# How Level Does The Fridge Have To Be?



## Rhiec (Jan 15, 2006)

I've got my trailer parked in my driveway, which slopes. How level does the refrigerator have to be to have it work? My driveway slope isn't too bad, but the trailer is definitely not pefectly level. What are the chances the refrigerator will work? Will it do any damage to the fridge, or will it simply just not work as well?


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## Castle Rock Outbackers (Jan 18, 2004)

Damage will happen...yes. You don't have to be 100% perfect, but I would get as level front to back as you can, or keep the fridge off when parked in your driveway.

Randy


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## Rhiec (Jan 15, 2006)

Side to side it's level, it's the front to back that's the problem.

Can I use to stabilizer jacks to bring the front up or is that not recommended. Or can I use the tongue support to do it?


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## Scrib (Jun 28, 2005)

Our drive's the same way; we use a jack stand to level it out. Don't use the stab's to try and raise the trailer - they're not designed for that.


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Rhiec,

You want to be within 2-3 degrees of level in all directions. That does not sound like much tolerance - and it is not - but is a visible tilt.

*DO NOT* use the stabilizers to level the trailer. DO use the tounge jack (That is what it is for). If you need extra lift, you can place some lumber under the foot of the jack, just be careful you do not create a condition where it could all come crashing down!









And chock the wheels well!

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## campmg (Dec 24, 2005)

Don't use the stabilizer jacks to raise the trailer. That can damage the frame / floor its attached to. Someone on the site (maybe Moosegut) has his parked on a steep incline and posted a picture of his method to level the front with jacks. Hope he'll chime in soon.


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## Rhiec (Jan 15, 2006)

Thank you for all the replies. I'm trying to figure out a way I can get my refrigerator running tonight so it's cold for all the food tomorrow when we load it up.

How stable is that jack stand? If I've got the trailer blocked, will it safely hold it up so it DOESN'T come crashing down? I'm not sure I can get one locally today, but I was thinking of putting a couple of 6x6 blocks (stacked) to give myself enough height, but not sure how stable that would be either.


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## GlenninTexas (Aug 11, 2004)

If you have the bubble levels on your tt, try to get back/front, side-to-side within the one inch marks. This is my rule of thumb. The frig may work outside of that range, but its a good target.

Regards, Glenn


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## Scrib (Jun 28, 2005)

Yep - it's stable, about 8" high and the base is 8" square. Just chock the wheels good, and run the stab's down after you level-out.


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## 2500Ram (Oct 30, 2005)

Rhiec said:


> but I was thinking of putting a couple of 6x6 blocks (stacked) to give myself enough height, but not sure how stable that would be either.
> [snapback]103279[/snapback]​


Careful stacking and you should be fine. Another idea I've done while camping at my parents was getting a 12" tree stump. Both ends cut flat standing on end, worked great. Granted it was lying around in the woods ready to be split but if you have one...

Bill.


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## LarryTheOutback (Jun 15, 2005)

Here's an article on why refrigerators fail., an another one on Theory of Operation.


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## Castle Rock Outbackers (Jan 18, 2004)

Great article, Ed.

Sometimes on the way home from a camping trip we'll stop at a favorite restaurant. Parking on the street causes the trailer to lean towards the curb (as most roads do this for drainage). Before going into the restaurant, I ALWAYS shut off the fridge. I know some people do not tow with the fridge on at all, but we do. If I am going to be parked for a bit and the trailer is not level, the fridge goes off.

Randy


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## 3LEES (Feb 18, 2006)

I know it has been stated before, but MAKE SURE your wheels are chocked VERY WELL.

If you have to place blocking under the tongue jack, then the trailer is ripe for rolling away on you.

This is what I use...










I made then from some 4 x 4's. There are commercially available chocks, but they can be pricey. These only cost me $5.25 to make.









First thing I do when setting up (after leveling side to side) is chock the wheels. I would hate to have to chase my Outback down the hill!









Of course, you MUST unchock the wheels BEFORE trying to drive your rig. Sure would leave long skid make if you don't!









Dan


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Rhiec said:


> Thank you for all the replies. I'm trying to figure out a way I can get my refrigerator running tonight so it's cold for all the food tomorrow when we load it up.
> 
> How stable is that jack stand? If I've got the trailer blocked, will it safely hold it up so it DOESN'T come crashing down? I'm not sure I can get one locally today, but I was thinking of putting a couple of 6x6 blocks (stacked) to give myself enough height, but not sure how stable that would be either.
> [snapback]103279[/snapback]​


I had the same problem at my old house. I resolved this by making ramps for the trailers tires. Drive up the hill by your house then simple place the ramps behind the wheels and back up on the ramps. The ramps need to have enough angle to offset the hill. Worked good for us...but made the back door impossible to use at it was WAY off the ground. Do this only after you've loaded the trailer and are ready to fire up the frig.

Or the easiest way is to just place 3-4 frozen milk jugs in the frig over night to pre-cool the frig. Then in the morning you just place your food in there, turn on the frig and drive away. Some will say not to pull with propane on, but I have always done this...and so did my dad.

Hope this helps...


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

I don't know how much your drive slopes, ours has a pretty good slope to it.










Here's a shot of the blocking I made up










The front wheels needed to be 1 1/2 inches higher than the back wheels to make the trailer level. I took 2 pieces of plywood 4 foot long by 10 inches wide and screwed a piece of 2 x 10, 16 inches long on one end of each. Those board act as levelers so when I pull onto them and jack up the front of the trailer, the trailer and axles are level. I screwed together some 4 x 4's and 2 x 10's to put under the tongue jack to get enough height. Like mentioned above, good chocks are a necessity.

