Fridge on or off?

[Ocean Spirit]

As a winter buyer that hasn't managed to get out there yet, my fridge has remained off since purchase. Hopefully it will work but whats the general practise for the fridge when you are just commuting most of the time?
Do you use it for the trips and then have it turned off or would you be more likely to leave it on for the following weekend?
I realise it'll be subjective but I'd say once the first trip is nailed it's probably going to see use 3 weekends out of 7.
I left the one on in the hire van last year and had no issues with batteries nor did I notice fuel consumption dips over my new Cali.

 

[Sad]

Only use it when we need to, it cools down quickly enough...
No need to have on all the time if you don't need to...

 

[GrannyJen]

Once home the fridge is emptied, cleaned and switched off, lid left open.

Prior to departure for next trip, fridge is switched on 24 hours earlier with a couple of frozen water bottles put in it to chill it down quickly as often I will be taking frozen with me.

 

[Hotel California]

Seems it's time to start using your Cali for what it's made for ....
The fridge goes on a few hours before the food goes in , i plug the hook-up in and put the fridge on 4-5 while preparing the Cali for take-off .
Afther a few hours it's cold enough to load the food/drinks.
Usual on the return ride home i switch the fridge off a few hours before arriving home , unload it when home , leave the lid open to dry out and clean the fridge later....
common sense

 

[SimonB]

After cleaning it out after getting back from a trip as @hotel california says, we leave a tea towel or similar under the front edge just to allow it to ventilate and not grow mould whilst not in use.

 

[MattBW]

Yup when not in use, I too leave a teatowel to keep an air gap so it doesnt get smelly

 

[sapto]

+1 for towel

 

[Volkywagen]

Ive not really had chance to use mine either recently as ive been away, however when i do use it ill put it on 3 for a few hours while driving about to keep everything working, it can do it any harm.
Same with the heater, park up and leave it on 10 for an hour, blow the cobwebs off it and warm the interior of the van up some to prevent damp.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Seems it's time to start using your Cali for what it's made for ....

I totally agree...
But I may need you to have a word with my boss as I've had no joy yet.

 

[Nick H]

As a winter buyer that hasn't managed to get out there yet, my fridge has remained off since purchase. Hopefully it will work but whats the general practise for the fridge when you are just commuting most of the time?
Do you use it for the trips and then have it turned off or would you be more likely to leave it on for the following weekend?
I realise it'll be subjective but I'd say once the first trip is nailed it's probably going to see use 3 weekends out of 7.
I left the one on in the hire van last year and had no issues with batteries nor did I notice fuel consumption dips over my new Cali.

If it is a new vehicle, maybe it would be a good idea to use as much as possible of the gadgets to check they actually work while you still have a full warranty. Although I had a 3 year warranty, there were certain things that the dealers (and VW) consider to be "tuning" or "adjusting" which they are reluctant to fix if not reported within the first 6 months. Things such as rattles, screws falling out and bits dropping off -it depends on the dealer who VW seem to expect to use their discretion about what constitutes "adjustment" and what "faulty manufacture".

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Any downside to leaving the fridge on? We’re regularly away these days so want to leave a few essentials in there. Avoiding emptying and restocking each trip.
What do you do - leave it on or switch it off?

 

[andyinluton]

I wouldn't keep it on, it will be flattening the leisure batteries all the time & will have an affect on MPG as every time you drive you will be charging the batteries back up.

I keep a few essentials in ours all the time, bottles of water, beer, few cans of drinks. Nothing that maters if it warms up & then cools down a few times.

If I'm just going out for the day I will just switch it on. The T6.1 fridge seems to cool down a lot quicker than our old one. I can get ice on the back wall of the fridge half an hour from switch on.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Any downside to leaving the fridge on? We’re regularly away these days so want to leave a few essentials in there. Avoiding emptying and restocking each trip.
What do you do - leave it on or switch it off?

From a technical standpoint I see no reason why you shouldn't leave it on, assuming you're running the van around or keeping it trickle charged. I'd presume the full-timers keep their fridges on permanently without any issues.

Obviously the power drawn will be heavily dependent on the weather but if a 100Ah leisure battery might power the fridge for several days (let's say four for argument) that would imply an energy usage of very roughly 2 KWh per week. In money terms (if you were using home hookup electric) that's about 30p a week - although from an environmental angle I'm sure none of us would want to leave any appliance running long-term unnecessarily as it all adds up.

(For comparison, an A-rated domestic fridge-freezer would typically use about 1 to 1.5 KWh per week, or about half that for an A++ rated one.)

 

[Dodge1311]

From a technical standpoint I see no reason why you shouldn't leave it on, assuming you're running the van around or keeping it trickle charged. I'd presume the full-timers keep their fridges on permanently without any issues.

Obviously the power drawn will be heavily dependent on the weather but if a 100Ah leisure battery might power the fridge for several days (let's say four for argument) that would imply an energy usage of very roughly 2 KWh per week. In money terms (if you were using home hookup electric) that's about 30p a week - although from an environmental angle I'm sure none of us would want to leave any appliance running long-term unnecessarily as it all adds up.

(For comparison, an A-rated domestic fridge-freezer would typically use about 1 to 1.5 KWh per week, or about half that for an A++ rated one.)

mine has been on level 3 since I picked it up around 6 weeks ago, it was on level four for a few days but started freezing things so i turned it down. It has had never caused any problems so far, and the van gets used every other day or so for pottering about, and a biggish run at the weekends.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

I think the combination of driving/solar/EHU is keeping my batteries well charged. Camping display seems to always show >60 hours. Just wondered if it’s good practice to switch it off. Will probably leave it on in the summer months. Thanksall.

 

[vmaxkiddy]

Any downside to leaving the fridge on? We’re regularly away these days so want to leave a few essentials in there. Avoiding emptying and restocking each trip.
What do you do - leave it on or switch it off?

Apart from the occasional defrost I’ve had the van fridge running for 15 months.