RV 101® / RV Education 101®

When summer temperatures arrive you want to make sure your RV refrigerator can deal with the heat. Today I would like to offer some tips and tricks so the RV refrigerator can do its job more efficiently.

The initial cool down process can take four to six hours. I recommend turning the refrigerator on the day before you plan to leave on your trip. To maximize efficiency it’s best if the food you put in the refrigerator is already cold, and food you put in the freezer is already frozen. Do not over pack refrigerator. Air needs to circulate through the compartment for best results. In most situations you have access to a grocery store while camping, so a two to three day supply of food should be sufficient.

fan in RV refrigerator

A simple solution to assist with air circulation is to purchase an inexpensive, battery operated refrigerator fan. Install the batteries and place the fan in the front area of the refrigerator compartment blowing upwards. An inexpensive battery operated fan like this can improve the refrigerator’s efficiency as much as by 50%.

When you arrive at the campground the RV needs to be fairly level for the refrigerator to operate properly and for optimum performance.

Heat created by the cooling process is vented behind the refrigerator. Periodically inspect the back of the refrigerator and the roof vent for any obstructions like bird nests, leaves or other debris that might prevent heat from escaping. The outside temperature directly affects the operation and efficiency of your RV refrigerator too. When it’s hot out try parking your RV, with the side the refrigerator is on, in the shade.

Try to limit how often you open the refrigerator or freezer doors and the length of time you leave the doors open. Every time the door is opened it can lose a few degrees of cooling.

Last but not least I recommend keeping a small thermometer in the food compartment. Food can begin to spoil at temperatures above 40 degrees.

RV absorption refrigerators do a great job for RV owners. It will do an even better job, and last longer, if you apply these simple tips and tricks to maximize the refrigerator’s efficiency.