deviating here for a second from the topic at hand, ideally, you should avoid plugging your trailer into a GFCI. Your trailer already has at least one GFCI on board, and they tend to not like having one plugged into another one. Usually, the fact that one is inline will end up causing the one you've plugged into to trip.

[Mr Towed]

Yeah, sorry for the hijack. It's definitely on my to-do list to put a dedicated outlet for the trailer. I think it's gonna move up on the list now.

[Chuck_S]

How long was the trailer without shorepower?

The tiny current draws are insidious. My Dometic uses 0.12 amps of 12vDC (to power the circuits). The LP detector and radio memory add another 0.15 amps. Slight as these draws are they add up to 45 amphours in a week. The label of the typical Group 24 deep cycle battery on the tongue states "80 amphours" but in reality 55 useful amphours is all ya get before they get down below 11v where they can't power anything. Two weeks of this (ab)use and the battery is dead.

My refrigerator is supposed to continue to run at the last setting even if it loses 12vDC.

-- Chuck