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Residential refrigerator outside temperature below 40°

TenOC
Nomad
Nomad
I am living in my travel trailer full time which is permanently parked on a lot. Due to health reasons, I’m no longer traveling on the road. My RV style refrigerator is sick. I need to replace it and I am thinking about replacing it with a residential 10 cu ft refrigerator. However, I read someplace or someone told me that the compressor on a residential refrigerator will shut off at temperatures below 40°. Does anyone know if this is true? If I slip the new residential refrigerator in the hole left by the RV type refrigerator it will be exposed to the outside air temperature by the vent in the roof as well as the vent on the side of the travel trailer. Is it necessary to close off these vents and insulate the outside wall of the travel trailer? I do know that there must be some ventilation for the compressor which I assume will be vented inside the travel trailer.
Please give me enough troubles, uncertainty, problems, obstacles and STRESS so that I do not become arrogant, proud, and smug in my own abilities, and enough blessings and good times that I realize that someone else is in charge of my life.

Travel Photos
17 REPLIES 17

ScottG
Nomad
Nomad
RCMAN46 wrote:
ScottG wrote:
Dutch_12078 wrote:
ScottG wrote:
When it gets down to 40, or roughly the temp set point of the fridge area, the fridge wont run enough to keep stuff in the freezer section frozen.
I don't think the fridge "shuts down" but it has no reason to run at those temperatures.


The inside of the fridge temp is the controlling factor regardless of the outside temp. A residential refrigerator installed in an RV has three sides exposed to the inside temps, with only the back having some exposure to outside temps. Our fridge has worked fine with outside temps down to -4 deg.F and just the lower vents blocked off. LP/electric absorption fridges are much more effected by outside temps, both unusually high or low.


The OP is talking about his fridge being in 40 degree temps - around all sides. At least that's the way it's written.
My point is, if it's colder on the outside of the fridge than it is on the inside, it's not going to run because it doesn't have to!


I believe the OP was asking about a standard residential compressor refrigerator. Not sure why RV absorption refrigerators have been introduced in the discussion.


Either way, it's the same principle.

RCMAN46
Explorer
Explorer
ScottG wrote:
Dutch_12078 wrote:
ScottG wrote:
When it gets down to 40, or roughly the temp set point of the fridge area, the fridge wont run enough to keep stuff in the freezer section frozen.
I don't think the fridge "shuts down" but it has no reason to run at those temperatures.


The inside of the fridge temp is the controlling factor regardless of the outside temp. A residential refrigerator installed in an RV has three sides exposed to the inside temps, with only the back having some exposure to outside temps. Our fridge has worked fine with outside temps down to -4 deg.F and just the lower vents blocked off. LP/electric absorption fridges are much more effected by outside temps, both unusually high or low.


The OP is talking about his fridge being in 40 degree temps - around all sides. At least that's the way it's written.
My point is, if it's colder on the outside of the fridge than it is on the inside, it's not going to run because it doesn't have to!


I believe the OP was asking about a standard residential compressor refrigerator. Not sure why RV absorption refrigerators have been introduced in the discussion.

ScottG
Nomad
Nomad
Dutch_12078 wrote:
ScottG wrote:
When it gets down to 40, or roughly the temp set point of the fridge area, the fridge wont run enough to keep stuff in the freezer section frozen.
I don't think the fridge "shuts down" but it has no reason to run at those temperatures.


The inside of the fridge temp is the controlling factor regardless of the outside temp. A residential refrigerator installed in an RV has three sides exposed to the inside temps, with only the back having some exposure to outside temps. Our fridge has worked fine with outside temps down to -4 deg.F and just the lower vents blocked off. LP/electric absorption fridges are much more effected by outside temps, both unusually high or low.


The OP is talking about his fridge being in 40 degree temps - around all sides. At least that's the way it's written.
My point is, if it's colder on the outside of the fridge than it is on the inside, it's not going to run because it doesn't have to!

Dutch_12078
Explorer
Explorer
ScottG wrote:
When it gets down to 40, or roughly the temp set point of the fridge area, the fridge wont run enough to keep stuff in the freezer section frozen.
I don't think the fridge "shuts down" but it has no reason to run at those temperatures.


The inside of the fridge temp is the controlling factor regardless of the outside temp. A residential refrigerator installed in an RV has three sides exposed to the inside temps, with only the back having some exposure to outside temps. Our fridge has worked fine with outside temps down to -4 deg.F and just the lower vents blocked off. LP/electric absorption fridges are much more effected by outside temps, both unusually high or low.
Dutch
2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A
F53 chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS
Bigfoot Automatic Leveling System
2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump
ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/Blue Ox baseplate

Dutch_12078
Explorer
Explorer
RCMAN46 wrote:
" But, the T stat in a fridge is located in the fridge compartment.. "

It very possible there is also a thermoset in the compressor area.


