Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-21-2017, 12:22 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Boborc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Northern NJ
Posts: 269
How much propane does a fridge use

I will be at a racetrack next month with my travel trailer. Since I will only be running the generator part time I want to run the fridge on propane the whole time. Kinda like boon docking. How long will a 20lb tank last? Figure hot water and fridge do t think I will need any heat but you never know if it will be a cold night in Michigan
Boborc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2017, 12:28 PM   #2
Site Team
 
KyDan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 10,505
You will get all sorts of answers.
You don't say how many days nor how big your fridge is.

Water heater can be turned on just when needed.
Don't leave it on all the time.

Fridge should be able to go a week on one tank.
Maybe lots more but it totally depends on the unit.
__________________
Peace!
Dan & Rita D
2017 Nissan Titan 5.6L King cab 4wd
2016 Evergreen Everlite 242RBS
29' empty nest model. Blue Ox WD hitch
(1 queen bed, large main cabin and huge bathroom)
Camping days 2010-53, 2011-47, 2012-41, 2013-41, 2014-31, 2015-40, 2016-44, 2017-63, 2018-75, 2019-32, 2020-41, 2021-49, 2022-43, 2023-66
KyDan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2017, 12:28 PM   #3
Site Team
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Southwest Alabama
Posts: 9,850
Just running the fridge, a 20# cylinder will last a long time.
Running the water heater and the fridge, it'll still last a week or more. Possibly a month.
__________________
Salem 29RKSS Pushing a GMC Sierra 2500HD!
Gotta go campin!
Bama Rambler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2017, 12:46 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Boborc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Northern NJ
Posts: 269
It will be for 5 maybe 6 days. It is a medium size fridge as they say.separate fridge and freezer. It's in a grey wolf 17bh. I have a 2 tank set up so if they say you should get a week with one I should be fine. Only have one battery though. I may upgrade to a dual set up although I will bring my charger to goose it up with generator
Boborc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2017, 01:26 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Concord, NC
Posts: 443
You will be fine in lp. As long as you don't need heat. Heat is the one item that eats lp. Your battery will not last all week I don't think. If you run heat you will need to recharge daily.
bigmurph is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2017, 01:31 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Box elder
Posts: 724
Your battery will deplete before a full propane tank.
look up fridge heater, it will suck your battery down.
__________________
2015 silverback 31IK
2023 f350
kcmusa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2017, 02:33 PM   #7
Site Team
 
KyDan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 10,505
If you told us your fridge make and model number we might be able to tell
you if you have the battery sucking heater between the doors and maybe
tell you if you have a switch to shut it off.

Do plan on charging your battery any time you have the generator running.
2 tanks will last you fine. Probably won't use half of one tank but we're
guessing.

There's been LOTS of discussion about the heater in some fridges that
can be a battery sucker.
__________________
Peace!
Dan & Rita D
2017 Nissan Titan 5.6L King cab 4wd
2016 Evergreen Everlite 242RBS
29' empty nest model. Blue Ox WD hitch
(1 queen bed, large main cabin and huge bathroom)
Camping days 2010-53, 2011-47, 2012-41, 2013-41, 2014-31, 2015-40, 2016-44, 2017-63, 2018-75, 2019-32, 2020-41, 2021-49, 2022-43, 2023-66
KyDan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2017, 12:32 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 162
Quote:
Originally Posted by kcmusa View Post
Your battery will deplete before a full propane tank.
look up fridge heater, it will suck your battery down.
The frig heater works on 120 v AC and can't affect the 12 v system unless he has an inverter.
larrytbm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2017, 02:43 PM   #9
Site Team
 
bikendan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 33,554
Quote:
Originally Posted by larrytbm View Post
The frig heater works on 120 v AC and can't affect the 12 v system unless he has an inverter.
You are incorrect.
With no A.C. shore power, it starts depleting the 12v battery.
I know because my Dometic does it.
This is a well known problem and well documented.
__________________
Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
bikendan is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2017, 02:54 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 162
Quote:
Originally Posted by bikendan View Post
You are incorrect.
With no A.C. shore power, it starts depleting the 12v battery.
I know because my Dometic does it.
This is a well known problem and well documented.
No, the HEATER is only 120 v A.C. When running on propane, the burner is what supplies heat for operation.

Now you may be thinking about the door seal heater on some models, it is a 12 V heat strip used to reduce condensation in humid conditions. There is an ON/OFF switch on the underside of the upper door frame. If the switch is ON, it will drain the battery even if the refer is turned off. This is not a problem, but a feature that needs to be used properly.

