"How to use your propane camp fridge and prevent injury or worse"

Hi all

Wonderfully hot summer to spend a few days cooling off at our beautiful Green Lake fishing camps? Before you go up you should know more about this.....

Over the years we've issues with fridges,  and this past week the unit at camp 2 finally gave up. After much effort trying to relight the poor thing, an unceremonious retirement of this unit to the porch was authorized. This fridge along with the one in camp 1 was probably 60-70 years of age. Not too bad!

Of course, things never break down when the camp is unoccupied. So unfortunately it was during a heavy heat wave and this cabin along with the rest of the cabins in camp were full of summer users.

We are actively looking for a second hand or new fridge to install prior to fall closure. Before this however the set up is currently as follows. The small fridge (6 or 8 cu ft) was moved from camp 4 to camp 2 and the even smaller bar fridge reinstalled in camp 4. Camp’s 1 and 3 still have their respective units. At this writing the rumor is that camp 3 fridge is running a little erratically as well. This could be the door gasket which should be repaired early next week.

If you make any plans for a visit, please keep the following in mind for stays longer than a few days.

1- The use of extra coolers, even a visit back down to l’Ascension to renew supplies and ice at the Omni grocery store.
2- A cooler full of blocks of ice (available at the grocery store in l’Ascension or elsewhere) for beer and drinks isn’t a bad idea if you have space in your vehicle.
3- Avoid loading the fridge with your items unless the unit is totally cooled down.

What we are suggesting by no 3 is generally to prevent ‘freeze up. Propane fridges take longer to bring inside fridge temperatures down so leaving your items in their coolers until a good hour after starting the fridge will result in a faster inside cooling transition. Once the freezer is freezing ice is normally a good indication the fridge can be loaded.

We are also please asking that you do not adjust any of the temperature controls in any of the fridges. Instead pay attention to keeping the doors of the fridges closed, particularly with higher summer temperatures. It takes about 30 seconds or less for the fridge to empty the chill inside the box when the door is left open.

The thermostat mechanism is then activated and the cooling will run on. If this happens several times in an hour the thermostat will continue to work and freeze-up is inevitable. Wrapping veggies and other delicate items in paper towels may prevent spoil and disappointment, but keeping the door closed is simple prevention.

Of even more importance.....what sometimes follows with an inexperienced visitor is they then tinker with the fridge thermostat thinking it is too cold. A propane burner tuned to low will then burn improperly and either goes out, causes soot in the exhaust, or both. The result of an inefficient burn, is improper cooling and a breakdown in the system. An improper burn in any propane unit, either a light, stove or fridge is dangerous and could result in asphyxiation.

That’s your summer fridge update. Keep cool!