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06-12-2013, 11:34 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Upper East Tennessee
Posts: 296
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Traveling with fridge on.
On another note about traveling with fridge on. If you stop for a meal, to shop, or any reason and the parking area is not level do you turn off the fridge or let it run. I've heard so many horror stories about operating a fridge that is not level I now have nightmares about it. Living in East Tenn a lot of the parking lots are not level at all.
__________________
2022 Flagstaff 26RBWS
2014 Ford F150 Ecoboost
65 nights in 2023 including a 2 month trip to the pacific coast.
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06-12-2013, 11:53 AM
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#2
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Always Learning
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,891
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I turn my fridge on "auto" the day before I leave my house and turn it off the day after I arrive home. If I left the camper parked on a hill for a long period of time (hours), I might consider turning it off.
The more controversial thing is if you leave the fridge on while fueling up or not. Many people turn it off to fuel up and back on after they pull away from the pump. Many people leave it on the whole time. And, a few will be adamant about their stand (either for or against).
__________________
Officially a SOB with a 2022 Jayco Precept 36C
Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
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06-12-2013, 12:11 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Upper East Tennessee
Posts: 296
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We make a trip to Knoxville each year. The parking lot of our usual meal stop slopes up pretty steep. We are usually there about 45 minutes as my wife is a slow eater. I've not been turning it off but wondering if I might be flirting with potential problems.
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2022 Flagstaff 26RBWS
2014 Ford F150 Ecoboost
65 nights in 2023 including a 2 month trip to the pacific coast.
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06-12-2013, 12:48 PM
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#4
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Always Learning
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,891
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I could be wrong (and obviously, your rig, your decision)- but I wouldn't be overly concerned about an hour for a meal. But, I'm not terribly educated on the fridges- so take it for what it's worth. I likely wouldn't worry especially because my fridge is a hassle to get to (I have to partially extend a slide to get to the button).
__________________
Officially a SOB with a 2022 Jayco Precept 36C
Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
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06-12-2013, 01:07 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Southern Ontario Canada
Posts: 273
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kb4srn
On another note about traveling with fridge on. If you stop for a meal, to shop, or any reason and the parking area is not level do you turn off the fridge or let it run. I've heard so many horror stories about operating a fridge that is not level I now have nightmares about it. Living in East Tenn a lot of the parking lots are not level at all.
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We've never traveled with the fridge on in our 10 years of RVing/trailering. We find the best way for us is to load up 1 or 2 coolers with the refrigerator items plus 2 or 3 small ice packs/cooler just before heading out. One trip to the truck with the cooler(s). Drive to your destination, turn on the fridge and then load the fridge when it has cooled down. Ice packs go in the freezer while camping and we do the same for the return trip. This way, there are absolutely no worries of anything going wrong outside and inside the fridge. Good coolers and ice packs will keep things cold far longer than you will ever drive in a day. Many modern coolers plug right into the 12 volt outlet if you want to avoid ice packs. If we plan on stopping for lunch or a food break, the cooler is always handy.
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2014 Flagstaff 832IKBS Travel Trailer
2012 F150 EcoBoost (HD Payload & Max Tow)
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06-12-2013, 01:16 PM
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#6
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Southeast Wisconsin
Posts: 6,949
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How level is level?
If you have a Dometic fridge, than their manual addresses the question. Here is a copy of the User Guide for a Dometic DM2652 for example.
Two points are important here:
1)... the vehicle needs to be leveled only so it is comfortable to live in (no noticeable sloping of floor or walls).
So, basically, this gives you an idea of what they consider to be "level". If sloped badly at the restaurant, than the second item is that you have some time before it becomes an issue.
2) ... Any time the vehicle is parked for several hours with the refrigerator operating, the vehicle should be leveled to prevent this loss of cooling.
In my own experience, I have never had to shut if off and it has never lost its ability to cool because it was not level during a stop.
__________________
Scott
DW, 3 Kids and our Goldens
2012 Shamrock 233S
2008 Toyota Sequoia 5.7L 4WD
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06-12-2013, 01:35 PM
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#7
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Always Learning
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,891
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Geez- look at Mr. Goody reading the manual.
Good stuff, actually! Thanks, Scott.
__________________
Officially a SOB with a 2022 Jayco Precept 36C
Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
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06-12-2013, 01:45 PM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Windsor, Ontario
Posts: 185
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I turn mine on auto a day or two before we leave and have never worried about it. Been doing this the same way for as long as I can remember. I shut it off when the trailer is back beside my house and ready to unload.
__________________
Essex County
Southern most area in Canada
2017 F250 Lariat 6.7superdutyTurbo Diesel
2011 Flagstaff classic 31.5'BHDS
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06-12-2013, 02:17 PM
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#9
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Don't Camp Enough
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,163
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gripper
I turn mine on auto a day or two before we leave and have never worried about it. Been doing this the same way for as long as I can remember. I shut it off when the trailer is back beside my house and ready to unload.
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x2
IMO, I suspect there would be a lot more information and warnings from manufacturers if this was an issue.
