Do you turn off your LP while driving

[tamdle]

Some of the safety issue that hit my mind regard to have the LP turn-on while driving to keep the LP refrigerator cold for food.

If you have the LP refrigerator, do you typically leave the LP on while driving to keep the food cold or do you turn it off for safety?

[boondocking]

I leave it on, but turn it off when going on ferries.

[CampingGator]

We turn ours on to keep the fridge cold. We live in a hot climate and need to keep the food cold.

[llr]

I leave it on

[18CrewDually]

Here's 2 pages of responses.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...d.php?t=131394

[tamdle]

Thank you everyone!

I usually leave it on as well but ran across from someone that mentioned about LP safety while driving that triggers my thought of rethink about what I did.

Based on your comment, it seems that it should be okay to continue what I have done in the past.

[spock123]

I always leave my LP on

[DieselDrax]

Leave it on while driving, turn it off when fueling.

[quicky06]

Leave it on. I run the water heater and the fridge while driving

Some people freak out like the world is going to explode if there is a spark near the exhaust fumes. I don’t get it.

When I’m setup and camping there is a fire 50 feet from the exhaust of the water heater every night and a grill about 5 feet from it. But people think that since your driving the world will end.

[kdp1897]

Leave it on for the fridge. Helps with the cool down when you get to your campsite and plus into power.

[GodsCountry]

I've made regular 300 mi one way trips to our property in Pa during the last 20 yrs. and used to run with the propane (reefer) on. I had to replace the guts to the fridge in our Sunline (I thought prematurely). The Amish folk that sold me the parts mentioned how important it was to keep them level while in operation. Something about creating salts(?) or crystals in the tubing that slowly accumulate and decrease the efficiency of the unit. I had to regularly go up a few long slow hills that kept it off-level quite awhile.
Since then I pre-chill the reefer then turn the propane off. I then pack the reefer the best I can with bottles +/or jugs of frozen/future drinkable water. The Sunline fridge lasted longer then before. It might have been because of the superior Amish rebuilt parts , or that the previous owner didn't take good care of it to begin with.

[itat]

My DW insists on having it on. Truth is, its insulated well enough that it would be fine leaving it off for 6 hours if you don’t open the door. I tried it once and it was still cold. I have no real safety concerns leaving it on though.

Where I live it rarely gets up to 100F so that may be a factor. Frankly, I don’t think I’ll ever camp in that kind of heat again (did it once and was miserable), so it’ll never be an issue for us.

[frostriver]

If I can get the fridge on and loaded 24 hours before we depart, I will leave it off. If not, it’s on. This thread made me realize that factor was not on my checklist... ✔️

[doc73]

Used to leave it on for the fridge. Now the 5er has a resident fridge so I am undecided if I will leave it on for heat when it is needed.

[itat]

Originally Posted by doc73

Used to leave it on for the fridge. Now the 5er has a resident fridge so I am undecided if I will leave it on for heat when it is needed.

I'd think a residential fridge should be better insulated than a LP/AC fridge. Mine at home would be good for a long power outage. I remember what it was like back when we had the major north-east power outage. Our power was out for 3 days so we shared a generator with a neighbor. Plugged into the gennie a couple times a day to keep the fridge cool and tried to refrain from opening it too often.

[doc73]

Originally Posted by itat

I'd think a residential fridge should be better insulated than a LP/AC fridge. Mine at home would be good for a long power outage. I remember what it was like back when we had the major north-east power outage. Our power was out for 3 days so we shared a generator with a neighbor. Plugged into the gennie a couple times a day to keep the fridge cool and tried to refrain from opening it too often.

The Residential Refrigerator runs off an inverter so while I'm telling it runs fine. So really the only perk to me leaving my propane on is that if it's cold outside I can keep that trailer at a reasonable temperature.

[Jim34RL]

On our first two 5er's, I would leave the LP on to keep the RV fridge operating thus keeping the food cold. The only time the LP was turned off if it was required to be turn off when driving thru a tunnel. Even when I pumped fuel into my truck the LP was on with the RV fridge working.

