Fridge on during travel?

[rhamilton]

We cool our frig/freezer a few days before leaving on a trip from our house AC or by gas from the RV. We run on the road using propane. We also suggest a frig fan. They are inexpensive, battery powered and do a great job in certainly the air within the frig.

[Sandstone]

Thanks to all of you who have helped. We are finding there is a lot to learn before being prepared to hit the road.

[RailwayRog]

I had an interesting experience a few weeks ago regarding the fridge shutting down.
That evening after driving most of the day in heavy winds across Nevada the fridge was dead, no interior or indicator lights, nothing, had 12 volts at the terminals on fridge though.
Turns out both the high temp stack switch and thermal fuse were open. Fridge tech tells me that that if the winds are strong enough the wind will push down from top to bottom in the stack pushing the flame down causing the two safety devices to open and shut it down as it should. The thermal fuse is $45 alone and I found one after calling about 15 RV businesses in an 150 mile radius.
Technician told me if driving in heavy wind conditions to shut down the fridge until I'm clear of the heavy winds. It was a major pain locating the parts to repair it so I will be following this advice. I thought this might be relevant to this thread.
Valley Mobile Home & RV Center in Missoula, MT had the parts and was knowledgeable, friendly and helpful.

[Bama Rambler]

I'm working on a hypothesis.
RailwayRog -- Is your fridge in a slide?

I have a theory about the fridges in slides.

[KyDan]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

Fridges use VERY little propane. Not enough to even worry about. We could probably go months on one tank with only the fridge on propane.

Sorry but I gotta disagree here-- Days yes, maybe a few weeks but definitely
not months on a single 20LB tank. My fridge runs a LOT in hot weather and
last trip out we burned thru a tank in 3 weeks where we used the LP water heater
very little.

Also we ran a poll here about LP on when traveling--
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...off-12674.html

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

I'm working on a hypothesis.
RailwayRog -- Is your fridge in a slide?

I have a theory about the fridges in slides.

Well you got my attention what is your THEORY? Also this thing about leaks, yes with the old style tanks the gas would run out until it was empty, with the new tanks they shut off automatically with a broken line.....Also just as a side note just traveled through the Chesapeake Bay tunnel. No more inspections if your tanks are off. They just request you turn them off now when you pay 22.00 to cross. Can't believe the cost to go through.....

[Steveboe]

I have a 2016 FR Sandstorm and have found my 13.5k, AC unit to be cutting off when running, before the temp set on thermostat is reached.
When working normally, the compressor stops, then the fan, but sometimes the whole thing stops at once then restarts again and again.
I bought the RV, second hand and not sure if I can get warranty help.
Found new replacement unit on EBay and have the ability to change it out if needed.
Any one had experience with this problem? Compressor overheating? It really runs a lot with the temps so hot this year, I wish a 15K would fit in the same place easily but don't imagine it would be a huge improvement.
Thank you in advance.
Steve

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by KyDan

Sorry but I gotta disagree here-- Days yes, maybe a few weeks but definitely
not months on a single 20LB tank. My fridge runs a LOT in hot weather and
last trip out we burned thru a tank in 3 weeks where we used the LP water heater
very little.

Also we ran a poll here about LP on when traveling--
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...off-12674.html

OK.... So maybe month(S) is an exaggeration, but I know it will go at least 4 weeks as we did exactly that when it was parked at the house and I forgot to put it on auto after boondocking Regardless, the fridge uses very little propane which was the concern.

And for those of us that use the mobile app, the polls are not visible ( as well as most signatures). Have good day!!!

[jas451]

Thanks for all of the responses......I wouldn't think it would be that big a deal running with lp open or they'd have caution stickers somewhere on the fridge.....I'm pretty sure
I've run with them open before anyway, just by forgetting to close them when leaving camp. Just curious as to what standard protocol was/is.

