Campers: Level Your REFRIGERATOR!!

[Chattyaholic]

DH and I went on a week-long camping trip with our camper over Memorial weekend. The first day out our refrigerator quit working. We had just gotten groceries, turned it on, put the food away and a couple hours later DH checked to make sure it was getting cold. He was blasted with a super strong smell of amonia! Strong enough he had to run outside and breathe fresh air as his eyes were watering and he was having a coughing fit. Immediately turned it off, and went to the camper sales and service place up the road. There is NO REPAIRING A CAMPER REFRIGERATOR once they konk out, they have to be REPLACED to the tune of about $1300 (not counting labor!).

We were told the problem was in not leveling the refrigerator when we park the camper. The stuff they use for coolant then "pools" and causes a rust-out.

So, always level your REFRIGERATOR when camping!!!

 

[always quiet]

DH always makes sure the camper is level....never realized it could have such costly consquences if you don't!! Thanks for the heads up!!

 

[Chattyaholic]

DH always levels our camper too, but I'm saying the service technician at the camper place told us to level the REFRIGERATOR so that the floor of the freezer is level. If you only level the camper your refrigerator could still not be level, then that is where the coolant stuff "pools" and causes rust and then a leak.

 

[nativetxn]

Thanks for the heads up. I rarely go camping but I will remember this. How frustrating for you.

 

[Grog]

I remember going camping with my parents when I was younger. Leveling the camper (and the fridge) was the first thing my dad would do. He had a little bubble device, similar to a carpenters level, that was in the fridge and while he leveled it, either my Mom or myself would watch it and shout to him when it was OK. Sorry you had to lean about it the expensive way.