RV Leveling Vs Refrigerator Operation

[gr8rcfan]

I have a 2017 Thor RS26. Can the refrigerator be damaged if it is left on, but the RV is not level enough for it to operate?

[JamieGeek]

Originally Posted by gr8rcfan

I have a 2017 Thor RS26. Can the refrigerator be damaged if it is left on, but the RV is not level enough for it to operate?

Yes if it is out of level enough.

[Bob Denman]

I think that the off-level tolerance is only good to plus or minus six degrees.

[gr8rcfan]

Originally Posted by JamieGeek

Yes if it is out of level enough.

I want to say it is borderline, out of balance. It would work for a while and develop full cold temperatures, then it would quit. So there might hours of it being turned on, but not working. So my question is "Have I damaged the refrigerator?"

[Lt Keefer]

I would say your refer is damaged. The level requirement has to do with the liquid ammonia being able to fall via gravity. Without it the ammonia liquid will not flow to the evaporator coils. Having your RV off level disrupts the proper flow of the ammonia and allows ammonia crystals to form in the tubes. The crystals accumulate until flow is restricted or blocked. The problem with these crystals is that you can't dissolve them.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by gr8rcfan

I have a 2017 Thor RS26. Can the refrigerator be damaged if it is left on, but the RV is not level enough for it to operate?

Operating within the level limits is primarily to prevent damage to the fridge. It is not an instantaneous damage, it takes awhile to eat away at the plumbing, but the more out of level you operate the fridge the quicker it will become damaged as well as the less effective it will be at operating.

[gr8rcfan]

Sounds like I have have done damage. It's level now, and I will turn it on in the morning. All I can do is pray We have reservations to Florida for a couple rocket launches.

[DavidEM]

The spec on my single door 6 cu ft fridge is +/- 6 deg fore and aft and +/- 3 deg side to side. The fridge sits on the back wall. Have you tried to sleep that much out of level? You would know it immediately.

David

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by DavidEM

The spec on my single door 6 cu ft fridge is +/- 6 deg fore and aft and +/- 3 deg side to side. The fridge sits on the back wall. Have you tried to sleep that much out of level? You would know it immediately.
David

The "sleeping" test is pretty valid. If you're able to sleep without ending up on the floor:

[Pete'sMH]

I doubt that you did any permanent damage. If it is too far out of level the coolant can’t flow back to the boiler - it’s gravity fed through those zig-zag tubes on the back. That will keep the unit from cooling and cause the boiler to overheat. Like a pot boiling dry on the stove. It’s a small fire hazard but since you didn’t burn down you should be good. Overheating the copper lines also can make them brittle and prone to cracking. If that happens you’ll be permanently damaged but it’s not likely if it only happened the once and didn’t get left that way. There is a device you can get that will shut the burner off if it starts to overheat.

[Cpd]

Ours wasn't damaged out of level but we lost EVERYTHING in the refrigerator and freezer...lesson learned.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by Cpd

Ours wasn't damaged out of level but we lost EVERYTHING in the refrigerator and freezer...lesson learned.

That lesson was learned in a relatively cheap fashion.

[Cpd]

Other than it was packed for our trip you're right. Could have been worse.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by Cpd

Other than it was packed for our trip you're right. Could have been worse.

Yup!

It beats busting a $1200 refrigerator...

[AndyMan]

Is the out of level for both residential fridges and RV fridge? Or for just one of the above?
I have a residential in my Quantum Ws31 and if have to get it level with basically front wheels up. To get a cold fridge.

[vt800c]

Originally Posted by AndyMan

Is the out of level for both residential fridges and RV fridge? Or for just one of the above?
I have a residential in my Quantum Ws31 and if have to get it level with basically front wheels up. To get a cold fridge.

Residential ones have a compressor. If yours does it'll be fine.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by gr8rcfan

I have a 2017 Thor RS26. Can the refrigerator be damaged if it is left on, but the RV is not level enough for it to operate?

Read the articles about getting an rv fridge working again. They say to remove it and turn it over for a while. We would do this on units that we couldn't get working, I would say 50 percent worked after this was done. It's worth a try if nothing else works. Google it

[jr_nicholson]

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

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

[Bob Denman]

Those circumstances are of an intermittent nature.....

[Rybie]

Years ago with our truck camper we ran the frig off level and got some crystals built up. it would not get cold. Took it into a RV shop and they got it working for $49.

In our Quantum LF31 we have a household Frig. We keep it level. Also run it all the time, stored t home or out camping.