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General => General Discussion => Topic started by: theins on March 14, 2015, 05:56:23 PM

Title: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: theins on March 14, 2015, 05:56:23 PM
Help, please... I am sure this has been asked before, but can't find the thread(s)...

What does everybody do with the fridge when not travelling?

The fridge in the CT sits in a locked storage box, so I can't just prop the lid open. How do I prevent condensation and the pooling of water?

Any thoughts or directions to the relevant threads would be great...

Thanks
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: MarkGU on March 14, 2015, 06:52:16 PM
can you just open the fridge door just enough to let the air into it?

even  1/4 inch will be sufficient.
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: ATC on March 14, 2015, 08:30:57 PM
A fridge is best running.

Keep it in the lounge room as a beer fridge, when it's not in the truck.

You don't want to risk the fridge breaking down do you?
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: Marschy on March 14, 2015, 08:54:09 PM
My brother showed me a nifty trick with the upright fridge in our van while it is not being used

Roll up a tea towel, open the freezer door, place one end of the tea towel in the freezer door, close the freezer door. Then place the other end of the towel over the top of the fridge door and close the fridge door.

Both the freezer and fridge are now partially opened and the risk of mould is reduced in both the freezer and fridge.

Works a treat
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: V8CRSA on March 14, 2015, 09:30:59 PM
Just plug the camper into 240vlts and leave the fridge on and use it as a beer fridge. :cheers:

Matt
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: xcvator on March 14, 2015, 09:37:59 PM
Just plug the camper into 240vlts and leave the fridge on and use it as a beer fridge. :cheers:

Matt
:cup: :cup:
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: edz on March 14, 2015, 11:39:56 PM
Ours isnt a permanent fixture so is removed from the truck and put into storage ..Emptied and Allowed to warm up to room temp, wiped dry inside, then given a light wipe over the insides / wire bin included  with vanilla escence, the lid is held open with a couple of erasers from the kids pencil cases .
Never had a problem yet in 15 odd years .
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: dooguss on March 15, 2015, 11:53:03 AM
We keep both ours running on a low setting after they've been cleaned out. We were told that they form condensation in the gas line which causes it to rust and block up, the fridge is then cactus. My old man didn't listen to me resulting in him having to buy a new motor for his I think he said about another $750  to fix
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: theins on March 15, 2015, 12:28:59 PM
Just plug the camper into 240vlts and leave the fridge on and use it as a beer fridge. :cheers:

Matt

That's what I was thinking... saves stocking up when preparing for a quick departure... :cheers:
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: Hairs on March 15, 2015, 12:33:09 PM
Ours isnt a permanent fixture so is removed from the truck and put into storage ..Emptied and Allowed to warm up to room temp, wiped dry inside, then given a light wipe over the insides / wire bin included  with vanilla escence, the lid is held open with a couple of erasers from the kids pencil cases .
Never had a problem yet in 15 odd years .
We do the same, Ours lives in the back of the Cruiser, after use it is wiped dry, then with Vanilla Essences. The lid is then left open a couple of mm's to allow air in. This goes the same for the 3 Way Fridge in the camper. This also, I believe helps with the seal not being squashed and flattened.

Theins, you mentioned that you can't leave the lid up, can you leave it just a couple of mm's maybe?
Or you could do all the above before storing it again, probably a pita if your camper sits outside in the weather.
Vanilla Essences is a big help in reducing mold from forming.
See how you go with that.
 :cheers:
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: V8CRSA on March 15, 2015, 12:57:00 PM
That's what I was thinking... saves stocking up when preparing for a quick departure... :cheers:

We leave ours on and stacked ready to head away at a moments notice, or use it as an extra drinks fridge if we have something on

 :cheers:
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: rkl71 on March 15, 2015, 01:15:19 PM
I have an Engel fridge which is in the Patrol all the time in an enclosure, after returning from a trip and cleaning it I remove the lid for a week or two to air out. I am not sure what type of fridge you have so this may not be feasible.
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: oldmate on March 15, 2015, 05:08:21 PM
We just clean and leave door ajar with both our fridges.

As you say you can't leave door open maybe clean and pop one of these in there and close lid
http://www.oxy.co.kr/eng/product/hama/ha_sub01.asp (http://www.oxy.co.kr/eng/product/hama/ha_sub01.asp)

You can get them from supermarkets and cheap $2 shops. Just change them once a month.
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: chester ver2.0 on March 16, 2015, 10:12:04 AM
Cleaned dried then a chinese container of Bicarb soda with the lid on is placed in side then the fridge is closed up
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: Nomad on March 16, 2015, 06:51:50 PM
Cleaned dried then a chinese container of Bicarb soda with the lid on is placed in side then the fridge is closed up

How does keeping the lid on the container work?
 I keep a cup of bicarb in my beer fridge, cos the kids leave their crap in there that can go a bit funky.
 :cheers:
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: chester ver2.0 on March 17, 2015, 10:34:28 AM
How does keeping the lid on the container work?
 I keep a cup of bicarb in my beer fridge, cos the kids leave their crap in there that can go a bit funky.
 :cheers:

Sorry i meant lid OFF
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: theins on March 17, 2015, 07:07:04 PM
Cleaned dried then a chinese container of Bicarb soda with the lid on is placed in side then the fridge is closed up

Never heard that before. What does that achieve?

Thanks
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: Nomad on March 17, 2015, 07:16:29 PM
It absorbs the moisture and smells. So limits mould growth.
 :cheers:
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: dales133 on March 17, 2015, 07:35:53 PM
Bicarbs great for fridge odors as is vanilla essence.
Supprisngly neither worked on the chest freezer I had 80k of yellow fin tuna in that got switched off for 2 weeks while I was away though!
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: Nomad on March 17, 2015, 08:03:40 PM
Bicarbs great for fridge odors as is vanilla essence.
Supprisngly neither worked on the chest freezer I had 80k of yellow fin tuna in that got switched off for 2 weeks while I was away though!

No doubt, maybe burning it to ash would help lol.  :cheers:
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: dales133 on March 17, 2015, 08:10:01 PM
Lol I threw it away, wasn't even worth keeping for bait.
Every time I opened it I remembered dry retching on the lawn with cotton wool balls in my nostrils hosing it out
Title: Re: What to do with the fridge...
Post by: theins on March 28, 2015, 10:17:47 AM
Thanks for all the feedback!!

Have decided to keep the fridge running with beer/wine pre-packed for a quicker departure. No good arriving at a camp-site and realising that the drinks are still at home...