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 05-22-2011, 05:11 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 752
fridg turned on during travelling?

Is it safe to leave the fridg on gas while travelling?
capucine is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2011, 05:31 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 855
Probably 98% of the travelers do with no problems. Of course there will be that 2% who will tell you all sorts of horror stories.
Just be sure to turn the refer off when refueling.
donn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2011, 05:59 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
kalik282's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Medina, Ohio
Posts: 307
I Agree

Quote:
Originally Posted by donn View Post
Probably 98% of the travelers do with no problems. Of course there will be that 2% who will tell you all sorts of horror stories.
Just be sure to turn the refer off when refueling.
X2

I have been traveling for years with the fridge on propane. Never had a problem. I do turn the fridge off when fueling, just in case. As the previous poster stated, I'm sure others will chime in.

John
__________________
John & Nicole
2004 Ford Excursion 6.0L 4x4
2011 Flagstaff 831FKBSS
Nights Camped: '06=122 '07=12 '08=18 '09=10 '10=18 '11=28 '12=16
kalik282 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2011, 06:01 PM   #4
Site Team - Lou
 
Herk7769's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
Like a bad penny...

This question keeps coming up.
Yes, I do; but some don't.
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
Herk7769 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2011, 06:20 PM   #5
Site Team
 
KyDan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 10,505
In a recent poll found here
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...off-12674.html

80% said they run with the LP on.
17% said they don't.
__________________
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 06-24-2011, 09:21 PM   #6
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 4
Send a message via Yahoo to jimberg
We just travelled from Alabama to Wyoming and back with the fride on our Wildcat on the entire time we weren't plugged in. Absolutley no problem.
jimberg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-24-2011, 09:56 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Nigels's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: BC Canada
Posts: 643
We travel with it on all the time even when fueling..................diesel at truck stops. Off when fueling at regular pumps which makes me think that your water heater should be off also!
__________________
Nigel & Bev
Brit Driver & Canadian Naviguesser
We summer in Cowichan Valley BC Canada & winter in Monchique Portugal great camping in both!

2011 Rockwood Signature Ultra Lite 8280ws 2011 Dodge Ram 3500 4x4 Diesel 2000 Honda S2000
Nigels is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-24-2011, 10:44 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
BOBFIDY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Broken Arrow, OK
Posts: 1,112
We travel with the fridge off...gas bottles turned off. It just seems to be easier that way. Better safe than sorry??? Not sure.
__________________
2011 FORD F350 CREW CAB DUALLY DIESEL 4x2
2010 Salem LA 292FKDS
One of the Original 14 F.R.O.G.s
1st, 2nd, and 3rd INTERNATIONAL F.R.O.G. RALLY Branson. MO.
1st, 2nd, and 4th INTERNATIONAL RALLY Goshen, IN.
BOBFIDY is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-24-2011, 10:52 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Manitoba
Posts: 1,283
It's pretty hard to keep things frozen in the freezer without the fridge on.
We don't worry about shutting it off while fueling, as it simply isn't a hazard unless someone else is filling their car right beside your fridge vents. Highly unlikely.
crocus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2011, 11:12 AM   #10
49 year camping veteran
 
Maxterra's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Utah
Posts: 48
Have always left the fridge on on all three TT's for over 20yrs w/o incident.
Never worried about refueling, and even less now with a diesel.
I always do turn off the water heater & furnace.

Only thing to remember is traveling with the fridge on, to park it on reasonaly flat ground whenever you stop. Very hard on them to try to operate out of level.

Explanation here:
http://www.rvfridge.com/gravity.htm
Maxterra is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2011, 05:47 PM   #11
Member
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 66
I run with mine on, and don't worry about it while refueling. Almost always, the trailer is outside the classified area (API 500).

Mine is diesel too. However, diesel does NOT equal 'safe'. Many people think it is okay to run a diesel since it doesn't have spark plugs. But if there is ever a gasoline spill nearby, and your engine is running, it can pick up the gasoline fumes and overspeed. You can not turn off the engine in this case.

The engine can race uncontrollably until it - literally - throws engine parts. This has been the cause of several gasoline loading rack fires. A truck overfills, spilling gasoline and the truck waiting to pull in is too close and overspeeds.

