flyboyprowler Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 During a recent 36 hour crossing to Bilbao, our MH was parked in the bows of the ship, on a 10 degree slope, and on reaching Bilbao, the fridge would not fire up, and didn't work during the trip south, and was then put into storage. It has since been level for a long time, and through the help of (and a bill from) the local engineer, it was finally fired up on gas, and appears to be working again. I have been in touch with Brittany who are denying any responsibility, although they admit that the slope was 10 degrees, they say that they haven't had any other complaints! Can anyone refer me to anywhere where it gives definitive advice on parking on a slope. Our fridge is 5 years old, and up to this incident has always worked perfectly. I would also advise anyone travelling on Brittany, if offered this parking position, to politely refuse, which I certainly will in the future. Ainsley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 To the best of my knowledge there are no warnings from fridge or motorhome manufacturers that merely parking on a steepish slope might result in a fridge malfunctioning subsequently. It’s well known that older motorhomes/caravans needed to be carefully levelled to ensure that their 3-way absorption fridges functioned properly, and even the latest 3-way absorption fridges have a limit to their ‘tilt tolerance’ (10 degrees of tilt would be too much). But that’s when the fridge is switched on and running, which I assume was not the case during your Portsmouth to Bilbao crossing. I’m tempted to think the fridge having been tilted and then not working was coincidental, but you really need to ask Dometic’s opinion as to whether your switched-off fridge just being tilted 10 degrees for 36 hours could produce a malfunction. (As a local engineer was able to address the fault successfully, presumably the cause of the problem was identified, allowing it to be corrected. If that was so, what did the engineer do to get the fridge working again?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 Agree, probably just coincidence. What did the engineer do to it to light it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyboyprowler Posted March 1, 2017 Author Share Posted March 1, 2017 Initially, they tried to start the fridge on 240v, and that didn't' work, although the pipes at the back did heat up. The Dometic engineer advised to start it on gas and that seems to have worked. I have also spoken to an engineer here and he also feels that it was coincidence that the fridge stopped working after the ferry trip. He did say that a good battery is needed, and mine was new a year ago. Also, he did say that the fridge "should" work on a slope, but probably wouldn't start if on a steep slope. So it looks like this failure will remain a mystery! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverback Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 mine is parked at home on the sloping drive, i would say approx 10 degrees maybe slightly more, never had a problem yet...touch wood !! may be just a coincidence Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spireite Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 Our drive is a heck of a slope and the fridge won't start when the MH is parked there. As soon as we move down to the flat road the fridge/freezer fires up on gas and/or electric. Probably a coincidence as said earlier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 If the fridge wasn't in operating mode, I can't see a 10 degree incline would have any subsequent adverse effect. If it was operating (perhaps 240v EHU as sometimes provided on some ferries, I understand), then if the boat deck inclination was in the same direction as the back face of the fridge, it is possible this may have affected the circulation of refrigerant. Just a thought !!! Best to ask Dometic, as Derek suggests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monique.hubrechtsgm Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 It is a well known problem. It can also decrease the life time of the fridge during stand stills in slope. Use blocks or your leveling foots. This info comes from Norwegian users. It is even used by foot sellers that it will increase the longevity as a selling argument. Dometic should be aware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 While compressor fridges work on a slope others do not. I know because my drive is on a slope and running on gas or even 240v does not work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 monique.hubrechts@gm - 2017-03-03 5:58 PM It is a well known problem.......Dometic should be aware. There does not seem to be anything on-line to suggest that parking a leisure-vehicle (motorhome or caravan) on a slope when a Dometic fridge is NOT being run will cause problems with the fridge. There is nothing in the Dometic fridge user-instructions about this, and I’ve never heard of it or read about it in motorhome magazines. There are plenty of on-line warnings about problems arising when RUNNING a Dometic fridge when the vehicle it is in is steeply tilted. Dometic’s user-instructions advise that their fridges have only a certain amount of tilt-tolerance and that it is best to level them. Most people are aware of this and it’s been widely publicised as in this extract from a 2009 Caravan Club document "Most older refrigerators (built prior to about1986) should be levelled before use. The evaporator shelf in the freezer compartment is the best place to do this, either with a spirit level or a cup of water. More modern refrigerators are ‘tilt tolerant’ (all Thetford models to 3 degrees, and Dometic (Electrolux) to 6 degrees) so the need to level is not as critical.” But that’s not the same as just parking the leisure-vehicle on a steep slope with the fridge SWITCHED OFF. I’m not in a position to contradict your comment that Norwegian users of Dometic fridges (and Dometic themselves) are aware that ‘non-running’ Dometic fridges should be levelled when a motorhome/caravan is parked. It is easy enough to envisage that the scenario Ainsley described - where his Dometic fridge was tilted 10 degrees for 36 hours while his motorhome was on parked on a swaying, vibrating ferry car-deck - MIGHT have a harmful effect on the appliance. But Ainsley’s experience must be considered fairly uncommon and plenty of people park their motorhomes/caravans on slopes for extended periods apparently with no ill effect on the fridge. If the comments by Norwegian users are accessible on-line, could you provide links to them, please? If the Norwegian comments are just based on hearsay or guesswork I’m reluctant to place any credence in them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monique.hubrechtsgm Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 Sorry has nothing to do whit the tilt above. A working fridge is making overtime when not at level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 I am not sure about the actual angle but my now 20 yr old van has spent the last 11 yrs parked with about a 9 inch drop between the axles fore and aft. The Dometic fridge seems to have no objections. At sea there would be constant movement keeping the fairly complex refrigerant well mixed. I think the problem starting was more likely poor electrical contacts that eventually remade themselves when disturbed when the unit was worked on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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