Keeping the RV Refrigerator Cool

RV refrigerators are a special breed of cat: They don't use mechanical pumps to move coolant, it's all handled by heat and gravity. While they do a great job in the real RV world, they aren't like home refrigerators. First, some operating tips that may alleviate problems:

Cool your refrigerator before packing it. Turn it on 24 hours before you plan to head out. When packing, always put COLD food in the unit--it won't like warm food.

Leave plenty of room around the stuff inside the refrigerator compartment--you need good air flow. To help that "in the box" cooling, for about $15 you can get a FridgeCool unit. Battery operated, it really can make a difference.


A door gasket that doesn't keep the cold in, and the hot out can be a problem. George can help. George who? George Washington! Open the reefer door and stick a dollar bill against the door frame edge, partly hanging out of the cooler box. Close the door and pull on the bill. If George makes an escape without resistance, the door gasket isn't up to snuff and should be replaced. Food particles and other guck can give a false impression, so be sure to clean the gasket and door frame with soapy water (and a ending rinse) before trying this trick. Be sure to make George work all the way around the door frame to ensure 100% gasket cooperation

Keep 'er level: An off-kilter refrigerator is not efficient, and the effects of operating an RV refrigerator off-level will accumulate and eventually KILL your refrigerator's cooling unit. Can you say "hundreds of dollars to replace"? Use a round level inside refrigerator and keep at least a half a bubble inside the center of the bull's eye.

Check out the roof vent, too. RV "reefers" have to liberate heat, and they do so through a roof vent directly above the reefer. Birds have been known to build nests in the vents, and obstructions like that will really cut down on cooling efficiency.

In hot weather, try and park with the wall area behind your reefer in the shade.

If it works on gas, but doesn't work on electric, or vice versa, there's usually nothing wrong with the cooling unit. If you don't get cooling on gas, inspect the gas burner (at the bottom of the vertical stack) to make sure crud from the chimney hasn't fallen down onto the burner, obstructing it or even causing the burner to not light. Blow the junk off the burner with a puff of air or carefully brush it off with a paint brush. Be sure to SHUT OFF the reefer first!

For great diagnostic info, check out the RV Mobile, Inc. website.