Log In | Register
Skip to main content
Topic: Running fridge when on the road... (Read 779 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 5 Guests are viewing this topic.
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #25 –
Hi Steve S. Yes my refrigerator is on the opposite side from my fuel fill. With vapor recovery nozzles, a stiff breeze blowing to disperse fumes away from my refrigerator and no one up wind from me; then I might gas up leaving my 'fridge' on. But I've had people spill gasoline near me too. I also don't run the generator into a gas station, or water heater (would that even run while moving?). I don't turn off the tank valve Larry, so turning off the refrigerator while getting gas is sort of invisible to outside observers. It is the navigator's job to turn off the 'fridge, while I remove the locking gas cap. That is quite the trick too. We usually move away from the pumps before turning the 'fridge back on. We try to remember to view the 'check' light after a while to make sure that everything came back on ok. She can see that light using the bathroom door mirror from the passenger seat. (TK only.)     RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #26 –
I don't think turning off the refrigerator is wrong I just wonder if it's necessary. If I could find an actual law requiring it or even a documented case of a refer causing a fire in a gas station I'd be more prone to take this extra safety precaution but I've scoured the net and come up dry.
For many years you were required by law to remove propane tanks from the back of a pickup before filling. Something about static electricity possibly causing an explosion but that law has recently been done away with due to complaints of people such as myself who routinely fill 100lb tanks and lack of any evidence this was actually a hazard. I'm thinking the same holds true with the refer thing and it's more of an urban legend than a real hazard. Having said that if it makes you feel safer by all means do it.
Discuss anything with anyone and disagree agreeably. Always be polite and respectful.
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #27 –
"...or water heater (would that even run while moving?)."

Yup, sure will! Done that many times.   ;)
Steve S.
Lazy Bones & Cedar
2004 30'IB (Island Bed)
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery
Live for the day!
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #29 –
Thanks all for all the info and opinions here. I wasn't aware of the dangers of running the frig at gas stations or while driving. I'm assuming  I just need to turn it off on the frig and not also at the tank. Please correct me if i didn't get that right. TIA
Susan Wilson
'95 MB
'03  Front Lounge
'15   TK
‘21 MB
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #30 –
Sue,

First turn off the fridge at its control panel. Then turn off the propane at the tank. This procedure prevents the potential of a fire in case of a break in the propane line to the various propane using appliances.

The nice thing about traveling with the propane turned off is that you’ll never forget to turn off the tank while fueling the truck at a gas station.

Kent
2015 27' RB "MissB.Haven"
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #31 –
I just went to plug into my house's electric and, now that I know about the scariness of sparks near propane, I'm wondering how it can be safe to have the electrical cord so close to the propane compartment. I assume it's ok to have propane on when electricity is plugged in, as otherwise you couldn't cook while plugged into land line. But now I'm worried about a spark when connecting electrical if propane turned on.

Is this a concern? if not, why not?
1991 22' LD Multi-Plan
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #32 –
It isn't a concern because propane shouldn't be leaking except at the point of use. That's what pipes do.
 
    In addition the generator draws gasoline from the main tank, but stops when the tank is below 1/4 tank. That is to prevent you from using all of the gas out of the tank and stranding you where you are parked. A quarter tank shold allow you to drive somewhere to get more gasoline.  RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #33 –
Quote from: Wanatrvl  - 
Thanks all for all the info and opinions here. I wasn't aware of the dangers of running the frig at gas stations or while driving. I'm assuming  I just need to turn it off on the frig and not also at the tank. Please correct me if i didn't get that right. TIA
That is correct, but travel on ferries, and through some tunnels, require you to turn off at the tank.

Steve
2004 FL
2013 Honda Fit
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #34 –
Quote from: Kent Heckethorn  - 
Here’s what “Mac The Fire Guy” has to say on the subject. https://youtu.be/HJMTQWWoMSw

Enjoy the open road.