"
CLIMATE CONTROL
During the summer months of high temperatures and
humidity, the metal frame between the freezer and fresh
food compartments may have water droplets forming.
The number of water droplets will increase if the vehicle
isn’t air conditioned during these months.
This refrigerator comes standard with a 12 volt (DC)
climate control that will evaporate the water droplets
when they form.
To have the climate control on, you position the switch
(“C” see figure 2) located beneath the top decoration
panel that houses the control panel to ON.
The climate control can be left on continuously or only
used when temperatures require it.
NOTE: The climate control will draw 12 volt DC power
continuously when in the ON position. It should be turned
OFF when a charging source is not available."
__________________
Larry Day, Texas Baptist Men volunteer since '01
'13 Silverado LT 3500HD D/A CCSB 2wd, custom RKI bed
'17 Puma 351THSS toyhauler
larrytbm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2017, 02:57 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Waynesville
Posts: 14,428
We travel for 2 months + at a time,Propane on the entire time,use Shore Power every night,the Refer on Auto!We use the kitchen stove Every AM.Furnace only on Backup! We use a Elect Heater,Water Heater on Shore Power,although it can be Propane powered! We Don't Use 1 30# Tank the Entire Time! Only 1 turned on at a time,have Never used but 1! Youroo!!
__________________
youroo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2017, 03:09 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
SecretSquirrel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 327
IIRC, on a propane fridge the heater is really not much more than a flame the size of a pilot light. So it's very minimal propane usage. Even when running on propane these fridges still consume a little 12vdc for the contoller circuit board.
__________________
_________________________
Crusader 337QBH
2019 F350 6.7L DRW CC LB 4x4 Lariat
B&W Companion 20K for OEM pucks.
SecretSquirrel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2017, 08:22 PM   #13
Site Team
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Southwest Alabama
Posts: 9,850
Quote:
Originally Posted by larrytbm View Post
Now you may be thinking about the door seal heater on some models, it is a 12 V heat strip used to reduce condensation in humid conditions. There is an ON/OFF switch on the underside of the upper door frame. If the switch is ON, it will drain the battery even if the refer is turned off. This is not a problem, but a feature that needs to be used properly
You are partially correct. It's the door seal heater, but a lot of fridges DON"T have an On/Off switch to turn it off, and it must be mechanically disabled.

There are several threads here about how to disconnect it at the inside light.
__________________
Salem 29RKSS Pushing a GMC Sierra 2500HD!
Gotta go campin!
Bama Rambler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2017, 11:55 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Tom48's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Ontario, California
Posts: 2,144
Arrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Boborc View Post
I will be at a racetrack next month with my travel trailer. Since I will only be running the generator part time I want to run the fridge on propane the whole time. Kinda like boon docking. How long will a 20lb tank last? Figure hot water and fridge do t think I will need any heat but you never know if it will be a cold night in Michigan


We have the 8 cu domestic. Recently we went 7 days and nights running frig in early June So Cal heat, 90 ish days, ran water heater and percolated coffee on the stove every morning and fried bacon, eggs and toast on stove most mornings. Took 3.5 gallons to top off propane
__________________
Tom48
In Sunny So Cal /w
Now in 2005 Holiday Rambler Ambassador DP and The Hot Air Balloon RESTLESS
NO MORE Tricked out
2017 Sandstorm 250 T.H.
Tom48 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2017, 05:30 AM   #15
Senior Member
 
Wolverine 1945's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: SouthWest Michigan
Posts: 5,977
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boborc View Post
I will be at a racetrack next month with my travel trailer. Since I will only be running the generator part time I want to run the fridge on propane the whole time. Kinda like boon docking. How long will a 20lb tank last? Figure hot water and fridge do t think I will need any heat but you never know if it will be a cold night in Michigan
Cold Night @ MIS in the middle of August,,, you could not be that lucky !!!


You will probably have to run your AC to be able to spend any time in your unit,,, If you are worried about cold,,, take sleeping bags & sweats !!!
Also take take Rain Ware just in case,,, my DW & I got drenched one Sunday by a quick hitting Thunder Storm !!!
GO BLUE OVAL !!!
Wolverine 1945 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2017, 07:35 AM   #16
Dryflycaster
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Northern New York
Posts: 75
Propane usage has always been a difficult thing for us to determine before hand. There can be many variables that affect it.

This past June (2017) we completed a approx. 5,00 mile trip from northern NY to Colorado and back. We were on the road or camping from June 1 through June 28.

I had both of our 20 pound tanks topped off and started both the frig and hot water approx. one week before leaving, while being plugged in at home. The temps ran ion the 90's almost every day and cooled off each night in the Yellowstone area that the furnace also came on a few times. Everyplace we camped at had electric service so that helped to curtail the LP being used by the frig and the hot water.

One of the 20 pound tanks went low to empty about half way home on the return trip and I switch over to the second tank which is still supplying the camper while it's now parked behind the house.

All in all I was quite pleased with amount of LP we used. I really could care less if we used one, two or even three tanks of LP as long as we always still had some supplying the camper. I even carried a third 20 pound tank in the back of the truck just in case we were some place where it was difficult to get the tanks filled right away. The spare tank is still there, still full, never used waiting for our next adventure.

I've been thinking/procrastinating about upgrading to two 30 pound tanks.
__________________
Ever Wonder ?

_bill


2017 RAM 2500 Cummings Diesel
2017 Forest River Avenger 27DBS
dryflycaster is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
fridge, propane

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:36 PM.