Jen, put the directions for the fountain where the cat can read them. You know like the highway dept does their deer crossing signs so the deer know where to cross the road. Eh? A camper is not meant to handle the wear and tear of continuous use like a house. Camper companies focus on light weight so it tows easier and innovation to entice buyers. At best it's for temporary occupancy, so they're just not that durable and things wear out. The wood stick that came out of the bottom of your front door is a structural part of the door to attach the flashing to. You might want to put it back inside the bottom of the door with a few screws through the door skin in a couple places to hold it in. Then reattach that aluminum flashing to deflect rain from getting in on the threshold. Use one of your screw driver bits to fit into a 1/4"/ 6.35mm or 5/16"/ 8mm socket for your small drive socket kit and use the ratchet to tighten screws between the door and the porch. Also try to ascertain if the door jamb is out of square, maybe you need to level the camper again to get the latch to work better. OK, Glad to see you doing it yourself, and learning. Best Regards, ben/ michigan
Green Acre Homestead had to repair their door exactly like that. It can be done and I'm pretty sure Gypsy can do it, she amazes me with everything she does. on yTube search: OUR CAMPER’S BIGGEST REPAIR - FULL DOOR REBUILD
My trailer door was doing the same thing. Come to find out the front left side has settled just enough to put a kind in the door. You are under attack and handling the issues like a Champ, 👍🤠🎯🙏💖
Funny, smart, resourceful, creative, brave, AND beautiful! You’re a good woman Jenna! Great job getting your fridge situation handled! Looks like the perfect solution for your space! Keep on keepin on girl! 🇺🇸🇨🇦👍🏻
My daughter uses that water fountain for her two cats. 😊 You may make it to the end of March for the wood supply. I wonder if the hinge screws on the door have loosened up especially since the bottom plate fell off 🤔
Something to keep in mind: On that refrigerator the exterior walls shed heat. If it is enclosed/built in, it can overheat. It must have open space around, above and behind it to work properly.
The part (condenser) that release the heat is on the back not on the exterior walls of a fridge. A fridge can be used stand-alone or enclosed in a cabine, it's done that way also in kitchens in regular homes. The space where the fridge is placed has vents on top from te previous fridge on propane, so no heat build up there. Grtz
@@BjornV78 The condenser isn't necessarily on the back. It can be anywhere. But this is easy to determine. It is in the wall(s) that is warm to the touch when the fridge is running.
Loved the cats!!!❤❤ Nice job on putting that refrigerator up yourself! Should be proud of yourself. Good luck with the door! The joys of owning your own home. It's endless repairs😂
@@gypsyjenna If need be you could get a plastic 2nd hand door and frame from a house, 6 L brackets on the frame to the van then 6 bolts going though the L brackets & van to a wooden frame inside the van then tidy it up with plastic trim & silicone sealant.... :):)
Just found your channel last week and have been binge watching. You are amazing and an inspiration. Love how you greet problems head on. Love the cats as well.
Hey, just a suggestion. You can put some plywood behind the thin wall to beef it up so you can give the screws something to bite to. It is called backing and it is done a lot in construction. Great video by the way!
My 112 year old house has pieces of plywood between the ceiling joists for the light fixtures to hang from rather than electrical boxes. I guess that's how they built them in the good old days! Oh yeah, knob & tube wiring, all the switches are on the return side of the wiring so the center of the lightbulb sockets are always HOT.
The $64,000 question: Do they make those propane RV fridges unreliable on purpose? Glad you went the electric route. Absolutely love the idea of a dedicated solar setup to power it.
They arent made to run full time so they generally are supposed to have time in between to clear themselves out when not in season. Thats one of the reasons why many replace almost anything that is "RV" related like heaters and a/c units includes that door too
I’ve just recently found your channel. I am very impressed with how you take these issues in stride as well as how you tackle them by yourself. Good job.
My cats were scared of the water fountain too, so I just use the stainless steel reservoir as a water dish and ditched the pump... Most expensive water bowl EVER! Hahaha
Make sure that you leave air space around the sides of the refrigerator as the condenser coils are in the sides and that is where the heat is dissipated.
You beat me to it, when I heard Jenna mention closing in the space around the fridge I thought DON'T that fridge gives off heat that needs to escape into the room. Good work though.
The ground is frozen and is heaving thus pushing on your frame of the camper. If you can lower or raise your camper just a tiny bit, usually takes the pressure off.... That's what the problem is for us with our camper..... doesn't mean that is what is happening with yours, but just sharing.
You are amazing, doing all this by yourself. You needed a handyman/handyperson to help you accomplish your goals. Being totally independent is never easy. I applaud your determination and grit. Living in a small travel trailer can't be easy. Not a can fan but I am a fan of your catio. It would have been a bit lighter and easier to lift the fridge with the doors off. Every few pounds/kilograms would be easier. Hope you get your door fixed. There is always something. I know personally. Having a new roof on my house done this week. What a mess! YOU'RE AWESOME!
HEy Jenna....great to see you have a new fridge that keeps the brews and Whiteclaws chilled! On the shelf...if you run 2 1x2 strips of wood behind the shelf vertically where the brackets attach, you can ditch the chain. Also onions keep longer and fresher when not in the fridge but a cool dry place. Always good to see your posts!
I have 2 squirrels still in my attic.. I’m so annoyed.. end of February - March they have babies.. I just set more traps one being a live small animal cage trap. I hope they don’t damage anything on your rv.. or chew a hole in the floor and build a nest..
You are amazing 🤩!!! I too live in an RV on my acre. Im transitioning to my shed 11x16 for next winter. Hopefully I can get it livable by myself. I love your new fridge, my pick for my bunkie for next year. Where theres a will theres a way. Im not as handy with propane and electrical as you but you give me incentive. Keep on keeping on, you are rocking it.❤
One of the greatest benefits when I add a small room on to my travel trailer was getting rid of the flimsy trailer door lol. Great video and excellent refrigerator install.
You certainly are quite handy , and I appreciate your outlook and attitude when things need repair . New fridge looks like just what you needed . I know you are happy to get that taken care of .
Get six 3/8" bolts with nuts and lock washers to hold the shelf bracket along with at least a piece of at least 1/2" plywood on the back side to make the wall thicker. You do good work Jenna. Thanks for sharing. Stay warm and safe and have a wonderful day.
