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Old 05-08-2016, 04:04 PM   #1
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Running fridge in transit

So I have a fridge full of stuff and I'm gonna hit the road. I want to close the propane lines for safety. How do I keep my fridge running?

On my boat, my fridge would run on 12V or 120V. How does a 2014 AS fridge work?
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Old 05-08-2016, 04:13 PM   #2
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I run mine on gas when on the road. Works fine for me. Others will express differing opinions I am sure.
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Old 05-08-2016, 04:18 PM   #3
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Late model Airstreams only run on propane or 120 volt. Even though the manual advices to close propane valves while traveling, we always leave the refrig running on propane when traveling.

I have read that, as long as all of the contents are already well chilled before shutting it down, that the refrig will stay cold for some time, especially if full. Still, I prefer to know that the contents are staying cold during a long day of travel.

Best

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Old 05-08-2016, 05:09 PM   #4
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I always run my fridge on LP when towing. I want my beer cold after a long day.

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Old 05-08-2016, 05:33 PM   #5
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Just wondering why you run propane while driving when you have the electric option? I'd think the electric would be more cost effective.
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Old 05-08-2016, 05:43 PM   #6
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I'm not sure I have an electric option. Unless I crank up a generator, I don't have 120V on the road.
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Old 05-08-2016, 05:50 PM   #7
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Tomorrow our Dometic ammonia based coolant refrigerator will be removed from our 23D and replaced with a Vitrifrigo DP150iL with a freon based Danfoss compressor that only runs on 12Vdc. Between a 300 amp-hour lithium battery (has 270 amp hours available) and the 500 watts of solar panels the roof, no power issues.

It draws 68 watts when running, or 5.6 amps. if it were to actually run 10 hours out of 24, the 56 amps could be replaced in a little over two hours by the solar panels.
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Old 05-09-2016, 06:51 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KJRitchie View Post
I always run my fridge on LP when towing. I want my beer cold after a long day.

Kelvin
+1 to Kelvin
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Old 05-09-2016, 07:50 AM   #9
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We have a ARB 50 in the TV which is a fantastic little fridge.
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Old 05-09-2016, 08:08 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KJRitchie View Post
I always run my fridge on LP when towing. I want my beer cold after a long day.

Kelvin
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trailbob View Post
+1 to Kelvin
+2 to Kelvin

Leave one of the propane bottles open, leave the Use/Store in Use, leave the fridge on Auto. If you go through a long tunnel you may be required to close the bottle but just turn it back on when you get to the other side, check the fridge, it may have to be reset to get it running again.

Everything stays nice and cold. We added spring loaded curtain rods to the shelves to make sure nothing falls out when we open the fridge after traveling; lesson learned.
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Old 05-09-2016, 09:22 AM   #11
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We run ours on propane when traveling. We've never had a problem and actually have never heard of anyone else with problems with it either (ie: fire, etc). However, if you're concerned and don't want to run on propane, you could freeze a couple of quart bottles of water prior to your trip and keep them in the fridge while you're traveling. Too bad you couldn't freeze beer....

Kay
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Old 05-09-2016, 09:46 AM   #12
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There are tons of older threads on this FYI, which can be found by the Search function above and to the right.

https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=011403...sit&gsc.page=1
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Old 05-09-2016, 10:33 AM   #13
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When I was growing up (a long time ago) we left the refrigerator running on LP during travel. We did have issues with the pilot blowing out on occasion during towing but overall it worked fine. When I brought the trailer up to Colorado a couple years ago I asked the RV mechanic that was doing work on it to bring get it ready for camping about running it on LP during towing and he told me that most states have made that illegal. What I did not say to him was that I wasn't asking if it was legal, I was asking if it would work but I figured I already knew the answer.
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Old 05-09-2016, 10:42 AM   #14
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We have always run with the refer running on LP. Right, wrong, legal, illegal, that's what we have been doing for ten years, 150,000 miles, and 1,700 days on the road.

Brian
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Old 05-09-2016, 10:46 AM   #15
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I've run with on bottle on when we are traveling. Modern refrigerators are designed to run when the trailer is on the road. Other than tunnels, I've not run into any situation in any of the states where I have traveled where it is illegal to run with the fridge on gas.

My only concession is when I fuel the tow vehicle and normally will turn the refrigerator off while at the pumps. Once I pull away I'll pop back into the trailer and turn the fridge back on. There are times I haven't and in those cases its been when because of available pumps, the trailer is well beyond the pump area with no pumps on either side. Also I'm careful about wind conditions and situations where winds are blowing the gas fumes away from the fueling pump, I might not turn off fridge.

I'm usually picky about the islands where I fuel and as a general practice I avoid pumps where another RV'er is fueling. I'm not sure about the status of his fridge and lean towards wanting to fuel away from other RV's.

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Old 05-09-2016, 10:55 AM   #16
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They are designed to run that way while on the road. I run my water heater also! and sometimes my heat! The warnings NOT to just come from a litigation CRAZY corporation.
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Old 05-09-2016, 10:55 AM   #17
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Propane is heavier than air. Thus the requirement to turn LPG off while going through tunnels (it can accumulate there in lower levels). Coast requires turning it off on ferries in US and Canada.

We only keep LPG turned on while driving more than 5-6 hours on days where temperature is above 75 or so. We pack a lunch in a small cooler with reusable "ice trays" and do not open the refrigerator door until connected to electricity. Beer is always cold at the end of the day and we monitor our refrigerator with a thermometer to assure food stays safely cool.
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Old 05-09-2016, 11:00 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by switz View Post
Tomorrow our Dometic ammonia based coolant refrigerator will be removed from our 23D and replaced with a Vitrifrigo DP150iL with a freon based Danfoss compressor that only runs on 12Vdc. Between a 300 amp-hour lithium battery (has 270 amp hours available) and the 500 watts of solar panels the roof, no power issues.

It draws 68 watts when running, or 5.6 amps. if it were to actually run 10 hours out of 24, the 56 amps could be replaced in a little over two hours by the solar panels.
I am anxious to see the results of your installation in the 31. Our 2002 Classic 30 slideout has the 8 c.f. Dometic and I'm seriously considering replacing it with the Vitrifrigo 2600. In our over 60 nights of use of our two trailers, only one night was without shore power, and I have a eu2000i generator. I think the charge current from the TV will be sufficient while on the road and see no reason not to convert to 12V refrigeration, even without solar, given our past use. I can always add solar if warranted.

Al
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Old 05-09-2016, 11:27 AM   #19
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Ours is on propane as well for last seven years extended travel. Maybe there's a realistic risk but it's not very realistic.
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Old 05-09-2016, 11:39 AM   #20
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Some of the Bambi units do come with 3way power options. The 12v is good for the road but not for initially cooling it down.
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