Long story short - diesel does not equal safe
__________________
Keith & Liz
2010 SilverBack 33L
2009 F-250
kablair is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2011, 09:31 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
2Susan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Southern Alberta
Posts: 459
We run with the fridge on.
However thinking about fridges liking to operate while level makes me ask the fridge gurus of the group - what about when you are in quite mountainous areas - always up or down, never seeming to be level? what problems could you foresee?
If we had problems in the mountains we've not noticed.
2Susan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2011, 09:47 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 386
We ALWAYS run with the fridge on.
Keith, you might want to check that out about gas fumes causing a diesel to race, sounds like an urban legend to me! (It's just fumes, not raw gas!)
Jack
__________________
2018 Flagstaff 832IKBS Travel Trailer.

2015 Silverado High Country.
jackhartjr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2011, 09:58 PM   #14
Wanna Be Camper
 
SaskCampers's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Posts: 2,420
we are on the road now and the fridge is and will stay running till we return home in July.
__________________

John & Deb
2011 F250 Lariat FX4 Crew Cab 6.2
2011 Flagstaff V-Lite 30WRLS
SaskCampers is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2011, 09:59 PM   #15
Site Team - Lou
 
Herk7769's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
Quote:
Originally Posted by jackhartjr View Post
We ALWAYS run with the fridge on.
Keith, you might want to check that out about gas fumes causing a diesel to race, sounds like an urban legend to me! (It's just fumes, not raw gas!)
Jack
Thanks Jack. You beat me to it. I was going to ask for a source.
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
Herk7769 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2011, 11:23 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
Boyd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Iron River, MI
Posts: 389
Fueling

Remember, any appliance that produces a flame should/must be turned off when filling your on-board propane tank.
__________________
"If everything seems to be going well, look around, you've obviously overlooked something."
Boyd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2011, 06:01 AM   #17
Senior Member
 
onetonford's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Lodi CA
Posts: 1,211
Quote:
Originally Posted by herk7769 View Post
Thanks Jack. You beat me to it. I was going to ask for a source.
Washed out a aircleaner for tractor with gas once didn't cause deisel to run out of control but did cause it to backfire and blow lid of air cleaner to go flying across shop. also had to wait for fumes to dissapate before it would crank as gas fumes would fire before top dead center and cause it to stop like hitting a brick wall.
__________________

2001 Ford F-350 DRW 7.3
2011 25 RL Wildcat
former fiver 1976 Fourwinds had for 35 years
onetonford is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2011, 07:15 AM   #18
Senior Member
 
Fire Instructor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Upstate (Albany Area) NY
Posts: 832
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Susan View Post
We run with the fridge on.
However thinking about fridges liking to operate while level makes me ask the fridge gurus of the group - what about when you are in quite mountainous areas - always up or down, never seeming to be level? what problems could you foresee?
The reason that an RV fridge has to be level to operate is to ensure that the refrigerant flows properly through the small tubes in the cooling system. If the fridge is kept unlevel for too long, the refrigerant settles in one "corner" of the system, and the fridge stops working properly. The ups and downs, bumps, slight sways, etc. of road travel keep the refrigerant well stirred-up, and settling isn't a problem. If anything, the fridge works MORE efficiently when traveling, then when sitting still.
__________________
Fire Instructor

2022 Coachmen Leprechaun 319MB
2022 Ford Ranger toad
Fire Instructor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2011, 10:36 AM   #19
Member
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 66
Quote:
Originally Posted by herk7769 View Post
Thanks Jack. You beat me to it. I was going to ask for a source.
Diesel Engine Risks While Operating in Hazardous Environments | Well Servicing Magazine

Fuel Spill Prevention: San Antonio Refinary Explosion at Loading Rack operating under API RP1004

4261 - Intake Air Shutoff Valves

Crown Petroleum Loading Rack
<< I'll try to find the video of the truck as it literally oversped and blew apart; it is a 'standard' that is shown every few years at one of our monthly safety meetings>>

Yes - I'm in the hydrocarbon business.
__________________
Keith & Liz
2010 SilverBack 33L
2009 F-250
kablair is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2011, 11:13 AM   #20
Site Team - Lou
 
Herk7769's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fire Instructor View Post
The reason that an RV fridge has to be level to operate is to ensure that the refrigerant flows properly through the small tubes in the cooling system. If the fridge is kept unlevel for too long, the refrigerant settles in one "corner" of the system, and the fridge stops working properly. The ups and downs, bumps, slight sways, etc. of road travel keep the refrigerant well stirred-up, and settling isn't a problem. If anything, the fridge works MORE efficiently when traveling, then when sitting still.
Here is an article on how the system works.
Attached Files
File Type: doc Fridge Operation and Trouble shooting.doc (414.0 KB, 10 views)
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
Herk7769 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

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 01:34 AM.