Tips for using the 12V IsoTherm Fridge?

mntrails

Our 2021 T@B 320S has the 12V IsoTherm refrigerator.  I've been trying it in the driveway over the last week.  I've run it on both battery only and while plugged into shore power - runs the same which I'd expect as its essentially a 12V unit.  It cools down fine to 33 degrees at the highest setting.  I've found a spot at about 4.5 to 5 where it keeps the insides cool to around 38 - 40. 

What I've noticed though is that on hot days (we've recently had 85 and 89 degree sunny days), if the inside of the T@B gets hot, it can't keep up and the temperature inside refrigerator will rise up to as high as 55 degrees.  I'm concluding from this that you not only need to supply it power but its also essential to keep the T@B ventilated and reasonably cool if you have food inside the fridge.

So, my questions to people with more experience using the 12V IsoTherm are:
1) When you're driving down the road on a hot sunny day, does the refrigerator stay cold inside (say around 40 degrees if that's where you have it set)?
2) Do you do anything special to provide ventilation in the T@B while driving?  Crack a window, crack open the ceilin fan?
3) When stopped at a camp site, do you see challenges keeping the inside temp cold on a hot sunny day?  Or is the fact that you probably have all the windows open plus you have the cold of the food inside providing more of a cool thermal mass to help it stay cold?

I've read enough to know that its always a good idea to plug in to shore power and get it cool before traveling.  Is it also recommended to put some ice inside as well - for example a frozen plastic water bottle?

I'm really just curious what others see. With the observations from my driveway test, I plan to take a small cooler and some ice along on our first trip just in case. Thanks for any in-sights you can provide.

jkjenn

mntrails said:

Our 2021 T@B 320S has the 12V IsoTherm refrigerator.  I've been trying it in the driveway over the last week.  I've run it on both battery only and while plugged into shore power - runs the same which I'd expect as its essentially a 12V unit.  It cools down fine to 33 degrees at the highest setting.  I've found a spot at about 4.5 to 5 where it keeps the insides cool to around 38 - 40. 

What I've noticed though is that on hot days (we've recently had 85 and 89 degree sunny days), if the inside of the T@B gets hot, it can't keep up and the temperature inside refrigerator will rise up to as high as 55 degrees.  I'm concluding from this that you not only need to supply it power but its also essential to keep the T@B ventilated and reasonably cool if you have food inside the fridge.

So, my questions to people with more experience using the 12V IsoTherm are:
1) When you're driving down the road on a hot sunny day, does the refrigerator stay cold inside (say around 40 degrees if that's where you have it set)?
2) Do you do anything special to provide ventilation in the T@B while driving?  Crack a window, crack open the ceilin fan?
3) When stopped at a camp site, do you see challenges keeping the inside temp cold on a hot sunny day?  Or is the fact that you probably have all the windows open plus you have the cold of the food inside providing more of a cool thermal mass to help it stay cold?

I've read enough to know that its always a good idea to plug in to shore power and get it cool before traveling.  Is it also recommended to put some ice inside as well - for example a frozen plastic water bottle?

I'm really just curious what others see. With the observations from my driveway test, I plan to take a small cooler and some ice along on our first trip just in case. Thanks for any in-sights you can provide.

You shouldn't actually need to plug the Isotherm in longer than a couple of hours ahead and it shouldn't make a difference whether shore or battery.

It always makes a difference to pack with pre-chilled food, and it can help to pick up a small in fridge fan. An empty fridge is harder to keep cold.

Verna

Frozen bottles of water can help during the travel time, and the bottles of water can be consumed at the campsites. 

TNOutback

It’s not unexpected for refrigerators like these RV units to struggle in warmer weather; there is simply no place for it to dump the hot air if the ambient in the camper is already hot.  I get the same issue with my refrigerator in our uninsulated garage.  As mentioned above, before a trip, the refrigerator is already cooled, and only prechilled food goes inside.  We also take a Yeti-style cooler with us for additional space - and insurance.

mntrails

@jkjenn, can you please elaborate on what you mean by a ‘small in fridge fan’?  Thks!

jkjenn

mntrails said:

@jkjenn, can you please elaborate on what you mean by a ‘small in fridge fan’?  Thks!

if yoy search Amazon for, "RV fridge fan" yoy will find some small battery powered fans you can use. But, honestly, it should ve staying cool. How full is your fridge and was stocked with things that were already cool?

mntrails

Thank you all for the comments - I didn't know there were actually circulating fans for inside the refrigerator.  Right now my fridge is empty ... so I'll be planning on freezing some bottles of water and putting some other cold items in before heading out on my first trip.  Plus, I'll toss in a stand-alone cooler for insurance.  Thanks again, I really appreciate the voices of experience!

jkjenn

The big thing is keeping stuff in the fridge. It is harder to keep an empty fridge cool. It actually took me a while to figure that out when I bought my 2015 T@b. If nothing  else, I start with a couple of frozen Nalgene bottleS to help bring the temps down.