Refrigerator While Driving

[Mike & Molly]

I have medication that must stay cold before use.
Cooler / ice not always available on the road.
I am not comfortable cooling the refrigerator using propane while driving.
Planning on using the electric.
Question is - Is it running off the house batteries while driving and is the engine alternator enough to keep the batteries charged and operating the refrigerator while traveling.
Thanks for your help / advise.
2013 Sunseeker 3010DS

[Geri]

You bet assuming fridge has a DC mode. We used it all the time on the road.

[MrJoe]

Unless you had a 3-way fridge installed, your unit runs on propane or 120 AC. You will either need to run the generator or propane while traveling. It won't run on battery.

[youroo]

Originally Posted by Mike & Molly

I have medication that must stay cold before use.
Cooler / ice not always available on the road.
I am not comfortable cooling the refrigerator using propane while driving.
Planning on using the electric.
Question is - Is it running off the house batteries while driving and is the engine alternator enough to keep the batteries charged and operating the refrigerator while traveling.
Thanks for your help / advise.
2013 Sunseeker 3010DS

Buy a (12V) plugin cooler for your Meds.Youroo!!

[camper1999]

Running the propane will be no problem. Have done it for almost 20 years. But if your against it and your refrig does not run on 12volt you can install an inverter.

[King Yankee]

I purchased a 12V cooler years ago and still use it today to transport medication.

[Kaadk]

Originally Posted by youroo

Buy a (12V) plugin cooler for your Meds.Youroo!!

Originally Posted by camper1999

Running the propane will be no problem. Have done it for almost 20 years. But if your against it and your refrig does not run on 12volt you can install an inverter.

Both good options. My vote would be for the 12v cooler though. If you're concerned about the alternator keeping up with it then the cooler should (can't guarantee) have less of a draw than an inverter running the whole fridge.

The inverter though would serve multiple purposes, i.e. boondocking.

[lbrunning]

The engine alternator will keep the house battery charged no problem. I run my fridge on the auto setting in my sunseeker witch is supposed to go to either electric or gas and i believe it runs on electric most of the time and auto switches to gas if needed. I see no reason to have a 12 v cooler when you have a rolling house with all the comforts of home

[youroo]

Originally Posted by lbrunning

The engine alternator will keep the house battery charged no problem. I run my fridge on the auto setting in my sunseeker witch is supposed to go to either electric or gas and i believe it runs on electric most of the time and auto switches to gas if needed. I see no reason to have a 12 v cooler when you have a rolling house with all the comforts of home

I think if you do some research your Fridge is (Gas on 12v) or (110) NOT (12v only). Youroo!! They don't want to use Gas on the Go.

[Brother Les]

Originally Posted by Mike & Molly

I have medication that must stay cold before use.
Cooler / ice not always available on the road.
I am not comfortable cooling the refrigerator using propane while driving.
Planning on using the electric.
Question is - Is it running off the house batteries while driving and is the engine alternator enough to keep the batteries charged and operating the refrigerator while traveling.
Thanks for your help / advise.
2013 Sunseeker 3010DS

The 'electric' source for the fridge is 110 shore power. Your fridge is a duel fuel source unit (batteries are not the fuel source). You will always need the 12v house batteries for the electronics no matter if you use Propane or shore power 110. It is very standard to drive (or pull) a camping unit with the propane on for the fridge when traveling down the road. It is good that you are not 'comfortable' using propane while driving. I commend you. All who take to the roads should always have the hazards of this in the forefront of our minds. Read up on it and talk to other camper users and your comfort level will increase. Check your equipment around the fridge to make sure that the flow pipe is clean and not obstructed by any wasp nests or spider webs. imo, you should have no worries driving down the road with the propane on ( I have done it for over 30 years). If you go into a filling station, that would imo be the only time that I would shut the 12v switch off at the fridge. shutting the 12v off will close the propane off at the fridge. when done filling, pull forward a little to get away from any gas fumes and turn on the 12v. You should hear your propane come on. I have never shut my fridge down when fueling, as I use Diesel and there is no fumes to ignite.

[phelpo]

It was suggested to me to share what I have done with my last four
rigs to improve the look and quietness. Our new 3011ds is on order
and when it comes in I'm going to carpet the drawers and cabinets.
What I have been using is carpet runners. It is thin with a rubber
backing. I have purchased it from Lowes and HD. This has
improved the look greatly and cut down on a lot of noise. It does
not move around if you do a good job of cutting.

Hope this helps

Phelpo

[lbrunning]

Sorry for the misinformation I think I had brain freeze from the cold spell we have had .

[Malabarbob]

I am a retire Fire Chief tat hates propane but I use mine to run the refrigerator when driving. I do shut off the refrigerator when fueling and most important, put away the cell phone. I have seen many gas pump fires started by cell phones.
Make sure your propane monitor is good. I should know how they check it at the dealers but I do not. Also, RVs have their propane tanks near ground level and leaks in lines will leak downward because propane is much heavier than air. It's not like natural gas where gas can float and fill the RV. I would run it with gas to keep your meds cool.

[KyDan]

Igloo iceless 28 QT 12 volt cooler at Amazon is $90 with free shipping. It doesn't
say how many amps it draws but should not be a problem when the
engine is running.
Or run on LP like we do.
Happy Camping!

[Displaced2]

I run the 12 volt cooler and it works great. Keep it between cab seats for easy access while driving.

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by Mike & Molly

I have medication that must stay cold before use.
Cooler / ice not always available on the road.
I am not comfortable cooling the refrigerator using propane while driving.
Planning on using the electric.
Question is - Is it running off the house batteries while driving and is the engine alternator enough to keep the batteries charged and operating the refrigerator while traveling.
Thanks for your help / advise.
2013 Sunseeker 3010DS

If you have the optional 4 door fridge I believe there is an engine ignition interlock that will not allow the fridge to operate (no spark start) for about 15 or 20 minutes after engine shutdown for fueling your MH. Also, if a propane line breakes that would shut down the propane bottle due to the regulator detecting an open gas flow. If you do not have the 4 door fridge I'm not sure if the standard fridge has the engine interlock. However; the open gas line protection is there. I think this is correct and therefore while driving with fridge operating on propane would not be hazardous. JMO.

[markangie24]

I could not imagine running without the fridge on. We turn the fridge on at least one day prior to departure and then fill it up when all is cold. I put my needed medicine in the fridge. This is our on the road home and why we have a fridge run on propane. On top of all that when we arrive the beer is cold!!

[Taranwanderer]

How far and/or how long are you looking to drive before you get to your destination and can plug-in? Might I suggest the simple, low-tech approach: plug it in a day or two before you leave to get it nice and cold, and then take a gallon milk jug that you filled with water and froze in your house freezer, and place that in the fridge and close the door. A chunk of ice that big will keep your fridge cold for a considerably long time without the fridge being "on."

[markangie24]

We go 4-5 hours a day and sometimes have no schedule at all. That is a good idea for when we start and I will try that next time. Thanks for the info.

[OldCoot]

Have towed with the frig on propane since 1976 and will continue to do so. If it were a problem with the thousands and thousands of people that tow with the frig on propane, you would see something on or in the news of rv explosions happening due to running the frig on propane while traveling.