Hi Everyone. Well, after 15 years the RV-Dreams Community Forum is coming to an end. Since it began in August 2005, we've had 58 Million page views, 124,000 posts, and we've spent about $15,000 to keep this valuable resource for RVers free and open. But since we are now off the road and have settled down for the next chapter of our lives, we are taking the Forum down effective June 30, 2021. It has been a tough decision, but it is now time.


We want to thank all of our members for their participation and input over the years, and we want to especially thank those that have acted as Moderators for us during our amazing journey living and traveling in our RV and growing the RV-Dreams Family. We will be forever proud to have been founders of this Forum and to have been supported by such a wonderful community. Thank you all!!

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
RV-Dreams.com Home -> RV-Dreams Community Forum -> RV Cooking & Kitchen Talk -> Refrigerator Question/Advice
Post Info TOPIC: Refrigerator Question/Advice
Hogladyrider


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 116
Date:
Refrigerator Question/Advice
Permalink  

OK since you all assisted so well on the smoke detector situation here is my next dilema.........the refrigerator.

We live in central Florida, where it is hot as blazes in July & August so I am wondering if this might be part of the situation but I am not sure.

We are weekend campers only at this point in our lives.  We plug the RV in on Wed when we are leaving Friday night so the refrig can get cold.  The last two weekend outings I have noticed that the ice cream does not stay "hard" like it does in the house freezer.

Our RV is level and I use a small battery operated fan in the refrig for circulation.  The refrig is turned to "coldest" level and I have read the owner's manual and all appears to be in line so I am wondering if it is the fact that it is in the 90's outside with 100+ humidity as well since the AC unit runs a lot as well.

Has anyone had a similar situation I hate to leave the ice cream at home!

Susan

__________________

Susan & Gary

2017 Honda Pioneer 1000-5
2017 Cyclone 3611JS
2016 Dodge RAM 3500 Cummins Dually
Ken & Sarah


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 174
Date:
Permalink  

Do you have a thermometer you can put in the freezer to check the temp? This might be a good purchase to make.

__________________

2010 36 GKE Excel Limited, 2007 F550,
Blog: hoenigfamily.blogspot.com
Roz


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 458
Date:
Permalink  

I understand about leaving the "cream" at home.  We have not had a problem with this.  We too use a small fan in the refrigerator section.

Why not move this up to the freezer section with the precious cargo.  By stacking the carton where air can flow underneath and around the carton may well help.  This is what is done in deep freeze highway transportation trailers.  Without good air flow, the cold air may not reach the "creme de la creme" adequately.



__________________
Ethel & Charles Henry, Itasca Horizon DP/Honda Element Toad
Traveling with our furry-snouted, four-legged children.

"Each of us must take part in making this a better world for all people."
NorCal Dan


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1192
Date:
Permalink  

Is the outside (of your coach) on the refer side in the sun or shade?

-- Edited by NorCal Dan on Monday 27th of July 2009 09:42:10 AM

__________________

2018 Thor Windsport 35M -- 2018 Camry Toad

-- USAF Retired -- Full-timing since December 2007 - Part-Timing since July 2011
VisitedStatesMap.jpg
http://http://travelingrvwx.com/
Hogladyrider


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 116
Date:
Permalink  

NorCal Dan wrote:

Is the outside (of your coach) on the refer side in the sun or shade?

-- Edited by NorCal Dan on Monday 27th of July 2009 09:42:10 AM





Morning = shade
Afternoon = sun
At least that is how it was this past weekend.

I will purchase a thermometer great suggestion and I will also try placing the portable fan in the freezer.

I will provide an update after our next weekend outing which will be Aug 7th!

NorCal Dan.........I am so jealous see you are in the Branson area, love that area! Someday.............

Susan

__________________

Susan & Gary

2017 Honda Pioneer 1000-5
2017 Cyclone 3611JS
2016 Dodge RAM 3500 Cummins Dually
NorCal Dan


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1192
Date:
Permalink  

I am still researching freezers...I want to put one in the basement. I don't think NorCold RV refrigerators do a very good job in the freezer department, and the sun hitting the outside wall in the hot afternoon doesn't help...

