Using the Refrigerator?

[CraigG1]

We inherited a 2015 5th wheel and are taking it out for the first time.  We?ve camped for years but this is our first time with a camper.  Can I turn on the refrigerator when we leave and should I use the battery or gas while towing.  It?s about a 2 hour drive to the campground.  Was thinking I would pack it with ice in Tupperware to help get the fridge cold during transit. 

 

[Ernie n Tara]

You certainly can turn it on. It will use both battery (very small amount) and propane to cool it. The other option is if you have 120Vac (generator while travelling)  you can run it on  that. Usually you should start it the day before to let it get cold although putting some ice in may speed the process up.

Ernie

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Turn on the fridge 24 hours before leaving - it takes quite a while to cool down. As much as practical, foods should already be cold when you put them in. Adding ice helps, but don't "pack it" full.  RV fridges rely on natural air circulation (convection) to even out the temperature, so if you pack it tightly only the part near the cooling fins will be cold.


Most people run the fridge in LP gas mode during travel, but if leaving the gas on makes you uneasy, use the 12v electric (if it has it).  If it only has 120v electric, you are out of luck unless the rig is equipped with a generator. However, a pre-chilled fridge will stay adequate,y cold during a 2 hour trip.

 

[Bobtop46]

RV Fridge needs to be turned on 2 days prior to your trip, and everything you put in it needs to be cold already.  Put all the items in your home fridge to cool, then move them to RV fridge.  I won't get into the going down the road with the gas on debate.  I have done it for years, others will say it is a mortal sin.


Rv fridges are slow to get going and slow to recover once the door has been opened for a bit.  It helps to minimize the number of times you open the door.  Plan ahead, get what you need, and get out of the fridge.  For example, cooking burgers on the grill.  Get the hamburger, cheese, onions, tomatoes, lettuce,and a beer out all at the same time.  Cut those up and put your burgers on the grill.  Then get out all of your condiments at the same time,and another beer, while putting away extra onion, tomatoes, and lettuce.  Total 2 trips in the fridge vice 10.

 

[nibroc]

RV Fridge needs to be turned on 2 days prior to your trip, and everything you put in it needs to be cold already.  Put all the items in your home fridge to cool, then move them to RV fridge.  I won't get into the going down the road with the gas on debate.  I have done it for years, others will say it is a mortal sin.


Rv fridges are slow to get going and slow to recover once the door has been opened for a bit.  It helps to minimize the number of times you open the door.  Plan ahead, get what you need, and get out of the fridge.  For example, cooking burgers on the grill.  Get the hamburger, cheese, onions, tomatoes, lettuce,and a beer out all at the same time.  Cut those up and put your burgers on the grill.  Then get out all of your condiments at the same time,and another beer, while putting away extra onion, tomatoes, and lettuce.  Total 2 trips in the fridge vice 10.

same as with your cooler---use a small--like a 6 can capacity cooler for your beer and stay outa the big one



Edit: moderator fixed misplaced end-quote tag

 

[mel s]

We inherited a 2015 5th wheel and are taking it out for the first time.  We?ve camped for years but this is our first time with a camper.  Can I turn on the refrigerator when we leave and should I use the battery or gas while towing.  It?s about a 2 hour drive to the campground.  Was thinking I would pack it with ice in Tupperware to help get the fridge cold during transit.

CraigG
We always run our Norcold 682 refrigerator on propane while traveling, and we always have it turned off when the RV is in storage.

 

[HappyWanderer1]

What I do...

A few days before we're scheduled to leave, I full four 2-liter soda bottles with water. Two go in the fridge in the house, the others in the freezer.

The day before leaving, the fridge gets turned on in the motorhome and water bottles moved there. That way, there's something in the fridge and freezer as they cool down. When the food is put in the motorhome, the frozen water bottles get moved to the beverage cooler.

 

[grashley]

All absorption refrigerators require 12V for the control circuits, but very few use 12V to cool the fridge.  Most use 120V electric and/or propane.  Generally they use 120V when present, and propane when 120V is not detected.  The amount of 12V power consumed is quite small.

It cools slowly, so turn it on at least 1 full day before departure.
While traveling, consider it to be a cooler / ice box.  It will not be opened during travel and will maintain temperature for several hours.

 

[SpencerPJ]

I plug my shore power into my stick house to charge the TT battery, and turn on the refrigerator the night before.  12 hours is plenty of time on shore power to cool it down.  Mine seems to work a tad better when plugged in, rather than on propane, and it's cheaper.  And yes, everything going in should be pre-chilled.  And lastly, try to minimize leaving the door open.

 

[Jubilee]

We cool refrig about a day before leaving. I always make sure unit is as level as I can get it which is a challenge where we live.

 

[Hfx_Cdn]

    I agree with the above comments, but some older RV fridges did in fact allow you to run them on 12 volts.  However, they were a major drain on the batteries, so now as stated the only use of 12 volts is for the controller.  If yours is a model the actually uses 12 volts, I highly recommend that you avoid using it , besides it works best on propane.

Ed

 

[John From Detroit]

From my Dometic manuals and other sources.

Propane uses 12 volt for control. Not much of it either
120 volt element is about 350 to 450 watts depending  on fridge Cycles on and off
12 volt is about 250 Watts. that's about 20 amps so it has a 25 amp fuse. Does not cycle off as much

A pair of GC-2 Batteries are 220 amp hours at 20 hour rate. you can use half or 120 amp hours

The Fridge will draw that much in 6 hours. but due to I think it is the Peukert effect you wont' get 6 hours. perhaps 3-4 but not six.