Level Check

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by Do26

I check the wife. If she is happy, we are happy. Seriously, it means the head end of the bed is slightly up for her comfort, and the front of the unit slightly down so the fridge door does not swing open when not held open.

The fridge itself does not care as it would take a big out of level, one no one would tolerate, to make the fridge unhappy.

I can also do this with a level app, as I zero the app with one inch down in front, and one inch down on the right.

This position also has the roof runoff not where we sit or walk outside, which was advise I got from my FIL.

Once we started using electric stabilizers, I had to adjust my offset in the level app to account for the lift when the stabilizers set.

Both Dometic and Norcold state in the operating instructions, max. out of level is 3 deg side-to-side, 6 deg front-to-back; as looking at the frig doors. When one calculates that out to the length/width of their RV it closely resembles the old rule-of-thumb: "if you are comfortable living/sleeping in your RV, the frig is probably within limits".

[EdInArk]

Originally Posted by hilgert

I calibrated the automatic levelers using a 2' level. I check this every so often, and the automatic levelers do a great job at repeatability.

I also have a small cheap bubble level on the front console, and from experience I can get pretty close at knowing how much to block up front/back and side/side. I pull into a spot to the point where I want to end up, check the bubble level, pull up a few feet, set the blocks (based on experience with the bubble level), and back in again. I then use the automatic levelers to finish the job.

I do occasionally use the 2' level if spots seem severely off front/back, side/side, so I can pick the best landing spot.

To the OP's question, the best place is the floor. Countertops may or may not be level, but they should always be flat (and flat is different from level), but floors are almost always not flat (small variations are hard to avoid). In this case the longer the level the better...a 2' level is a good choice. Shorter/small levels (bubble, phone level apps, etc.) will suffer more from variations than larger/longer levels.

I've decided our automatic levelers are insane.

It's not unusual for it to raise one end then raise the other end off the ground. I can do it manually, and still have all four wheels down. I've calibrated per instructions, but even so they always jack the thing around like a carnival ride and wind up a couple of inches higher than it does when I do it. It'll raise one side or end, raise the other, lower the first one, then raise it.

We do what you do. We check with a level and know from experience if we need blocks. If we do we pull forward, place blocks, drive up on them, and use the hydraulics manually to go from there. It takes maybe a minute more to do it that way than push the "automatic" button and hang on

[CharlesinGA]

Originally Posted by Loggenrock

Per the folks from Dometic at FMCA rally - fridge can operate safely up to 3 degrees out of level from front to rear of coach (assuming side-mounted fridge) and 6 degrees side-to-side of coach.

I suspect you may have this backwards. The mfg has no way of knowing which way the fridge will be mounted, so the only thing they can specify is front to back of the fridge (as you face it) or side to side of the fridge (as you face it)

Copying from the Norcold 61X/81X manual for the model in my View..........

CAUTION: The refrigerator is made to operate within 3°
off level side-to-side and 6° off level front-to-back (as
looking at the front of the refrigerator). Operating it at
more than these limits can cause damage to the cooling
system and create a risk of personal injury or property
damage. Make sure the vehicle is level before you
operate the refrigerator.

In my View, where the fridge is (like the majority of RV's) mounted side facing, then its 3° of the vehicle for and aft and 6° of the vehicle side to side.

Don't sound like much, but even 3 degrees is alot.

In the Dometic RM2620 manual for a two door 7 cf model, billed as a popular replacement model for any brand, the manual has this to say about leveling....

Any time the vehicle is parked for several hours with the
refrigerator operating, the vehicle should be leveled to
prevent this loss of cooling. The vehicle needs to be
leveled only so it is comfortable to live in (no noticeable
sloping of floor or walls).
When the vehicle is moving, the leveling is not critical,
as the rolling and pitching motion of the vehicle will pass
to either side of level - keeping the liquid ammonia from
accumulating in the evaporator tubing.

Charles

[Loggenrock]

hey Charles... that's what I said... those are my words, not Dometics. Which is why I wrote it the way I did... ST

[Cjfish33]

I have an app on my iPhone that levels front to back and side to side and I simply place on the floor between our seats and I know immediately if I’m level.
Works perfectly. I have checked different locations and its accurate .

[luvlabs]

Originally Posted by stshooter

Got this electronic level works though your smart phone after a small box is mounted in the camper, slick fast way to level a Class C, bought it on Amazon

https://www.logicbluetech.com/

These things are great. I just added one to my Navion and used it this past weekend. My site, which looked and felt perfectly level, was 3.5" low towards the front of the RV. A few blocks later and we were perfectly level. The best gadget I have seen.

[stshooter]

Originally Posted by luvlabs

These things are great. I just added one to my Navion and used it this past weekend. My site, which looked and felt perfectly level, was 3.5" low towards the front of the RV. A few blocks later and we were perfectly level. The best gadget I have seen.

I agree, it is really a time saver when leveling tells exactly how far each corner is off of level right on the phone ap

[seniorgear]

We put a 2way bubble level in the fridge. Then we used the shower door as a check. If we are close enough, the door will stay open without swinging closed

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by CharlesinGA

Copying from the Norcold 61X/81X manual for the model in my View..........

CAUTION: The refrigerator is made to operate within 3°
off level side-to-side and 6° off level front-to-back (as
looking at the front of the refrigerator). Operating it at
more than these limits can cause damage to the cooling
system and create a risk of personal injury or property
damage. Make sure the vehicle is level before you
operate the refrigerator.

If our coach is that far out it will not be able to be leveled.

[tk369]

i use an app called Truma. it’s a freebie. you input wheelbase and width between wheels once. then place it on the floor in the middle of your RV. a beach ball will flow to the low spot showing you where you need lifting. effortless.

[stshooter]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh_5Nwu9T8E

[smittysrv]

Originally Posted by stshooter

That's cool! I never thought about using the bathroom door to check leveling.