7 replies to this topic

[Reverie]

If you are like my family, we use our refrigerator a lot during our campouts. Sometimes it feels as though the fridge just doesn't work very well. I just finished reading an excellent article on maintaining your RV refrigerator to work at it's best. Rather than rehash everything in the article I thought I would just mention some of the more obvious sins we commit and if you are curious about more suggestions you can read the article, linked below.

1. Don't overpack the refrigerator. Air MUST circulate in the fridge for the unit to maintain a consistent temperature.
2. Limit the times you open and close the door.
3. Keep the air circulating around the back of the unit.

This article comes from a website: http://rveducation101.com

Refrigerator Efficiency

Reverie

[Mrs CampingNut]

We often plug ours up a couple days before a trip which helps. I've also learned to put a couple of small-ish frozen items (even a frozen water bottle) in it as well so it keeps the other stuff cool . . . just in case the frig doesn't work (or we forgot to switch it to gas) during travel.


C-

[prevish gang]

Good information. Thanks.

[jambalaya]

We have a small a battery powered fan that is placed inside the refrigerator to keep the air circulating over the coils. It seems to help a lot. I also want to place a fan in the space behind the refrigerator to circulate the air as Nick described. Like Carmen we always crank it up a few days before launch.

[Reverie]

I have thought about installing a small ventilation fan for a computer in the fridge to keep the air circulating. I have read about people doing this but I can't locate HOW they did this. I imagine I could rob 12V DC from the connection behind the light in the refrigerator. Does anyone know how this done?

Reverie

[compulynx]

Reverie, on Mar 15 2010, 08:23 AM, said:

I have thought about installing a small ventilation fan for a computer in the fridge to keep the air circulating. I have read about people doing this but I can't locate HOW they did this. I imagine I could rob 12V DC from the connection behind the light in the refrigerator. Does anyone know how this done?

Reverie

I think the 12v source would be at the door switch for the light rather than behind the light itself. Just use a voltmeter to see which side stays hot. If you tap it there, be sure your light does not work when you have the door open and the unit switched off, else the fan would run even when switched off. My light does not have power when the unit is off, so it would be a good place to pull power.

C

[Reverie]

Thanks for that advice. My light is actually a self-contained unit with both the switch and the light. The switch is actuated by a lever that is spring loaded to the on position. When I open the door the lever goes forward and turns on the light. When I close the door the lever goes back and disconnects the light (at least I think it disconnects it. I can't see in there with the door closed, you know). I would think I should be able to pull voltage by tapping in behind the switch.

Reverie

[jambalaya]

Reverie, on Mar 15 2010, 08:23 AM, said:

Thanks for that advice. My light is actually a self-contained unit with both the switch and the light. The switch is actuated by a lever that is spring loaded to the on position. When I open the door the lever goes forward and turns on the light. When I close the door the lever goes back and disconnects the light (at least I think it disconnects it. I can't see in there with the door closed, you know). I would think I should be able to pull voltage by tapping in behind the switch.

Reverie

Nick the fan we use was designed to go in an RV refrigerator. It runs on 2 D cells. We replace the batteries about once a year or so. It is like a mini-version of a squirrel cage fan that you would find a central AC unit.

Camping World