Filling Refrigerator before trip??

DebKen · 07-13-2015, 02:03 PM

So far I put our refrigerator items in a cooler while driving to our destination. We do turn it on the day before so it is reasonably cold when we get there. Once we arrive I transfer the items to the fridge. I then empty the refrigerator into the cooler for the trip home. I am afraid of having heavy items like quarts of milk and juice, glass bottles of things, etc. I guess I am concerned that items moving around will damage the door and the lock. What does everyone else do?

**norty1** · 07-13-2015, 02:11 PM

We pre-cool it, load it. No precautions other than not leaving glass on glass, etc.

mike837go · 07-13-2015, 02:19 PM

Chill >48 hours ahead; and fill >24 hours ahead.

Make sure that tall, tippy items are surrounded by more stable objects.

Switch off fridge in transit.
At destination, activate fridge as quickly as possible after trailer is leveled.
1st opening after transit, open door slowly, watch for tipped items.
It's been several years since something fell out or spoiled.

Tigger1 · 07-13-2015, 02:22 PM

We pre-cool & pre-load too then use refrigerator spring adjustable white bars from Camco to keep things from moving around. They can be found at Camping World or Amazon for example.

OurJayco · 07-13-2015, 02:39 PM

We pre-cool and load our fridge prior to departure without tension bars. We however leave our fridge ON while in transit. We tend to place 1/2 gallon of milk container in the door shelf and load heavier or items that are tall, we load them on the bottom shelf and lighter items on the upper shelves.
No issues after 8 years in 2 different trailers.

tnchuck100 · 07-13-2015, 02:49 PM

Turn it on 2 days before trip. Load all the items the day before the trip. Let it run on propane while traveling. Refrigerator was designed to be used that way.

DocBrown · 07-13-2015, 02:55 PM

We usually turn our on a week before. And load it in the days before a trip. It stays plenty cold even on 5 hour rides. Never had anything break or spill. Sometimes we'll put in a bottle of wine. Lay it on it's side and pack things around it.

For longer trips we usually make a grocery stop shortly after arrival. We don't take longer trips too often.

Camper_bob · 07-13-2015, 03:40 PM

We cool ours off in the driveway for 4-5 days before departure (home and plugged in Sunday evening for a departure the following Thursday or Friday). I make ice in it all week to build up a supply for the trip. Stuff inside the fridge gets packed so that it doesn't fall over, but DW still will leave her insulated water mug in there and it is the only thing that ever tips over; spills water all over the place, and she won't stop doing it! Other than that, most everything stays where we put it. Most of the groceries for our trip go directly from the car into the camper right after they're purchased. I find the drawer to be a handy place to put oddly shaped items that might move around. I once discovered that you can put a significant number of beer cans in there!

We too travel with the fridge on propane. We don't make fuel stops with the trailer in tow frequently (like once or twice in almost 2 years). If we do, I make sure to fuel up at a place where the trailer is far away from the pumps, like way out on the end. We don't have tunnels down here.

Bookemdanno · 07-13-2015, 04:45 PM

I look at it this way...I get the TT 24 hrs before we leave and plug in to cool down fridge and freezer before we leave. We pack what we have in the house already (no need to let things go to waste....not to mention, I'm cheap!)) and use the fridge/freezer as a cooler when we travel. When we get to our destination, we inevitable end up at some form or fashion of a grocery store. Works for us!

Dan

bluie5 · 07-13-2015, 05:12 PM

Ours is on for a week before a trip so DW can pack it at her leisure. We also leave it running on propane while traveling.

Rotocleaner1 · 07-13-2015, 05:43 PM

Pre cool. Load and go. I do not run when on the road unless on the road for more than 4 hours.
Terry

UPCamper · 07-13-2015, 05:59 PM

I fill mine up every time never had a problem.

UPC

gloryb · 07-13-2015, 06:57 PM

We have always turned ours on "auto" a day or two before leaving while having it plugged into home electric. I buy the groceries usually the day before we leave and unload directly into the TT frig/freezer including several bags of ice just purchased for the coolers that we use for sodas. We let the frig on propane while traveling which usually isn't more than an hour away and we've done this for years without problem.

Scoutr2 · 07-13-2015, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tigger1

We pre-cool & pre-load too then use refrigerator spring adjustable white bars from Camco to keep things from moving around. They can be found at Camping World or Amazon for example.

I pre-cool the fridge on propane the day before. It will be cold when you are ready to load. The spring-loaded bars work fine, however, I found similar single bars at WalMart a LOT cheaper than the ones at Camping World. They are actually adjustable curtain rods made to be tensioned on the inside of a window opening. They are quite adjustable and work well in the fridge.

I run my fridge on propane when traveling, but turn it off briefly when refueling my truck - don't want the open flame at the gas pumps. If you keep the fridge set to "Auto," it will switch to electricity when you plug into shore power. Then it will switch back to propane when you unplug the shore power.

That said - you will get folks here who recommend you not travel with the fridge running. Others, like me, do. The Owners Manual says not to, but they have their legal department insisting on that - it's a liability issue. My dealer said it is perfectly fine and they advise owners to do it. But in the end, it is a personal decision that you must make.

North of 49° · 07-13-2015, 07:57 PM

Our fridge runs from the day the trailer comes out of storage in the spring to the day it goes back into storage. During the summer when the trailer isn't used, it's plugged in at home and the fridge is on. We keep stuff like bottled water, beer, canned drinks, beer, maybe some wine, beer... Basically stuff that won't go bad if the fridge stopped working.

The day before a trip, that's when we load it with the other stuff we'll need, and as we're packing up to go, we throw the last few items into the fridge. We run on auto, so the fridge is on propane during the trip. Everything (especially the beer) is cold by the time we get to the campground.

charles_cincy · 07-13-2015, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tnchuck100

Turn it on 2 days before trip. Load all the items the day before the trip. Let it run on propane while traveling. Refrigerator was designed to be used that way.

Same here...

Jagiven · 07-13-2015, 09:40 PM

We never had any issues. Typically turn on the frig the day before. I have found our frig cools to about 40 degrees in about 4 hours. I think the only glass we put in it is glass jars, which typically goes in the door. While traveling we make sure to pack things, so the are stable. When we get to our destination, open the frig for the first time ever really slowly, just in case something shifted.

Never had an issue, we probably have 10K miles on this htt. Parents have had tt's for 30+ years, and I do not recall them having any issue either.

Shorty Cox · 07-14-2015, 06:14 AM

I know this is going to start another whole discussion. The day we picked our RV up at the dealer,(we spent one night in the dealer's RV site to check the camper out) the wife turned the fridge on, stocked it, and it has not been off yet. Always travel with it stocked and no problems to day.

Shorty & Kitty

**norty1** · 07-14-2015, 06:40 AM

There really is no right or wrong way to use it. What ever your preference is for the fridge, then do it.

havnfun · 07-14-2015, 08:06 AM

As others have said, we turn ours on the day before, plugged into shore power. Load some beer and water that nite then the rest of the stuff in the morning before we hit the road. Keep Rolling Rock glass beer bottles in the door with all things packed tightly so it doesn't shift around. Never had a problem and run on propane (automatic setting) while we tow. No tunnels here also.
Happy RVing,
Jeff

You may also like: