RV Leveling Vs Refrigerator Operation - Page 2

**16ACE27** · 11-08-2020, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jr_nicholson

Does the refrig work while you're travelling on the road up and down hills, mountains uneven pavement etc.

Yes, the leveling requirement is only while parked.

Does the refrig work solely on gas.
No, whether using gas or 120 VAC to supply heat the fridge needs 12 VDC control power

I think you may have more of a problem than not being level

Pete'sMH · 11-08-2020, 01:42 PM

An absorption refrigerator will work fine on the road when running on either gas or AC. The leveling requirement is so that liquid refrigerant will flow properly to the boiler by gravity. When driving the normal movement of the vehicle is enough to keep the liquid moving even on hills. It IS possible to interrupt he flow on a long straight hill but it normally won’t last long enough to matter. It is worth remembering this issue during lunch stops and such but since most parking lots are pretty level it’s generally not a problem. I prefer to run my fridge on AC when traveling so that my gas can be turned off at the tank. My coach has an inverter that I really don’t use so I wired it to my fridge. The inverter has its own ATS so unless I’m going to be at an extended stop without plugging in I never even give it a thought.

gr8rcfan · 11-08-2020, 02:16 PM

Well, I moved the RV to the level street overnight, and fortunately it started working again. Fortunately I didn't cause catastrophic permanent damage. Hopefully I have not caused enough damage to shorten it's life. Thanks for all the inputs!

brucev · 11-08-2020, 02:36 PM

The newer models have a safety switch that will turn them off if they overheat (They overheat when out of level) but does not turn them back on. Check out Fridge Defend. It monitors temps and will turn them off if they overheat but will turn them back on. They also offer optional fan kits to help with cooling, particularly if it is mounted in the slide with side vents. I installed Fridge Defend earlier this year. So Far so good. There is a lot of info on the website and the owner can be a bit cranky but it is a quality product and fairly easy to install.

https://www.arprv.com/

gr8rcfan · 11-08-2020, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brucev

The newer models have a safety switch that will turn them off if they overheat (They overheat when out of level) but does not turn them back on. Check out Fridge Defend. It monitors temps and will turn them off if they overheat but will turn them back on. They also offer optional fan kits to help with cooling, particularly if it is mounted in the slide with side vents. I installed Fridge Defend earlier this year. So Far so good. There is a lot of info on the website and the owner can be a bit cranky but it is a quality product and fairly easy to install.

https://www.arprv.com/

Maybe that is what was happening with mine. Because my level was borderline, near 3 degrees. The fridge would work for a while then quit. My Thor is a 2017. How can I tell if my fridge is new enough to have that safety switch?

brucev · 11-08-2020, 02:43 PM

One more Thing. If you want to simplify leveling, check out levelmate pro. After you set it up for your rig, the app will provide a picture with each corner and how many inches each is high or low. Works with levelers and manual leveling. Leveling now is very simple. I even set it up to allow for the 1/4 inch change when the slide is out.

https://logicbluetech.com/levelmatepro/

Good luck and safe travels.

brucev · 11-08-2020, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gr8rcfan

Maybe that is what was happening with mine. Because my level was borderline, near 3 degrees. The fridge would work for a while then quit. My Thor is a 2017. How can I tell if my fridge is new enough to have that safety switch?

2017 would be new enough. I think you can reset the system by turning it off and letting it cool down and then back on.

I don't know alot but these units have a tube where the ammonia is heated and when it gets too hot it starts causing damage when the ammonia turns into crystals. You can read about it on the ARPRV website. Good luck.

https://www.arprv.com/

droregon · 01-03-2021, 12:06 AM

I’m not understanding how critical it is to level a residential refrigerator vs. the gas/electric refrigerator.

My new motorhome will have a residential refrigerator. My driveway is sloped such that I won’t be able to properly level the motorhome. I won’t open the slide. Can I operate the refrigerator (on shore power) overnight to prep for a trip? I do intend to use an inverter while on the road.

My previous (shorter) motorhome gas/electric refrigerator prepped ok on shore power since it was “level enough”.

jr_nicholson · 01-03-2021, 12:11 AM

Absolutely, use your frig. Plug it into shore power. The slope of your drive will not affect the operation of your frig. You didn't provide info on the slope or degree, but I'm sure it will be fine.

droregon · 01-03-2021, 12:19 AM

Thanks.

My previous 28 ft motorhome was basically level, but my new 35.5 ft motorhome will have the front end starting up the slope. The residential refrigerator will be mid cabin. I don’t yet know the degrees off.