How do I get my fridge to be colder?!?!?!

[travelingypsy]

We're still new to PUing. We have a 2005 Yuma and  were camping over fouth of July. It seems our fridge isn't running as cool as it should be. Everything is just cold to the touch.  How long should it run before it gets colder? Do you stock the fridge the night before? If so do you run it on electric or propane. Would the tempetaure outside make a difference? It's still under warranty should we take it back and have them check?

Please help!

Happy Trails

travelin gypsy

[AustinBoston]

We're still new to PUing. We have a 2005 Yuma and  were camping over fouth of July. It seems our fridge isn't running as cool as it should be. Everything is just cold to the touch.  How long should it run before it gets colder? Do you stock the fridge the night before? If so do you run it on electric or propane. Would the tempetaure outside make a difference? It's still under warranty should we take it back and have them check?

We definitely pre-cool the fridge on electricity for 24 hours before going out.  Ours has a setting near where you turn it on, that has five steps from Frozen Solid to Warn and Unhealthy.  Unfortunately, outside temperature makes a significant difference, so if the eggs are frozen in the early morning the fridge will be just right at 5PM.  (I'm exagerating a little here.)

Ours gets coldest on propane, then electric.  The 12V is only a "holding" setting and should only be used while driving.

Austin

[chkster]

...and make sure you do not leave it on 12VDC if you are going to stop for more than a "pit stop". The fridge will drain a battery. Propane coldest... must be level or moving "under tow"...we always pre cool, plugged into 120VAC at home... all these steps and we still have trips where it is impossible to keep it cold. We have gone to a 165 QT cooler that sits in the bed of the TV. We cook outside. So not necessary to go inside for stuff
  If/when fridge gets cold condiments, milk, eggs and such go into it.

[Kelly]

I have a little thermometer that hangs from the shelf in the fridge so I know for sure if the temps inside are safe.  I also store easily spoiled items inside.  I've never pre-chilled as it usually only takes about 2 hours to get cold enough to put food in.

This year I also started using a little fan and I can't believe the difference!  It stays a whole lot cooler than it did last season.  Mine is a hand-me-down, but you can get them at Camping World ~ it looks just like this. [/FONT]

[tknick]

the one thing i have found that makes the biggest difference when cooling is an external fan and a good baffle.  I made a baffle out of sheet metal and used a 12v fan from a old computer.  The baffle is to force the hot air over the cooling fins, and the fan is to exhaust the hot air once it has passed over the fins.  without the fan, hot air can pool in the top of the fridge compartment reducing the already meager cooling capacity.  HERE is a link to a short page I have about the fan.  It's not necessary to understand the whole heat absorbtion and how the rv fridge works.  Just understand that it is critical to have constant airflow in through the bottom vent and out through the top for maximum cooling efficiency.  I can freeze eggs easily with the fan running and the fridge set at 7 (max cool).  I also pre-chill on 120v and put a few frozen things in the fridge that will need to be defrosted by the time we're ready to cook them.

HTH

Travis