Good work there Jenna-may I suggestion 1-on the little white shelf you installed, you could use a “backer plate” aka reinforcement (basically a piece of scrap mdf or plywood/left over 2x4 etc) to use as reinforcement for the shelf, and don’t use the wall anchors-instead use bolts and nuts to hold the brackets firmly in place. 2-when installing a fridge, it can be easier to leave the doors off then install the doors once the fridge is in place. 3-the door 🚪 yeah that will definitely have to be addressed to keep the cold out and minimize condensation inside the walls. Condensation can cause mold so definitely address the door and the outer shell/wall(s) that have gaps/air leaks etc. 4-the burnt wiring behind the fridge-you might need to replace that entire line/run of wire from where it starts to where it ends-burnt wiring means the fire retardant insulation is damaged and could start an electrical fire if the insulation is compromised. 5-your furry “free loader” (squirrel) get rid of him and all his furry buddies asap! They are very destructive and will cause lots of damage and problems! You can use a non lethal trap to catch it but relocate it several miles far away from your home. 6-the cat fountain ⛲️ it’s great for them on the cattio. 7-it is a good idea as suggested to ensure your camper is level and is secured to a good set of footings. That will prevent the walls and structure from flexing and bending. Good to see you are doing well and spring is on the horizon!
The more stuff you have in your fridge, the more efficient it is as it's just cooling the airspace. I keep stuff in mine that doesnt require cooling but it all helps in the winter when every watt is precious.
Definitely hook up solar to that power station, Jenna! The charge may not keep up with the draw, but it will definitely extend the time in between charging it externally. Good luck with the new fridge! 🤞🙂
For some odd reason I started comparing whether building a mini deep cycle battery solar system. To run the fridge only or just buying a solar generator would offer the most bang for the buck. But deep cycle battery amp hr life is very misleading. Since 35amp hrs deep cycle means going from full charge to dead. Something like 12.7 to 11.9V. Which will kill the battery quick. So if you actually need 35amp hours of power. You really need like 3 or 4x more AH. So you only drain the deep cycle battery down say 30% from full to get a reasonable amount of cycles. 🆚 solar lithium generator if you're going from 90% or 80% charge down to a 30% then recharging up to 80% 🆚 draining down to almost 0%....Lifepo4 get more cycle life if charged up to only 80% then drained to 30% & recharged back to 80% 🆚 going from 100% down to 10% or less. JEEZ....So much thought has to go into it. Just to get a somewhat close comparison.
Gotta hand it to ya for hanging in there and seeing it through. Who knows how many White Claws were rescued by your heroic action. Well done. ...and now the pesky door
Great work on the fridge. I did the same in my rig and it works great. Switching the door hardware is frustrating. I can put on 4 snow tires in my driveway in 30 minutes. Switching the door hardware took over an hour. Go figure!
Thats a nice frige Gypsy. I think it is a better choice for your use since that RV will never move again, keep an eye on the power. You may find adding a solar panel and batteries a very positive plus for you. Speaking of solar, I found an article that talked about solar... here is my version of the conversation. In a recent report about a study on Solar Panels, there has been some news that seems to break the normal installation rules, but when you think about it, makes sense. Solar panels are commonly set at an angle to the sun so the full flat plane will get maximum sun exposure. This gives the maximum amount of power to the solar system. A known fact. The solar panel material is generally a dark color which when the sun is baking on it, gets hot from the solar action. A natural action of electronics is when it gets hot, it produces less and less operation. In the case of solar panels, the power produced becomes less and less, it can be measured. In the study, solar panels were installed VERTICAL, side by side and wired into the system. They were faced in the normal Southern exposure to catch the suns rays. The result of this installation was good. The panels reflected the heat from the sun, the panels remained cool and the panels continued to produce max power to the system. For systems that need every amp they can produce, this is an advancement in the ability to store more power. For systems in the snow belt, a vertical installation eliminates snow build up and the loss of power from snow covering the panels. The study just broke and is worth a read as the information may be ground breaking.
All good points. In addition, in the winter snow reflects light up at the panels, providing even more power. In the summer cover the ground with white stones for the same effect. People are building solar fences and/or mounting panels on their south facing walls.
You are going to love that fridge. Two weeks ago I bought the exact same size for extra fridge space. It looks nice in that old fridge space. Great job Jenna! 😊
Good to see you got a new fridge and DIYed all that stuff yourself..wow..you are awesome to watch! Your concern for Mr Squirrel is cute..but the day of reckoning is coming all right.Lol.Ramsey is hilarious and cute he doesn't mind the snow! May you have no more door problems and your woodpile holds out! Bravo
Hi Jenna! I bet you already checked, but sometimes ice, snow or dirt builds up on the door jam. I have had to chisel mine a few times when my door gets finicky. Congrats on the new fridge! I hope it works out great for you! The kitty fountain will be hours of fun when things warm up! ☺💞
If you intend on keeping the pre existing vents from the propane fridge sealed and framing around the new fridge, it would be worth drilling a hole and putting a circular vent (similar to the furnace one below where you’d like your shelf) to allow air circulation to reach the compressor
You saved me so much time finding a refrigerator that fit my space and needs! I'm in a tiny home, on grid, and needed a solution. Fishing season is coming and I need a place to freeze my trout! I went to Home Depot in Moncton yesterday and picked one up. Thank you! Have a great day!
My Tuffy was afraid of her water fountain…my dog, however loves it! We have a mini fridge on the back deck that barely puts a bump on our solar…it’s a beer fridge, so it has to be cold!!!🍺
That’s great glad to see the new Fridge..It seems efficient enough.. Looks like you have about the same weather as I do here in Maine.. Not much snow for me so far, I only had my sled out twice this year.. Take care..🙂
Hi Jenna greetings from oakville Ontario thanks for the presentation and hopefully the fridge solution was solved , I have 4 cats all both inside and outside and they always love getting new toy, for the squirrel set a trap buy from Canadian tire or make your own
Jenna, Just know someone in S Florida admires your problem solving skills. 💜Our cat Harley hated the fountain never did get used to it, glad Ramsey is getting a kick out of it.
Nice video Jen. Always enjoy seeing how your life is going. Watching your videos is like visiting an old friend. Good job on the fridge. You are very resourceful.
