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Topic: POLL QUESTION; Refrigerator (Read 831 times) previous topic - next topic

POLL QUESTION; Refrigerator

POLLING QUESTION; do you leave your refrigerator running 24/7.

OK so we FINALLY installed the new Sidewise Dometic NDA 1402 refrigerator, it was a job whew...
I can say the side window on our 1995 U295 is 26 1/2" on the height with the window removed. The new fridge is 26 1/16" and with wrapping the back of unit with cardboard it was still tight.
It is a very nice unit with built in cooling fans on the rear, a circulation fan on the refrigerator inside going across fins to the bottom of unit. It has water and ice in the door and an auto defrost cycle. Yes I know I'm rambling on but trying to give description of what we have.

 

I have looked at Barry Beams tech help and seem to make out to leave running per "gasrefrigeration.net". But the book per Dometic says to shut off when not in use...or do they just want units to fail so they can sell more??? I wanted to get the maximum time we could on this refrigerator so I don't have to take it back out again. Thanks Kerry
Kerrybob
1995 U295
1997 F250 4dr

Re: POLL QUESTION; Refrigerator

Reply #1 –
We keep our refrigerator running 24/7 but mostly because it's at the shop where we have 50-A service and we use the coach as a break room with sodas and water. We may start leaving the ice maker on 24/7 too since it's dang hot in the afternoons this summer (about 10-deg hotter than average).

When winter comes that will probably change. :)

Craig
1993 U225 36' Unihome GV with PACBRAKE exhaust retarder, Banks Stinger and Solar Panels.
Toad: 1999 Jeep Wrangler 2-door soft-top.

"No one has ever had to evacuate a city because the solar panels broke."

Re: POLL QUESTION; Refrigerator

Reply #2 –
When our coach is in storage we shut it off with the hope that it will last longer.  We do the same with the water pump, the rear view TV, AC/heat and anything else we can leave off without creating an inconvenience.  When the frig is off, we do prop the door open with some rags over the top of the door to keep it well aerated.  It is stored in Tucson, AZ during the winter months....  very dry.
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George Hatfield

  Never ever use World Line Motors of Nacogdoches for service!

Re: POLL QUESTION; Refrigerator

Reply #3 –
Kerry,

When I had a gas reefer, I left it on all the time but made sure I had some thing in it, not just empty air.  One gallon of water in freezer and two gallons in the refrigerator side would do.

I now have a residential and it is always on too.
Rudy Legett
2003 U320 4010 ISM 450 hp
2001 U320 4220 ISM 450 hp
1995 U320 M11 400 hp
1990 Granvilla 300 hp 3208T
Aqua Hot Service Houston and Southeast Texas

Re: POLL QUESTION; Refrigerator

Reply #4 –
We also keep ours running at all times, I figure it keeps the system "exercised". As we don't open the door to let the cool air out it doesn't seem to use too much prpane.

Roalnd
1993 U280 4341
2010 Jeep Liberty
The Pied Pipers

Re: POLL QUESTION; Refrigerator

Reply #5 –
And the solar panels keep the batteries charged.

Roland
1993 U280 4341
2010 Jeep Liberty
The Pied Pipers

Re: POLL QUESTION; Refrigerator

Reply #6 –
Quote from: George Hatfield –
When our coach is in storage we shut it off with the hope that it will last longer.  We do the same with the water pump, the rear view TV and anything else we can leave off without creating an inconvenience.  When the frig is off, we do prop the door open with some rags over the top of the door to keep it well aerated.

We do the same during times of non-use or storage, especially since we store off site (but also did so at the previous house when we kept the coach at home).  Everything off, fridge and freezer doors propped open, basement freezer lid removed, even the 12V disconnect by the entry turned off.

Michelle
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: POLL QUESTION; Refrigerator

Reply #7 –
Ditto George & Michelle.
Audrey & Harvey Nelson
2000 U-320, 40' towing 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
nelsonah@ieee.org

Re: POLL QUESTION; Refrigerator

Reply #8 –
We leave the refrigerator on most of the time. We leave it operating on the electric element. The coach is plugged to a 50A source and is visible from our back door. If it were stored off site, we would probably use different storage practices.

To the best of my knowledge, the original owner left the refrigerator on while he owned the coach. It was stored in an airplane hangar and people were on site daily. The refrigerator on the coach built in 1996 failed in 2011. A pipe ruptured near the heating unit. I replaced the cooling unit in 2011.
J D Stevens
1997 U295 CAI 36' Build #5085
2002 Subaru Outback
Motorcade 16869
Bellville, TX

Re: POLL QUESTION; Refrigerator

Reply #9 –
24/7. We keep it at the house plugged into 50 amp service.
Felix and Gail Mathieu
99 U320
Jeep Liberty CRD
Build number 5522

Re: POLL QUESTION; Refrigerator

Reply #10 –
We are plugged in and keep it and the air cond. on 24/7
1999 U320
Mount Dora Fl

Re: POLL QUESTION; Refrigerator

Reply #11 –
FWIW,
I am not an expert on these dang things, but a knowledgeable friend of mine who is on his 3rd or 4th motor home and who has helped me replace one (in a previous MH) says "leave it on low".  He told me that he has never had a problem with his.  I have always previously turned mine off when not using.  Now, I am a convert.  I leave mine on 24/7 with it on low.  Since I was converted (to on 24/7) I have not had an issue, and seems to work great.  It does cost a little more in electricity obviously.  A plus is that there is always a cold drink in there when I go out to work on it.  LOL. 
Best of Travels

Re: POLL QUESTION; Refrigerator

Reply #12 –
I want to thank all that answered and took the time to respond. We keep or MH plugged in and it is next to our house so electricity is not an issue. We would like this one to last as long as the last refrigerator did. So we were curious what others did on their Foretravels.
We are appreciative to have the forum and have learned so much from all of you. Thank you all Kerry
Kerrybob
1995 U295
1997 F250 4dr

Re: POLL QUESTION; Refrigerator

Reply #13 –
 In the past we used to do that on our other coaches, didn't seem to make a diffrence one way or the other except on the electric bill. We now leave ours off when not in use, along with everything else in the coach (except the battery charger) when not in use, although we use our coach every couple of weeks. Every thing is 12 years old and works great. All things mechanical and electronic have a design life of only so many hours. As long as they are excersized monthly I just can't see running them for the sake of running them and the power company, but thats just me
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country

Re: POLL QUESTION; Refrigerator

Reply #14 –
I don't live aboard and there is no electric power where the coach is stored, so I turn every thing off and disconnect the chassis battery.  I leave the house battery connected.  I leave the refrigerator doors cracked open.  The heat in Texas seems to keep everything dry.  I drive the coach once a month and run the generator if I have used the house batteries when working on something to keep them charged.  I disconnect the chassis batteries as something seems to drain them slowly. If I lived somewhere else, I might do it differently.
Jerry Whiteaker former owner 96 U270  36' #4831 Austin,TX-Owner Mods LCD TV w/front cabinet rebuild - LCD TV bedroom - Dual Central AC, either can cool coach w 30 amp - Skylights at roof AC openings - Drop ceiling for ducting of AC - Shower skylight white gelcoat/wood/epoxy frame - Air Springs/Shocks replaced - 2014 CRV - 8K Home Solar - Chevy Volt

Re: POLL QUESTION; Refrigerator

Reply #15 –
FWIW, I asked a MOT service tech what his recommendation was, regarding turning off or keeping the fridge on when storing (this was at the time he had just finished installing a new Dometic in our coach a year ago).  He said that despite what Dometic recommends, his experience was that the majority of replacements in which he was involved (over more than 10 years) were made in coaches where the units had been turned off while in storage.  Therefore he suggested leaving them on (if possible) all the time.  That said, my previous Dometic had been left on continuously and lasted 6 years to the week.  Go figure.
Don Hay
'92 Grandvilla, U-280
The Hayfever Express
Build #4055
'97 GEO Tracker
Life is like licking honey off a thorn.
 

Re: POLL QUESTION; Refrigerator

Reply #16 –
The one time I had a referigerator go bad (big time ammonia leak) was with the SOB stored and everything turned off.  My FT is parked next to my house and plugged into a dedicated 20A outlet.  I keep the referigerator on, and can run the A/C so long as I am careful to have the charger turned down and the WH electric turned off.
Tom Lang K6PG (originally  KC6UEC)
and Diane Lang
2003 38 U295 build 6209
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Ecodiesel
still have tow-ready 2006 Acura MDX 
Temple City, California
Motorcade 16681 California Chapter President
SKP 16663 member of SKP Park of the Sierra, Coarsegold California
FMCA F071251
Retired electrical and electronic engineer