Level Refrigerator During Storage

[MichaelSTR]

I have a 2015 Flying Cloud (Dometic fridge), if it will be stored for a while and the refrigerator is off along with the battery disconnect switch "engaged" (batteries are disconnected) ... does anyone know if it okay for the Airstream to be out of level?

In other words, is the danger of killing the fridge when the trailer is not level limited only to when the refrigerator is running (on)? Thanks in advance to anyone who knows!

[Al and Missy]

It only needs to be level when running while parked. The manual also says level is not as critical when moving.

Al

[tjdonahoe]

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

It only needs to be level when running while parked. The manual also says level is not as critical when moving.

Al

Right on, I agree..

[KJRitchie]

I always like to store my trailer level.

My theory (which is probably not accurate but makes me feel better) is if the fridge was running and the trailer is stored way off level and you power down the fridge the cooling process is still taking place for a while until the burner area cools down. I would think over the times this occurs the cooling unit's life may be shortened.

Also if the trailer is off level sideways with fridge side high, the door, which I leave ajar, when in storage wants to swing open into the aisle.

If your fridge has been off prior to storage and the burner area is cold then I guess it doesn't matter about being level.

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

I always like to store my trailer level.

My theory (which is probably not accurate but makes me feel better) is if the fridge was running and the trailer is stored way off level and you power down the fridge the cooling process is still taking place for a while until the burner area cools down. I would think over the times this occurs the cooling unit's life may be shortened.

Also if the trailer is off level sideways with fridge side high, the door, which I leave ajar, when in storage wants to swing open into the aisle.

If your fridge has been off prior to storage and the burner area is cold then I guess it doesn't matter about being level.

When my trailer was stored outside for the winter I tried to store it level, but not for the reason as talked about here. We go through many freeze thaw cycles here in the midwest and I always wanted water to run off the trailer naturally based on the design of the trailer. I always felt that if the trailer was sitting in a less than level situation, water may collect in an area rather than run off. Im not thinking of vast amounts of water, but water that may collect against roof hatches, the air conditioner, skylights, etc. With pooling and freezing I didn't want to provide any possibility of the freeze expansion cycle to work it's way into the trailer via water not flowing off the trailer.

Maybe it's anal in thinking but I always was more comfortable in keeping the trailer in its normal level storage position than some position that might encourage water infiltration.

Jack

[MichaelSTR]

Great! Thank you all for the answers & excellent points of consideration. My trailer is in short-term storage for some repair and when I went to retrieve some hiking gear from it this weekend, I found it WAY off level in the shop yard & freaked out at the thought of my frig going south early. Whew! Thank you everyone! I am a bit obsessive about keeping it level and do store it that way.

[Jacob D]

I always level the trailer when parked for longer than 20 minutes. Here's why:
*The reefer is nearly always on and cooling when we park it.
*The wife wants to keep it cooling until she unloads it which may be a few days
*The wife always wants to restart it a couple of days before we take off again to give it time to cool and to give her time to load it.
*During holidays it is sometimes used to store extra food if we have company.
*It doesn't cost much to level the trailer
*Another poster noted that water run-off is different when not level. I don't know if this will cause a leak but no need to chance it.
*Un-level just looks bad
*We must be doing something right as our rig and the original reefer in it are 50 years old and still working (knock wood)

If I had a new rig, I would still do things this way. I've heard the newer reefers are not as sensitive to out of level condition but why chance it?

[OTRA15]

The OP specified that the fridge would be off. Agree with earlier posts -- out-of-level is fine (within reason of course).

[alantbird]

its liquid ammonia. NO moving parts, must be at a terrible angle while running before you might have it get warmer due to un level liquid situiaion. It will crap out due to pre design before an un level situation hurts it.

[dkottum]

We store our Airstream level so there is no side loading on the tires or suspension, and so the tires and suspension are more/less evenly loaded front to rear. We store it at home, and occasionally use it when our grandchildren visit (not for them but for us) so it's good to have it ready to use.

[cazual6]

all good advices. but just curious why it won't be level in the first place?

[jcanavera]

For example many of us cannot store at home. Not all outside facilities provide level spots.

[Nomad518]

You may already be doing this when storing your AS with the fridge off. Prop the fridge doors open to avoid mildew buildup inside the fridge.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by cazual6

all good advices. but just curious why it won't be level in the first place?

In Post #6 -- 5 posts earlier than yours -- the OP said:

Originally Posted by MichaelSTR

. . .
My trailer is in short-term storage for some repair and when I went to retrieve some hiking gear from it this weekend, I found it WAY off level in the shop yard & freaked out at the thought of my frig going south early.
. . .

[Caffeinated]

Reading this thread it occurred to me that we live on a thin crust over a molten core of a ball spinning madly through space around a minor star. And we still have to level our trailers.

Mike

[cazual6]

Originally Posted by Caffeinated

Reading this thread it occurred to me that we live on a thin crust over a molten core of a ball spinning madly through space around a minor star. And we still have to level our trailers.

Mike

if you don't, it would rip a tear in space and time. leveling a trailer keeps in check.

[Bborzell]

We had a 12 year old Dometic fridge in our Class C Motorhome. It was parked within a couple of degrees of level for the vast majority of time that we owned it. But there were times when level was not an option. Never had a hint of a problem with its operation.

Our good friends bought a Fun Finder travel trailer with a newer (2014) Dometic fridge. They poured a level pad on their property and always set it up level. The first fridge lasted 3 months and the second went nearly a year before it crapped out.

RV fridges are, by nature, not exactly robust. While being level has pretty much a mantra like status for these fridges, newer models are described as being less susceptible to leaning than older versions (like ours was).

My sense is that the rolling 4.8 quake that RVs experience while underway is much more likely to bring a newer fridge to an early demise than being a few degrees off kilter.

[trumpetguy]

We had to replace the cooling unit in the small Dometic in our prior TT (Oliver 22). The reason was leaving the fridge on while not level. A real pain although Dometic covered the part through warranty.

After buying our AS International I had a level pad poured. Serendipity sits perfectly level now.