Hope the fridge works out for you I put mine outside in winter uses less power well a bird built a nest in back of it now I have to wait till the babies are gone before I bring it back in lol ,Have a great day.
Jenna, I’m looking at the wood pile I predicted would vanish before end of winter. Hope it lasts, or at least gets you through the worst of it. Could you just move the nest to one side of the pile, then start taking wood from the top. Just getting out of the elements, that squirrel will be ok, as long as he gets food to eat. Remember, they were designed to live completely outside, they’re just like us, taking the past of least resistance, lol. Love the cats being included.
Great video! My fridge went out also. You inspire me to get a new one. Only problem is, they don’t ship to Bishop, CA. So I will have to order in Reno or Ridgecrest and go get it in a truck
Nice work you did there! I thought that the fridge cubby went all the way to the floor, that's why I thought that an 8 cu. ft. unit would fit in there. I suppose that the original furnace is at the bottom, our family gave up the trailer in 2007. It was one of those stupid "park model" trailers. I prefer the kind that you have. Mom had the trailer looking better than their home! Since it was at a campground they weren't allowed to stay all year. We used it for hunting and fishing in the off season.
This was an exceptionally good video. You covered several interesting things that actually do happen to us all. I am impressed with the new model fridge, it's always good to see what is the latest and best, if the need arises (which it HAS, currently on the dorm fridge thing) I will definitely look into that one. Smart moves on your cord and battery applications, the location, etc. If the cats get used to the waterer outside I bet you can bring it in for the next winter,. I can't wait to see the door repair! Thanks Jenna, another win for you
Nice to see you have a new fridge. 80 watts when compressor kicks in is quite low. I bet when it's up to temp, it'll use much less power. And hope the solar would put in more power than what the fridge is using during the day. Love Ramsey too.
I like the fridge with the glass door. You can see what you maybe looking for before you have to open it. I’m a big stickler about opening a fridge and standing there looking at it. 😠.
Remember to allow air circulation around the back of the frig. You might want to put blocks under the refrigerator feet to boost it up a little higher, so air can go under as well.. Oh for the Squirrel's home on the wood pile, maybe can pull out sticks of firewood here and there just under his abode and slowly and as evenly as possible lower his house. By the time he gets to where he isn't feeling as safe, he'll have to move and might not be so cold anymore. By then might be ready to move out, lol. Just some thoughts.
Hi Jenna 👋🏻 Hope you and the little ones 🐾are doing well, hope everything works out with the fridge 🤞🏻Stay safe and take care my friends 🙏🏻 God Bless Appreciate you!
Enjoying the content, im living in my camper, and only using a propane heater, i end up with lots of humidity and condensaiotion. I broke my solar panel, and im tring to get a diesel heater, yes ur trailer is moving, i have a level i check it. My door is doing what ur is. Ur going to have to search for a new one.
Forgive me if this has already been suggested.....you have 12 volts dc available from the old propane fridge. What if you connect a 12 volt dc outlet (similar to the one you installed in your bedroom) to the 12 volt wiring from the old fridge. That would provide a way to charge your power station from the batteries at the front of the RV. Most power stations can charge from 12 volts dc and also allow pass thru charging. Your propane use should go way down now that you've gone electric😀😀😀 Now that your fridge isn't using propane, maybe you won't have issues with your stove when it's cold out. Have a nice day. Spring will be here soon (it was 92f/33c here yesterday). Looks like kayaking and motorcycle weather for me this weekend.
Nice fridge like all the compartments on the door. When I had my cat he loved to sit in the bath tub and drink the water when I would leave it drip a little. The fountan is great.
I just bought the same fridge 3 months ago and it is working good. very low watts. Your house door problem is the hinge is wearing down. of course put screws in the bottom to hold the board up.
Hi Jenna glad to see you got new fridge you could put a shelf above it and talking about squirrels that are murder here they tear up seat cushions outside can't wait for warmer weather to get here so stay safe my dear always.
I got one of those ecoflow power stations with the 200 w solar panel. I used it while rain camping in new brunswick last summer...Searching for a piece of land... Shangrila Perhaps get a little thermometer for your fridge...
Cut 2 strips of plywood 1" wider than anchor holes and 1" longer on anchor holes use this for backing reinforcement it will beef up the flimsy panel for the powerstation good luck
IT is the springs there is two they get woren out with time located in the door latch 4 screws to get at them! they force the latch to work! Springs the caught into place! not the door problem! But you need to fixes your doors base plate first you need to use your orginal base plate and new larger screws to fix it back to normal! Then fix the real cause of your problem ,the springs in the door latch! Only then will the door work ! Cold weather weakens the springs tenstion over time! Capt Wilkus
You did exactly what i first thought you would do, with the chains helping support the shelf. Great job on all you did in today's video. You made a great decision on the refrigerator and saying goodbye to the propane. With the an extra solar panel, you will run that refrigerator/Freezer fine. Maybe if a string of cloudy days or in Winter, may have to use the generator to charge up. But an extra panel, if your power station can handle it, should solve that problem.You are an amazing woman Jenna. Always love your problem solving video's!
I'm so happy you made the switch to electric! I can have my root canal reversed now. It's worthy of mentioning that offgrid also means environmentally responsible and buying propane to refrigerate food is not especially practical especially in winter. :)
I had the same problem with my camper door,. What I did is replaced that board that you removed and ran a screw on each end and screwed the metal plate back on, Good as new. Good luck.
first thing i bought after the new fridge was a large tub of ice cream and a 12 pack of beer(mine has a can dispenser thing on the door). larger freezers gunna feel like youve went all high class after that small propane freezer lol
That was a lot of work! So much so that I had to take a nap between watching it the first time and second time (to see what I missed). You are definitely the tenacious one! I think you and Mr. Squirrel have a "Spirit" animal relationship going on. He was probably watching you using the cardboard to slide on in the snow and thinking to himself, "She's lost it now!". Poor Blue Crasher is now Gray/Blue Crasher with the road salt accent shading going on. I imagine that's a popular technique this time of year up there. Okay, Layla's begging for her morning walk so, I'll text more later! Rob and Layla.
Haha yes this time of year most people are sporting the white power look on their vehicles. Sorry my video made you fall asleep! 😴😴, haha jk. Enjoy your walk with Miss Layla!
I bought a fridge that size last month.... I keep the plastic on to help protect, but once the plastic gets old and finally take it off, it is like a new fridge again lol
Jen has a new fridge freezer...success, Rory has lost his fear of tge water thing, Mr. Squirrel has kept his home, but sadly Ramsey has lost his fountain of youth. Well done, you took it all in your stride! From the 🇬🇧
I'm happy to see your cat's got a water toy :) Lord I truly enjoy your vids. I was happy to see your getting a new fridge. I hope it works out for you. I worry when I see you having your beers. Your a big girl it's just me. I worry lol.. As for power I think you should get more Sola panels and add 4 or 6 batteries as a night or cloudy day backup. That's it be safe your a nice lady I truly hope things go well.
to help me try and understand what you are doing I've been listening to a lot of weeny rock and decided that you could have reinforced the inside of the cubby/cabinet, 1/4'' plywood is pretty strong especially if you spread the load on it, squirrel was probably getting a chuckle out of it as he/she just had to find a hole.
nice to see u back on the air. I would leave some air space around the new fridge. I see u have a new red car? The cats are great humour. Hope u have vids on more often. The door is probably due to settling or frost heave . Nice to have gold beer again.
Hi Jenna, something I found to get more water into my cats is that I mix their soft food with water and make it more like a slurry. And they seem to like it more cause it's soupy.
As far as your door not shutting, check your level on your camper ... if they lose their level the door will not shut properly. We have had that issue a few times, because we are not set on a gravel pad. That fridge looks fantastic. I am sure it will work well for you. Some good news for you, we did end up purchasing a diesel heater and it has been our primary heat source this winter. We don't have the room for a woodstove, because we don't have a slide out. It is working amazing, even though it did need to work extra hard on the really cold days (-20 or lower).
@@gypsyjenna Not really insulated well ... we don't have a roof, and about 3/4 of the trailer is sheathed with 1/2" foam board ... that's about it. There are days/nights when the heater does work harder. And we have a hose splitter from the middle of the trailer to the front and back. (our layout is similar to yours with the bedroom at the back and the kitchen and living room at the front).
Love the "belt and suspenders" approach on the shelf for the power station. Now, as long as the cats don't use it as a jumping off spot, you should be good!
Haha, I never thought about it. I think they have their wits about them with what they can and Can't stand on. They haven't jumped on the woodstove yet, 🤣😂
I found out my cat had crystals because of dry cat food. The vet had me just give wet food, like chicken, beef and turkey and only on occasion seafood wet food. Hasn't had any issues since.
You amaze me..is there anything you can't do?? I've learned so much from you..an luv the fridge..my mamas cat drinks water with his paws too..funny..always waiting for a new video from you..God bless an take care.
The door either needs to be rebuilt or replaced. The internal wood framing has either come loose at the joints or has rotted or both. The easy fix is to replace it but it can be rebuilt if the fiberglass skin is intact. You can fiddle with thinks to make it go a little longer but eventually it will crack around the latch and then it's done. My 94 is at that point, but since I don't use the rear door what I'm going to do is swap them around since they're the same size. Just take the hinge loose from the frame and voila! Might have to adjust the strikes for the latches. Come spring I'll either find another door or make one if I can't repair it. That fridge looks a lot like mine. No surprise as there's only a few appliance makers for the numerous brands With the top vent still in place you can fill in the sides and top with insulation, pool noodles, foam, pillows, or whatever to keep the drafts away as all the cooling stuff needing airflow is in the back where the roof vent is. You can cover the lower wall vent in winter (I taped plastic inside where you can't see it) but open that for better ventilation come summer. When I do get off-grid it's nice to know my fridge should work. A 'workaround' for attaching stuff to paneling if you can get behind it is to run a 1X4 or even a strip of heavy plywood across the span, then put your fasteners in. It doesn't really have to be attached otherwise, it will spread the load across the paneling and give you more 'meat' for brackets etc to screw into. Now the paneling won't flop or bow out from the load nor will the screws pull out. There's not a lot of wall structure with RV's which rather limits what you can attach to the walls. Good to see you having fun in the snow- gotta keep our 'inner child' alive so we don't grow old in spirit 😎
At 14:12 did anyone else think Ramsey had a set of joke front teeth in?😂😂😂 I laughed way too hard over that. 🙄
Hahaha too funny!
Put a bigger, flatter piece of wood behind the wall, and drill into that to mount brackets.....dissipates the weight...
Thank you for not killing or trapping the little squirrel. It just wants and needs a home.
Jen, put the directions for the fountain where the cat can read them. You know like the highway dept does their deer crossing signs so the deer know where to cross the road. Eh? A camper is not meant to handle the wear and tear of continuous use like a house. Camper companies focus on light weight so it tows easier and innovation to entice buyers. At best it's for temporary occupancy, so they're just not that durable and things wear out. The wood stick that came out of the bottom of your front door is a structural part of the door to attach the flashing to. You might want to put it back inside the bottom of the door with a few screws through the door skin in a couple places to hold it in. Then reattach that aluminum flashing to deflect rain from getting in on the threshold. Use one of your screw driver bits to fit into a 1/4"/ 6.35mm or 5/16"/ 8mm socket for your small drive socket kit and use the ratchet to tighten screws between the door and the porch. Also try to ascertain if the door jamb is out of square, maybe you need to level the camper again to get the latch to work better. OK, Glad to see you doing it yourself, and learning. Best Regards, ben/ michigan
Green Acre Homestead had to repair their door exactly like that. It can be done and I'm pretty sure Gypsy can do it, she amazes me with everything she does.
on yTube search:
OUR CAMPER’S BIGGEST REPAIR - FULL DOOR REBUILD
My trailer door was doing the same thing. Come to find out the front left side has settled just enough to put a kind in the door. You are under attack and handling the issues like a Champ, 👍🤠🎯🙏💖
Love watching and seeing your kitties make me miss mine.😢 You are so fun to watch.👍Nice new Fridge.
Funny, smart, resourceful, creative, brave, AND beautiful! You’re a good woman Jenna! Great job getting your fridge situation handled! Looks like the perfect solution for your space! Keep on keepin on girl! 🇺🇸🇨🇦👍🏻
My daughter uses that water fountain for her two cats. 😊
You may make it to the end of March for the wood supply.