We like to turn our fridge on in April and off in November so we needed to get the trailer level in the drive without too much hassle.

Mike


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

Boy Mike I'm the opposite I had to build up the back to get mine level.
But still want to add another 6" so the incline isn't as much later this year

Don


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## Rhiec (Jan 15, 2006)

I was able to get a jack stand today, and got it pretty level, but I'm not sure if it's enough. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but I'd sure hate the ruin the fridge the night before our first trip.

I got one of those bubble levels, and when I check the level in the fridge, the bubble isn't too close to level







Don't think I want to risk turning on the fridge at this point.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Rhiec said:


> I was able to get a jack stand today, and got it pretty level, but I'm not sure if it's enough. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but I'd sure hate the ruin the fridge the night before our first trip.
> 
> I got one of those bubble levels, and when I check the level in the fridge, the bubble isn't too close to level
> 
> ...


Don't worry about getting it exactly level. Just eyeball it for loading and getting frig pre-cooled.


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## Rhiec (Jan 15, 2006)

What do you mean eyeball for level? Eyeballing, it definitely tilts a bit, but not too much.

edit: Oregon Camper, looking at the photo in your signature, that's pretty close to how mine looks.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Rhiec said:


> What do you mean eyeball for level? Eyeballing, it definitely tilts a bit, but not too much.
> 
> edit: Oregon Camper, looking at the photo in your signature, that's pretty close to how mine looks.
> [snapback]103439[/snapback]​


In my signature picture the trailer is leveled via bubbles. I was referring to just eyeballing the trailer for level while it is at your house. Thinking is over, you might actaully store the trailer at your house...if so then forget my comment. I was thinking you had it in storage and you were simply pulling it to your house prior to a trip..say for ~24 hours.

Clear now?


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## Rhiec (Jan 15, 2006)

You're right, I have it in storage and I just pulled it to my house the day before our trip.

What I meant by the photo in your sig, the way the picture was taken it makes it appear that the front end is lower than the back end. My trailer is tilting about how yours looks like in the photo. Does that make sense?


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Rhiec said:


> You're right, I have it in storage and I just pulled it to my house the day before our trip.
> 
> What I meant by the photo in your sig, the way the picture was taken it makes it appear that the front end is lower than the back end. My trailer is tilting about how yours looks like in the photo. Does that make sense?
> [snapback]103452[/snapback]​


I see what you mean. Guess my picture is deceiving as I'm a stickler for getting in level while camping.

If you have a slight angle up/down then itâ€™s no problem. This is why I said you can just eyeball the trailer level vs. using bubble mounted hardware.

Problems occur when youâ€™re way off level (big hill). If yours is just off level to what my sig looks like, then youâ€™ll be fine.

A proane refrig works on Dalton's law of partial pressures of total pressure of a confined mixture of gases is the sum of the pressures of each of the gases in the mixture. The total pressure of the air in a compressed air cylinder is the sum of the oxygen, nitrogen, and the carbon dioxide gases, and the water vapor pressure.

Confused? Here is the layman terms....









A gas refrigerator uses ammonia as the coolant, and it uses water, ammonia and hydrogen gas to create a continuous cycle for the ammonia. The refrigerator has five main parts:
1) Generator - generates ammonia gas
2) Separator - separates ammonia gas from water
3) Condenser - where hot ammonia gas is cooled and condensed to create liquid ammonia
4) Evaporator - where liquid ammonia evaporates to create cold temperatures inside the refrigerator
5) Absorber - absorbs the ammonia gas in water

The cycle works like this:

1. Heat is applied to the generator. The heat comes from burning something like gas, propane or kerosene.

2. In the generator is a solution of ammonia and water. The heat raises the temperature of the solution to the boiling point of the ammonia.

3. The boiling solution flows to the separator. In the separator, the water separates from the ammonia gas.

4. The ammonia gas flows upward to the condenser. The condenser is composed of metal coils and fins that allow the ammonia gas to dissipate its heat and condense into a liquid.

5. The liquid ammonia makes its way to the evaporator, where it mixes with hydrogen gas and evaporates, producing cold temperatures inside the refrigerator.

6. The ammonia and hydrogen gases flow to the absorber. Here, the water that has collected in the separator is mixed with the ammonia and hydrogen gases.

7. The ammonia forms a solution with the water and releases the hydrogen gas, which flows back to the evaporator. The ammonia-and-water solution flows toward the generator to repeat the cycle.


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## vdub (Jun 19, 2004)

If you feel comfortable being in it and could comfortably sleep in it, then it is level enough for the fridge.


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## prevish gang (Mar 19, 2006)

Boy,
No one at the dealership mentioned this at all to us. I am so glad I read this!

Darlene


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## Remove_B4_Flight (Apr 2, 2006)

As stated above, be careful with blocking. I used to have a sharp slope next to the house where I kept the OB. I had the low side wheels blocked up about 4" on 12"x12"x2"s. This was fine until Hurricane Rita pushed the whole trailer off the blocks. The ground was muddy and the blocks slid just slightly as the trailer shifted in the wind. I lost a tire in the process. I have since leveled the area and layed down gravel. For longer term parking, I highly recommend improving your parking surface to avoid potential damage. Hurricanes maybe a bit extreme, but depending on the ballancing act, it may not take much motion to dislodge your leveling blocks.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

prevish gang said:


> Boy,
> No one at the dealership mentioned this at all to us. I am so glad I read this!
> 
> Darlene
> [snapback]105575[/snapback]​


..and that surprises you? Why would they tell you something that might scare you away from the deal.


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