Do you turn off your LP while driving

[damann]

I pack as many ice packs, frozen water bottles and food as I can for the first day or two, then revert to using the LP when driving, depending on the outside temperature and what's in the fridge. I turn it off when re-fueling, and then often forget to turn it back on. I try not to travel with a lot of perishables that could make us sick if not kept cold. Always off while traveling on the ferry, and on routes that have tunnels. Last time we traveled across the border, we were asked what was in the reefer and I answered Lots of Ice Packs. The guy looked at me funny, but waved us through.

[cstover]

In 3 years of owning my 5th wheel i have never secures the L.P.. The fridge runs when we are moving.

[Mountainmanbob]

Leave it on.
Helps to keep food cold.
Keeps our food very cold while travelin.

M-Bob

[otisite2016]

I leave mine off. If you ever have seen a burned out RV along the road you would understand. IT IS NOT Safe. Period

[BigWil]

I drive with my fridge on and tanks open. My gas filler tube is on the opposite side of the rig than the fridge, and the fridge is in the back half of the trailer. I make sure that the truck is fueled before I leave, and for most of our weekend trips, I top up the truck near the CG before I hook up to head home. If I can't, the distance is significant enough that I will refuel without concern. Having had food go bad because the fridge didn't cool down fast enough, I now have a battery cutoff switch, and turn the battery and the fridge on the day before we leave.

[MadDog2020]

I leave it off. The issue is generally around safer in case of an accident. Also all flame should be off when entering a gas station. I traveo13 hours thru 115 degree weather this summer with ice blocks in the fridge to my first stop. Food was cold and frozen items still frozen. Most people I talk to leave it on. I choose not to.

[moshe1436]

Originally Posted by MadDog2020

I leave it off. The issue is generally around safer in case of an accident. Also all flame should be off when entering a gas station. I traveo13 hours thru 115 degree weather this summer with ice blocks in the fridge to my first stop. Food was cold and frozen items still frozen. Most people I talk to leave it on. I choose not to.

I'm uncertain what I'm going to do this trip. I have left it on before for the same 45 minute trip but can't remember if I had the 12v connected while towing with the fridge on LP.

So do you have to have the 12v connected to run the fridge on LP?

[Brother Les]

Originally Posted by moshe1436

I'm uncertain what I'm going to do this trip. I have left it on before for the same 45 minute trip but can't remember if I had the 12v connected while towing with the fridge on LP.

So do you have to have the 12v connected to run the fridge on LP?

Hello Moshe1436,
I am not trying to be to forward with this statement of mine. It seems to me, from your statement, that you may not know how the electrical system works on the 12v side. A little reminder will bring back the ideals. I will answer your last question first. Yes, you need 12v to run the electrical stuff on the fridge. Your statement of "can't remember if I had the 12v connected while towing".... If you have a 'battery shut off' on your unit, that can shut off the 12v to and from the battery on the camper unit... But..... if you have your unit plugged into the towing truck, the battery on the camper is not fully needed... 12v power will go to all of the 12v components in the camper... running lights, brake lights, inside lights and 12v power for your fridge. Depending on how you 7-point connecting is wired up, you may or may not have '12v power' running to the camper all of the time. 'Some' power systems may only work if your truck is not running.

[MadDog2020]

I have the battery connected and the tow vehicle connected when trailering. You need the tow vehicle connected to keep your battery charged and you need the battery on in case of an accident. The battery will engage the brakes if the trailer is separated from the tow vehicle.

[slamac]

Yep, I'v owned RV's for 30 + years some ran on LP or 12 volts but I have always left it on, except while fuling and filling the LP tank.

[moshe1436]

Originally Posted by Brother Les

Hello Moshe1436,
I am not trying to be to forward with this statement of mine. It seems to me, from your statement, that you may not know how the electrical system works on the 12v side. A little reminder will bring back the ideals. I will answer your last question first. Yes, you need 12v to run the electrical stuff on the fridge. Your statement of "can't remember if I had the 12v connected while towing".... If you have a 'battery shut off' on your unit, that can shut off the 12v to and from the battery on the camper unit... But..... if you have your unit plugged into the towing truck, the battery on the camper is not fully needed... 12v power will go to all of the 12v components in the camper... running lights, brake lights, inside lights and 12v power for your fridge. Depending on how you 7-point connecting is wired up, you may or may not have '12v power' running to the camper all of the time. 'Some' power systems may only work if your truck is not running.

