RV refrigerators keep ice-cold beverages, fresh foods and frozen ice cream in easy reach. Whether your RV fridge is gas powered or electric, there are a few things to keep in mind to help it run as efficiently as possible.
One of the biggest factors is allowing space between items inside. This allows the fridge to cool down faster and keeps temperatures more stable. Another important factor is to have a fan installed to move air around the fridge. This can reduce the refrigerator’s cooling costs by about 50%. You can even get an inexpensive fridge fan that runs on two ‘D’ size batteries for about $20. A thermometer is also a must to monitor the fridge’s temperature. It should be below 40 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent spoiling and harmful bacteria from growing.
Most RV fridges use an absorption refrigeration process. This means that they are powered by electricity and propane. They usually have a switch to let you choose which source they are using. You would generally use electric when you are driving to keep your battery charged, then switch to propane while parked so that you don’t use up all of your battery power.
This type of refrigerator is less efficient than compressor style RV fridges. It can take longer to cool down, and it may have a tendency to freeze food on certain shelves in hot weather or at higher altitudes. These refrigerators can also be a bit noisy and require regular defrosting. rv refrigeration