I wonder if the hinge screws on the door have loosened up especially since the bottom plate fell off 🤔
Something to keep in mind: On that refrigerator the exterior walls shed heat. If it is enclosed/built in, it can overheat. It must have open space around, above and behind it to work properly.
The part (condenser) that release the heat is on the back not on the exterior walls of a fridge. A fridge can be used stand-alone or enclosed in a cabine, it's done that way also in kitchens in regular homes. The space where the fridge is placed has vents on top from te previous fridge on propane, so no heat build up there. Grtz
@@BjornV78 The condenser isn't necessarily on the back. It can be anywhere. But this is easy to determine. It is in the wall(s) that is warm to the touch when the fridge is running.
Loved the cats!!!❤❤ Nice job on putting that refrigerator up yourself! Should be proud of yourself. Good luck with the door! The joys of owning your own home. It's endless repairs😂
It sure is, eh!
@@gypsyjenna If need be you could get a plastic 2nd hand door and frame from a house, 6 L brackets on the frame to the van then 6 bolts going though the L brackets & van to a wooden frame inside the van then tidy it up with plastic trim & silicone sealant.... :):)
Just found your channel last week and have been binge watching. You are amazing and an inspiration. Love how you greet problems head on. Love the cats as well.
They say "meow meow", I asked them to translate and they told me it meant THANKS 😊
Hey, just a suggestion. You can put some plywood behind the thin wall to beef it up so you can give the screws something to bite to. It is called backing and it is done a lot in construction. Great video by the way!
My 112 year old house has pieces of plywood between the ceiling joists for the light fixtures to hang from rather than electrical boxes. I guess that's how they built them in the good old days! Oh yeah, knob & tube wiring, all the switches are on the return side of the wiring so the center of the lightbulb sockets are always HOT.
The $64,000 question: Do they make those propane RV fridges unreliable on purpose? Glad you went the electric route. Absolutely love the idea of a dedicated solar setup to power it.
They arent made to run full time so they generally are supposed to have time in between to clear themselves out when not in season. Thats one of the reasons why many replace almost anything that is "RV" related like heaters and a/c units
includes that door too
It's only about 30 years old!
@@PlanetaryThoughts9861 She had it rebuilt not long ago.
There kinda crappy, but if they sit stationary for long periods the ammonia clogs up , Thiers meant to move from time to time, but the cost ouch !!!
I’ve just recently found your channel. I am very impressed with how you take these issues in stride as well as how you tackle them by yourself. Good job.
My cats were scared of the water fountain too, so I just use the stainless steel reservoir as a water dish and ditched the pump... Most expensive water bowl EVER! Hahaha
Make sure that you leave air space around the sides of the refrigerator as the condenser coils are in the sides and that is where the heat is dissipated.
You beat me to it, when I heard Jenna mention closing in the space around the fridge I thought DON'T that fridge gives off heat that needs to escape into the room.
Good work though.
Wow Jenna , you even have Barley Pop holders on the door ! Quite the project but, you handled it well. Getting it done with one in hand.👍👍👍✌🏻🇺🇸
The ground is frozen and is heaving thus pushing on your frame of the camper. If you can lower or raise your camper just a tiny bit, usually takes the pressure off.... That's what the problem is for us with our camper..... doesn't mean that is what is happening with yours, but just sharing.
You should put a piece of board etc on the back side of the wall to screw into. Your little plastic anchors could fail.
You are amazing, doing all this by yourself. You needed a handyman/handyperson to help you accomplish your goals. Being totally independent is never easy. I applaud your determination and grit. Living in a small travel trailer can't be easy. Not a can fan but I am a fan of your catio. It would have been a bit lighter and easier to lift the fridge with the doors off. Every few pounds/kilograms would be easier. Hope you get your door fixed. There is always something. I know personally. Having a new roof on my house done this week. What a mess! YOU'RE AWESOME!
HEy Jenna....great to see you have a new fridge that keeps the brews and Whiteclaws chilled! On the shelf...if you run 2 1x2 strips of wood behind the shelf vertically where the brackets attach, you can ditch the chain. Also onions keep longer and fresher when not in the fridge but a cool dry place. Always good to see your posts!
I have 2 squirrels still in my attic.. I’m so annoyed.. end of February - March they have babies.. I just set more traps one being a live small animal cage trap. I hope they don’t damage anything on your rv.. or chew a hole in the floor and build a nest..
A lot of work, but the fridge looks beautiful 😊.
You are amazing 🤩!!! I too live in an RV on my acre. Im transitioning to my shed 11x16 for next winter. Hopefully I can get it livable by myself. I love your new fridge, my pick for my bunkie for next year. Where theres a will theres a way. Im not as handy with propane and electrical as you but you give me incentive. Keep on keeping on, you are rocking it.❤
One of the greatest benefits when I add a small room on to my travel trailer was getting rid of the flimsy trailer door lol. Great video and excellent refrigerator install.
Thank you 🙂
You certainly are quite handy , and I appreciate your outlook and attitude when things need repair . New fridge looks like just what you needed . I know you are happy to get that taken care of .
Get six 3/8" bolts with nuts and lock washers to hold the shelf bracket along with at least a piece of at least 1/2" plywood on the back side to make the wall thicker. You do good work Jenna. Thanks for sharing. Stay warm and safe and have a wonderful day.
Good work there Jenna-may I suggestion 1-on the little white shelf you installed, you could use a “backer plate” aka reinforcement (basically a piece of scrap mdf or plywood/left over 2x4 etc) to use as reinforcement for the shelf, and don’t use the wall anchors-instead use bolts and nuts to hold the brackets firmly in place. 2-when installing a fridge, it can be easier to leave the doors off then install the doors once the fridge is in place. 3-the door 🚪 yeah that will definitely have to be addressed to keep the cold out and minimize condensation inside the walls. Condensation can cause mold so definitely address the door and the outer shell/wall(s) that have gaps/air leaks etc. 4-the burnt wiring behind the fridge-you might need to replace that entire line/run of wire from where it starts to where it ends-burnt wiring means the fire retardant insulation is damaged and could start an electrical fire if the insulation is compromised. 5-your furry “free loader” (squirrel) get rid of him and all his furry buddies asap! They are very destructive and will cause lots of damage and problems! You can use a non lethal trap to catch it but relocate it several miles far away from your home. 6-the cat fountain ⛲️ it’s great for them on the cattio. 7-it is a good idea as suggested to ensure your camper is level and is secured to a good set of footings. That will prevent the walls and structure from flexing and bending. Good to see you are doing well and spring is on the horizon!
