We are storing our coach in an enclosed pole barn and connected to a 50 amp circuit. We know what to do with heat and with the Aqua-Hot and the generator, but Sandy and I have different opinions as to whether or not we need to empty the fridge and turn it off.
What would you do?
George,
I know of no overwhelming reason to support either decision.
If you do turn it off, make sure to dry out the inside and leave both refrigerator and freezer doors open.
If in a real humid area and you shut it off, you might do as I do and put a 15 watt light bulb in the outside refrigerator compartment to keep everything above the dew point so moisture doesn't condense on the metal components.
Brett
If it was me.... (and I am known to be a "nervous Nellie" ;) )
I would turn off the fridge and empty it out (obviously).
Reason being - even if you have good power where you're storing, you don't know what may happen. The fridge could kick over to gas in the event of a power failure.
So what? you ask... well, we have seen what happened when the cooling unit failed (leaked) and the power (on a beautiful, sunny day), went on and off repeatedly. We even smelled the ammonia and reported it to the facility owner.
(note this is not our coach)
Later that evening we found out that coach was destroyed in the fire that resulted when the refer igniter lit the ammonia of the failed cooling unit.
Better safe than sorry. Theoretically, you might get away with shutting off the propane valve, but all it takes is one spark (the first time the igniter tries to fire)... Or less offensively, but still nasty, have the fridge fail early on and have it closed up and not running. P-U (and lots of clean up)!
Michelle
I leave mine on in that setting, as long as it is level. I think less corrosion forms on outside of coils. The corrosion forms on outside of coils, based on condensation being trapped with insulation.
Sandy wins.
Good advice, Michelle. Thank you. We will turn off, clean out and leave doors ajar.
If nothing else, it gives you a chance to clean the fridge (and an excuse to throw out those "not quite great, but we paid money for them" items languishing, uneaten) ;)
Michelle
Yup!
I leave mine on all the time. I defrost it a couple times a year though. No issues in nine years on the FT and three yes on the Born Free.
george , i've had foretravels since 1996 , have never turned one off except to defrost . have not had problem so far . A factory tech for my fridge at the FMCA Perry Ga. said to me , let it run ,less movement of heated unit if left on, rather comming from cold start up . Claims heat and expansion into cool and contraction is the movement issue . I am only repeating his words , I have zero smarts on this subject .
Hi George,
Take anything out that will spoil, and leave the refer on electric.
Turn off the propane if it will make you feel better. Usually, when the electric goes off, it will eventually come back on before the tubes
start to accumulate much moisture, and will dry out the tubes when it starts up.
Good luck,
LynnD
'01 GV
Lynn,
We will turn off the fridge, but I am curious about using it on electricity. Is there heat in the flue then? I thought the vent tube or pipe was only for the heat from the gas flame. I'm still learning.
George,
The flue is hot under electric. The electric heating element is actually buried in the flue insulation.
George, I have photos of where the heating elements are in the flue when I replaced my cooling unit.
Both electric & propane need to send the heat up the flue.
http://beamalarm.com/Documents/replacing_refrigerator_cooling_unit.htm (http://beamalarm.com/Documents/replacing_refrigerator_cooling_unit.htm)
Thank you, Barry.
Hi George,
Didn't want you to think that I was ignoring you, but never have seen a need for multiple posts, saying basically the same thing. As long as it gets answered, correctly, that is good enough for me.
Good luck,
LynnD
'01 GV
George,
Something we've been doing since the '40's that may be helpful follows:
A cup of fresh coffee grounds placed in a stored fridge will absorb moisture and any persisting odors. Freezer compartments too. Inevitably, someone always seems to shut the door(s).
We have tried baking soda and it's effect doesn't work as well. Baking soda will form a crust from moisture and the effect is nullified, it appears.
With your short term storage, the above my not be required. In my situation, one of the coaches is always in storage.
FWIW
John