Blog 3740 – 02.06.2026
Handy Man
The propane/electric refrigerator in my second RV Camper was much like the one in my first RV camper. The freezer compartment was small and it was one of the first things that needed to be replaced. It took me the better part of a day to change out the first one while I was living in Lone Rock, Wisconsin and working in the area in 2018. Not only did I have a tough time getting it out of the wall, but maneuvering it out of the narrow trailer door was a bear and I ended up scratching the door, floor and even having to replace some upholstery in the dining area near the door.
This past Wednesday on my half day visit to my RV campsite instead of working on renovating the ranch house or continuing to clear around it, I planned to replace the fridge in the RV camper which finally conked out. Recently purchasing the almost five acre ranch just north of and adjacent to the timber property where I located my campsite has changed my plans. I had intended to just live out my last years in the RV camper after selling our home in Houston. I fully expect to out-live my loving and lovely wife Linda Lee and I prefer the East Texas Piney Woods to Metropolitan Houston.
But, back to changing out the old refrigerator. I stopped in Jasper, Texas on my way to Bon Wier where my property is. The Walmart there was just opened when I got there and I purchased a new small refrigerator there. I had a bit of a time getting it up and into the shopping chart so I could roll it through the check out and out to my pick-up. It was easy to flip it out of the cart onto the tailgate of the truck and shove it in so I could close the tailgate. No tie downs were required.
It was 8 a.m. before I got to the RV camper and could set to work removing the old refrigerator and installing the new one. My previous experience helped me get the old one out of the wall much faster, but when I did I realized that no amount of wrestling would get it out the narrow door so I lay a thick blanket on the floor to keep from scratching it and with my reciprocating saw cut the old refrigerator in half so I could easily get it out the door. I had already removed the racks inside and the door to make it lighter.
The new refrigerator was an easy install and the whole operation was completed in an hour and a half. I even ended up with more space to store DVDs. All that remains is to install a shut off valve in the copper propane line that went to the back of the old refrigerator so I can turn the propane back on to operate the water heater, furnace and stove. I stopped at a Tractor Supply on my way back to Houston and purchased the shut off valve. I also got a can of Massey Ferguson gray spray paint to paint the bare wood inside the hole that the old fridge used to fill. Next Wednesday these two things will be at the top of my handyman To Do List.
Fixing things give us men a sense of worth and even those of us not so mechanically inclined find ways to do what we are good at to make money so that we can pay others to do those things we cannot or do not choose do ourselves. So either way we are still quite handy to have around.
Your friend, fellow traveler, and handyman,
David James White
Handy Man
theencouragingword 