Thank you for all the suggestions!
The more stuff you have in your fridge, the more efficient it is as it's just cooling the airspace. I keep stuff in mine that doesnt require cooling but it all helps in the winter when every watt is precious.
Definitely hook up solar to that power station, Jenna! The charge may not keep up with the draw, but it will definitely extend the time in between charging it externally. Good luck with the new fridge! 🤞🙂
Thank you!
For some odd reason I started comparing whether building a mini deep cycle battery solar system. To run the fridge only or just buying a solar generator would offer the most bang for the buck. But deep cycle battery amp hr life is very misleading. Since 35amp hrs deep cycle means going from full charge to dead. Something like 12.7 to 11.9V. Which will kill the battery quick. So if you actually need 35amp hours of power. You really need like 3 or 4x more AH. So you only drain the deep cycle battery down say 30% from full to get a reasonable amount of cycles. 🆚 solar lithium generator if you're going from 90% or 80% charge down to a 30% then recharging up to 80% 🆚 draining down to almost 0%....Lifepo4 get more cycle life if charged up to only 80% then drained to 30% & recharged back to 80% 🆚 going from 100% down to 10% or less. JEEZ....So much thought has to go into it. Just to get a somewhat close comparison.
Gotta hand it to ya for hanging in there and seeing it through. Who knows how many White Claws were rescued by your heroic action. Well done.
...and now the pesky door
Great work on the fridge. I did the same in my rig and it works great. Switching the door hardware is frustrating. I can put on 4 snow tires in my driveway in 30 minutes. Switching the door hardware took over an hour. Go figure!
Thats a nice frige Gypsy. I think it is a better choice for your use since that RV will never move again, keep an eye on the power. You may find adding a solar panel and batteries a very positive plus for you.
Speaking of solar, I found an article that talked about solar... here is my version of the conversation.
In a recent report about a study on Solar Panels, there has been some news that seems to break the normal
installation rules, but when you think about it, makes sense.
Solar panels are commonly set at an angle to the sun so the full flat plane will get maximum sun exposure.
This gives the maximum amount of power to the solar system. A known fact.
The solar panel material is generally a dark color which when the sun is baking on it, gets hot from the solar action.
A natural action of electronics is when it gets hot, it produces less and less operation. In the case of solar panels, the power produced becomes less and less, it can be measured.
In the study, solar panels were installed VERTICAL, side by side and wired into the system.
They were faced in the normal Southern exposure to catch the suns rays.
The result of this installation was good. The panels reflected the heat from the sun, the panels remained cool and the panels continued to produce max power to the system. For systems that need every amp they can produce, this is an advancement in the ability to store more power.
For systems in the snow belt, a vertical installation eliminates snow build up and the loss of power from snow covering the panels.
The study just broke and is worth a read as the information may be ground breaking.
All good points. In addition, in the winter snow reflects light up at the panels, providing even more power. In the summer cover the ground with white stones for the same effect. People are building solar fences and/or mounting panels on their south facing walls.
Girl, you living the dream up there ..
Don’t let the small stuff steal your joy, just keep moving forward 😊😊
Woohoo 🙌🏻 so happy you got a new fridge 💗
I just love that Ramsey boy, he’s the sweetest 🐾
Great job Jenna :) Hopefully that works good for you but just remember it creates heat in the back that has to escape out, Cold beer again !
yep air flow is needed behind a fridge.
You are going to love that fridge. Two weeks ago I bought the exact same size for extra fridge space. It looks nice in that old fridge space.
Great job Jenna! 😊
Awesome! Thanks 😊
Good to see you got a new fridge and DIYed all that stuff yourself..wow..you are awesome to watch! Your concern for Mr Squirrel is cute..but the day of reckoning is coming all right.Lol.Ramsey is hilarious and cute he doesn't mind the snow! May you have no more door problems and your woodpile holds out! Bravo
Hi Jenna! I bet you already checked, but sometimes ice, snow or dirt builds up on the door jam. I have had to chisel mine a few times when my door gets finicky. Congrats on the new fridge! I hope it works out great for you! The kitty fountain will be hours of fun when things warm up! ☺💞
If you intend on keeping the pre existing vents from the propane fridge sealed and framing around the new fridge, it would be worth drilling a hole and putting a circular vent (similar to the furnace one below where you’d like your shelf) to allow air circulation to reach the compressor
You saved me so much time finding a refrigerator that fit my space and needs! I'm in a tiny home, on grid, and needed a solution. Fishing season is coming and I need a place to freeze my trout! I went to Home Depot in Moncton yesterday and picked one up. Thank you! Have a great day!
Awesome, hope it works well for you! 😊
Thank you for sharing Jenna. You accomplished a lot with the new fridge installation, looks good. Take care.
My Tuffy was afraid of her water fountain…my dog, however loves it! We have a mini fridge on the back deck that barely puts a bump on our solar…it’s a beer fridge, so it has to be cold!!!🍺
Jenna another great show 👍 thanks for sharing nothing like a new fridge 😀 in your life no more grief and cold beers 😀 Johno Darwin NT 🍺
Thanks for watching, cheers! 🍻
That’s great glad to see the new Fridge..It seems efficient enough.. Looks like you have about the same weather as I do here in Maine.. Not much snow for me so far, I only had my sled out twice this year.. Take care..🙂
Hi Jenna greetings from oakville Ontario thanks for the presentation and hopefully the fridge solution was solved , I have 4 cats all both inside and outside and they always love getting new toy, for the squirrel set a trap buy from Canadian tire or make your own
Love this video. Love watching you. Thanks for sharing with us ❤
Jenna,
Just know someone in S Florida admires your problem solving skills. 💜Our cat Harley hated the fountain never did get used to it, glad Ramsey is getting a kick out of it.
Glad to see you got a new fridge. Another great video. Keep up the great work girl
Glad that you have a new refrigerator! Good job!
Thanks 😊
Great Job installing the fridge! Looks fantastic.
