Fridge on propane

[kinma13]

I was wondering if anyone would know about how much propane a 3 way fridge in a rockwood hw 276 uses to chill. I've heard the fridge gets cold faster using propane and I need the fridge cold this weekend to load it and don't have electric close by.

[raspivey]

Not a lot....it's not much more than a pilot light once it gets cold. Mine have all chilled down in 6 - 8 hours.

[Spikedog]

Fill the fridge up with cold stuff like bagged ice or blue ice packs to hasten the cooling process.

Like raspivey says, hardly any propane use for fridges, just a little flame. The speed at which it gets cold is also dependent on how hot it is outside and if it's windy. A hot calm day is the worst.

[5picker]

The refrigerator uses very little propane.

The burner is fixed and does not use more propane when chilling than it does once cool other than the amount of burn time is longer when it it is first started.

Example: When mine is first started on propane, the burner will run almost a three hours straight without shutting off. Once it satisfies temp, it will cycle and maybe only run 20 minutes out of an hour.

I also have a 'take out' propane refrigerator I snagged from a dealer friend that I use at home for hunting, picnics back-yard get togethers and emergencies. It will run months on a 20 LB. tank.

[WestCoastRV'er]

Originally Posted by kinma13

I was wondering if anyone would know about how much propane a 3 way fridge in a rockwood hw 276 uses to chill. I've heard the fridge gets cold faster using propane and I need the fridge cold this weekend to load it and don't have electric close by.

I leave my fridge on propane while in storage so I can enjoy a nice cold beer when I go to check on it. A single 20lb bottle lasts about 4 weeks. I always leave both bottles open so when the first bottle is empty it uses propane from the second bottle. Propane is under $2 a pound around here so for $10 I can leave some food and condiments in the fridge between trips.
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[Hugeez]

Originally Posted by WestCoastRV'er

I leave my fridge on propane while in storage so I can enjoy a nice cold beer when I go to check on it. A single 20lb bottle lasts about 4 weeks. I always leave both bottles open so when the first bottle is empty it uses propane from the second bottle. Propane is under $2 a pound around here so for $10 I can leave some food and condiments in the fridge between trips.
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Does the fridge need a charged battery too to keep it cold using propane or just the propane alone does that?

[5picker]

It needs 12v for the control circuitry. Yes charged battery.

[Hugeez]

Originally Posted by 5picker

It needs 12v for the control circuitry. Yes charged battery.

That's what I figured. Thanks.

[Wobbles]

Originally Posted by WestCoastRV'er

I leave my fridge on propane while in storage so I can enjoy a nice cold beer when I go to check on it. A single 20lb bottle lasts about 4 weeks. I always leave both bottles open so when the first bottle is empty it uses propane from the second bottle. Propane is under $2 a pound around here so for $10 I can leave some food and condiments in the fridge between trips.
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So, the storage company allows you to have power to your TT or are you just using your battery? Cool, are they all good with you running a propane appliance for a month?

This is nice as nobody around my location would consider the propane option. Are you parked on an open lot?

[HONDAMAN174]

Wow. $2 bucks a gallon. 4.75 here. Have 2 30lb canisters and I wait for the second one to get to about half. Takes a while in summer about twice as fast in winter.


2014 Evo 2850 "Woodstock"
2011 Toyota Tundra "Clifford"

[john5646]

Regardless of power supply. I love this fan. I use it every time. I just recently learned about it. But I must say even an empty fridge will cool down faster with it. Note I ran it in the house fridge just to test batteries and got over 4 weeks out of them. It's very little movement. But it works.

[WestCoastRV'er]

Originally Posted by Wobbles

So, the storage company allows you to have power to your TT or are you just using your battery? Cool, are they all good with you running a propane appliance for a month?

This is nice as nobody around my location would consider the propane option. Are you parked on an open lot?

At an RV storage location up here near Birch Bay, WA. I have a 250 watt solar panel that can easily handle the power draw from fridge on propane and any other small draws from sensors etc.
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[raspivey]

Originally Posted by 5picker

It needs 12v for the control circuitry. Yes charged battery.

On a high wall it may not. Three ways generally don't have a control board.

[kinma13]

Question. I turned on fridge using the LP everything was ok all yesterday and today until about 20min ago my CO sensor started chirping and flashing red/green. I tried pushing the test button but nothing happens. Btw not staying in it just testing the LP for next week.

[raspivey]

If it's like mine, flashing red / green with a beep every 30 seconds or so is a malfunction. Red, red, green, green with a beep every 30 seconds is an end of life warning. Disconnecting the power for a bit and reconnecting MAY fix that.

It could also be low voltage from your battery if you're not plugged in to anything.

[kinma13]

I'm plugged in but only a trickle charger. No the pup power supply and I did have the vent fan on so a low battery does sound right. Forgot the trickle charger only charges at 1.5amp. Shut fridge off and all power is off at shut off switch so now it should charge the battery overnight. Thank you for reminding me about the power.

[pgandw]

Originally Posted by kinma13

I'm plugged in but only a trickle charger. No the pup power supply and I did have the vent fan on so a low battery does sound right. Forgot the trickle charger only charges at 1.5amp. Shut fridge off and all power is off at shut off switch so now it should charge the battery overnight. Thank you for reminding me about the power.

1.5A charger is not going to recharge your battery overnight, even with all loads disconnected. 1.5A times 10 hours is 15AH. Your battery is probably 80AH, and at least 50% discharged for the low voltage alarm on the propane/CO detector to go off. Will you get the battery charge above the threshold for the low voltage alarm? Possibly. Best bet is to hook up to a real charger using power in the bathroom. Another good bet would be to borrow a generator. 2nd best would be jumper cables from your tow vehicle battery for an hour or two (taking the motor above idle to about 1200RPM will increase the charge rate of the alternator).

I've been there, done that, and have the T-shirt for running my battery down to nothing while camping in a pop-up. I have used all the above except the trickle charger to get enough charge to finish the camping trip.

Although slow to learn, I remembered to install 2 batteries when we bought our A-frame. The 2 batteries carry us for 4 nights with the heater running up to 5 hrs/night. Interior lights are LED, and the fridge does not have a control board.

Being a High Wall, your fridge may or may not have a 12V control board. If the fridge controls are inside the camper, or you have a freezer section, you definitely have a 12V control board. If the controls are on the outside inside the fridge vents, and there is no freezer, you may have a continuous run fridge. The standard height PUPs and A-frames have smaller fridges that are continuous run and do not have/need a DC control board.

Fred W
2014 Rockwood A122 A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time
next trips: Rocky Mtn National Park, Mt Rushmore, Utah 5

[kinma13]

My pups in my backyard so just did the trickle over night and this morning connected the pups main cord. Just wasn't thinking about the trickle charger. But ty

[kinma13]

I have a control board. Need power to run fridge.