Leave gas fridge on while traveling?

[dremelts]

When we had a class B van camper we would always start the refridgerator on gas and leave it on while traveling. We're getting a 5er now and I got to thinking about this and wondering if that's a safe practice with a trailer where you can't really keep an eye on things like you can in a van or motorhome. Just curious what everyone thinks of this.

 

[JFitzgerald]

This one's been covered before, so you might want to do a search for more info. I do leave mine running while on the road.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Here's the old post on it - https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=22847 . Myself I run down the road with it on.

 

[dresslered]

Why don't you just make sure that your new 5er comes with a three-way fridge. Most of the major brands offer the 12V option for a few dollars more. Just make sure that you switch back to the propane when you reach your destination or else you will have some dead batteries on your hands.

 

[B.G. Smith]

Cool it

I put my refrig in "Auto" mode the day before I plan to leave home while it is plugged into the house current. It is 110 volt or propane. It is always cold when I get to my destination. There are a few places where there are restrictions on this like tunnels and ferries and a strip of interstate down the east coast near DC that won't let you travel with propane period. Have fun and cool it. bg

 

[Dkevdog]

I've been told that in CA it is illegal to run with it on the road. In fact, it is my understanding the valves should be closed to the tanks. It doesn't stop me, I run with mine on the road. As for the three way fridge, they are difficult if not impossible to get anymore. Yes I know they are made, but the manufacturers niether install them nor offer them as an option.



Kev

 

[midnight1black]

Leave gas fridge on while traveling

I also run with mine on , And I always have cold drinks when we get to our place to camp?

 

[gatoram]

I put ours on auto and leave it plugged in at home all the time. When the camper is unplugged, the gas takes over. It is always on. Several thousand miles like this. .

 

[pwr2tow]

Put mine on auto the night before we leave and plug it into 110 current and then pack the camper. When I unplug from 110 current to leave, the fridge automatically switches to propane, I leave it that way until I get to my destination then I just plug it back into 110 current.



It will not hurt anything to run this way. One tip though, make sure there are no rodent nests back in the combustion area for the fridge.



Ron

 

[paccool]

I run with mine on but try to remember to turn off if I pull into a fuel station. Would hate to be the cause for a station blowing up and hurting or killing someone!



Stan

 

[Fireman Dave]

Just my .02

I run with mine off. I just think it's safer to have the gas valves off in case of an accident. We had a call to a rollover accident last fall where a pick-up towing a pop-up camper was on it's side. The pop-up never came unhooked from the truck. It made me think of what could have been had their propane bottle been able to feed a fire with them trapped inside the truck. Fortunately, we were able to extricate them and there was no problem. Not that an open valve will definitely lead to a problem, but I just like my odds a little better with the valves off.



My refrig. stays plenty cold even towing in the hot summer for 10 hours. Sometimes I fire it up when we stop for lunch, and that may help.

 

[dresslered]

As for the three way fridge, they are difficult if not impossible to get anymore

The manufacturers make them and you can add them, your dealer just doesn't carry them. All it consists of is another heater circuit and another setting on the controller.

 

[Bob Beauchaine]

There's not much that is legal in Komiefornia - unless your a liberal! After 30 years of trailering - I run with mine on. The only problem I've had is poor circulation in the lower compartment. This is easily solved with a small "D" cell battery powered fan.

Happy trails

Bob

 

[Dkevdog]

Originally posted by dresslered





The manufacturers make them and you can add them, your dealer just doesn't carry them. All it consists of is another heater circuit and another setting on the controller.

After months of extensive shopping/searching, I think you might be surprized to find that the manufacturers are not offering them like you think they are. I know, I've been looking. Sunnybrook, Keystone, and R-Vision all do not and will not.



Kev

 

[LarryB]

That's true, kinda like driving around with explosive gasoline in the fuel tank. I don't know how those people can feel safe doing that. Thay otta outlaw that stuff.

 

[klenger]

We always travel with our's on. I try to remembe to shut it off when we fuel, but don't always remember. Since most of our trips are within one tank of fuel, I usually refuel with the camper disconnected. As to an accident with propane on, the new propane valves don't allow propane flow if the line is wide open. They have some kind of a shut-off device.



I'm sure it's safer to travel with them off, but sometimes you have to trust the safety equipment to perform it's job. Towing an RV is a risk even in the best conditions. I take all the reasonable precautions, but don't get paranoid about it. There is a lot of discussion on this site and the RV forum I watch about towing safety, and it's all good information. I believe the greatest risk is from some crazy driver cutting you off or doing some other maneuver that causes an accident. IMHO, driving carefully, at a reasonable speend, driving defensively, and anticipating other driver's actions it the first and best defense for avoiding an accident, but that conecpt never seems to get much attention.

 

[Fireman Dave]

Originally posted by klenger

I believe the greatest risk is from some crazy driver cutting you off or doing some other maneuver that causes an accident.

I'd say this is the situation that Vaughn and I (who seem to be the lone minority partners on this thread) are most concerned about by trying to err on the side of caution. It also seems that we are both fortunate to have well-insulated refers, thus not tempting us to run with them on.



No matter how safe and defensive you drive, you can't control all the factors that can lead to a tragedy. Just the other opinion, here - no flaming intended.

 

[klenger]

Fireman Dave



No flame taken. I understand your point about taking precautions to reduce the chance of an accident, and I don't disagree, ... to a degree. My point was just that the chance of an accident from an unforseen driving situation is much greater than many of the more often discussed possibilities.



It would be interesting to see some stats. on number of accidents per mile towing an RV vs. driving a passenger vehicle. It would also be interesting to see the stats. on towing an RV vs. professional over-the-road truckers. Are we 10 times more likely to have an accident or 10% more likely?

 

[Fireman Dave]

Ken,



I bet if we had some real numbers, the statistics/odds would be in your favor that you can tow with it on without incident. You know how it is, if there were even just a few crashes involving RVs with open gas valves that turned into infernos, the media would be all over it like ugly on an ape. Since I don't recall hearing about it much, it seems that the tragedy potential isn't realized very often (and that's great news!).



I think a lot of people do tow with it on - based on our responses on TDR. So the percentages seem to be in the favor of those who do. Even if you do tow with it on, the conditions have to be right for the potential to be reached.



#1. You have to have an accident.

#2. An LP bottle has to be involved.

#3. The bottle or line has to be breached and a leak has to occur.

#4. There has to be an ignition source.



To get to #3, things have to be bad. #4 could follow pretty easily, though. So, the odds are probably in your favor that you'll be ok.



So, am I disproving my case? Nope, I still will try for that little bit of extra safety - and peace of mind. But I don't want to sound like a Chicken Little, either. If asked, I recommend towing with the valves off. But I'm just expressing what's comfortable for me. Of course I hope that we all have safe travels all the time, no matter what our practice is on this issue.



OK, group hug time.



Dave

 

[klenger]

My question about the stats wasn't so much to do with propane on or off, just general accidents while towing.



As to your list of things that must happen to ignite the propane, the new valves won't allow propane to flow if the line is reptured. Somehow the valves shut down if the flow is too high. I assume that there must be some pressure on the line for the valve to stay open. Of course, the tank itself could rupture, but then the valve being on or off is irrelevant.