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2020 Prime Time Sanibel 3102
2016 F-350 King Ranch
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06-12-2013, 02:21 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 337
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I only turn my off to defrost it. We use it as a backup fridge and keep the IBC root beer cold. Also we do not have to wait for a day to allow the fridge to get really cold.
The trailer makes for a very good lifeboat if your zoning allows it.
__________________
Foard County News & Sassy Schoolmarm
with Lady & Chloe, 2013 39 days, 2014 59 days
2017 GD Imagine 2800BH
'07 GMC Sierra 2500HD Diesel 4x4
Why I got into RVing & More Fun
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06-12-2013, 02:46 PM
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#11
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Anacortesians
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Anacortes, WA
Posts: 1,166
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We just got through replacing our Dometic Fridge in our '02 Georgetown. When I fired things up a few days before we were heading out for a 3-week trip down the Oregon coast, I turned it on, using electric power, and closed the doors. The day before we left, I took a cooler full of stuff to load in the fridge and the temperature gauge still read 68F.
I found an old post on one of the other RV newsgroups that said "Open the outside cover for the fridge and look round the base of the chimney. If there's any yellow powder around it, the cooling unit is dead. I opened it up and sure enough, about a tablespoon-full of powdered sulfur. I showed it to our best local RV maintenance shop and booked in for a new fridge after the trip.
The 3-week trip became a 16-day one, as we got fed up of the logistics of buying Ice every day.
Now (and $1800 later!) we have a new fridge with an adjustable temperature control, which the old one didn't have.
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Frank and Eileen
No longer RVers or FR owners
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06-12-2013, 03:13 PM
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#12
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Southeast Wisconsin
Posts: 6,949
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ependydad
Geez- look at Mr. Goody reading the manual.
Good stuff, actually! Thanks, Scott.
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LOL
I have a bad habit of reading manuals.
__________________
Scott
DW, 3 Kids and our Goldens
2012 Shamrock 233S
2008 Toyota Sequoia 5.7L 4WD
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06-12-2013, 03:15 PM
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#13
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Always Learning
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,891
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Triguy
LOL
I have a bad habit of reading manuals.
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(Cough) man card (cough)!
__________________
Officially a SOB with a 2022 Jayco Precept 36C
Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
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06-12-2013, 03:19 PM
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#14
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Southeast Wisconsin
Posts: 6,949
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ependydad
(Cough) man card (cough)!
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I also read the pigeon-english that goes for most setup and install instructions.
But, I refuse to stop and ask for directions 
__________________
Scott
DW, 3 Kids and our Goldens
2012 Shamrock 233S
2008 Toyota Sequoia 5.7L 4WD
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06-12-2013, 08:53 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Upper East Tennessee
Posts: 296
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Thanks everyone.
__________________
2022 Flagstaff 26RBWS
2014 Ford F150 Ecoboost
65 nights in 2023 including a 2 month trip to the pacific coast.
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06-12-2013, 09:43 PM
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#16
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Love My Sunseeker
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 788
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Triguy
In my own experience, I have never had to shut if off and it has never lost its ability to cool because it was not level during a stop.
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I have had that problem. I stayed at a park where I did not get level, and my frig went POOF!
__________________
JJ only, my cat went to Rainbow Bridge July 2015
I love my Sunseeker, when I'm on a trip I don't wanna go home!!!"
Total days camping each year: AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!
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06-13-2013, 06:39 AM
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#17
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Southeast Wisconsin
Posts: 6,949
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DXSMac
I have had that problem. I stayed at a park where I did not get level, and my frig went POOF!
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I agree its an issue when you overnight but the OP's referring to a stop at an uneven parking lot for an hour or two.
__________________
Scott
DW, 3 Kids and our Goldens
2012 Shamrock 233S
2008 Toyota Sequoia 5.7L 4WD
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06-13-2013, 06:45 AM
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#18
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Mod free 5er
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Concord, NC
Posts: 24,702
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Never had a problem in the 40 plus yrs of dealing with a rv frig and we travel with it on.
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06-13-2013, 07:16 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Waynesville
Posts: 14,428
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DXSMac
I have had that problem. I stayed at a park where I did not get level, and my frig went POOF!
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If it is so unlevel that you (Fall out of a chair,Roll out of bed,have to severly bend one knee to walk in RV,or plates slide off the table,pick another Campsite,or( Turn off the Refer)!  Youroo!!
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06-13-2013, 07:26 AM
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#20
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AKA: 'tiredTeacher
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Posts: 1,045
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Quote:
Originally Posted by youroo
If it is so unlevel that you (Fall out of a chair,Roll out of bed,have to severly bend one knee to walk in RV,or plates slide off the table,pick another Campsite,or( Turn off the Refer)! Youroo!! |
Actually, the crown on my street is enough to disturb the refer. I have to put boards down in the gutter before I park it to load the TT.
Teach
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Wright and Penny
(with Fitz and Lizzie, the camping kitties)
Richmond, Va.
2010 Tundra 4X4 5.7L V8
2014 Rockwood 2604WS
Life is a cruel teacher. She gives the test first; the lesson then follows.
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