How much is too much?

[AlmostThere]

I hear about RV fridges not working if the rig isn't level.
My question is has anyone ever been parked on a incline and had this happen?
If so, how steep of an incline are we talking?

[Bethers]

For most people, the incline would be a big one. I attended a seminar by an rv maintenance company and they had the workings of a fridge there and showed what "unlevel" meant. If you took the fridge and angled it - wouldn't have to do it too much. But to get it to that same angle by the rig being on an incline took a lot of doing. And it only mattered one way (back to front) as that's the way the coils ran). I've never had mine quit working due to being on unlevel ground and I've been in some pretty unlevel positions. If you look at the coils, you have to be off enough that the freon (or whatever is in ours) can't run through them. I'm sure I'm not giving this the right technical terms, but it was pretty easy to see how much off I'd have to be if you'd been there '

That said, Sue (colliemom) says that hers does quit working on ground not very unlevel. First person I know who has that problem.

[AlmostThere]

Thanks, Beth.

[Irmi]

What Beth said. I've never had a problem.

[BirdbyBird]

What I have been told is that if you can comfortably walk around in your rig and not lurch sideways and if you are not rolling out of bed......you are probably level enough. Seems that our need for "level" ground is more sensitive than the frig

[Bethers]

What I have been told is that if you can comfortably walk around in your rig and not lurch sideways and if you are not rolling out of bed......you are probably level enough. Seems that our need for "level" ground is more sensitive than the frig

So much more simply said - and more fun, too. And right at the same time.

[JudyJB]

I have not had much experience camping, but the few times I have gone, the places for RVs seemed fairly level. When i went motorhoming with my son this summer for a week, we never worried about it. Never even checked the level. The frig worked OK, although it may have suffered from too many people opening and closing it.

BUT, when I am out shopping for a motorhome, everyone is telling me I need automatic levelers. Are they just trying to sell me something?

Am I going to need levelers on a regular campground that has asphalt pads?? What about national and state parks--in regular campgrounds with gravel or sand places for RVs??

I hate to spend a couple thousand dollars for nothing, but i want an operating referator, also.

Thanks

[BirdbyBird]

Judy not all state parks are created equal. I have a smaller class C unit and carry my orange square leveling blocks with me. Sometimes I need to use them sometimes not. It doesn't take too much of a slant to make you want to use levelers. It would be easier to push a button and have the magic of automatic levelers do the trick for me but..... for the price and the size of my rig I don't need them. For the smaller rigs the orange blocks really aren't that hard to use and it doesn't take long at all. It is a learned skill.

Automatic levelers are another one of those items that can go wrong and need to be fixed. For many, especially those with larger rigs, they really depend on them.

[Bethers]

In my reply to your other post, I mentioned the "musts" and "wants". Automatic levelers would be a want - but never a deal breaker for me. I don't have them now and leveling is never difficult. And the automatic levelers don't always do well if you're way off. Saw one camper using their automatic levelers to get level to the point the tires were off the ground. They aren't meant to do that, either. Well, at least not in most rigs. The orange levelers like Tina uses - that's what I use when I need to also. For some, they want all those things. Like Tina, I look at them as something else to go wrong. Right now I'd have rather had a manual step - as my electric step has problems and I'm not going to pay the big bucks to fix it. My aerobic step is working just fine, thank you Unfortunately, what I must have or want, is not going to be the same as what you must have or want - etc etc - so weigh things in your maind and keep asking. And I only get out the orange levelers to use if my rig is enough off level to bother me or if I'll be there long enough that I figure I might as well have it perfect. And there are places with cement pads or blacktop that aren't level, and others with gravel that is. You never know till you pull in. Sometimes I can simply move over to another location on the pad and get level.

[Sandersmr]

I know this is an older thread but wanted to chime in as well. Another thing to consider about leveling the RVs is that other systems other than just the refrigerator work better when the trailer is level. The shower for one - you don't want water running all over the trailer because your shower isn't level and water isn't staying in the tub. I happen to have a wall-mount a/c. I want my trailer either level or angled just slightly to the drivers side so that condensation runs outside and not down the wall. The microwave if you have the rotating plate (and who doesn't these days?). Gutters outside that direct the water off the trailer and away - the won't work as well if you are all akilter. Plus, like someone else said, you want to be able to move around the trailer comfortably.

[Bethers]

I have not had much experience camping, but the few times I have gone, the places for RVs seemed fairly level. When i went motorhoming with my son this summer for a week, we never worried about it. Never even checked the level. The frig worked OK, although it may have suffered from too many people opening and closing it.

BUT, when I am out shopping for a motorhome, everyone is telling me I need automatic levelers. Are they just trying to sell me something?

Am I going to need levelers on a regular campground that has asphalt pads?? What about national and state parks--in regular campgrounds with gravel or sand places for RVs??

I hate to spend a couple thousand dollars for nothing, but i want an operating referator, also.

Thanks

I'm sitting not level where I am right now - and my fridge works just fine. That said, I never let myself sit unlevel to the point where I feel uncomfortable. I do not have automatic levelers and would only get them if I happened to get a really good deal on a rig that had them. I have the orange levelers you put under tires and they've served me just fine for 7 years now. And, yes, you'll sometimes have to level even on the asphalt pads. Usually it's not a big deal. And the fridge talk is highly overrated - that's not why most of them quit working. You'd be uncomfortable in your rig if the fridge was enough off level to have a problem.

[Acadianmom]

I feel like Beth and Tina, automatic levelers would be nice but something else to not work. I think the longer motorhomes might need them but mine is only 23'. I have been in some campgrounds with cement pads that weren't level. Makes me wonder what were they thinking. Go to the expense to put cement pads and not level them. Some with gravel will be fine and sometimes you can move a little side to side or front to back to get level. I have a round level in my freezer and if the bubble is half way in the center I think it's good. With a little experience you can see what it's going to take. My DH had someone cut some 2"x8"s about 18" long for me. Only RVer's would think that's a good present.

Martha

[Bethers]

Martha, I started out with boards cut for me. Loved them - but when I discovered the orange ones were so much lighter weight and could stack - well, what can I say - those boards hit the dust hahaha - Actually I think I still have one or two.

[Gentleladybear]

If I can lay down in bed and not fall out, I am level enough. If I fall out of bed, I go out and adjust.

Nan

[Colliemom]

My fridge works fine on every trip I have been on so far. But I did have an experience at one campsite in Otsego, where it did not. And I put my usual 2 inch thick board down under my wheels on the one side. Should have used two. But since I was close to home, I just ran back here and got my cooler and put the stuff in there for the couple of days i was camping. I noticed later as I was making my morning rounds that the rig on the site I had been using, had to put about 2 6 inch thick blocks under his wheel, so that site is way off level.