Fridge panel illumination rant

[00buzz]

Our 2020 Coachman VIP 575 is fitted with a Dometic fridge......why do manufacturers insist on having a bright blue control panel that cannot be dimmed for sleeping purposes....its like trying to sleep on the Las Vegas strip....bearing in mind the majority of fridges will be sharing the sleeping area i would have expected a little more thought and not to have to drape a tea towel over it....the Thetford fridge in our previous Coachman just had a tiny pin prick blue light to show it was working....rant over

 

[littlebasher]

Yep, we're in the tea towel club

Although, i find the flashing LED on the Carbon monoxide detector more annoying. It's right about my head when sleeping on my back, and its like someone shining a torch at my face every minute!

 

[junglejim]

Glad I'm not the only one to moan! good idea of the tea towel fix. must try that next time. Or buy a van with the bed at the back and be shut off from the fridge!

 

[RogerL]

Blue is the worst colour light when you're trying to sleep - our previous caravan had a green light on the fridge, dealt with by a patch of insulating tape.

 

[Beachball]

We also got a blue light on the fridge yep we"re in the teatowel club over it as well

 

[ProfJohnL]

Unfortunately some appliance regulations require the designer to include a means of visually showing when the appliance is working. LED's are a popular choice for their high efficiency, and low self heating.

I do agree that some designers may not appreciate the annoyance of having a super bright indicator in a caravan at night. I do suggest that you write to the appliance manufacturer to let them know of the issue, perhaps they will be more careful in the future.

In the mean time the insulation/masking tape is a common fix, With a blue LED you might try a yellow insulation tape which might produce a lower intensity green (it depends on the purity of the blue light LED colour)

I have also seen nail polish used, But I'd suggest trying a dab of polish on a piece of transparent plastic (old yoghurt pot) which you can hold over the light to what effect it has before applying it direct to the lamp or bezel.

 

[otherclive]

Should I let my wife know that if we get a new LED equipped fridge she can bin the night light that arrived with our grandson ( now 28 years) had travelled around the world and unfortunately still works in the caravan. Yet at home it’s pitch black upstairs 🤐

 

[Hutch]

Just checked our van a 2013 Coachman 560 VIP, and it has a thetford fridge, no light but if anything fails then a full blue panel comes awake. And a loud beep. It is a small but very good one, but new control panel , cost £170.

 

[CustardAvenger]

Same problem here... Ours also has the touch-sensitive buttons, meaning the mere hint of being near it produces a beep. Annoying when washing up.

I have put some self adhesive Velcro on the fridge, then covered some cardboard with black tape and Velcro'd that over the LEDs/Controls. Pulls double duty to block the bright light and stops accidental touches. Easily removed for visual checks when towing.

 

[Beehpee]

I have a really easy solution that always works for me, get 2 full bottles of peroni and drain them within half an hour of going to bed, it then takes a brighter light to wake me.

BP

 

[Buckman]

The best way to get rid of the blue light is close your eyes so that you cannot see it and go to sleep.

 

[jca]

We just close the concertina door to shut the bedroom off.

 

[Raywood]

The light has never bothered us, but like jca we close the concertina door at night. If it is a real problem put a bit of dark tape across it at night.

 

[otherclive]

Could try using eye night shades like you would get on overnight long haul flights.

 

[Mel]

You think you have it bad?! We have a teeny tiny Xplore 302. I have the fridge light at my feet and at eye line. ( I can change the fridge settings with my toes as I lie in bed). Directly over my head I have the smoke alarm flashing once a minute. Slightly to the right and over head is the CO alarm flashing, every couple of minutes, but never simultaneously with the smoke alarm. There are not enough tea towels in the world......Somehow OH sleeps through it all.
Still love, love, love the van. Best ever.
mel

 

[Raywood]

That looks a bit too much. At least we are a fair distance from the lights and have the partition. An eye mask might be the answer.

 

[JezzerB]

I do think manufacturers are very remiss in this; can feel a letter to Thetford coming on-our home kitchen Fridge can have its display on or off or dimmed-and we don't sleep in the kitchen. Doesn't bother me but does swmbo -and we are of the teatowel brigade-surely it should be an easy job to make it switchable.

 

[otherclive]

I do think manufacturers are very remiss in this; can feel a letter to Thetford coming on-our home kitchen Fridge can have its display on or off or dimmed-and we don't sleep in the kitchen. Doesn't bother me but does swmbo -and we are of the teatowel brigade-surely it should be an easy job to make it switchable.

How about an ambient light sensor to dim the panel when the caravan goes into “ dark mode”. Our tv adapts to light conditions in the lounge.

 

[Buckman]

People seem to forget that the lights are also there for safety reasons otherwise you could end up with a fridge of rotten food?

 

[otherclive]

People seem to forget that the lights are also there for safety reasons otherwise you could end up with a fridge of rotten food?

But who looks at them after going to bed? Surely if it drops below the safety level a buzz and/ or red light could show.

 

[Buckman]

But who looks at them after going to bed? Surely if it drops below the safety level a buzz and/ or red light could show.

By the sounds of it, many people look at the lights after going to bed!

 

[JezzerB]

When they dont work this sort usually beep . Same as your house. I can turn the lights off in my house fridge but not the van . It's not safety it's penny pinching or lack of thought.

 

[JTQ]

Ours, maybe because of its age are green and provide a useful very low level of intensity nightlight, which because of our age is very welcome.

 

[otherclive]

Ours has no external lights at all, just like the domestic fridge freezer. I don’t even think it has a buzzer but we keep a fridge thermometer inside anyway.

 

[xtrailman]

I would be happy to see the controls instead Domestic see fit to cover them up, so to see them I have to open the door and warm up the fridge, stupid idea IMO.

As for sleeping with light's on its no problem for me, in fact we use both the night lights that Swift provide.