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WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT AN ICE COVERED MOTORHOME FRIDGE?
Q While on a one-month holiday in our 2022 coachbuilt last June, for the first three weeks we had no problem. The fridge was set at three bars and was working fine. However, in the fourth week, the fins became covered in ice and were really cold. I turned the fridge down, but the ice didn’t melt until we got home and turned it off.
We were on EHU except while driving, when the fridge automatically selected 12V. Did we do something wrong? Peter Henley
A Diamond Dave replies… Almost certainly not. There are several factors, mostly environmental, affecting fridge performance – ambient temperature is probably the main one, but humidity also plays a part.
It sounds as though you encountered higher humidity in the fourth week, which is what caused the ice build-up on the fins, which can easily get down to freezing temperatures. If the fridge continued to maintain a cold enough temperature, you don’t have a problem.
I would recommend getting a fridge and freezer thermometer, so you can be sure that it is operating in the right temperature range.
I recently bought one online for less than £20, which gives freezer, fridge and ambient temperatures, and maximum and minimum temperatures for all three.
DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO BUY AN EX-RENTAL MOTORHOME?
Q I’ve often come across mention of purchasing ex-rental motorhomes in your magazine, and I must admit that I’m tempted. Can you advise what we should look out for, please? Colin Burgess A Nick Harding replies… Good hire operators keep vehicles in tip-top condition, with servicing and repairs up-to-date. Typically, they’ll be up to three years old – check what you’re offered in terms of a warranty – and not necessarily high-mileage.
You might want to avoid models made specifically for the hire sector, which tend to have a lower specification. But if the deal is right, it’s a good way to go.
HOW CAN I SAFELY ACCESS MY LEISURE VEHICLE ROOF?
Q I get nervous climbing a ladder to clean the sides and roof of my ’van these days. What can I use to help me avoid risking life and limb?
David Frame
A Sarah Wakely replies… There a