I appreciate your response and no you're not being forward with your comments. Truly as I re-read my post I realize it appears I know little about the 12v system on the TT. Indeed I do have a disconnect switch that I leave on when traveling to charge the camper battery. I realize the TV powers all the running lights, etc on the TT through the 7 point connection that provides the 12v.

So as I look at your comments I can see why you would be dimayed at may apparent lack of knowledge about the 12v systems. My post was poorly written and shows I wasn't sure what I was talking about which is not the case. Just a poor use of words and description of what I was trying to ask. My actual concern is letting the fridge run while driving not whether the 12v volt system can be turned off. So as I look at what I wrote I realize I already know the answer to my original question. Sorry to bother everyone who responded to my OP!

In a related question does the Dometic fridge and Suburban WH need 12v to ignite the LP or do they have a piezoelectric igniter that doesn't need any electric source. Can you straighten me out on this?

[18CrewDually]

Originally Posted by moshe1436

In a related question does the Dometic fridge and Suburban WH need 12v to ignite the LP or do they have a piezoelectric igniter that doesn't need any electric source. Can you straighten me out on this?

The gas valves and control boards are 12v. So yes.

[walaby]

Originally Posted by tamdle

Some of the safety issue that hit my mind regard to have the LP turn-on while driving to keep the LP refrigerator cold for food.

If you have the LP refrigerator, do you typically leave the LP on while driving to keep the food cold or do you turn it off for safety?

I leave it on

[Wolverine 1945]

I am not sure about our Sunseeker,,,
but our Old TT did not need 12 volts to use fridge on propane !!!

[MacDR]

Originally Posted by walaby

I leave it on

Allways leave it on... Keeps the Barley Pop cold. [emoji106]

[pgandw]

I have an A-frame pop-up, and my answers are specific to my experiences. The standard height A-frames have a continuous run Dometic 4223 3 way fridge. This fridge does NOT have thermostatic control. The propane burner is lit by pushing the button for a piezo spark unit.

I have tried running the fridge on propane while towing. Within 2 hours, the flame is blown out, and the fridge will not restart on its own. The on/off propane valve shuts off the propane when the flame goes out, so I don't have to worry about propane fumes. But because the fridge won't stay lit on propane while towing, I just shut the propane off at the tank, and run the fridge on DC.

The DC coil is 125 watt, which is 10 amps continuously while running on 12V. My tow vehicle barely supplies the 10 amps - camper battery voltage is 12.8V when connected with fridge running and camper running lights on. With fridge and running lights off, the camper battery slowly recharges at about 13.6V. If the fridge is left on during a rest or food stop, I am depleting the camper battery while we are stopped. That battery charge used during the stop will NOT be replaced while driving with the fridge on.

I have a wireless thermometer, with the transmitter in the fridge and the receiver by the driver's seat to monitor the fridge temp while towing. I have found on most days, the fridge will pull down below freezing after towing at highway speeds for 3+ hours. I can turn the fridge off during the stop and save the camper battery charge. On hot days (90+), I have to leave the fridge running while stopped to keep the fridge temps in the 30s. But on hot days, we are not going to camp without AC power for the A/C. The battery can be recharged at the campsite.

just my experiences
Fred W
2014 Rockwood A122

[moshe1436]

Great post! Lots of info on your particular application. My Dometic fridge is 2 way - AC or LP. I have towed with it on LP with no issues but only short distances. I find in about 2-3 hours we can move food from the cooler to the fridge. On AC the fridge temperature runs around 34 degrees regardless of the ambient temperature inside the TT. Not that it’s an issue but I will have to do some more exploration to find out if my fridge will light the LP without 12v on. I’m just curious.

I tow with the TT battery on and connected to the TV 12v charging system through the 7 pin connector.

Thanks for your post!

[Wolverine 1945]

Originally Posted by MacDR

Allways leave it on... Keeps the Barley Pop cold. [emoji106]

Love yer Avatar !!!

[MacDR]

Thanks Wolverine, I burn about 3 cords a year up here in Wisconsin.

[bpa556]

Always on