So if you're not going to be using the RV for awhile (couple of weeks-month) do you plug up to shore power and leave the fridge running or do you turn it off and air the interior?

From sad experience I say, by all means, turn it off and air it out. If you leave it closed, even if it's empty, it will get musty and smelly.

It's not the musty/smelly that concerns me. I am concerned that by NOT using the cooling process I may allow seals or magic dust or something to go bad. Kind of like an automobile air conditioner that sits unused for months and develops a coolant leak when reactivated.

I dunno, seems like it's a very low energy user so the cost to full-time operate is minimal. Another rookie question.

Ron, the auto air system has shaft seals that can take a set if not used. Same for RV air. The fridge has no moving parts, and the magic dust (ammonia coolant) is welded in.

We keep ours either ajar a bit or closed with a shallow dish of baking soda inside. Either works OK.

I keep mine plugged in year around. In fact, I am having one of these installed. Check out www.rvpoweroutlet.com .

As far as the frig is concerned, we leave it on during the summer because we leave ketchup, butter and stuff in there so we can go fast on the weekends. We do utilize one of those little fans. to keep the air moving.

------------------
Short cuts always take longer

1985 28 foot Regal
Dave and Deb Bowers

Cool (no pun intended), thanks Bill. Makes sense. I use the baking soda deodorizer myself.

I have one of the 30-amp RV receptacles already installed so I can utilize the full-size (minimal voltage drop) pigtail. Have not see the small fan you show. I di use a 9" fan to keep the air circulating (to some extent) in the coach itself.

Thanks for the tips.

Those fans are good.

The little fans are good. I think they're called "Fridge Mate," or some such. Presuming they're still made, they're a common item in RV supply stores. The air circulation they provide helps keep the stuff on the top shelf from freezing, and the bottom shelf from spoiling when your fridge is full. I've used one for years. It runs forever on 2 "D" batteries.

I still say shut it off and open it up if you're going to let it sit empty for a week or more.

When my rig is stored in the cold, rainy months, I use a product called "Dri-z-air" to keep the moisture down. If you can keep it at home, and leave it hooked up to shore power, there's a half-dozen low draw electrical products in RV stores to warm the air and circulate it without recourse to fans.

There's always more stuff to spend tyour money on, to make the RV experience complete.

I kept a fifth wheel trailer on a permanent spot in a park on the Colorado River for 18 years, and always left the fridge on. The electricity was interrupted, and one of my sons had left some mackerel (catfish bait) in the fridge.

You have NO idea!

"The electricity was interrupted, and one of my sons had left some mackerel (catfish bait) in the fridge.
You have NO idea!"

Bet it took at least a couple of table spoons of baking soda to absorb that, huh?
:-)

Ron, it was in summer, with outside temps over 120, so figure the inside temps.

A couple of teaspoons, indeed!

We tried a lot of stuff, and finally bought some really expensive stuff that was alleged to even kill the odor of human remains.

Worked well, but still had to remove the fridge and replace the fiberglass batting insulation around the fridge. The rest of the summer, every time we opened the trailer after a week of sitting in the heat, we were greeted with a cacophony of pungent odors of everything we had tried. To this day, I can't stand the smell of Lysol or similar products.

LOL Bet them catfish were wadeing out of the creek and knocking on your door all summer. Best eatin' fish with fins if ya know how to fry 'em. Son-of-guns will eat ANYTHING though!

Nobody reported catfish, but all the camp cats hung around a lot.