Our fridge very clearly does not have a thermostat in the compressor area, nor would one be needed since the compressor is controlled by the temperature inside the fridge, not outside of it.
Dutch
2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A
F53 chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS
Bigfoot Automatic Leveling System
2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump
ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/Blue Ox baseplate

Grit_dog
Nomad III
Nomad III
Gdetrailer wrote:
Grit dog wrote:
TenOC wrote:
However, I read someplace or someone told me that the compressor on a residential refrigerator will shut off at temperatures below 40°. Does anyone know if this is true?


You read or heard wrong. Used the same fridge in the shop in multiple homes/locations from Phoenix AZ to 8500' in the Rockies. Year round 120deg down to stints well below freezing (not below zero, but consistently below freezing for extended periods).
It kicked the bucket 2 years ago. Purchased new in 1995.


I believe it is one of those things that depends on the design of the fridge. But, the T stat in a fridge is located in the fridge compartment.. Fridge compartment gets too cold (below normal fridge temps of 34-38F) and the T stat will not call for cooling and stuff in the freezer now can partially to fully thaw out leaving you a mess to deal with at the least.. At the worst, thawed food in the freezer going bad and then refreezing without your knowledge..

Now for a beer fridge in your garage, no big deal, no harm, no foul, food items that are perishable, not so much of a good idea.


Good point. Not a refrigeration specialist, but makes sense.
Although the “beer fridge” frequently has food in it and the freezer always does.
Just never been a problem. Maybe “newer” fridges are less tolerant of low temperatures?
The one I had was about a 1996 model plain white 2 door whatever. And the one that replaced it a couple years ago is basically the same , except for a big huge dent in it and a bent hinge and probably no more than maybe 15 years old!
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

ScottG
Nomad
Nomad
When it gets down to 40, or roughly the temp set point of the fridge area, the fridge wont run enough to keep stuff in the freezer section frozen.
I don't think the fridge "shuts down" but it has no reason to run at those temperatures.

RCMAN46
Explorer
Explorer
" But, the T stat in a fridge is located in the fridge compartment.. "

It very possible there is also a thermoset in the compressor area.

Dutch_12078
Explorer
Explorer
I did block the lower fridge vents when I installed our residential fridge, but added no additional insulation. We've seen little difference in the fridge/freezer temps with outside temps ranging from the 90's down to -4 F.
Dutch
2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A
F53 chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS
Bigfoot Automatic Leveling System
2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump
ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/Blue Ox baseplate

Gdetrailer
Explorer III
Explorer III
Grit dog wrote:
TenOC wrote:
However, I read someplace or someone told me that the compressor on a residential refrigerator will shut off at temperatures below 40°. Does anyone know if this is true?


You read or heard wrong. Used the same fridge in the shop in multiple homes/locations from Phoenix AZ to 8500' in the Rockies. Year round 120deg down to stints well below freezing (not below zero, but consistently below freezing for extended periods).
It kicked the bucket 2 years ago. Purchased new in 1995.


I believe it is one of those things that depends on the design of the fridge. But, the T stat in a fridge is located in the fridge compartment.. Fridge compartment gets too cold (below normal fridge temps of 34-38F) and the T stat will not call for cooling and stuff in the freezer now can partially to fully thaw out leaving you a mess to deal with at the least.. At the worst, thawed food in the freezer going bad and then refreezing without your knowledge..

Now for a beer fridge in your garage, no big deal, no harm, no foul, food items that are perishable, not so much of a good idea.

RCMAN46
Explorer
Explorer
I had a friend that had a residential refrigerator on a patio in Idaho in November. When he got home he found everything in the freezer had melted and ruined several pounds of prime beef steaks. He was told by the refrigerator manufacturer the fridge does shut down when the temperature goes below about 40.

Grit_dog
Nomad III
Nomad III
TenOC wrote:
However, I read someplace or someone told me that the compressor on a residential refrigerator will shut off at temperatures below 40°. Does anyone know if this is true?


You read or heard wrong. Used the same fridge in the shop in multiple homes/locations from Phoenix AZ to 8500' in the Rockies. Year round 120deg down to stints well below freezing (not below zero, but consistently below freezing for extended periods).
It kicked the bucket 2 years ago. Purchased new in 1995.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Gdetrailer
Explorer III
Explorer III
X2 on noy only close off the vents but add insulation.

Vents to the outside are not needed for residential fridges and in cold weather exposes them to the cold outside air which can play havoc with how the fridge T stat senses the need for cooling.

valhalla360
Nomad
Nomad
Where are you?

In northern Florida where mid 20's is very cold, just blocking off the vents is likely quite viable.

In Minnesota, where mid -20's is very cold, it may not be enough...of course, you probably don't want to winter there in an RV anyway.
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV