Refrigerator - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

brown bear · 07-08-2013, 12:54 AM

You can't run the refrigerator when the Hi Lo is down??? This is real inconvenient. How are you suppose to stock the refrig. before a trip? we want to hook it up to the tow vehicle the night before which means we have to put it down. You can't run refrigerator while it is down???

RCREYES · 07-08-2013, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brown bear

You can't run the refrigerator when the Hi Lo is down??? This is real inconvenient. How are you suppose to stock the refrig. before a trip? we want to hook it up to the tow vehicle the night before which means we have to put it down. You can't run refrigerator while it is down???

Plug it in the day before and run it on AC then DC while you tow.

Wrascal · 07-08-2013, 07:47 AM

that you can run it on DC, if it's available on your model fridge.

ooops: yeah, what he said.

New England exception, just leave the fridge door open August-May.
June-July, go north and repeat.

hilltool · 07-08-2013, 01:34 PM

It is advisable NOT to run the refrigerator on PROPANE when the unit is down do to the fact that the venting for propane gets covered up. However, as has been mentioned,you can plug it in and run it on AC or, even, DC, while it is down.

retiredcamper47 · 07-08-2013, 02:57 PM

I don't understand your statement. Why must you have the trailer down in order to be hooked up to your tow vehicle? I have hooked my unit up the night before and left the top up. I do not plug the trailer's 12v electrical into my truck until I unplug the 110v electrical. We then lower the top, plug in the 12v cord, do a light check, and then off we go. It would be no different than stopping at a campground for one night and not unhooking the trailer so that you are ready to go the next morning. Been doing it this way for years with no problems. But that is my opinion...........................

Bob

JackandJanet · 07-08-2013, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retiredcamper47

I don't understand your statement. Why must you have the trailer down in order to be hooked up to your tow vehicle? I have hooked my unit up the night before and left the top up. I do not plug the trailer's 12v electrical into my truck until I unplug the 110v electrical. We then lower the top, plug in the 12v cord, do a light check, and then off we go. It would be no different than stopping at a campground for one night and not unhooking the trailer so that you are ready to go the next morning. Been doing it this way for years with no problems. But that is my opinion...........................

Bob

Bob, the HiLo manual for my trailer says not to operate the refrigerator with the top down and not moving for more than one hour. There is no problem using the refrigerator while underway, and if you stop for a prolonged time, just raise the top.

This advice is because there is very little air circulation over the cooling fins/coils with the top down and the trailer stopped.

- Jack

PopRichie77 · 07-08-2013, 04:18 PM

Yes, here is a copy from the manual.

69hilo2 · 07-08-2013, 06:46 PM

Well that sounds official like. Thanks for posting that.

Later Tim & Nancy

Wrascal · 07-08-2013, 08:32 PM

top down degraded the internal cooling, so thanks for that tid-bit.

retiredcamper47 · 07-08-2013, 08:53 PM

Jack & Rich,

I understand that concept. I do not run my fridge on 12v or propane while traveling. The statement made was how was he suppose to stock the fridge before a trip with the top down and attached to the tv. I was stating that he could leave the top up and plugged in to 110v while attached to his tv prior to going on his camping trip (unplug, lower, leave). Sorry if my post caused confusion.

Bob

JoeJones · 07-17-2013, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retiredcamper47

Jack & Rich,

I understand that concept. I do not run my fridge on 12v or propane while traveling. The statement made was how was he suppose to stock the fridge before a trip with the top down and attached to the tv. I was stating that he could leave the top up and plugged in to 110v while attached to his tv prior to going on his camping trip (unplug, lower, leave). Sorry if my post caused confusion.

Bob

Why can't you run ref in AC mode connected to an inverter using the 12V power from tv??? Joe

RichR · 07-17-2013, 06:06 PM

If it is a 3 way fridge run it on 12 volts, it would be more efficient than going through an inverter. You need sufficient voltage and amperage from the tow vehicle to run it and to overcome the inefficiencies. That means a good heavy gauge wire straight from the tow vehicle battery to the inverter.

RichR · 07-18-2013, 10:13 PM

I'm bringing this thread back up for JoeJones to read.

Wrascal · 07-18-2013, 10:57 PM

the last several posts numerous times to follow the lines of thinking.

Joe asks "Why can't you run ref in AC mode connected to an inverter using the 12V power from tv??? Joe "

Joe, I suppose that you can, but keep in mind the power draw that your refrigerator will place on your vehicles inverter. It'd likely be extremely! high.
That's why your camper has it's own converter BUT uses 120V commercial AC power as its source ... VS ... your 12V DC car system.

CLARIFICATION: converters and inverters are two separate and different electrical devices.

Wrascal · 07-18-2013, 11:24 PM

While parked and top elevated, you can run the fridge in any power mode - provided this power is being provided.

BUT, and this is something that a I didn't previously understand, if the camper is closed - AND NOT UNDER TOW - the fridge will not receive adaquate cooling of its components. Running the fridge this way - in any mode - will compromise it.

Summerizing, as I understand it, if parked and elevated, you can use any power source. If closed and parked, no extended cooling use is advised. Very short time use (under one hour/ any power souce) is OK.

While under way, propane is NOT advisable and AC power is Not Applicable. Use DC power to keep things cool but do realize the power draw is significant on your tow vehicle and will slowly deplete your batteries.

I may be wrong but that's how I understand it.

PopRichie77 · 07-19-2013, 04:35 AM

If the charging wire in the tow vehicle is of a heavy enough gauge, like number 10 and fused at 30 amps, then your batteries will stay charged. We take long trips and run fridge on DC while driving and the trailer batteries stay charged.

RichR · 07-19-2013, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PopRichie77

If the charging wire in the tow vehicle is of a heavy enough gauge, like number 10 and fused at 30 amps, then your batteries will stay charged. We take long trips and run fridge on DC while driving and the trailer batteries stay charged.

I agree with this, a good charge line and good batteries will keep you in fine shape. Unfortunately too many tow vehicles have inadequate charge lines. The fridge alone requires 15 amps and undersized wiring may not be able to deliver that. If you have the fridge cooled and loaded the day before you leave you can go on the road a good part of the day with the fridge turned off and still be in good shape at your destination.

Wrascal · 07-19-2013, 11:26 PM

"Unfortunately too many tow vehicles have inadequate charge lines"

some tow vehicles have inadequate alternators.

Mike M · 08-05-2013, 05:12 PM

When I parked my unit the circulation fan was running and i turned it off. Now I am getting ready to get on the road on Wednesday and the fan is not coming on. When i toggle the switch from off to on nothing happens. Is there a fuse for the fan somewhere? Suggestions? Will it damage the refrigerator to run it on DC without the circulation fan?

JackandJanet · 08-05-2013, 05:39 PM

The fan is thermally controlled. It will not turn on unless the area around the cooling fins reaches a high enough temperature (I seem to recall it being 110 degrees). Probably, your refrigerator has not been on long enough for this temperature to have been reached.

It won't hurt the refrigerator to run it without the fan, but it won't cool as well and the cooling fin area will get quite hot.

- Jack