Laura, the refrigerator does not have to be on for the fan to run (see the archives for a discussion of this, but basically, the space behind the refrigerator can get hot and the refrigerator fan will come on, just from a hot day or in the sun).  But the refrigerator fan should not run all the time, and certainly if the ambient is only 80 and no sun (like in your garage).  I think the thermostatic switch that turns the fan on is set at 126 F to come on, and 106 F to go off.  That applies whether the refrigerator is on or off.

Some people wire the auxiliary battery in so that it will run the refrigerator when the engine is off.  They hope to get an extra day without using propane that way.  But it will drain the battery in a day or so.

mcneely

---- Laura Olson <laurafromdecorah@GOOGLEMAIL.COM> wrote:
> So the frig seems to be running or is it the cooling fan, all the time, no
> matter how I set the the three way switch.  I am guessing this is what
> caused the very expensive auxiliary battery to die.  Just replaced it.  I
> know the refrigerator is not supposed to run on the aux battery even if
> switched to 12V, only when the engine is running.  I don't want to ruin
> this new fancy battery. I just went out to the garage to organize for a
> long weekend away and it was running, not terribly cold in the frig, but a
> little. Can't be much over 80 degrees in the garage. And it has not been
> set on 12V yet this year. (Have not gotten out much).  Any ideas? Could the
> fan just run even if no frig on?
> Laura

--
David McNeely