Does Your Refrigerator Maintain Safe Food Temperatures?

[GeoffnCheri]

I have published this experiment in a few different locations. But I thought it was important to share the information on this new forum. When you travel, do you keep your refrigerator powered on during hot temperatures? If not, how do you keep your food from becoming tainted with bacteria? The results of the attached experiment show that on a hot summer day, the temperature in your refrigerator can become excessive in a very short time frame. And even with "blue ice" placed in the refrigerator, the temperature can still become unsafe.

Many people are against running with the propane turned on. But if you don't wish to do so, there are alternatives such as running your refrigerator on electric via an inverter. Another option would be to move your food to an ice chest which is better designed to maintain the temperature. What are your thoughts?

[ATTACH]n1847[/ATTACH]

Great and informative post. We run with the propane on. Last week we ran a two hour trip with outside temps at 90+ . Departure temp was 35 and the refrigerator temp was 37 on arrival. I do place frozen water bottles in both the refer and the freezer.

[Gyrogearloose]

TucsonJim, Nice write-up!

Last winter I setup a new Norcold N641 that I have in our house and did some research. My research was more on the lines of Insulation watts loss and absorption / condenser / boiler efficiency.

One of the things that prompted me to do this was how to use less energy to keep thing cool so you could potentially run with electricity powering the refer and also keep things cold in high temps. I did a spread sheet where I can plug in aspects of a refer and it will calc out cause and effect.

When I some time I will try to write my stuff up also.

This image really got me started: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:T...frigerator.jpg

In my opinion, In short, (if off topic to much I we can delete this stuff / also not trying to hijack)

• boiler needs more insulation and needs to be vented where the heat does not go across the condenser fins
• Absorption heat should not be vented over condenser fins
• Don't over cool Absorption tubing because you will need to use more energy at the boiler to get the the ammonia water solution to separate again.

Anyway trying to overcome the heat with efficiency and not so much ice packs.

Pat

[Srobins]

No, my project when I get back from our summer trips is to figure out how to install a transfer switch and change my wiring so I can run the inverter while mobile.

Jim. I have the same inverter that you are using and run my outside refrigerator on the inverter when traveling and camped. Instead of plugging the inverter directly into the shore power receptacle I back feed the inverter into the receptacle in the passthrough on the curb side. I made an extension cord with two Male plugs and combine this with a short extension cord purchased from Lowes with a built in 15 amp breaker. The receptacle is on the same circuit breaker as most of those in the main living area including the outdoor refrigerator. The receptacle on the inverter is a GFI so I am still protected from accidental grounding. The only concern is the exposed Male plugs on both ends of the cord between the inverter and receptacle that I plug it into. This is where common sense comes into play. Not a perfect solution but requires no rewiring of the RV and I arrive at the campsite with cold beer.

[TucsonJim]

Jim. I have the same inverter that you are using and run my outside refrigerator on the inverter when traveling and camped. Instead of plugging the inverter directly into the shore power receptacle I back feed the inverter into the receptacle in the passthrough on the curb side. I made an extension cord with two Male plugs and combine this with a short extension cord purchased from Lowes with a built in 15 amp breaker. The receptacle is on the same circuit breaker as most of those in the main living area including the outdoor refrigerator. The receptacle on the inverter is a GFI so I am still protected from accidental grounding. The only concern is the exposed Male plugs on both ends of the cord between the inverter and receptacle that I plug it into. This is where common sense comes into play. Not a perfect solution but requires no rewiring of the RV and I arrive at the campsite with cold beer.

Brilliant - simply brilliant.

[OffToHavasu]

I will never, NEVER use a double male plug. Yes I understand you stating use common sense, etc. However, way too dangerous. To make it safer, wire a inlet to the outlet you're using on a switch to cut the power at the inlet when not in use.

https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-5278-...G6SEK48JENRWE2

[Canyonlight]

Jim - as I shared in your other posts over the years on the other forum, we do travel (and have done so with all prior campers/RVs over more than 35 years ) with our fridge on gas. The wind whipping around the side vents seems to help cooling as well. Both our freezer and fridge temps maintain about 10 degrees and 37 degrees respectively using setting 3 out of 5 on our Atwood helium.

As with anything in life there are risks but quite minimal using this option. Heck, there are more risks of fires with Ford dealers changing your diesel fuel filters !

Dan

[TENN22]

UPDATE: I had my Norcold refrigerator replaced after several discussions with Grand Design and their onsite techs. This work was performed by my local dealer last week (March 30) and during my testing it appears the new refrigerator keeps temperature in the safe food range at only a setting of 5. Before I had to be on a setting of 9, and then the temperature would creep up during the day to past 40 inside the fridge.
One interesting note is that my new Fridge has an aluminum shroud over the top vent, which prevents me from seeing the fins and the heat sink switch as in the previous model. I am wondering if this an enhancement made by Norcold to help keep the temperature up so the temperature switch will work more frequently. If so, this might be a simple mod that others might want to employ to keep those fans running longer.

[JBill9694]

Hmmm, may have to rethink my post on https://gdrvowners.com/forum/operati...d-while-towing Don't really like the idea of traveling with propane bottles open, so will consider running off of batteries.

I guess this is one of the good things about this site, lets you learn from others before you get into to much trouble on your own.

[Country Campers]

UPDATE: I had my Norcold refrigerator replaced after several discussions with Grand Design and their onsite techs. This work was performed by my local dealer last week (March 30) and during my testing it appears the new refrigerator keeps temperature in the safe food range at only a setting of 5. Before I had to be on a setting of 9, and then the temperature would creep up during the day to past 40 inside the fridge.
One interesting note is that my new Fridge has an aluminum shroud over the top vent, which prevents me from seeing the fins and the heat sink switch as in the previous model. I am wondering if this an enhancement made by Norcold to help keep the temperature up so the temperature switch will work more frequently. If so, this might be a simple mod that others might want to employ to keep those fans running longer.

Glad to see you got this resolved.
Could you please post a pic of the shroud?

Thanks
Brian

[TENN22]

Country Campers Here are the images of the shroud that came with new fridge.

[Country Campers]

Country Campers Here are the images of the shroud that came with new fridge.

WOW. That is some kind of shroud. It sure does not look like there can be much air flow there.

Brian

[howson]

Country Campers Here are the images of the shroud that came with new fridge.

Looks like it'll keep the bugs out!

[TENN22]

FWIW, I have reached out to GDRV with attached pictures to see what they say. The more I think about it, the more it looks like a shipping protector shroud that should have been removed before installation. Maybe not, but I will see what they have to say.

[Country Campers]

FWIW, I have reached out to GDRV with attached pictures to see what they say. The more I think about it, the more it looks like a shipping protector shroud that should have been removed before installation. Maybe not, but I will see what they have to say.

I think that panel should be mounted on top of the fridge to direct air out thru the covers. The way it is I would think it is not allowing air to circulate properly.

Brian

[TENN22]

Yep, that shroud is not supposed to be there at all. Here is the response from NorCold:

"The unit is not supposed to be covered up the installation procedures have not been followed and this will affect the efficiency of cooling in the near future and can cause damage to the cooling unit if its not quickly corrected. Good eye, you should definitely see the back of the fins. This install is not correct.
Thanks Denise"

I guess I will mark this latest (and closest) GDRV dealer off my list for future needs.