Refrigerator; Operation; Start; Defrost And Cleaning - Airstream Caravel 2023 Owner's Manual

Refrigerator

Your Bambi is equipped with a 12V refrigerator� Review
all refrigerator literature supplied in your owner's
packet or stored in the refrigerator prior to operating�

Operation

All units are supplied with a wide range thermostat
designed to sense the evaporator temperature� The
coldest position on the thermostat is reached by turning
the knob to the right (clockwise); conversely turning the
thermostat knob to the left (counterclockwise) yields
a warmer setting� To turn the refrigerator off, turn the
knob counterclockwise to the STOP/OFF position (in
some refrigerators this is reached by turning the knob
counterclockwise past the click)�
Start up
Turn the power on and set the thermostat between
3 and 4, or near the center� You can make further
adjustments to suit your personal requirements after
the box has cooled down� Allow the refrigerator
to come down to temperature before loading with
product� Adding pre-cooled product will help keep
the temperature stable when loading� Setting the
thermostat to a higher setting will not decrease the
time required for the unit to cool down to its normal
operating temperature�

Defrost and Cleaning

The frequency of defrost is dependent on the number
of door openings, the ambient temperature and the
humidity level� Typically, it is a good practice to defrost
once there is 1/8 to 1/4 inch of frost buildup on the
evaporator (cooling plate)� When defrosting, the unit
is shut off by turning the thermostat counterclockwise
to the STOP/OFF position (in some refrigerators this
is reached by turning the knob counterclockwise past
the click)� Prop the door open� We suggest placing a
towel in the bottom of the refrigerator to catch excess
moisture�
Now that the unit has been defrosted, the interior can
be cleaned with a non-abrasive cleaner� Do not use
"Brillo" or "SOS" type abrasive pads, as they will score
the surfaces� Baking soda is recommended�
CAUTION
Do not use mechanical means to remove frost,
such as pointed or sharp objects to accelerate
defrosting as this could result in puncturing the
refrigerant circuit.
2023 Caravel

Solar System

If equipped, the rooftop solar panels installed on
your Airstream help maintain battery health, reduce
operating expenses, and extend the battery life of the
batteries� The solar system's solar charge controller
gathers energy from the individual solar panels and
stores it in your batteries� The system features a
display (shown above) that allows you to view live
status information like solar watts and battery voltage�
To optimize solar charging, ensure the panels are
clean and not shaded by trees or structures that might
block the sun� Please refer to your owner's packet for
reference material that discusses the solar system and
its operation�
The charge controller is configured for a three-step
charging process:
1� Bulk - The controller delivers as much charge
current as possible to quickly recharge the
batteries�
2� Absorption - The controller switches to a constant
voltage mode�
3� Float - Voltage is applied to the batteries to
maintain them in a fully charged state�
Airstreams manufactured without the solar option have
been pre-wired to support solar panels� These units
will have a 3-port rooftop-mounted plug-in that allows
installing rooftop solar panels without running wires�
In addition, a quick plug-in port suitable for a portable
solar charging kit has been pre-wired at the front of the
unit, near the battery box;
page 8-23.
Interior
see Solar Panel Wiring on
5-17