# Refrigerator Door Open Or Closed



## bhbdvm (Mar 20, 2009)

I was wondering if I should leave the refrigerator (empty) door open or closed after a camping trip. Does it matter? If I leave it closed will it start to smell?


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## hyewalt34 (May 9, 2004)

I have always left ours open for a week or two.

Walter


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

I leave mine running 24/7 and stocked for camping from the time I dewinterize to the time I winterize. Once it is winterized, fully thawed and cleaned it can be left open or closed and it will not be an issue, that said we always leave ours open when not in use.


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## MO7Bs (Apr 11, 2009)

bhbdvm said:


> I was wondering if I should leave the refrigerator (empty) door open or closed after a camping trip. Does it matter? If I leave it closed will it start to smell?


You should leave it open. There were two little clips in my stuff from the dealer to hold the door open when not in use.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Expect when camping, mine stays open.


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## Airboss (Jul 14, 2007)

Oregon_Camper said:


> Expect when camping, mine stays open.


Yes, good advice. Unless you drink beer as fast as I do...then it's just better to leave it open.


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## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

Kind of depends when you're going out again. If with in a week or two, I would leave it on and closed. Of course I have a place to hook up the electric line so I'm not using gas. If you turn it off, clean it out and prop the doors open to prevent mold from growing. As me how I know this can happen!

(It does not take a lot of propane to keep the Refridge cool. One tank can last for months running the fridge.)


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## rock hill (Apr 17, 2009)

when not in use I leave both the fridge and freezer cracked open, this is after i clean it and make sure it is dry. I use either pot holders or a sponge to keep it proped open just a bit.


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## Compulynx (Oct 15, 2008)

MO7Bs said:


> You should leave it open. There were *two little clips *in my stuff from the dealer to hold the door open when not in use.


+1

C


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

As said several times, leave it cracked. Most Norcold fridges have a spot where you can open the door a tad then slide a locking lever to allow it to stay in place even during travel and not swing open. I made the mistake of closing ours once after a trip without a good cleaning, all I'll say is I was glad it was only a week later that I opened it had it been much long it could have been really nasty.


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## leaderdogmom (Feb 14, 2009)

X2 on keeping the frig and freezer cracked open when not in use.


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## SmkSignals (May 2, 2005)

I always leave mine open when not in use. Helps prevent mold. I bought this at CW to help keep it propped open -

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/...or-holder/28735


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

Open when not in use, but remeber to close and latch before moving the trailer, even in your yard


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

hyewalt34 said:


> I have always left ours open for a week or two.
> 
> Walter


Yes.

And Yes.

Mike

(Mine is never completely dry when I empty out the fridge, so I just use the little clips that came with the trailer to hold the fridge doors open about 1". Never had any issues with odors.)


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## H2oSprayer (Aug 5, 2006)

Whenever we clean out our unit after a trip and return it to it's storage location, we always open the frig and freezer. This helps it to dry out and keep it from becoming full of mold. When we park it in storage, I like to park it with the tongue a bit higher then level. This does two things:
1. Makes the rain water run off the back of the camper, helping to reduce the amount of black streaks everywhere else
2. Allows gravity to keep the frig / freezer doors open


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## bhbdvm (Mar 20, 2009)

Thank you for everyone's input. Let's keep this site up and running. It's too good of a resource for people like me.


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## ED_RN (Jun 25, 2006)

Airboss said:


> Expect when camping, mine stays open.


Yes, good advice. Unless you drink beer as fast as I do...then it's just better to leave it open.
[/quote]
Doesn't the beer get warm/
With the kids around camping or not it tends to stay open. ARRGH


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## GoodTimes (Mar 9, 2009)

We clean ours out, dry if needed and leave wadded up newspaper pages in it, on the shelves, etc. Just a few will do fine. This absorbs any odors from the food that was in it while it was running. With the hot weather coming, it'll really help.


