Run refrigerator while traveling
- Thread starter ramjleo
- Start date
We always travel with the refer on. But be aware that it has an open flame and if you use gasoline in your TV it could be dangerous pulling into a gas station unless you turn it off before getting gas.
Most times if your trip is not more than about 5 hours long, things will stay cold in the refer if you leave the door closed.
Others will chime in with their thoughts and practices.
Peace
Dave
Most times if your trip is not more than about 5 hours long, things will stay cold in the refer if you leave the door closed.
Others will chime in with their thoughts and practices.
Peace
Dave
We never run with our fridge on. We turn it on the night before we want to load it up. We shut it off right before we leave. For short trips we have never had a problem keeping food cold. For longer trips we will turn it on to gas for awhile when we stop for lunch to give it a boost.
superduty08
Tennessee Chapter Leaders
I have seen the videos and been to rv safety sessions and I have not heard anything good about leaving propane on while traveling. If a line is going to develop a leak or break, there is a good chance that it could happen while bouncing down the road. As mentioned earlier, pulling up to fuel pumps could be a disaster waiting to happen. I don't want a flaming inferno hooked to my truck. I installed an inverter and ran an outlet to the frig. When traveling on a long trip I simply plug the frig into the inverter outlet and all is well. I realize probably most rvers run their propane and have never had a problem but I feel much safer with it shut off. At work we use propane powered generators and are required to disconnect the lines from the tanks before towing. While some may not agree, this is good food for thought.
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JohnDar
Prolifically Gabby Member
We tried it early in the season, pulling the rig three hours to our site. Note to self: If you don't purge the air from the lines first, the fridge will never light up. Fortunately, there was nothing in it since we kept everything in the cooler. Then, when we drove 7 hours down to the Goshen rally, we had it on propane. Stayed nice and cold. Coming back up, 7 hours, we left it off and everything inside was still cold. We did get one of those little battery fans that Mac the Fireguy was selling. Seems to be a good thing to recirculate the cold air from the bottom of the refer. In his seminar, he is an advocate for NOT running the refer down the road on propane.
TXBobcat
Fulltime
On many forums this has been a controversial subject for quite some time. I look at it a couple of ways. Do you buy insurance? Why? Just in case you have an accident you are covered if someone is injured. Would you follow the advise of someone that is an expert and knowledgeable of thinks you are not?
Mac the Fire Guy gives lectures all over the country and has credentials to show he is knowledgable. I am not a fire fighter but Mac does teach civilian fire fighters about fighting RV fires.
Here is Mac's web site and his Fire Facts page. Check out item 8.
One of the things he teaches in his Fire classes at rallys is check your emergency exits. I took his course at a LOW (Life On Wheels) and he had everyone check their emergency exit. Out of about 16 RV's 3 exits would not open and you can't reach the ground from the outside.
BC
Mac the Fire Guy gives lectures all over the country and has credentials to show he is knowledgable. I am not a fire fighter but Mac does teach civilian fire fighters about fighting RV fires.
Here is Mac's web site and his Fire Facts page. Check out item 8.
One of the things he teaches in his Fire classes at rallys is check your emergency exits. I took his course at a LOW (Life On Wheels) and he had everyone check their emergency exit. Out of about 16 RV's 3 exits would not open and you can't reach the ground from the outside.
BC
jpdoggett
Well-known member
Yes I know it is not safe but at this point we are not pulling ours. and for the Emergency exits the one in the back we could get out but the one in the bedroom you would break both leg by the time you hit the ground long drop
Delaine and Lindy
Well-known member
Our Fridge in Aug will have been running since Aug 2009 thats 2 years. We elect to keep in running and its always hooked to the electric and when traveling it will auto switch to propane. We are in Colorado and this is only the 2nd RV park we have ever had to use 30 amp service so I will run the Fridge on Propane. Our 5th wheel has whats called energy management system were as it will automatically turn off appliances to keep from triping a breaker. So thats the reason for running the Fridge on propane. Thats correct also if your running a Gas engine in hte Truck you should turn off the Propane when re-filling... But I also think its more danger in people smoking when re-fueling....... Happy Trails....
We have always traveld with the refer on, however you have given me food for thought about the subject. Our travels are usually about 6-7 hours on the road (including all stops, etc), so not sure how cold things will be when we arrive. Also, concerning 30 amps--we have done that numerous times and have not had a problem---however when using hair dryer, do not have anything else on.
Currently in graham, WA
al
Currently in graham, WA
al
danemayer
Well-known member
For what it's worth, the Heartland manual and the Dometic RM1350 manual each has many, many safety warnings regarding propane. They both warn about shutting off the refrigerator when refueling. Neither manual warns against running the refrigerator on propane while towing. It seems unlikely to me that the lawyers would have missed this warning, so my guess is that Heartland and Dometic don't think it's a safety issue.
caissiel
Senior Member
Propane always on while traveling, a pipe break will shut the tank. The hot water tank is also on with the fridge. They are so far back when fueling that I wonder if they will effect at the tank, besides I fuel with diesel and been doing it for over 15 years. No worst then driving the car at the gas tanks. Gasoline has not been my style.
One tank is alway shut off leaving only one open.
One tank is alway shut off leaving only one open.
TravelTiger
Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
We used to tow with propane on, but had a series of times when the ref wasn't working correctly, and compromised the perishables. Now to be safe we pack all but sensitive-temp items in a cooler and wait till we arrive to buy meats, eggs, milk, etc. For a short 1-2 hour drive, we hook the 5ver to shore power at the house to cool the fridge down, then travel without...till we get there. So far have not seen a problem with this.With the possibility of damage to the kitchen slide (housing the fridge) in the event of a blowout, I just feel safer this way.E
KENNY COCHRAN
MCNEESE STATE COWBOYS #1
Rv's are designed to be run on propane going down the road, that is the reason you pay the high price to get a propane fridge. I rolled over 2 1/2 times down a mountain pulling a bumper pull with 2 propane tanks on the rig and running the fridge. Both propane tanks lost their gas and neither exploded or anything. Rv & yukon did not fare too good, but we both walked out with barely a scratch.
Next time you travel on i-59 north of attalla, al. Heading east, and those signs say, "all 18 wheelers get in the right lane" that means you, pulling the rv too. That curve is an accident waiting to happen. They have enough wrecks there every year to build a car from all the car parts laying on the ground from the wrecks.
Next time you travel on i-59 north of attalla, al. Heading east, and those signs say, "all 18 wheelers get in the right lane" that means you, pulling the rv too. That curve is an accident waiting to happen. They have enough wrecks there every year to build a car from all the car parts laying on the ground from the wrecks.
kakampers
Past Heartland Ambassador
Got you beat!! Ours has been running continuously since July 2007!!! In addition, we've been rving for about 30 years and have always run the refrigerator when towing...hasn't been a problem and don't expect it to be.
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