We are workamping in Branson this summer...be sure to bring your wallet when you come...everything costs money here, and they tax everything. I'm just saying...

__________________

2018 Thor Windsport 35M -- 2018 Camry Toad

-- USAF Retired -- Full-timing since December 2007 - Part-Timing since July 2011
VisitedStatesMap.jpg
http://http://travelingrvwx.com/
Gummy


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 88
Date:
Permalink  

Hi Susan: along with what Dan mentioned about keeping the fridge side away from the direct sun, try lowering your fridge setting by one or two positions. I know it doesn't sound like the right thing to do but when the ambient temperature is that hot  and the sun is on that side of the rig the fridge can't keep up. You may also want to put a fan in the back of the fridge so it will help the vent the heat up through the top vent. If you awning is on the same side as the fridge extend it out to block the sun. I hope this helps. Gummy

-- Edited by Gummy on Monday 27th of July 2009 05:23:46 PM

__________________
"Progressing confidently in the direction of our Vision-----So we can live the life that we've imagined". "HOLD ON TIGHT TO YOUR DREAMS"

Jim & Jane Montgomery
2003 Tiffin Phaeton 41ft.
2003 Jeep Sahara

mytripjournal.com/RV-Vision-Quest
thebearII


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 544
Date:
Permalink  

All of the above suggestions, especially the fans inside the frig and at the back to cool the coils.

We have found about the only way to keep Ice Cream hard is to put it in the top deep freeze section. Any other location and the Ice Cream will be soft serve to liquid state.

Here's how we pack the freezer.
> Anything we want frozen hard goes in the top section.
> Semi -hard goes on the second shelf (meat, ice, frozen veggies & fruit) to be used within a week
> very cold goes on the 3rd shelf (water bottles, hot dogs, meat, veggies, fruits) to be used in 2 days
> Colder than the refrigerator section on the bottom shelf- (thawing meat, candles, stuff that wouldn't fit on the 3rd shelf) to be used today or by tomorrow.

We tend to be in 80 plus heat with little shade and have found the fans help.

However the most important tip is to keep the refrigerator and freezer lightly packed with plenty of spaces for air circulation. Once you pack the RV refrigerator full, (even with a fan)you end up with less than perfect cooling. They need air circulation to operate properly.

__________________
Larry
"Small House, Big Yard "
7 years to go to FT
Alfa See-Ya 5'er and 2007 Kodiak C4500 Monroe Pickup
Hogladyrider


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 116
Date:
Permalink  

All very interesting indeed!

When I got out the Owner's manual for the refrig it stated to keep things on the bottom shelf of the freezer that we wanted the coldest but the previous post says the opposite.

I am going to try a small fan in the freezer and a thermometer as well.

More and more I think it is just the miserable Florida summer heat/humidty.  It is difficult to keep the sun off the exterior of the refrig part of the trailer because of campground site assignment and our awning is on the opposite side of the RV.

This past weekend we noticed Friday evening the ice cream was like soft serve and come Sat. evening it was more like ice cream..........such a dilema to have in life!

Our refrig/freezer is never packed tight as right now we are weekend campers, the small fan seems to do the trick in the refrig so I shall try one in the freezer as well and will let everyone know how it "freezes out"!wink
Thanks again
Susan

__________________

Susan & Gary

2017 Honda Pioneer 1000-5
2017 Cyclone 3611JS
2016 Dodge RAM 3500 Cummins Dually
Footsiebear


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 33
Date:
Permalink  

I was having the same the problem with ice cream. Everything else froze nicely but ice cream turned into softserve overnight. It turned out to be a leak in the cooling unit of the fridge. Open the outside door and check for a yellow stain around the cooling unit. If you see one, or smell ammonia call a repairman cos the cooling unit is toast. BTW, I'm just outside of New Orleans so I know what you mean about the heat and humidity.

-- Edited by Footsiebear on Wednesday 4th of November 2009 03:51:02 AM

__________________
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
RV-Dreams.com Home -> RV-Dreams Community Forum -> RV Cooking & Kitchen Talk -> Refrigerator Question/Advice
Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us