Newbie question about refrigerator

[robbecky]

Hi folks. Total newbie here :-). I thought I would start running my refrigerator on gas the day before I leave on a trip and leave it running while travelling so it stays cold.

However, I have read to shut off the gas tanks when travelling.

So I am confused about the appropriate way to deal with getting the refrigerator cold for the trip. Do I have to wait until I get to my destination to start up the refrigerator and wait for it to get cold?

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Getting ready to take our very first trip with the RV in a week and trying to make sure I have good procedures documented for us to follow. I don't want to do things from memory.

Thanks all ........... Rob

[boondocking]

I run the fridge on propane while traveling. From what I read on the forums I believe the majority of people do the same except for a small minority.

[pgandw]

I recommend a battery-powered wireless outside thermometer (about $10) to monitor fridge temps. Put the "outside" measuring head inside the fridge, and the readout in the tow vehicle or camper.

The smaller A-frame had a continuous run fridge which would blow out from the wind while being towed and running on propane. Since it was continuous run, the fridge would not relight on propane. When the flame blew out, the fridge temp would start climbing on the readout. So we had to run the fridge on DC while towing. We would often end up with less than fully charged batteries at the end of a day of towing due to stops.

The new high wall A-frame has a bigger fridge with an auto-ignition system. It seems to run just OK on propane while towing. I am doing some modifications to make it cool more efficiently and maintain lower temps, but I won't know results until next summer.

Fred W
then 2014 Rockwood A122 A-frame
now 2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time

[Flybob]

The run /don't run on propane debate has been discussed on the forum many times. A quick search will bring multiple pages of pros, cons and just personal preferences. Bottom line the choice is yours with a few exceptions where it must be off when using bridges or tunnels.

[Reverse_snowbird]

We run our refrigerator on propane the night before to get it cold. Cold packs will help it cool down faster and will help keep it cold if you decide not to run propane while traveling.
We freeze gallon bottles of water which cools down the fridge and fridge and gives us some cold drinkable water when we get to camp. Most of todays rv refrigerators keep things cold for several hours.

[spock123]

When we had a gas refrigerator it stayed on when we traveled, we never turned it off. Now we have a residential refrigerator and it stays on all the time too

[Rogerjs]

The only time I’ve read to shut off the propane for the fridge is while filling up the gas tank at the pumps.

[Rogerjs]

We start the fridge the night before. A good eight hour of running should get it cold. Maybe longer in the hot summer. Beside that we keep it running through the whole trip. If you start the fridge the night before be sure your trailer is fairly level if it’s not the fridge may take longer to cold down.

[papakilo]

Originally Posted by robbecky

Hi folks. Total newbie here :-). I thought I would start running my refrigerator on gas the day before I leave on a trip and leave it running while travelling so it stays cold.

However, I have read to shut off the gas tanks when travelling.

So I am confused about the appropriate way to deal with getting the refrigerator cold for the trip. Do I have to wait until I get to my destination to start up the refrigerator and wait for it to get cold?

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Getting ready to take our very first trip with the RV in a week and trying to make sure I have good procedures documented for us to follow. I don't want to do things from memory.

Thanks all ........... Rob

If you want to be super safe, do not have any propane appliances on when you travel. In fact you should shut off the propane tanks. This way if you get into an accident you would be safer than if they were on. That said, I believe most people, including me keep the fridge on powered by propane while traveling. The only time I shut the fridge off is when the propane tank is being filled. When finished I turn fridge back on.
The night before I want to stock the fridge I turn it on using electricity (not propane). I believe it cost more to power by propane than by electricity. I usually put a small fan in the bottom of the fridge to help circulate the cold. This way the fridge reaches it desired temperature more quickly. When it is reached I take the fan out.
Pete

[bedubya]

Originally Posted by Rogerjs

The only time I’ve read to shut off the propane for the fridge is while filling up the gas tank at the pumps.

I don't even do that. But my refrigerator is curbside, my truck's fuel filler is streetside. If that were not the case, I'm not sure if I would.

[rlh1957]

Run the refrigerator on LP while you travel. Or if you have the Residentual fridge it should have an inverter to provide 110v AC to fridge.

It is fine to run LP fridge on the road. Only problem is if some jack leg back yard know it all put it all in. An modern LP tank, regulator, safety valves are safe.

[ard58]

Originally Posted by bedubya

I don't even do that. But my refrigerator is curbside, my truck's fuel filler is streetside. If that were not the case, I'm not sure if I would.

X2 never heard to shut off while fueling

[LannyCox]

I plug in the (Norcold) fridge to AC the night before leaving and by the time we leave it is cooled down. Since my chassis alternator charges both the chassis and house batteries when traveling, I turn on the inverter to provide 110 volt AC to the fridge using the 12 volt DC from the batteries.

Have never used the propane to power the fridge.

[MillMitch]

Originally Posted by ard58

X2 never heard to shut off while fueling

That is actually listed in the generic owners manuals. I heard of that only because I flipped through the owners manual last fall when we bought our TT and reviewed all the big red warning labels. I tow with the propane off, so it's a mute point for me.

WARNING:
When refueling or parked near gasoline pumps, shut off all propane appliances. Failure to heed this warning could cause a fire or explosion, resulting in death or severe personal injury as well as damage to the camper and/or surrounding area.

[AFDON]

As a retired firefighter, I've seen a couple of propane fires. What happens is that someone spills a pool of fuel on the driveway next to you, that fuel evaporates, the fumes reach YOUR appliance just as your appliance tries to light and BOOM!! it does.
Thank the Lord, it doesn't happen very often, but it's not pretty when it does.

[5picker]

robbecky, congratulations on your purchase and welcome to the R/V world. Unbeknownst to you, you've opened one of the largest 'can of worms' discussions on R/V forums.

Everyone has an opinion about using propane when traveling. You are going to have to come to a conclusion that YOU are comfortable with.

In 40 years of R/Ving we've always used the refrigerator on propane while traveling with no ill effects.

Reading several forums, the consensus seems to be more do than those who don't.

[Freetyme]

Always started fridge on electric 5-6 hrs before loading it . I do insure visually through the outside access panel that it in fact switched to LP when electric was unhooked. Usually tow with fridge on LP with no problem. Even refueled the vehicle without thinking. Figure a very slim chance of trouble with the trailer behind the pump vs smoking at the pump handle. JMO.

[markb422]

I keep a couple gallon jugs of ice in the freezer at home to use to bring the temp down in the fridge when starting it. Only takes an hour or two depending on the outside temp to get to around 40 degrees.

[Walholler]

We have a Crusader Lite 5th wheel with a propane/electric refrigerator, the day before beginning a trip I turn the fridge on using the electric side of it. I run a battery operated fan inside the fridge to circulate the air. On the morning of our departure I will switch over to propane. I never shut ours off whether going through tunnels or refueling. The diesel tanks on our truck is on the left side and the refrigerator is on the right side of trailer approximately 25 ft. from where I am pumping. Since I am outside and in an open area, I doubt seriously there will be any build up of fumes. This is how I do mine, how you do yours is up to you. Each to his own.

[NJKris]

Mark, I have yet to use an RV fridge, but years of camping and using coolers taught me the same thing, always pre-chill your coolers by putting a bunch of ice packs or the like inside them for several hours before loading them.