Kent
Mac makes some good points and I guess you have to weigh and balance convenience verses safety on this issue. One thing I'd take issue with is his assertion that refers only lose 4 degrees over 6 to eight hours. That hasn't been my experience with my slide in camper I had for twenty years. For some reason the flame blew out on it so I always turned it off when traveling and if I drove 8 hours it was warm so I started buying blocks of ice for long drives. This of course was in hot weather and if it is freezing outside it was a different story. The 6 to 8 hours claim  by manufacturers must be at a pretty low outside temperature.
The only difference I can see with a motorhome is the interior is kept cooler because if it's hot out you are obviously running the AC where as a slide in camper bakes in the sun and gets pretty hot so possibly a refer could stay cooler longer in a motorhome. I'm always sending my wife for cold drinks though not to mention a lunch stop so we'd lose a lot of cool every time the door is opened which would negate the AC factor.
Discuss anything with anyone and disagree agreeably. Always be polite and respectful.
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #35 –
I may go against the norm where our LD fridge is concerned. Yes, I run without the propane on and the fridge off during travel. With one exception...long drive times.

During local 3 hour journey’s, this works fine with a bag or two of ice in the freezer. On extended trips, as I have mentioned in other threads, after three hours I start the generator and turn on the fridge for up to two hours at a time. For a twelve hour drive, I’ll do this a couple of times.

This makes access to the fridge contents available during the “genny hour” and guarantees the contents stay cold/frozen. This has worked well for me.

Cheers!

Kent
2015 27' RB "MissB.Haven"
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #36 –
I suspect if we conducted a poll, most people run with the propane on while traveling but, like Kent, I have never found the need to run the fridge while driving so keep it off.  Not turning the fridge off while fueling is dangerous to yourself and others nearby, in my opinion.
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #37 –
Quote from: Kent Heckethorn  - 
I may go against the norm where our LD fridge is concerned. Yes, I run without the propane on and the fridge off during travel. With one exception...long drive times.

During local 3 hour journey’s, this works fine with a bag or two of ice in the freezer. On extended trips, as I have mentioned in other threads, after three hours I start the generator and turn on the fridge for up to two hours at a time. For a twelve hour drive, I’ll do this a couple of times.

This makes access to the fridge contents available during the “genny hour” and guarantees the contents stay cold/frozen. This has worked well for me.

Cheers!

Kent
Onboard generator does indeed provide an option to leaving propane on to refer. This is the first RV I ever had with such a luxury and I'm still getting my head wrapped around that. For twenty years we had a slide in camper with no generator on board or even brought along and did just fine and I shrugged my shoulders at our LD having such a contraption. I even considered removing it to reduce weight and for extra storage space but I'm starting to like having this thing. Getting soft in my old age I guess. :D
Discuss anything with anyone and disagree agreeably. Always be polite and respectful.
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #38 –
We store our LD in our driveway. When the “grid” from SCE goes down, we have our escape pod right outside the door.

Having the rig plugged into shore power 24/7 keeps everything topped off and the fridge has a fair supply of edables if there is no power in the sticks and bricks.

We’ve had extended blackouts for upwards to 3 hours. With full propane, gas and water tanks, living is easy in an emergency. The generator just makes things all the more survivable.

We even have candles for a romantic dinner in the driveway. 🍸

Kent
2015 27' RB "MissB.Haven"
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #39 –
As I mentioned before, we have an inverter that runs the fridge automatically while driving, and I do not turn off the propane at the tank. Since mode switching on the fridge is automatic, when gassing up I need to turn it off, because when the engine is off, it WILL switch to propane. However, the fridge delay before switching gives me enough time to get out of the driver seat and do the deed before the auto changeover. The trick is to remember to switch the fridge back on after leaving the station..

Before the inverter, we ran on propane while driving. My decision to use the inverter is resource conservation - of the propane - which is a significant factor on trips that have many long driving days.

Steve
2004 FL
2013 Honda Fit
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #40 –
Quote from: Steve  - 
As I mentioned before, we have an inverter that runs the fridge automatically while driving, and I do not turn off the propane at the tank. My decision to use the inverter is resource conservation - of the propane - which is a significant factor on trips that have many long driving days.

Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #41 –
Several years ago, I installed an inverter for the refrigerator, which worked OK until one day it didn't. Unfortunately it died unnoticed while we were driving up I-5, in mid August . By the time we noticed, the refrigerator was over 50 degrees. During this time, the propane was turned off so the refrigerator did not automatically switch over, since the major reason to run on inverter power was safety oriented.
Thinking it over, I decided the risk of a propane fire was not much as great as the odds of getting food poisoning.
I may have missed something over the last 18 years but I can't remember an LD burning, due to a propane leak, being reported on this forum.

I wonder if there is any real monetary savings running on an inverter vs. running on propane . The 20+ amps of 12-volt power requires energy from the engine to spin the alternator, it isn't a free ride. The inefficiency of the inverter also needs to calculated in. I bet it's a near wash.

As for saving money, I find propane to be the least of my RVing expenses and am always amazed how long our 8-gallon tank will last on multi-week trips. The refrigerator doesn't use much propane and the water heater is only on a half hour a day. The furnace is a major contributor to consumption.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #42 –
When you mostly take trips in colder weather or colder climes, extending the propane run time can be a major advantage, particularly when often boondocking in remote areas. Money has little to do with it - extending camp-stay is the name of the game. After all, this is why we install expensive solar systems and convert to efficient lighting and appliances - not to save money...

So far, I haven't noticed any reduction in fuel mileage from running the inverter, and doubt if I would. Hitching up a toad, though, is enough to notice...

Steve
2004 FL
2013 Honda Fit
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #43 –
Quote from: Sawyer  - 
I don't think turning off the refrigerator is wrong I just wonder if it's necessary. If I could find an actual law requiring it or even a documented case of a refer causing a fire in a gas station I'd be more prone to take this extra safety precaution but I've scoured the net and come up dry.
The only one I've heard of was a newspaper article 20-30 years ago: Grandpa let grandson fill the motorhome gas tank. When the child pulled nozzle out of the fill tube, he did not release the handle. The gasoline sprayed over the side of the motorhome and was ignited by furnace or refer, with a very bad outcome.
2005 Jayco 24SS
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #44 –
Quote from: Eric Greenwell  - 
The only one I've heard of was a newspaper article 20-30 years ago: Grandpa let grandson fill the motorhome gas tank. When the child pulled nozzle out of the fill tube, he did not release the handle. The gasoline sprayed over the side of the motorhome and was ignited by furnace or refer, with a very bad outcome.
Well there ya go. Anything's possible.
Discuss anything with anyone and disagree agreeably. Always be polite and respectful.
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #45 –
Quote from: Eric Greenwell  - 
The only one I've heard of was a newspaper article 20-30 years ago: Grandpa let grandson fill the motorhome gas tank. When the child pulled nozzle out of the fill tube, he did not release the handle. The gasoline sprayed over the side of the motorhome and was ignited by furnace or refer, with a very bad outcome.

A quick Google search of "RV gas station fire" reveals numerous articles of fires at gas and propane stations. These articles will rarely state the cause since the general public, as a rule, are excluded from the investigative results of the fire's cause:

rv gas station fire - Penelusuran Google

I tend to err on the side of caution and assume the worse, so I choose to run with the propane turned off.


Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
 
Re: Running fridge when on the road...
Reply #46 –
Quote from: HiLola  - 
A quick Google search of "RV gas station fire" reveals numerous articles of fires at gas and propane stations. These articles will rarely state the cause since the general public, as a rule, are excluded from the investigative results of the fire's cause:
I was responding to the specific question about refrigerator caused fires. Note that that when I googled car gas station fire, I got 10 times as many hits as rv gas station fire. Moral of the story: don't go to gas stations where they fuel cars   :D

Despite what seems like a large number of gas station fires, in 60 years of driving cars and RVs, I've never seen a fire or even the evidence of one at a gas station. I have seen a few burned cars in parking lots and along highways, and even one in my garage (I ignited some frame grease while welding on my race car - minor damage - also the only time I've ever used a fire extinguisher on a car or motorhome).
2005 Jayco 24SS