How Long Can a Minnie Winnie Fridge Stay Off Level Safely?

[Touch N Go-WO]

How long must my Minnie Winnie 22R stand level with the refrigerator off before I can safely park it on an unlevel surface without messing up the refrigerator? What's the timing interval since it is my only means of transportation while traveling?

 

[klook]

These things run while going down the road, although that is a hotly debated topic. 2 or 3 degrees side to side is mentioned by the manufacturers and 6 or 7 front to back. This does not apply going down the road. It does not need to stand and settle once it is level, just turn it on. It is not an immediate thing either. pull into an unlevel lot and go about leveling the camper.

 

[Waterbug]

Your question makes no sense. A refrigerator could sit on a level surface forever and then not work on a surface that wasn't level.

 

[Morich]

Morning, Sir!
I think this may be part of what you are thinking? Or maybe thinking about hauling frigs and then they have to stand upright to get the gooze to go back to the right places?
Unless you really go some wild places, We find there is not many places where we need to worry as the RV frig is a lidderent liquid and not prone to bothe rif we can stand up and walk in the RV.
Do you have a copy of the owners manual for the RV?
If not you can find one online here:

2019 - Winnebago

www.winnebago.com

Not a lot of info on frig but a bit?

I don't think of it the same as a normal house frig becasue it operates very different. no problem parking somewhere really off level and then using it, more if the RV is very crooked while using it!
When we were in San Fran and had to park on real slope, we did turn the frig off while out and about but nothing special when we were in the RV if we could stand up or lay in bed!
If your coffee won't stay in the cup, consider not using the frig?
Other wise if parked really crooked, no time when going back to level before using the frig.
I've forgotten the details but I think it is more problem of the little flame not going up to heat a specific spot, but that is foggy memory as it has never been a problem to worry us!

 

[Touch N Go-WO]

Thank you, Rich, for your thoughtful, knowledgeable, and useful reply.

I was not clear in stating my problem.

I run my onboard fridge all the time I'm in my camping spot but turn it off while making day trips when I might have to park on very unlevel surfaces. I was looking for lead times to turn off my fridge and have it settled down to handle unlevel surfaces. If I stop in a high temperature environment, would it be safe to turn it on for a spell for the sake of keeping the fridge's temperature down.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[Morich]

We may need to get some of the really better trained frig folks to get the details on the different operation of RV frig. I know when I've moved normal frig, there is a hazard as oil can run into places when we lay them down and I have just let it stand upright over night or so to let things get back to normal.
But as I understand the RV, it has a totally different thing that is not freon with oil being passed around.
So the problem with them is that when we are on a really bad slope, the little flame is uses goes up at and angle that may miss heating the right spot above. And that doesn't cool. Getting cool out of heat is one of those things I studied in school!
I trust it and accept that it works but not good enough to know the real process if it has never been a bother!
But I admit to being wrong on a number of things ,so it a good question to know!
I've noticed I no longer care about a lot of things that seemed important?? An old Nam guy may know what I mean? I got out in 65!
But if it hasn't jumped up and bit me in the number of old RV I've used, I kinda forget it as a hazard! My first one was a 1956 Aljo trailer!

 

[RayIN]

Thank you, Rich, for your thoughtful, knowledgeable, and useful reply.

I was not clear in stating my problem.

I run my onboard fridge all the time I'm in my camping spot but turn it off while making day trips when I might have to park on very unlevel surfaces. I was looking for lead times to turn off my fridge and have it settled down to handle unlevel surfaces. If I stop in a high temperature environment, would it be safe to turn it on for a spell for the sake of keeping the fridge's temperature down.

Thanks,
Bill

There is no "lead-time"; the fridge is either on or off. For more information about an absorption refrigeration unit, how it works and why, and other questions, go to: Fridge Defend by ARP Protects your Dometic or Norcold That is a well-respected website in the RVing community.

 

[klook]

They are trying to scare people and sell a modification. They are correct in what they say....but. An absorption fridge works on water, ammonia, and sodium chromate with the introduction of hydrogen to flash the ammonia and cool. Much has been made of running the propane down the road and causing fires. The only reason for level at all is its a gravity system. Thats all. The liquids separate and gravity makes it work.

 

[Bnystrom]

They are trying to scare people and sell a modification. They are correct in what they say....but. An absorption fridge works on water, ammonia, and sodium chromate with the introduction of hydrogen to flash the ammonia and cool. Much has been made of running the propane down the road and causing fires. The only reason for level at all is its a gravity system. Thats all. The liquids separate and gravity makes it work.

Yes, ARP is promoting their products, but if the fridge manufacturers had designed them correctly to begin with, the Fridge Defend unit wouldn't be necessary. I installed one as a precaution in our Norcold fridge and it actually runs a lot better with it, maintaining consistent temps in both compartments.

As for the original question, if the fridge is off, it doesn't matter if it's level, but it's important to be within the leveling spec when running it. The damage caused by using it outside of the leveling spec is cumulative, so there's no safe amount of time you can do so.

 

[Touch N Go-WO]

Thank you so much for all your help. I used to tow a trailer with my Harley in it for casual transportation while parked, but we're getting too old for that. Likewise hiking for miles or even riding bicycles for miles. Whatever we do now has got to be from the coach alone, hence the fridge worry. Thanks again.