How do you store your 12v fridge? (1 Viewer)

[Otter]

When at home, do you leave your 12v fridge running 24/7 or unplug it until your next trip?

I have a 43qt Edgestar. In the past, I've usually kept it in the house and running 24/7. However, I'm getting tired of taking it in and out of the truck each time I go on a trip. After I returned from the July ROTM at the North Rim, I considered just leaving it in the truck and unplugged. I don't have solar and don't want to run an extension cord out to the truck to keep it running full time.

What do you do?

 

[MANUCHAO]

Used to have it off till the next trip, but it made its way to the bedroom, and is the dedicated beer, water, baby milk bottle fridge.....going on 1.5 years non stop from bedroom to vehicle...

 

[murf]

Ive heard someone say that running 24 /7 was the best thing but thinking might be verging on urban myth? Any supposed gains are lost imo with the wear and tear on running the motor constantly. don't know what scientific evidence that's based on > maybe someone could enlighten?

Id unplug, plop in the garage then plug it back in when ready to use. In the end you can call the maytag repair man and ask him?

 

[Rudster]

I keep it in my truck pretty much all the time unplugged. Truck sits in a hot garage all week and then the day before I use it I will plug it in to see if it works. Been doing it like this for the last 2.5 years and no issue so far. Its an Edgestar 63 qt.

 

[Pitch]

I pretty much treat mine like Rudster. I always leave it vented when stored. I either leave the lid open, or at minimum, pull the drain plugs (Edgestar 63, 2 years old).

 

[Living in the Past]

I'm with Murf, turning off is the best. Letting in run in a vehicle parked outside in the heat is even worse. The greater the temperature difference between the inside and outside the harder it has to work. Hard for the unit to transfer heat to the outside and the warmer the outside the faster the heat tranfer back inside. I have a few small refrigerators in garages. never leave them run during the in the valley. I also keep the house thermostat set at 88 when we leave. Partly because of the refrigerator in the kitchen. Still figuring out if we are just going to empty the frig and turn the air off. I also keep baking soda inside to prevent smells. Not sure the lining material in these refrigerators is the house units. Those get a stale smell.

 

[Otter]

Sounds like I might just leave it off in the truck. Cracked open so it can get some air. The only benefit I see to leaving it running (besides cool beverages) is knowing that it's still working.

 

[brices123]

I haul them (yes, we currently own two) in and out of the truck, I put them in the garage, and prop the lid open with a piece of PVC pipe, until I need the pipe for something. A couple of days before I need the fridge, I plug it in to make sure it works properly. The night before a trip, I put the fridge in the back of the truck, and plug it in to an extension cord.

 

[bwesty]

I turn mine off with the lid cracked open to air out.

 

[sdnative]

I haul them (yes, we currently own two) in and out of the truck, I put them in the garage, and prop the lid open with a piece of PVC pipe, until I need the pipe for something. A couple of days before I need the fridge, I plug it in to make sure it works properly. The night before a trip, I put the fridge in the back of the truck, and plug it in to an extension cord.

This is what I do as well. I prop the lid open with the latch. Even plugged in this is closed enough to keep the light from coming on.

 

[Saddletramp]

Leave mine in the truck, lid ajar for ventilation. Plug it in right before the trip, maybe 4-6 Hours. Waeco going on one year.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

If my plans are to leave again after a trip within the next 2 weeks I leave it running on shore power. If not I clean and dry the inside and prop 1/2" to vent.

 

[Stepmurr]

Keep my 8 year old Engel in the Subi with the lid propped up most of the time.

When starting a grocery run down to Tucson I pre-cool with a few frozen ice boxes to quickly bring down the temps in the summer.

The fridge only gets put in the fj40 or the taco right before a trip.

I also freeze two 3 liter round water bottles to take on camping trips, this keeps the fridge cold enough to leave off during the night - saves a little power and makes for quieter sleeping!

 

[Rudster]

I usually freeze the normal size water bottles and place at the bottom of fridge for the same reason Stepmurr stated.

 

[1Louder]

25% off on the truckfridge.com web site. I think you just enter FACEBOOK as the discount code and they will adjust the price before they charge your card. See their facebook page for details. That is if all of this fridge talk makes you want to own a fridge.

Mine stays in my truck for the most part, off! I too bring it inside during the summer months and pre-cool it along with the food for at least a day or two.