[Witch Doctor]

I leave my LP on when traveling, there is no problem at all, some people turn it off and others do not, I think most just leave them on when traveling. There is no pilot lite it's more of a coil that stays hot.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by Steveboe

I have a 2016 FR Sandstorm and have found my 13.5k, AC unit to be cutting off when running, before the temp set on thermostat is reached.
When working normally, the compressor stops, then the fan, but sometimes the whole thing stops at once then restarts again and again.
I bought the RV, second hand and not sure if I can get warranty help.
Found new replacement unit on EBay and have the ability to change it out if needed.
Any one had experience with this problem? Compressor overheating? It really runs a lot with the temps so hot this year, I wish a 15K would fit in the same place easily but don't imagine it would be a huge improvement.
Thank you in advance.
Steve

It would help a little, but I do think the drop hole is the same and fits right over the 13.5. Don't get a Dometic, get a Coleman.

[dalford]

Originally Posted by Witch Doctor

I leave my LP on when traveling, there is no problem at all, some people turn it off and others do not, I think most just leave them on when traveling. There is no pilot lite it's more of a coil that stays hot.

What heats the coil? On my last 2 RV there was a pilot sized flame that heated the element. Propane has to burn to heat anything..

[RailwayRog]

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

I'm working on a hypothesis.
RailwayRog -- Is your fridge in a slide?

I have a theory about the fridges in slides.

Nope not in slide

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by dalford

What heats the coil? On my last 2 RV there was a pilot sized flame that heated the element. Propane has to burn to heat anything..

The flame is so small at the end of the coil that you can't even see it. It get all absorbed by the coil, maybe I should have said there is no standing pilot as you see with a thermocouple and there is no ribbon burner.hope that helps, did you ever feel the tube that go's up with a limit on it? It gets hot real hot. If you look at the parts manual for a Norcold you will see the coil I'm talking about

[Tonylmiller]

We freeze 6 water bottles and put them in a cooler with the cold food before we leave. When we arrive at our destination, of course we turn the refrigerator on, but we also put 4 of the mostly still frozen water bottles in the top of the refrigerator section. A couple of hours later, the refrigerator is cool enough to move the cold food from the cooler to the refrigerator. After everything is cold and the water bottles are thawed, we move the water bottles to the freezer. Then when we leave, we put the frozen water bottles in the cooler with the cold food for the trip home. Piece of cake! We actually don't even use a whole lot of cold food while camping. Just some milk and sandwich stuff, mostly. We normally go out for dinner.

Just don't put a bunch of warm soda cans in the refrigerator until it cools off good, and even then not 24 of them at once.

[Jlreeves]

Originally Posted by Tonylmiller

We freeze 6 water bottles and put them in a cooler with the cold food before we leave. When we arrive at our destination, of course we turn the refrigerator on, but we also put 4 of the mostly still frozen water bottles in the top of the refrigerator section. A couple of hours later, the refrigerator is cool enough to move the cold food from the cooler to the refrigerator. After everything is cold and the water bottles are thawed, we move the water bottles to the freezer. Then when we leave, we put the frozen water bottles in the cooler with the cold food for the trip home. Piece of cake! We actually don't even use a whole lot of cold food while camping. Just some milk and sandwich stuff, mostly. We normally go out for dinner.

Just don't put a bunch of warm soda cans in the refrigerator until it cools off good, and even then not 24 of them at once.

We do the same thing. We load the frig with water and surplus go to freezer. When we leave for day trips, etc we carry a few frozen bottles and as they melt we get ice cold water all day.

[otisite2016]

If you ever see a n RV burnt to the ground along side the road you will have second thoughts about travelling with propane on. I never do

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by otisite2016

If you ever see a n RV burnt to the ground along side the road you will have second thoughts about travelling with propane on. I never do

Was the fire in the RV you saw burned by the road started by the refrigerator running on propane?

[TURBS]

You got a better chance of being hit by lightning then your Rv catching on fire because the fridge is running.

What's to stop it catching on fire while your camping?

If it was such a no no then it wouldn't be possible to do so.

I'm more scared of miss Amy then I am of my fridge catching on fire.


2015 Columbus 320RS
2008 2500HD Duramax
2015 nights camped "34"
2016 nights camped "32"

[Bama Rambler]

Originally Posted by otisite2016

If you ever see a n RV burnt to the ground along side the road you will have second thoughts about travelling with propane on. I never do

If you followed that analogy, you'd never drive another vehicle. All of them have some type of fuel that will burn one to the ground. Yes, even battery powered vehicles catch fire and burn.