Many people complain that their fridges stop functioning on electricity which can lead to insufficient cooling and spoilage of stored food. These appliances use the AC/DC depending upon the electricity source of your RV. Moreover, you can also use propane gas tanks to run them instead of electricity.
Why is My RV Fridge Not Working on Electric? RV fridge not working on electricity can be due to faulty or broken outlets, weak RV batteries, damaged control boards, broken switches, poor leveling, tripped circuit breakers, blown-out fuses, issues with the shore power connection, and broken wires.
Sometimes, RV fridges stop cooling properly because of faulty sensors, thermistors, and poor air circulation from the vents.
| Reasons | Solutions |
| Faulty and broken outlets | Replace the broken outlets and keep them clean |
| Weak batteries of RV | Use propane gas and shore powers |
| Faulty Control board | Check the control board with a multimeter |
| Broken switch | Replace the broken switches |
| RV is not leveled | Park RVs on the leveled ground surface |
| Tripped circuit breaker and fuses | Reset circuit breakers and replace the fuse |
| Resetting issue | Reset the fridge with a reset button |
| The issue with the shore power connection | Use fridges that run on AC and DC |
| Broken wires | Replace faulty fridge wiring with a new one |
| Electric load of other appliances | Avoid using the same outlets for electric appliances |
Faulty and broken outlets
RVs contain outlets in different areas so that you can plug in electric appliances in them. You can also put the RV fridge switch in them if they run on an electricity source instead of propane gas.
Refrigerators do not function properly because of the faulty outlets. The outlets’ broken and poorly connected wires do not provide sufficient current.
Outlets also become faulty when moisture enters their electric wiring, and it can also lead to electric shocks.
In addition, broken outlets do not provide sufficient current for the functioning of different appliances. These can break easily when you forcefully insert the larger switches in them.
It is better to replace the broken outlets with new ones so it cannot cause hindrance in current flow. Check the outlet voltage supply using a multimeter to ensure a good connection of wires.
Weak batteries of RV
You can also use the battery as the power source to run the RV fridge. These are not reliable options because they only last about 7 to 8 hours.
You can use the 12V battery to supply electricity to these items. Sometimes these do not produce sufficient cooling because of the low-voltage RV batteries.
In addition, these also stop functioning after 7 to 8 hours because batteries become weak and cannot supply sufficient power.
Refrigerators stop functioning because of poor connection between them and batteries. It is necessary to keep the backup power source ready to prevent your food from spoilage.
Use the propane gas tank and shower power outlets to turn them on.
Faulty Control board
The control board is an integral part of the fridges and contains different electric components. It includes a diode, conductors, semi-conductors, and resistors.
These components allow the current flow for the functioning of different parts of refrigerators, like compressors, motors, and fans.
These appliances stop functioning on electricity when the control board and heating elements become faulty. These become faulty because of their age and defective components.
Malfunctioning in the control boards occurs when a surge of electric current moves through them and causes overheating of their components.
I also see the defrosting issue and smell from my RV fridge because of the malfunctioned control board that does not keep the interior cool.
Locate the control board using the owner manual, which differs according to the model and brand. Turn off the power supply and use the multimeter to check the voltage and electric continuity between their parts.
Broken switch
My RV fridge stopped functioning on electricity because of their broken switches. The broken switches cannot take the power from the outlets properly.
Insufficient power supply because of the poor connection between the outlets and switches leads to cooling issues and food smell.
Switches are made of plastic material, which can break because of their age and flexible material. In addition, short circuit and heat from the outlet lead to these plastic switches’ melting.
These do not connect properly with outlets because of corrosion and dust. Remove the old switches and install the new ones to avoid resistance in the current flow.
Keep the outlets clean so switches and properly connect with electric connectors.
RV is not leveled
RV fridges use coolant to cool the interior, a mixture of hydrogen gas, water, and ammonia. Electric connections heat the solution and allow their movement into electric coils for cooling.
Refrigerators stop functioning when the level of this antifreeze solution is less, and it cannot move through the coils of the refrigerators.
You can face the problem when RVs are not parked on a leveled surface. The solution cannot reach the coils properly and maintain the temperature because of uneven ground surfaces.
I always prefer to park my trailers on a leveled ground surface so it cannot affect the functioning of different components.
Tripped circuit breaker and fuses
Fridges contain separate and share circuit breakers to prevent power surges. The buttons of the circuit breakers come down when they detect unusual changes in current flow.
In addition, the issue comes when using shared circuit breakers instead of separate ones. Other appliances draw excessive current and lead to tripping of breakers.
Refrigerators also contain a fuse to protect them from power surges-related damages. Fuses can blow out, and these appliances cannot get sufficient electricity.
It is necessary to check and reset the circuit breakers to resolve the problem. Fuses are present in the control board, and you can replace them by shutting off the power supply.
Resetting issue
The RV fridge contains the reset button in the middle of the back panel and near the upper shelf. The location of the reset button varies according to different models and brands.
Resetting allows you to restore the original factory setting of your refrigerators. Sometimes this starts to function when you place them in high-temperature areas.
Configuration errors also cause malfunctioning, and these do not produce cooling. You can press these buttons to reset the system, and the light starts to blink after the resetting procedure.
Moreover, you can also reset them manually by removing the switches from the power outlets and then starting them again after a few minutes.
The issue with the shore power connection
Shore power connections are located in the RV parking area and campsites to recharge the batteries. These supply the AC source to recharge the batteries and power banks.
In addition, you can also run your electric appliances by connecting your RVs with shore power connections. Refrigerators use the AC source from these shore powers to maintain the cooling.
Sometimes they do not function because of the issue with the shore power connection. The issue also comes when your appliances run on DC and are not compatible with shore powers.
You can face the problem when your RV is not properly plugged into shore power connections. Ensure a tight connection between them so they can supply electric current properly.
I prefer to use refrigerators in my RV that run on AC and DC sources.
Broken wires
RV fridges are not working when wires that supply current from the outlets to these appliances are broken. The issue also comes because of short-circuited wires that cause hindrance in the flow of electric current.
Wires can break because of their age and poor handling of appliances. The wiring issue also comes when their protective coating is damaged because of overheating and power surges.
It is better to check the electric wiring using a multimeter and replace the broken ones with new ones.
Electric load of other appliances
Refrigerators in my trailer run on an electricity supply, but suddenly, these stop functioning, and their cooling decreases. The cooling of these appliances decreases when there is not sufficient power supply.
Power supply issues also come when you use the same outlets for multiple devices. The shared outlets do not provide enough current to the fridges to keep their interior cool.
These do not maintain the interior temperature because of insufficient coolant movement between their coils.
You can also face this when you are using high-current drawing items like air conditioners and ovens at the same time.
Avoid using the same outlets for high-current drawing appliances like refrigerators and air conditioners.
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