Ok to run fridge while driving? What do you think?

[Duffy and Paula]

Originally Posted by KEN9XL

Just remember a couple of thoughts.

Most highways have big signs saying NO PROPANE, whether it be tunnels or something else. Usually they show a detour route around.

Next, depending on how far you are traveling. If you run your frig the night before and have it stocked, you should be able to go some four hours without the frig operational.

This is just my input

What part of the country have you seen these signs? I have never seen one.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by LannyCox

I saw a video once of a TT consumed by flames sitting in a gas station. It seems prudent to me to turn the propane off before refueling with gasoline. My $0.02.

Did the video show the actual cause of the fire????

Over my years of travel, both work and pleasure, I've seen numerous vehicles burn. Couldn't tell you how a single fire started though.

Saw a car burning in a local gas station (2 fatalities) and even the investigators didn't know how/what started it when the news reports came out. It was suspected that the car drove in over a puddle of spilled gas from a vehicle that fueled ahead and there are numerous ignition sources on vehicles.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Duffy and Paula

What part of the country have you seen these signs? I have never seen one.

I've seen it on East Coast tunnels and if I recall correctly the highway into Vancouver, Canada has a similar sign.

Most "No Flammable Cargo" signs around the West pertain to trucks carrying gasoline, propane, and other such products.

[LannyCox]

I've only ever seen signs about Propane/LP prohibited before entering tunnels - never when driving open roads.

[IDguy]

Originally Posted by 5picker

R/V refrigerator manufacturers have said running the fridge while going down the road is no problem for as long as I can remember. (50+ years of camping)

Is it prudent you don't park on a steep incline for an hour while having lunch... sure... but why would you.

Other than tunnels where it is prohibited, no issues of concern.

Much ado over nothing.

Also prohibited on Alaska ferry. They check your propane is off and tag tank. As long as you do not open door (which you can’t do on ferry) it is good for 8 hours plus.

Otherwise, as with others, always on. Mine is on opposite side from gas fill so no worries.

[IDguy]

Originally Posted by RobbieH

And those that have fridges that run on 12v...

Hardly any nowadays.

[frankhaas]

Running fridge will moving:

I have a 2019 FR Sunseeker 2500TSF. Three way fridge, solar. I run battery until I park then I switch over to propane. If I don't do that it will stay on 12v.
I've never seen a road sign that says 'no propane'. I've been motor homing for 27 years.

[Rockwood Ultralite 2912bs]

Two trailers and 12 years and no issues with keeping it on. Of course both owners manuals (one Keystone, one Forest River) both say not to run the fridge while towing, but if it were up to those manuals, there'd be no way to change a tire either, so take everything they say with a grain of salt. I can't imagine that refueling, even with the refrigerator on the pump side would be an issue, as far back as the trailer sits. Driving through after fueling also would be non factor, due to the air flow passing through. A serious accident is probably the biggest concern, but it would most likely need to be bad enough to separate the trailer from tow vehicle. Even then, it would need to be bad enough to break the fuel supply hoses, leak enough gas(at low pressure) into a confined area, THEN it would need a spark to ignite that flooded area. Better chance that someone would t-bone you right on the tanks and rupture them, with an igniting spark occuring simultaneously. BOOM! The manuals are edited by lawyers(must be)looking to think of every possible way the RV manufacturers would be held responsible for injury or death resulting from freak occurrences and make them not responsible. But that's no different than every other item you buy. Ever buy jack stands? Ever read the instructions? You might as well not buy them, according to the warnings. You'd never be able to recreate the conditions to be able to use them safely.

[Rmack]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

Yep

You don't have to worry about your fridge being off level when you are towing. The constant sloshing from the movement prevents the damage that can occur when the unit is out of level.

When you stop for any length of time over a few of minutes or so, just turn it off if you could be out of plumb.

There is a possible danger when running on propane if you get near gas fumes, as there is an open flame going in the unit.

I stopped at the Chevron station near the London Bridge in Lake Havasu, Arizona a few years ago, and the pump handle stuck open and sprayed gas all over the place. a few gallons before I got it stopped. Luckily, I had my rig parked at Crazy Horse and didn't have to worry about it. I wouldn't have wanted to have my fridge running on propane around that.

[captdanerie]

I've gone from my home in PA out Seattle, down to FL, and many places in between. The only time I had issues with the fridge was in Colorado when I parked on an angle. Our ice cream melted overnight. Leave the fridge on!

[Jean-Guy]

Run the fridge on propane. We did so on two trips, one to the east coast and another to the west coast. No problems whatsoever.

[Frankiejay]

Back in the day, we would leave the refrig on propane while running down the road without any problems. Always turn off all propane devices when refueling gas, diesel, and refilling propane. When refilling propane, get everyone out of the rig. We have been RVing since 1972 and always leave our refrig on while on the road. Some folks leave it off, a lot more leave it on. Your personal decision. Safe & Happy travels.

[BOO-BOO-IS-IN-CAMP]

I have never hurd of it being OK to run your propane while driving down the road..
I personally will not run my propain when traveling.
my camper stays pluged in when im home fridge is all ways on110.
i have a 1500 W inverter an i run my fridge on 110 from the battery on the camper and my truck..
it's safer
2014 Rock Wood 2608ws
2000 dodge ram 3500 5.9 cumins

[Paw Paws]

New at this but I ordered my Alpha Wolf 23RD-L for next spring. I was under the understanding (could be wrong), while you are connected to the truck while it's running, it's supplying the RV with power. If so the electric fridge would run while driving down the road. If I'm wrong, I need to change to the optional gas/electric fridge.

