Lazy Daze Owners' Group

Refrigerator Latch solution

January 16, 2014, 07:32:41 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 144563

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I found a latch system to keep my refrigerator and freezer doors closed while traveling.  It involves these baby-proofing clips:
 "Munchkin XTRAGUARD 2 Count Dual Action Multi Use Latches" that I found on Amazon Prime for $7.  2 come in the pack:

http://tinyurl.com/poo4m72

It attaches with adhesive, wraps around the corner, and swings down while not in use, leaving just a tiny white square on the fridge door.

It's a simple, inexpensive solution that will hopefully work well, as the spring on my refrigerator handle is broken.

I did see several other ideas online, like a window latch from Home Depot that you can screw onto the corners of fridge and freezer, but I wanted to avoid drilling into the fridge, although maybe a strong adhesive would secure it.

Just sharing in case it helps someone, Tessa in TX '92 MB- Ciao Baby!

Re: Refrigerator Latch solution

Reply #2 – January 17, 2014, 08:56:44 am

Yahoo Message Number: 144569

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I wish we could say the same, Andy. Here's a post from our web site a couple of months ago:
 My, my, what a delightful episode we had this morning. With the holiday season not so very far away, we had been talking about eggnog and how much we used to like it. So we decided to see if we mix up a home-brew version. It's really very simple: you just make sure that you have a brand-new full gallon of milk and a dozen fresh eggs. Then you merely start rolling along a rather hilly, twisting country road. Oh, one more requirement: you need to neglect to be sure the refrigerator door is securely latched. With a little luck, in just a few miles as you snake around one of those corners, the refrigerator door will fly open, allowing the gallon of milk and the dozen eggs to come flying out and smash together on the floor.
 All I'm hearing from my copilot is "Oh my God, we have a problem, we have a problem. Oh my God" I pulled over as soon as I could and what a delightful mess we had: milk and broken eggs sloshing all around. See - instant eggnog! What a time cleaning that all up - the milk had splashed everywhere.
 So after a stop to get more milk and eggs....and making sure the fridge door was latched....we continued southward.

WxToad @ Fort Bliss, TX

Posted by:  andybaird@... andybaird2000 Date: Thu Jan 16, 2014 6:48 pm ((PST))

I've never had a door pop open while traveling.  Andy Baird

Re: Refrigerator Latch solution

Reply #4 – January 17, 2014, 09:37:09 am

Yahoo Message Number: 144572

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The refrigerator door on my 2003 opened itself during a 'obstacle avoidance maneuver' to test the Safe-T-Plus steering stabilizer after installation at Henderson's.  The door swung out, and Stone IPA shot out across the floor and hit the cabinet; the caps of  three or four bottles popped off, spewing ale in fountains all over the vinyl floor, the carpet, and the cabinets.  Fortunately, none of the bottles broke, but the rig smelled like a brewery for several days!

Lesson learned: DO NOT overload the door of the refrigerator and expect it to stay shut! ;-)

Joan

Re: Refrigerator Latch solution

Reply #6 – January 17, 2014, 12:57:26 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 144576

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"the spring on the refrigerator door broke and now the latch just flops around."

The plastic latches on Dometic fridges are flimsy and badly designed. The one on my old Dometic 3662 broke some years back, but I was able to repair it. The short version: I welded the plastic pieces back together with a hot iron, then screwed the latch back onto the door. It held up for another four years or so, until I replaced the Dometic fridge with a Norcold N641. I've posted a few photos showing how the repair was done.

Tessa's solution is a quick and simple one that requires no tools. It does however, require that you remember to engage the add-on latches, so it probably wouldn't have prevented Ted's impromptu eggnog. ;-)

Andy Baird
http://www.andybaird.com/travels

Re: Refrigerator Latch solution

Reply #8 – January 17, 2014, 06:14:55 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 144580

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but after reading Tessa's solution I am considering buying the latches she  recommends.
 Here is a latch for the camper frig that Camping world (most camp stores) carries.

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/refrigerator-travel-locks-latch-style/49699