It’s good to have space behind the fridge !! Nice job !!
Nice video Jen. Always enjoy seeing how your life is going. Watching your videos is like visiting an old friend. Good job on the fridge. You are very resourceful.
Hope the fridge works out for you I put mine outside in winter uses less power well a bird built a nest in back of it now I have to wait till the babies are gone before I bring it back in lol ,Have a great day.
Jenna, I’m looking at the wood pile I predicted would vanish before end of winter. Hope it lasts, or at least gets you through the worst of it. Could you just move the nest to one side of the pile, then start taking wood from the top. Just getting out of the elements, that squirrel will be ok, as long as he gets food to eat. Remember, they were designed to live completely outside, they’re just like us, taking the past of least resistance, lol. Love the cats being included.
Great video! My fridge went out also. You inspire me to get a new one. Only problem is, they don’t ship to Bishop, CA. So I will have to order in Reno or Ridgecrest and go get it in a truck
You are so awesome, your strength and determination is amazing. Wow. Great set-up I look forward to seeing more
Nice work you did there! I thought that the fridge cubby went all the way to the floor, that's why I thought that an 8 cu. ft. unit would fit in there. I suppose that the original furnace is at the bottom, our family gave up the trailer in 2007. It was one of those stupid "park model" trailers. I prefer the kind that you have. Mom had the trailer looking better than their home! Since it was at a campground they weren't allowed to stay all year. We used it for hunting and fishing in the off season.
This was an exceptionally good video. You covered several interesting things that actually do happen to us all. I am impressed with the new model fridge, it's always good to see what is the latest and best, if the need arises (which it HAS, currently on the dorm fridge thing) I will definitely look into that one. Smart moves on your cord and battery applications, the location, etc. If the cats get used to the waterer outside I bet you can bring it in for the next winter,. I can't wait to see the door repair! Thanks Jenna, another win for you
Thank you :)
That fridge is much less power usage than I'd expected! Nice upgrade there.🤘
You're so smart when you build! Ramsey is so funny 😂 My Luna did the same thing with the water fountain 🤣
Nice to see you have a new fridge. 80 watts when compressor kicks in is quite low. I bet when it's up to temp, it'll use much less power. And hope the solar would put in more power than what the fridge is using during the day. Love Ramsey too.
I like the fridge with the glass door. You can see what you maybe looking for before you have to open it. I’m a big stickler about opening a fridge and standing there looking at it. 😠.
Remember to allow air circulation around the back of the frig. You might want to put blocks under the refrigerator feet to boost it up a little higher, so air can go under as well.. Oh for the Squirrel's home on the wood pile, maybe can pull out sticks of firewood here and there just under his abode and slowly and as evenly as possible lower his house. By the time he gets to where he isn't feeling as safe, he'll have to move and might not be so cold anymore. By then might be ready to move out, lol. Just some thoughts.
Hi Jenna 👋🏻 Hope you and the little ones 🐾are doing well, hope everything works out with the fridge 🤞🏻Stay safe and take care my friends 🙏🏻 God Bless
Appreciate you!
Enjoying the content, im living in my camper, and only using a propane heater, i end up with lots of humidity and condensaiotion. I broke my solar panel, and im tring to get a diesel heater, yes ur trailer is moving, i have a level i check it. My door is doing what ur is. Ur going to have to search for a new one.
Forgive me if this has already been suggested.....you have 12 volts dc available from the old propane fridge. What if you connect a 12 volt dc outlet (similar to the one you installed in your bedroom) to the 12 volt wiring from the old fridge. That would provide a way to charge your power station from the batteries at the front of the RV. Most power stations can charge from 12 volts dc and also allow pass thru charging.
Your propane use should go way down now that you've gone electric😀😀😀
Now that your fridge isn't using propane, maybe you won't have issues with your stove when it's cold out.
Have a nice day. Spring will be here soon (it was 92f/33c here yesterday). Looks like kayaking and motorcycle weather for me this weekend.
Wow, that's some warm weather!! And thank you that is an excellent suggestion! I might look into that!!
Nice fridge like all the compartments on the door. When I had my cat he loved to sit in the bath tub and drink the water when I would leave it drip a little. The fountan is great.
Thanks, hopefully they will enjoy it on the catio, this Spring! 😀
I just bought the same fridge 3 months ago and it is working good. very low watts. Your house door problem is the hinge is wearing down. of course put screws in the bottom to hold the board up.
Good to hear about the fridge!
I like it , you can shim the front door with washers on the hinge side. Kind thoughts and warm wishes.
Hi Jenna glad to see you got new fridge you could put a shelf above it and talking about squirrels that are murder here they tear up seat cushions outside can't wait for warmer weather to get here so stay safe my dear always.
I got one of those ecoflow power stations with the 200 w solar panel. I used it while rain camping in new brunswick last summer...Searching for a piece of land... Shangrila
Perhaps get a little thermometer for your fridge...
Cut 2 strips of plywood 1" wider than anchor holes and 1" longer on anchor holes use this for backing reinforcement it will beef up the flimsy panel for the powerstation good luck
IT is the springs there is two they get woren out with time located in the door latch 4 screws to get at them! they force the latch to work! Springs the caught into place! not the door problem! But you need to fixes your doors base plate first you need to use your orginal base plate and new larger screws to fix it back to normal! Then fix the real cause of your problem ,the springs in the door latch! Only then will the door work ! Cold weather weakens the springs tenstion over time! Capt Wilkus
You did exactly what i first thought you would do, with the chains helping support the shelf. Great job on all you did in today's video. You made a great decision on the refrigerator and saying goodbye to the propane. With the an extra solar panel, you will run that refrigerator/Freezer fine. Maybe if a string of cloudy days or in Winter, may have to use the generator to charge up. But an extra panel, if your power station can handle it, should solve that problem.You are an amazing woman Jenna. Always love your problem solving video's!
Thank you!
I'm so happy you made the switch to electric! I can have my root canal reversed now. It's worthy of mentioning that offgrid also means environmentally responsible and buying propane to refrigerate food is not especially practical especially in winter. :)
I had the same problem with my camper door,. What I did is replaced that board that you removed and ran a screw on each end and screwed the metal plate back on, Good as new. Good luck.
