RV refrigerators

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twilightrabbit

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Nov 22, 2017
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We just recently bought a used fifth wheel with a residential frig.  Had it transported from Oklahoma to Washington state.  Owner said it was winterized.  Should the frig door be left ajar?  It's in a storage place.  Anything else we should know about storing it?  We're new to RVing.  We got several moisture absorbing containers we put in the RV.
 
100% leave the refrigerator ajar when not plugged in.  Stick a rag in the doors, bungee cord them, something.  It will likely mold if you don't.  I agree with clean them out, but the natural humidity will mold if you don't leave it ajar.
 
twilightrabbit said:
We got several moisture absorbing containers we put in the RV.
Click to expand...

Those containers will remove next to nothing.  If you are in a high humidity area and believe that it is causing a problem, only a dehumidifier will remove a meaningful amount of moisture.  Those containers will remove ounces of water and a dehumidifier will remove many gallons. 
 
Moisture absorbers work ok in an enclosed area, e.g. inside the fridge with the door closed. In a larger area with lots of air volume, it's near impossible for them to remove enough water to have a meaningful effect. As lynnmor says, a powered dehumidifier will literally remove water by the gallon if there is enough humidity resent to be of concern in the first place.

If on the Washington coast, you definitely have humidity to be concerned about. If east of the Cascades, probably not.
 
Cleaning after use is important, also leaving the door "not closed tight" is important.
Plus I put a few plastic containers "empty cottage cheese tub, yogurt tub etc" with a small chlorine tab (like what's used in a hot tub) in them, one near the bottom, one near the top and one in the freezer. It helps a lot.
 
With the exception of "New and in the box" or "Long time out of service" (IE: a year of open door storage) the door of a Fridge that is not in service, RV or Residential, should be open to allow moisture inside to evaporate and deny MOLD the moisture it needs to get very, very, very, very nasty.

I have had to lean two that were not properly stored.. Thankfully I had high pressure STEAM to clean with.
 
I park in a lot a few miles from my house.  After a trip we'll swing by the house and unload everything.  I shut down the fridge and clean everything up.

Have to close the fridge for the drive to the lot so the doors don't swing.

ONCE, I forgot to re-open them as I parked and when i remembered maybe a week later....yuk!
 
I once left them close and paid for it, lots of mold.  My brother-in-law who works on refrigerators and a/c and alike things told me it was because I left them close.  After that, every year I put it on storage, which in our case is during the summer, they are open.  With them open, I have not have a problem.
 
This won't help with the residential fridge, but for others that buy a used RV with a Dometic fridge and wonder what those blue plastic things in the drawer are, they're for propping open the fridge doors when not being used.
 
I leave the doors completely open for the first day or two after a trip.  I wipe out the condensation after the freezer thaws and the fins drip.  Then I use the blue plastic things to keep it ajar.  When it's really hot in the summer I may not have to wipe anything.

I use the Damp Rid containers.  I figure any moisture they collect is moisture not in the air.
 
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