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

GoodTimes. I like the suggestion of the newspaper, I ll have to try it. With the paper, door closed or open? And any window of time work?

John


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

We leave our open and use the blue plastic props to hold them in place.


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## ROB & JUDY OUTBACKERS (Mar 9, 2007)

When we are not camping we leave the fridge doors open with those blue thingys to hold them open to let air in.


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## Cj45 (Jan 22, 2005)

OK, all you people who got the blue plastic clips with your Outback....HOW do those fit into the door? Ours came with one, but for the life of me I can't figure out how to make it work.









Man, I'm certainly glad that I have this resource that I can ask this kind of a question and know that I'm going to get a kind, courteous answer....

Cj


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

I have never used the clips, When in storeage I level the trailer so the rain will run off to the street side back and that way the door stays open by itself. I would love to see pictures of the clips in action.


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## GoodTimes (Mar 9, 2009)

tdvffjohn said:


> GoodTimes. I like the suggestion of the newspaper, I ll have to try it. With the paper, door closed or open? And any window of time work?
> 
> John


John,

I keep the fridge open all the time when it's not in use. I've kept the paper 'wads' in there the whole time and throw them out when I get ready to load. They seem to help absorb any trace amounts of moisture and keep the odor at bay. IF anyone ever gets odor probs, try wiping down the inside of the fridge with vinegar and just let it dry. Vinegar works everytime when it comes to plastic and odor.

As for the clips - I too had the same prob figuring out how they worked. Just this LAST TIME did I FINALLY get it. They slide on and instead of them being at an angle, make sure the clip is on the straight edge (I WISH I HAD PICS but tt is in storage). Play with it and I think you'll get it. How can something so simple be SO complicated?


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## Steelhead (Nov 14, 2005)

We always leave thedoor open when not camping. We learned from growing mold in a humid climate when the door was closed and the fridge was off.

Dallas


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

Fresh coffee grinds also to wonders at absorbing odors but an old newspaper is cheaper and recyclable!


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## MJRey (Jan 21, 2005)

I leave mine open for a few days after a trip to let it dry completely then I close it while it's at the storage lot. I live in the desert though and it's very dry so mold isn't a problem unless I don't let it dry completely. I've been doing this for about 4 years and have had no problems. Your location may require leaving it open. There's really no right or wrong way just whatever works for you.


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## Compulynx (Oct 15, 2008)

CLIP USE:

Open the door. Look at the latch on the door. It forms kind of a 'V" Pointing at you. The clip has a wide cutout that slips behind this "V". Be sure to slide it all the way up , and it will latch itself on the "V". Be sure the longer side of the clip is pointing towards the fridge.

Next, take a finger and put a small amount of inward pressure on the clip while shutting the door. It will snap in place and hold the door cracked open.

To open the door, just push in on the clip, and it will release.

Note: If your door swings the other way, the clip will go on from the top instead of the bottom.





































C


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## mmblantz (Jul 1, 2007)

Leave it open. Otherwise, there will be mildew/mold or watever that nasty stuff was the one time I left it closed.---Mike


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## Cj45 (Jan 22, 2005)

THANKS Compulynx!!


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## TexanThompsons (Apr 21, 2009)

Cj45 said:


> THANKS Compulynx!!


X2. I was wondering how in the world to use those things.

My door swings open towards the back so I keep my trailer nose high to allow for runoff and the doors stay open as well.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Oh...now I see.

Y-Guy is now BUSTED!! I didn't get those fancy blue blips from him when I bought the 28RSS from him.


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## ZHB (Mar 17, 2009)

TexanThompsons said:


> THANKS Compulynx!!


X2. I was wondering how in the world to use those things.

[/quote]

X3..... I thought I was an idiot for not figuring out how those things were supposed to go.


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## beachbum (Nov 27, 2006)

Finally







, after years of not being able to figure out those blue clips, Outbackers.com comes through








This alone might be worth the Koala Club membership








david


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