A well-functioning RV refrigerator is one of the most critical appliances in your home on wheels. Without it, it would be impossible to carry enough fresh food and cold beverages for long trips on the open road. But while many RVs house residential fridges, you can also buy specialty RV refrigerators with more powerful cooling capacity and more food storage space.

Unlike compressor-style refrigerators, absorption refrigerators don't use electricity to cool — they burn propane to create the necessary heat to boil and absorb the refrigerant mixture. This process isn't efficient in hot temperatures and at higher altitudes, so these fridges tend to work harder when it's warm out or if they're full of food that needs to be refrigerated quickly.

To maximize your RV fridge's efficiency, make sure to let food and drinks fully cool before putting them in the fridge and leave plenty of space between each item inside so air can circulate more easily. It also helps to have a refrigerator fan installed, which can help to cool the fridge up to 50% faster and keep temperatures more stable on the shelves.

Another important factor is making sure your RV is properly level when parked. This is because your RV refrigerator depends on gravity to function — and if it's not level, the magic gas absorption process can start to leak (and you don't want to see that happen!). Also, be on the lookout for the smell of ammonia or yellow residue (sulfuric acid), which can indicate a leak.    rv refrigeration