Thanks, I wish it were that easy but I think the whole thing is shifted inside, under the door skins
first thing i bought after the new fridge was a large tub of ice cream and a 12 pack of beer(mine has a can dispenser thing on the door). larger freezers gunna feel like youve went all high class after that small propane freezer lol
Happy you got a new fridge !! Congrats ❤
That was a lot of work! So much so that I had to take a nap between watching it the first time and second time (to see what I missed). You are definitely the tenacious one! I think you and Mr. Squirrel have a "Spirit" animal relationship going on. He was probably watching you using the cardboard to slide on in the snow and thinking to himself, "She's lost it now!". Poor Blue Crasher is now Gray/Blue Crasher with the road salt accent shading going on. I imagine that's a popular technique this time of year up there. Okay, Layla's begging for her morning walk so, I'll text more later!
Rob and Layla.
Haha yes this time of year most people are sporting the white power look on their vehicles. Sorry my video made you fall asleep! 😴😴, haha jk. Enjoy your walk with Miss Layla!
Oh! And I even forgot to mention the (new?) ladder. Spot on!
@robertbrown9927 oh that's an old one. It's another one I have laying around here lol
I just subscribed to your channel
We cant have those fountains for that exact reason. One cat is literally dumping it which creates a huge mess.
I bought a fridge that size last month.... I keep the plastic on to help protect, but once the plastic gets old and finally take it off, it is like a new fridge again lol
Haha true enough! 👍
Just a suggestion for that shelf: if you could put a board in behind the wall, then you could screw into it from the front.
Jen has a new fridge freezer...success, Rory has lost his fear of tge water thing, Mr. Squirrel has kept his home, but sadly Ramsey has lost his fountain of youth. Well done, you took it all in your stride! From the 🇬🇧
I'm happy to see your cat's got a water toy :)
Lord I truly enjoy your vids. I was happy to see your getting a new fridge. I hope it works out for you. I worry when I see you having your beers. Your a big girl it's just me. I worry lol.. As for power I think you should get more Sola panels and add 4 or 6 batteries as a night or cloudy day backup. That's it be safe your a nice lady I truly hope things go well.
You could just move the cat's food dishes and leave the water fountain where it was. It takes time to get used to. 😊
to help me try and understand what you are doing I've been listening to a lot of weeny rock and decided that you could have reinforced the inside of the cubby/cabinet, 1/4'' plywood is pretty strong especially if you spread the load on it, squirrel was probably getting a chuckle out of it as he/she just had to find a hole.
nice to see u back on the air. I would leave some air space around the new fridge. I see u have a new red car? The cats are great humour. Hope u have vids on more often. The door is probably due to settling or frost heave . Nice to have gold beer again.
Put some 1×3s on the other side of the wall if you can to give the screws something to bite into 😊
Hi Jenna, something I found to get more water into my cats is that I mix their soft food with water and make it more like a slurry. And they seem to like it more cause it's soupy.
That's what I have been doing and thankfully Rory loves it. He gets a lot if water that way
I really don’t understand how you’re still single. Great sense of humor, cute as hell and not afraid to dive in and tackle anything..
Great videos !! Keep up the good work. They are an insperation to alot of people, and just great content !
As far as your door not shutting, check your level on your camper ... if they lose their level the door will not shut properly. We have had that issue a few times, because we are not set on a gravel pad.
That fridge looks fantastic. I am sure it will work well for you.
Some good news for you, we did end up purchasing a diesel heater and it has been our primary heat source this winter. We don't have the room for a woodstove, because we don't have a slide out. It is working amazing, even though it did need to work extra hard on the really cold days (-20 or lower).
Wow, you must be insulated well! Awesome! I will be using mine for the next two days with these mild temps and rain we are having 👍
@@gypsyjenna Not really insulated well ... we don't have a roof, and about 3/4 of the trailer is sheathed with 1/2" foam board ... that's about it. There are days/nights when the heater does work harder. And we have a hose splitter from the middle of the trailer to the front and back. (our layout is similar to yours with the bedroom at the back and the kitchen and living room at the front).
Love the "belt and suspenders" approach on the shelf for the power station. Now, as long as the cats don't use it as a jumping off spot, you should be good!
Haha, I never thought about it. I think they have their wits about them with what they can and Can't stand on. They haven't jumped on the woodstove yet, 🤣😂
I found out my cat had crystals because of dry cat food. The vet had me just give wet food, like chicken, beef and turkey and only on occasion seafood wet food. Hasn't had any issues since.
The outtakes are the best!
You amaze me..is there anything you can't do?? I've learned so much from you..an luv the fridge..my mamas cat drinks water with his paws too..funny..always waiting for a new video from you..God bless an take care.
Love your videos. You show how real life actually is instead of everything being easy all the time. Looking forward to more videos to come.
I always enjoy your videos Jenna.
The door either needs to be rebuilt or replaced. The internal wood framing has either come loose at the joints or has rotted or both. The easy fix is to replace it but it can be rebuilt if the fiberglass skin is intact. You can fiddle with thinks to make it go a little longer but eventually it will crack around the latch and then it's done. My 94 is at that point, but since I don't use the rear door what I'm going to do is swap them around since they're the same size. Just take the hinge loose from the frame and voila! Might have to adjust the strikes for the latches. Come spring I'll either find another door or make one if I can't repair it.
That fridge looks a lot like mine. No surprise as there's only a few appliance makers for the numerous brands With the top vent still in place you can fill in the sides and top with insulation, pool noodles, foam, pillows, or whatever to keep the drafts away as all the cooling stuff needing airflow is in the back where the roof vent is. You can cover the lower wall vent in winter (I taped plastic inside where you can't see it) but open that for better ventilation come summer. When I do get off-grid it's nice to know my fridge should work.
A 'workaround' for attaching stuff to paneling if you can get behind it is to run a 1X4 or even a strip of heavy plywood across the span, then put your fasteners in. It doesn't really have to be attached otherwise, it will spread the load across the paneling and give you more 'meat' for brackets etc to screw into. Now the paneling won't flop or bow out from the load nor will the screws pull out. There's not a lot of wall structure with RV's which rather limits what you can attach to the walls.
Good to see you having fun in the snow- gotta keep our 'inner child' alive so we don't grow old in spirit 😎
Thanks for all the suggestions. I wish the rear door was the same size but alas, it is not lol