Freezer- How long will it stay cold/frozen with frozen meat in it?

Bikersarge · 08-27-2017, 01:06 PM

Was wondering what every-bodies opinion is. We are heading to the Gulf coast(Alabama) the day after labor day. I am going to plug the frig in the night before and in the morning before we leave put all the frozen meat in the freezer and then turn it off. We will be driving short legs (250-300 miles) to get there and stopping at interesting sites on the way.

In the past we have traveled long distances with the frig on keeping everything cold and frozen but after reading some post on here I am now kind of nervous about leaving it on during travel. Do you think is hard on the frig to keep booting it up after the daily drive? Or should I just keep it in a cooler till we get to our destination?

What does everybody do here?

CampingGator · 08-27-2017, 01:20 PM

We keep it on propane when traveling. I don't worry about it.

K4DCF · 08-27-2017, 01:42 PM

When we had a propane fridg we ran with it on. I would turn it of for refueling.

Wileykid · 08-28-2017, 10:43 AM

Mine gets turned on the day before I leave, and then turned off when I return.

A properly maintained system in your trailer is just as safe as you being parked and living in it, as it is going down the road. There probably is more venting on the road due to the airflow. Any damage that could cause a problem by bouncing down the road will be there when you start it at a stop.

At a gas station, I don't worry unless I see a fuel spill. Then I really don't want to be there anyways.

Mark

Martsing · 08-28-2017, 11:10 AM

I turn my fridge on (dual mode) 2 days before we leave and leave it on during travel, while there, and sometimes for a few days after we get home. The last trip, I forgot to turn ON the propane; unhooked from shore power, drove 3 hours and still had ice in the freezer when we got there. It was a nighttime journey. As a rule for me though, I will always leave the propane on and the fridge on dual mode unless we have a restriction on a bridge or a tunnel.

Marty

eye95 · 08-28-2017, 12:14 PM

I run my fridge on battery while traveling.

If you travel with it off, fill it as full as you can with all the contents already at temperature. They will stay colder longer.

**bikendan** · 08-28-2017, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eye95

I run my fridge on battery while traveling.

If you travel with it off, fill it as full as you can with all the contents already at temperature. They will stay colder longer.

The OP doesn't have a 3-way fridge.
Only folding trailers, truck campers and very small TTs have them.

Chaplain Kent · 08-28-2017, 01:06 PM

I have pulled a trailer or driven a motorhome coast to coast and from the top to the bottom of the Northern Continent all the time my fridge was running, keeping my food nice a cold.

Bose04 · 08-28-2017, 01:19 PM

I also have towed with propane on and fridge running with no problems. But I asked on the forum about running with heat on also to keep water lines from freezing and the response seemed to be don't do it and also turn fridge off. I'm leaning towards at least running the fridge.
I have tank heater mats hence the question about heat for the lines.

JLeising · 08-28-2017, 01:25 PM

I run with the refrigerator on, but a few years ago I took the ferry up to Alaska. Turned the fridge and the propane off - required on the ferry. Everything stayed frozen in the freezer - was off probably over 12 hours longest. In the car deck of the ferry.
FYI
Jim

ben31 · 08-28-2017, 01:34 PM

Required to be turned off in most tunnels, also. Other than those, I leave my propane on, too.

Caveat: I do run diesel, and use separate diesel pumps, when pulling the 5er. Therefore, I don't need to worry about the gas fumes.

Bikersarge · 08-28-2017, 04:41 PM

Thanks everybody, I am just going to leave the propane and frig on during road trips. Can't wait to get the hell out of dodge....going to Gulf coast AL day after labor day.

Wandering · 08-28-2017, 08:26 PM

We did a 7 hr ferry crossing last month and had to turn the fridge off. No noticeable thaw. It was probably in the 60s outside the camper.

I also drive with the propane on all the time. Just turn off the fridge to fuel.

Tmoz78 · 08-29-2017, 02:43 AM

Other than those road regulations I never guessed people run with the fridge off. I have always ran with it on (using propane). So other than any road or ferry regulations is there a reason, safety or otherwise why anyone would run with it off? Just asking. New to toyhaulers myself.

calhounsl · 08-29-2017, 08:18 AM

We have only done short trips so far so haven't ran with the fridge running. Not sure that we will ever feel comfortable doing so. We start out with everything in a cooler then transfer to fridge when it is cold.

eye95 · 08-29-2017, 08:31 AM

Wouldn't the turned-off fridge be essentially a cooler? If you use it as one, just make sure you fill it as full as possible.

To be even more effective, bring the fridge to temperature at home, fill it full, turn it off, and go!

Wolverine 1945 · 08-29-2017, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bikersarge

Was wondering what every-bodies opinion is. We are heading to the Gulf coast(Alabama) the day after labor day. I am going to plug the frig in the night before and in the morning before we leave put all the frozen meat in the freezer and then turn it off. We will be driving short legs (250-300 miles) to get there and stopping at interesting sites on the way.

In the past we have traveled long distances with the frig on keeping everything cold and frozen but after reading some post on here I am now kind of nervous about leaving it on during travel. Do you think is hard on the frig to keep booting it up after the daily drive? Or should I just keep it in a cooler till we get to our destination?

What does everybody do here?

I think you will find that very few that turn there propain off when traveling,,, I am not sure your fridge may need more time to cool down before you start your trip ??? We often start ours at least a couple of days before we head out,,, mainly so we can load it the day before,,, we also make sure the freezer is full,,, with as much Ice as we can pack in it !!!
On our next little trip we will be going from home to Sam's to get gas before we hit the road,,, I am thinking we may wait until after we fuel up to restart the fridge ??? Although we have never done that before !!!
Our fuel fill up is on the other side of our MH than the Fridge !!!

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