Storage leveling in relation to fridge

[flynfrfun]

Hi all. I'm storing my 17B under cover when not in use. I live in the Pacific NW and obviously get a lot of rain. I'm seeing a puddle that forms above the awning on the cover. My trailer is level on both axis. Is it OK to store the trailer tilted front or rear down so that the water drains away from this area? I have heard it's required to store the trailer level to keep the fridge happy.

[padlin]

When I had a bumper pull I always stored it nose down for runoff.

[jadams]

Originally Posted by flynfrfun

Hi all. I'm storing my 17B under cover when not in use. I live in the Pacific NW and obviously get a lot of rain. I'm seeing a puddle that forms above the awning on the cover. My trailer is level on both axis. Is it OK to store the trailer tilted front or rear down so that the water drains away from this area? I have heard it's required to store the trailer level to keep the fridge happy.

Thanks for asking this question. It's something I've been wondering about for this coming winter in New England.

What cover are you using and how do you like it? It looks to be high quality.

[jadams]

Originally Posted by padlin

When I had a bumper pull I always stored it nose down for runoff.

Nice tip, thank you!

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by flynfrfun

Hi all. I'm storing my 17B under cover when not in use. I live in the Pacific NW and obviously get a lot of rain. I'm seeing a puddle that forms above the awning on the cover. My trailer is level on both axis. Is it OK to store the trailer tilted front or rear down so that the water drains away from this area? I have heard it's required to store the trailer level to keep the fridge happy.

My understanding is that the fridge is sensitive to being level ONLY when running. This is due to the gas/liquid relies on gravity and convection to move around and it can get "stuck" if the fridge is not level. When the fridge is not on it should not matter.

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by jadams

Thanks for asking this question. It's something I've been wondering about for this coming winter in New England.

What cover are you using and how do you like it? It looks to be high quality.

I am in New England too, Vermont by Mount Snow. We get lots of snow here being in ski country. I put long 2x4s vertically up at each end of the camper and tie them off with guy ropes and put a 2x4 ridge between them probably 4 ft above the camper. I also attach a few props along the ridge pole and down to plywood squares on the roof to spread the load. I then put a tarp over that and tie it down. The camper is narrow enough that I do not need any rafters going to the sides. This is steep enough that most of the snow slides off and the rest slides when I poke it. This keeps the snow weight off of the camper and it also keeps the snow from being a giant wet sponge on the roof in the spring...more weight and leaks. So far so good. I would post pictures if I had them!

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by Ian and Sue

My understanding is that the fridge is sensitive to being level ONLY when running. This is due to the gas/liquid relies on gravity and convection to move around and it can get "stuck" if the fridge is not level. When the fridge is not on it should not matter.

Even in a worst case and the gas/liquid separates or gets stuck in the wrong place, a few minutes of driving should restore everything back to normal.

--
Alan

[jadams]

Thank you for this info Ian. I'm able to picture the set-up with your description. I have been thinking of how to deal with the heavier and wet snowfall we get on the coast of north shore Massachusetts and now I have a better plan. Best part, it's pretty easy to set-up and is low cost!

Nice to meet a fellow regional Escape owner. My wife and I were going to go full-time this fall for a year and then Covid happened. We now plan on either moving to Vermont (Burlington area because we have family there) or go full-time for at least 6 months and then land in Vermont. I grew up in Glens Falls, NY and long for more open space and easier access to the mountains.

[padlin]

I use a roof rake, need to be careful not to poke holes in the cover, you can get most of the snow off. Better yet, head south.

I remove the cover when I hear snows coming and I'm going south during the winter. It'd be a real hassle to deal with ice and snow on the cover if it doesn't melt off by the time you want to leave.

[flynfrfun]

Originally Posted by jadams

Thanks for asking this question. It's something I've been wondering about for this coming winter in New England.

What cover are you using and how do you like it? It looks to be high quality.

The cover is Calmark. I’ve only been using it 1 year but no complaints yet.

[flynfrfun]

Originally Posted by Ian and Sue

My understanding is that the fridge is sensitive to being level ONLY when running. This is due to the gas/liquid relies on gravity and convection to move around and it can get "stuck" if the fridge is not level. When the fridge is not on it should not matter.

Thanks for the reply. This answers my question. 😁

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by jadams

Thank you for this info Ian. I'm able to picture the set-up with your description. I have been thinking of how to deal with the heavier and wet snowfall we get on the coast of north shore Massachusetts and now I have a better plan. Best part, it's pretty easy to set-up and is low cost!

Nice to meet a fellow regional Escape owner. My wife and I were going to go full-time this fall for a year and then Covid happened. We now plan on either moving to Vermont (Burlington area because we have family there) or go full-time for at least 6 months and then land in Vermont. I grew up in Glens Falls, NY and long for more open space and easier access to the mountains.

We took a 6 mo trip about 8 years ago...it was the best thing we ever did...don't wait do it...life will be there when you get back. Probably want to wait the COVID thing out though! Too many unknowns.

Even the heavy snow is ok with my set up although it does sometimes get hung up on the fridge vent or awning....if I wanted to get to it some rafters could take care of that too. So far the cover and a roof rake seem to take care of it. I would love to have a place under cover but no room at the current house. This could allow for another guest room in the trailer during the shoulder seasons.

I grew up in Delmar a suburb of Albany and have relatives from Glens Falls area on down. We spent weekends when I was a kid on L George(Yankee Yacht Marina) and many trips to the Adirondacks too!

Vermont is a great place to live if you can figure out how to make enough money without working all the time. With COVID escapees coming to relatively safe VT housing sales have gone through the roof so be prepared for that.

See ya on the road! We have a 5.0 TA and tow w a black toyota tundra.

Cheers,
Ian

[Sandra L]

I had the same question several years ago and called Dometic... I was told to level the trailer for a few hours for the refrigerant to level prior to turning it on to avoid damage....

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by padlin

I use a roof rake, need to be careful not to poke holes in the cover, you can get most of the snow off. Better yet, head south.

Yes, and if freeze-thaw cycles turn the bottom layer into ice don't use a steel rake to break it up, especially over the hatch.

Ron

[flynfrfun]

Originally Posted by Sandra L

I had the same question several years ago and called Dometic... I was told to level the trailer for a few hours for the refrigerant to level prior to turning it on to avoid damage....

Thank you! That makes sense. I will start storing it nose down after our trip to the Oregon coast next month. We both need the getaway and are really looking forward to it.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by flynfrfun

Thank you! That makes sense. I will start storing it nose down after our trip to the Oregon coast next month. We both need the getaway and are really looking forward to it.

It doesn't take much slope for water to flow downhill.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by flynfrfun

Hi all. I'm storing my 17B under cover when not in use. I live in the Pacific NW and obviously get a lot of rain. I'm seeing a puddle that forms above the awning on the cover. My trailer is level on both axis. Is it OK to store the trailer tilted front or rear down so that the water drains away from this area? I have heard it's required to store the trailer level to keep the fridge happy.

The trailer only has to be level for the fridge to operate.

If the refrigerator is off while in storage there is no need to worry about the trailer being level.

[flynfrfun]

Originally Posted by TTMartin

The trailer only has to be level for the fridge to operate.

If the refrigerator is off while in storage there is no need to worry about the trailer being level.

Thanks! That might have been a better way for me to ask the question. So, when the fridge is not operating, trailer leveling is not important.

I have a friend who has owned travel trailers most of his life and he told me it was very important to keep the fridge level even in storage. Thanks again.

[felix2]

I'd just store it "mostly" level...a slight tilt is enough for water to run off, as Gbaglo stated. The refrigerator should be okay with a very-slightly-off-level stance, even running.