Now with the residential fridge I turn the LP off no need for it to be on. The only down side to turning the LP off is when we get to a campground I sometimes forget to turn the LP back on. Than the wife will try light the burns on the range and the burns will not light. She will tell me go turn on the gas for the stove.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by GodsCountry

I've made regular 300 mi one way trips to our property in Pa during the last 20 yrs. and used to run with the propane (reefer) on. I had to replace the guts to the fridge in our Sunline (I thought prematurely). The Amish folk that sold me the parts mentioned how important it was to keep them level while in operation. Something about creating salts(?) or crystals in the tubing that slowly accumulate and decrease the efficiency of the unit. I had to regularly go up a few long slow hills that kept it off-level quite awhile.
Since then I pre-chill the reefer then turn the propane off. I then pack the reefer the best I can with bottles +/or jugs of frozen/future drinkable water. The Sunline fridge lasted longer then before. It might have been because of the superior Amish rebuilt parts , or that the previous owner didn't take good care of it to begin with.

Here is what Dometic, the manufacturer of R/V refrigerators indicates about using the refrigerator when traveling. (page 7 of my users manual)
My refrigerator is AC or propane so obviously 'When the vehicle is moving' means propane.

"Leveling is one of the requirements for proper operation with
absorption refrigerators. To ensure proper leveling the vehicle
needs to be leveled only so it is comfortable to live in (no noticeable
sloping of floor or walls).

Any time the vehicle is parked for several hours with the refrigerator
operating, the vehicle should be leveled to prevent this loss
of cooling.

When the vehicle is moving, the leveling is not critical, as the
rolling and pitching movement of the vehicle will pass to either
side of level, keeping the liquid ammonia from accumulating in
the evaporator tubing."

So there you have it... straight from the horse's mouth so to speak.
To make that statement, they don't feel there is an issue with leaving the propane on and/or using the refrigerator while traveling.

Does it need to be level... yes... 'somewhat.'
How long does it need to be unlevel before problems arise... several hours.
Does using the refrigerator while traveling create issues... no.

Make you own decisions. I went with the manufacturers recommendations.

[doc73]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Here is what Dometic, the manufacturer of R/V refrigerators indicates about using the refrigerator when traveling. (page 7 of my users manual)
My refrigerator is AC or propane so obviously 'When the vehicle is moving' means propane.

"Leveling is one of the requirements for proper operation with
absorption refrigerators. To ensure proper leveling the vehicle
needs to be leveled only so it is comfortable to live in (no noticeable
sloping of floor or walls).

Any time the vehicle is parked for several hours with the refrigerator
operating, the vehicle should be leveled to prevent this loss
of cooling.

When the vehicle is moving, the leveling is not critical, as the
rolling and pitching movement of the vehicle will pass to either
side of level, keeping the liquid ammonia from accumulating in
the evaporator tubing."

So there you have it... straight from the horse's mouth so to speak.
To make that statement, they don't feel there is an issue with leaving the propane on and/or using the refrigerator while traveling.

Does it need to be level... yes... 'somewhat.'
How long does it need to be unlevel before problems arise... several hours.
Does using the refrigerator while traveling create issues... no.

Make you own decisions. I went with the manufacturers recommendations.

I think this is the first time I have ever seen this... Like you said, BOOM! There you have it... If the maker thought you might die they would say not to use it to avoid a law suit.

[itat]

Originally Posted by doc73

The Residential Refrigerator runs off an inverter so while I'm telling it runs fine. So really the only perk to me leaving my propane on is that if it's cold outside I can keep that trailer at a reasonable temperature.

I know the residential fridge runs off an inverter that's connected to your batteries. I'm just thinking that the residential fridge would be better insulated and wouldn't warm up as quickly as an LP/AC fridge. As I said in an earlier post, I think the LP/AC fridges are good for 6 hours as long as they are fully cold when you leave. A residential fridge should be good without power for longer. Obviously you're saving battery power rather than LP.

I've never camped in weather cold enough that I've thought about running the LP furnace while on the road. (I'm Canadian so when camping season ends in mid-October, hockey season starts! I used to ref kids hockey before my back injury and I'd spend my winters at the rink.)