Paul

[hikerjohn7]

Originally Posted by John Coate

Hello there.... John here from Olympia, Wa. We just bought a 2020 Sunseeker 2400W MBS and I have a question about running the refrigerator while driving. It appears our fridge will run on propane, or, off of the Onan 4K generator while driving.

I’d appreciate any and all thoughts about these options. Or, is it just best to not run the fridge at all while driving?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Kind regards, John

Well, the older I get the more safety minded I find I am becoming. I used to drive with my propane tank open and my gas/electric refrigerator on until I blew a steel belted radial dual rear tire and the steel wires ripped through the underside of the wheel well. Much to my horror I discovered that the tire's steel wires came within inches of one of the the three rubber propane lines going to my appliances. If that line had been severed, I would have had propane gas spewing all under my RV. And if it the propane had reached the flame in my fridge we could have had a serious fire or even an explosion. We might have had to jump out the windows since the fridge was located near the RV's door.

Gas operated fridges are cleverly designed in that you can fire them up the night before your trip so they are nice and cold when you start out. Also, they are designed to allow you to turn off the gas or electricity and they hold the cold for several hours. So now, once I cool my fridge down, I turn it off and close the propane tank valve tank for driving. And, after an hour or two of driving, I typically stop for a break and turn them back on again during the break. I turn them back off when I start driving again. That way things in the fridge, even in 90 degree weather, stay cold and I am a lot safer in case of a tire blow or, heaven forbid, a collision.

One more point is that, when I am filling my RV up at a gas station, I am careful never to allow my fridge to be on because it has an open flame. Gasoline fumes can have a way of finding open flames. There is a good reason for the no smoking signs stations display at their pumps.

[Chuck_S]

I'd opt for the gas/electric refrigerator. Summer power outages in various camp grounds with the "RVs" running two air conditioners and water heaters... No AC power? No sweat for the refrigerator which automatically switches to LP. Same on the road. Refrigeraator automatically switches to LP when I disconnect from shorepower at my house and switches back to AC as soon as I plug in at the campground.

Gasoline fumes are heavier than air and will not magically jump up to the tiny flame behind the refrigerator grill. The sky is not falling.

Bulk propane is prohibited in many tunnels such as the PA Turnpike. Bulk as a tanker full of LPG. Little propane cylinders are not. The government is correctly paranoid on the under harbor tunnels around the Virginia Capes yet they rarely provide any place to stop and turn camper LP cylinders off other than US13, the Bay Bridge-Tunnel.

-- Chuck

[Butch & Lena]

It's okay, I have been doing it for many years now with no problems!

Originally Posted by John Coate

Hello there.... John here from Olympia, Wa. We just bought a 2020 Sunseeker 2400W MBS and I have a question about running the refrigerator while driving. It appears our fridge will run on propane, or, off of the Onan 4K generator while driving.

I’d appreciate any and all thoughts about these options. Or, is it just best to not run the fridge at all while driving?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Kind regards, John

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by BOO-BOO-IS-IN-CAMP

I have never hurd of it being OK to run your propane while driving down the road..

Hard to believe since RVers have been doing it for over 70 years.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by hikerjohn7

Well, the older I get the more safety minded I find I am becoming. I used to drive with my propane tank open and my gas/electric refrigerator on until I blew a steel belted radial dual rear tire and the steel wires ripped through the underside of the wheel well. Much to my horror I discovered that the tire's steel wires came within inches of one of the the three rubber propane lines going to my appliances. If that line had been severed, I would have had propane gas spewing all under my RV. And if it the propane had reached the flame in my fridge we could have had a serious fire or even an explosion. We might have had to jump out the windows since the fridge was located near the RV's door.

Gas operated fridges are cleverly designed in that you can fire them up the night before your trip so they are nice and cold when you start out. Also, they are designed to allow you to turn off the gas or electricity and they hold the cold for several hours. So now, once I cool my fridge down, I turn it off and close the propane tank valve tank for driving. And, after an hour or two of driving, I typically stop for a break and turn them back on again during the break. I turn them back off when I start driving again. That way things in the fridge, even in 90 degree weather, stay cold and I am a lot safer in case of a tire blow or, heaven forbid, a collision.

One more point is that, when I am filling my RV up at a gas station, I am careful never to allow my fridge to be on because it has an open flame. Gasoline fumes can have a way of finding open flames. There is a good reason for the no smoking signs stations display at their pumps.

Probably not.

Your propane tank(s) and some lines/regulators have devices in them that shut off flow in an unexpected full-flow situation like you mentioned.

These devices are the reason you can't just crank open the tank valve anymore like you used to. If the pressure in the LP system has bled off (sitting unused a while) and you crank the tank valve open you'll find nothing works. We have reports of this on forum often. You must close the valve, wait a few minutes and then reopen s-l-o-w-l-y to keep the safety device from triggering and shutting off flow.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by BOO-BOO-IS-IN-CAMP

I have never hurd of it being OK to run your propane while driving down the road..
I personally will not run my propain when traveling.
my camper stays pluged in when im home fridge is all ways on110.
i have a 1500 W inverter an i run my fridge on 110 from the battery on the camper and my truck..
it's safer
2014 Rock Wood 2608ws
2000 dodge ram 3500 5.9 cumins

Have you ever read one of the refrigerator manufacturers operation manuals?
Dometic Operation Manual

Above is a link to a random manual from the Dometic web site that talks about how the refrigerator operates when moving and how some models have a LP lock-out that shuts off the LP when the ignition key is turned off.

If how it operates when moving and locking out the LP with the ignition off isn't an indication you can use them when traveling, I don't know what is.