Towing with fridge on LP?

[Tiggerdad]

Originally Posted by kollinr

I should have thought of that. That explains why my battery has to be on even when set to propane.

Yes, to light the flame and run the fridge controls.
Be sure that your tow vehicle is set up to charge your rig. I have read a number of posts on this and other forums where people say their battery is discharged when they get to their campsite and did not know their tow vehicle was not charging. Without charging battery will discharge. If your rig has brakes and a disconnect cable you never want to tow without a fully charged battery. If it becomes disconnected from your tow vehicle the brakes will not engage to stop your rig.

[Tiggerdad]

Originally Posted by 007matman

I think what he's talking about is electronic ignition. My fridge has no standing pilot light. It's electronic and is controlled by a computer. The fridge also needs 12v power to run properly.

My guess here is that the 12v power is needed to keep the gas flowing. It could be a safety thing. I know that my old pop-up had manual controls so it would stay on regardless of having power.

I know all of this because I recently had to replace my fridge computer. The flame sensor is on the board and malfunctioned leaving my fridge inoperable on gas power. Now that I replaced it it's good.

I agree and understand that is what he probably meant but found it a tiny bit confusing and the OP, being unfamiliar with it's operation. may not have understood it.

Yes on power to open and hold open the electric solenoid for proper gas flow.

[Jim in Halifax]

Originally Posted by fonzie

X2


https://www.google.ca/search?q=ridge...iverforums.com

Same here for years!!!! (X3)

[French]

Although it's legal today.
We've heard that driving with propane on and propane appliances on will become illegal in the province of Ontario in the near future

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by Tiggerdad

Can you clarify? I understand that there is not technically a "pilot light" on all the time but when on propane there is a small flame and 12V is needed for the DSI and controls. The OP, being unfamiliar with his fridge, may not realize a flame is needed when running off shore power.

Last comment first: A flame is NOT needed when running off shore power.

A modern RV absorption refrigerator needs heat to cool... yep. When the refrigerator is running on 120v (or 110v or shore power), the needed heat comes from an electric coil (layman's terms), not a flame.
When running on propane, the needed heat comes from a small propane flame. The propane flame is present when the refrigerator is turned on, propane is turned on and the thermostat calls for cooling (produced by flame). The term "pilot light" is understood to mean a constant/ready for service flame to light a larger flame that is occasionally, but not constantly, needed.

So... when an RV refrigerator is cooling with a propane flame and not an Alternating Current electric coil, a flame is present -- but only when the system asks and not constantly. I didn't say otherwise. In all the years/miles I've towed trailers with my refrigerator on (and running on propane), I've never had the little propane flame blow out (or if I did, it relit with no issue). I did in fact run out of propane in one cylinder once and the flame didn't relight until I switched cylinders and reset the fridge.

[Mr. Dan]

We have a write-up in our Library which explains much/all of this. See if you can't get to it here. Forest River Forums - Downloads - Fridge Theory of Operation and Troubleshooting

This file can be downloaded and saved.

[Palinduff]

I recently travelled for the first time with my fridge on. I used to turn my norcold off in my sportsmen, but with a bottle of ice in the fridge I could go all day and the fridge would stay cold and the freezer frozen. But with my dometic I have to leave it on, I turn it off at the pumps though, I'm not taking any chances there. In my dometic manual it is stated that while parked, keep the unit level for optimum performance, but while travelling the motion of turning and hills is sufficient to move the coolant around. So Ifrom that I gather that it is ok to leave the fridge on.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by Palinduff

I recently travelled for the first time with my fridge on. I used to turn my norcold off in my sportsmen, but with a bottle of ice in the fridge I could go all day and the fridge would stay cold and the freezer frozen. But with my dometic I have to leave it on, I turn it off at the pumps though, I'm not taking any chances there. In my dometic manual it is stated that while parked, keep the unit level for optimum performance, but while travelling the motion of turning and hills is sufficient to move the coolant around. So Ifrom that I gather that it is ok to leave the fridge on.

"Coolant has to move around" whether you're operating on propane or electricity.

[johnbryanpeters]

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

We have a write-up in our Library which explains much/all of this. See if you can't get to it here. Forest River Forums - Downloads - Fridge Theory of Operation and Troubleshooting

This file can be downloaded and saved.

Nice, thanks.

[pmsherman]

The instructions that came with the Dometic fridge in my 2011 Georgetown state that the fridge should be level when in use. It also stated that driving with the fridge on would not damage the cooling system because while the fridge is sometimes out of level, it's not for an extended time and the normal attitude changes of the rig when driving should prevent the cooling system from locking up.

The question about using propane when driving is more a personal preference and safety issue. There are a number of locations (ie bridges, tunnels) in the US where you can't take a rig if the propane is turned on. Driving with the propane turned on also presents a small but increased safety risk in case of an accident. My choice, when I purchased the Georgetown was to not drive with the propane turned on so I had an inverter installed to run the dual power fridge on 120VAC while driving. I also added a cutoff switch to the power line between the propane detector and the shutoff solenoid located at the propane tank. This switch lets me turn off the propane at the tank from inside the rig. The AC heater in the fridge draws a little under 300W; around 25A at 12V , a load that's easily met by the 175A alternator that's part of the Ford V10 engine package.

Phil

[gastan]

Originally Posted by larryandamy

Yes you should read your manual...
But it will tell most likely you to not drive with the fridge on propane.

The manual for my Dometic fridge does not say yes or no to driving with the fridge on propane. On page 12 it says this:

"If the refrigerator is operated when it is not level and the
vehicle is not moving, liquid ammonia will accumulate in sections
of the evaporator tubing. This will slow the circulation
of hydrogen and ammonia gas, or in severe cases, completely
block it, resulting in a 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."

You can infer from that that, as far as Dometic is concerned, operating on propane while driving is perfectly okay. And if I can add to the above info, blockage means crystal formation. Crystallization is permanent. There are methods to get a non-working, blocked fridge working again but they are seldom permanent and a new fridge is usually the only permanent fix.

[Steveboe]

The gas flame in a propane refrigerator is not much larger than a pilot light. It lights with an electronic spark.
The whole purpose of the propane refrigerator is to use it when traveling, if it does get blown out by a gust it will relight electronically or give an error light on the panel inside the coach.
Enjoy

[Dave Lyon]

Been doing for years without issue, including my pop-up. I always light the fridge and run it on propane when driving to the campground.

I leave the fridge running when I stop for fuel as well.

[rp53]

Originally Posted by Was

I do it all the time and have not had any issues.

x3

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by Dave Lyon

.... I always light the fridge and run it on propane when driving to the campground.

You actually light yours? Yours is not like mine.

[Dave Lyon]

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

You actually light yours? Yours is not like mine.

My apologies......no, I set the fridge to "Auto" and when I unplug form house hydro, the fridge switches to propane.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by Dave Lyon

My apologies......no, I set the fridge to "Auto" and when I unplug form house hydro, the fridge switches to propane.

Ha! I assumed so... but I asked for clarification because some of our members are "literalists" and I didn't want one of them to stick a Bic lighter in their fridge!!

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

Ha! I assumed so... but I asked for clarification because some of our members are "literalists" and I didn't want one of them to stick a Bic lighter in their fridge!!

Would a Zippo work better?

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Would a Zippo work better?

Propane torch!

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

Propane torch!

Weed Dragon/Flame Thrower!
Bwahhahahahaha!