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Old 08-23-2016, 07:49 AM   #21
dieselguy
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Here's the skinny on gas absorbtion fridges ... the mixture inside the tubes is liquid ammonia, hydrogen gas, and sodium chromate (a rust inhibitor used to line the internal tubing to protect it from the corrosiveness of the ammonia). Going down the road doesn't effect the fridge much because you're fiver is always moving up and down side to side sloshing the mixture about. Being quite unlevel in static conditions causes the mixture in the zig zag of tubing to slow down or just sit because it can't flow correctly. When the sodium chromate overheats, it forms small crystals. It doesn't happen in an instant, but after a while, these crystals begin to block natural pinched down areas in the tubing causing the fridge to be less and less functional. The overheated mixture also contributes to cracked welds which you can witness by the tell tale yellow stain of death on the back of your fridge coils. So ... for those that choose not to be within say 2 degrees of level (my personal figure not from a manual) you've had good luck over the years, but I'd bet your fridge doesn't perform as new whether you've realized it or not over time. I don't have an answer to the OP ... just telling what will happen over time.
 
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Old 08-23-2016, 10:20 AM   #22
DQDick
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by twindman

So for those of us without autolevel, how to measure degrees off center???? Is there any device or such?
Get the app RV Companion the free addition. It has a lot of useful stuff, but for me the most useful was the leveler. It gives you two bubble levels and you can then level side to side and front to back and it even tells you how many inches of board to put under which part.
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Old 08-23-2016, 10:48 AM   #23
Fritz7
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I/m with DQDick, don't travel with propane on. A fellow we know who has been fulltiming for 15+ yrs.
says he never leaves propane on and even on the road for 8hrs. the food in fridge stays cold - even ice cream was still frozen. We also have never had food spoil while on the road. I guess, to each
his own. This same person has switched to residential fridge because of the number of fires caused
by RV fridges - especially Norcold.
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Old 09-11-2016, 04:48 AM   #24
paulinbaja
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If your refrig. is functioning properly and you load it with cool items it will get going very quickly as you travel. The more full it is, within reason, the quicker it will get down to temp.
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Old 09-11-2016, 12:26 PM   #25
jcurtis934
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Home Depot and Lowes have levels with a digital display that I believe have selectable readouts. Excuse to go check them out. John
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Old 09-16-2016, 08:56 AM   #26
jlb27537
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Just Google "angle indicator" from $10 to $100+ 2 degrees is not much.

From Lowe's you can buy one for $9.

http://www.lowes.com/pd/Swanson-Tool...Finder/1057041

or Harbor Freight for $14
http://www.harborfreight.com/9-in-ad...vel-67784.html
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Old 09-17-2016, 02:53 AM   #27
Butch & Kathy
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Has anyone tried the ARP?
https://www.arprv.com
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Old 09-17-2016, 04:33 AM   #28
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I have the ARP and have put 3-4 of them on other RV's. Easy install and it will temporarily shut the fridge down if you're way out of level. The ARP fan control works way better than OEM, but it does make the fans run more. With added fans whether you buy them from ARP or on your own move more air and makes the fridge run better as an extra benefit. No ... I don't get a cent for my testimony ... I wouldn't know the owner of ARP if I was standing next to him. It just works.
PS I travel with the gas on with no issue and have since 1996. I've not had the experience of others with everything staying cold when I travel. It always takes a bit for the fridge to get going again once you restart it.
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Old 09-17-2016, 07:04 AM   #29
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I use a bubble level that has a tiny circle imprinted on it in several locations of the rig to determine how level I am while the rig is still retraced. I'm always intrigued of the differences at each area (kitchen counter, floor, lavatory counter, bedoom dresser, shower floor)and have found that as long the shower floor has a slight slant that allows for drainage, this seems to work best.

Then with the fridge running I'm pretty sure it's within the 3 degrees and have had no problems. I don't run the fridge unless I'm comfortable walking around on a mostly level floor and checking the bubble level and the bubble is well within the indicator circle. I have not needed to measure the actual degrees, but I'd guess it's less than 3 degrees. I know I would not like walking around on a 6 degree floor, so I've not worried about the fridge ever being not level enough.

I like that ARP thing and might invest in one (another item on the wish list). All this time I thought you misspelled "APP" (as in there's an app for that), and clicking on the web link solved that correction.
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Old 09-17-2016, 09:04 AM   #30
jlb27537
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I am a believer in air flow in the back of the frig.

When we bought our current rig 4/13 the first thing I added was a 4" fan in the back of the frig cabinet. It plugs into the 120vac there and if we have shore power it runs.

Like this one: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Optimus-F...l-Fan/25209563

It is pointed up and this Norcold 8cf frig we have now is the best operating frig we have ever had. It will get the frig part down to 32 degrees on the hottest day.

When we load it before a trip, (the top shelf will hold 18 12oz cans), I put 18 COLD cans of my afternoon beverage on the top shelf to help get it cooled down. Seems to help.

And yes, the rig must be level.
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