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Old 07-19-2017, 11:02 AM   #1
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Traveling while refrigerator is running on propane

Does anyone have any thoughts about keeping the refrigerator cold while traveling using propane.? We know that there are certain tunnels one cannot travel through carrying propane at all but putting that aside how many of you keep your refrigerator cold while in transit?
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Old 07-19-2017, 11:04 AM   #2
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I always do.
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Old 07-19-2017, 11:19 AM   #3
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I always do.

Ditto.

I always turn it off at fuel stop just to remove any possibility Sometimes it needs to be turned off at a tunnel and on many ferries.

Bob
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Old 07-19-2017, 11:29 AM   #4
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Ditto.

I always turn it off at fuel stop just to remove any possibility Sometimes it needs to be turned off at a tunnel and on many ferries.

Bob
I run with it on and have the best intentions of turning it off at fuel stops, but seldom remember to do that.

I haven't yet hit a tunnel where they mention it, but I'm aware that some do. The only one I've been through is Mobile Bay.

Al
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Old 07-19-2017, 11:56 AM   #5
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There's a warning sticker on the right front of mine, telling you to turn it off when refueling. I never have for the same reason as mentioned here; I forget. We always run the fridge on propane when on the road, cooling it down a day before we leave on a trip. Just make sure it's pulling propane before you pull out or it will stop trying after a while.

Others have reported in other threads that they don't and their fridge stays cold between campgrounds. I guess you could go either way.
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Old 07-19-2017, 12:08 PM   #6
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Fridge is on all the time.

When I remove AC power, it switches to gas. We travel down the road with it on.

When I connect up at the next park, it switches to electric.
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Old 07-19-2017, 12:19 PM   #7
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Old 07-19-2017, 12:27 PM   #8
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What choice do you have? Let your food spoil?

My last RV had a 3-way fridge and I would sometimes travel on 12V only because the pilot would blow out occasionally and it did not have electronic spark to automatically relight itself.
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Old 07-19-2017, 12:29 PM   #9
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Old 07-19-2017, 12:34 PM   #10
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We do also, and always have.

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Old 07-19-2017, 02:00 PM   #11
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Have run my fridge on propane while traveling for 16 years
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Old 07-19-2017, 02:19 PM   #12
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Always do, too.

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Old 07-19-2017, 03:29 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by tjplus View Post
Does anyone have any thoughts about keeping the refrigerator cold while traveling using propane.? We know that there are certain tunnels one cannot travel through carrying propane at all but putting that aside how many of you keep your refrigerator cold while in transit?
This is a very common question. Over 90% of Airstreamers (and Rv enthusiasts in general) run with the propane on when it makes sense. I am in that group.

There is a hypothetical risk of fire in a collision.

Most RV fires are of electrical origin and occur while parked. There is also a pattern of motorhome fires caused by chassis problems, such as engine fires or fuel leaks.
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Old 07-19-2017, 07:14 PM   #14
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I never do. I believe in safety first at all times. Before leaving on a trip, a day or two before, I plug in the Airstream and get the refrigerator cold. The night before or the morning of departure I put all the food in the refrigerator and freezer along with some blue ice packs and the small battery operated fan that moves the air around. I have traveled in high heat for 5-7 hours and the food is still cold when I arrive.
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Old 07-19-2017, 08:25 PM   #15
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I also run on propane when traveling. I turn off the fridge when fueling dependent upon the trailers positioning at the pumps, the amount of other fueling traffic at the gas station and wind speed and direction. Once the gas is pumped and the sale is concluded I'll pull the trailer away from the pumps and find a safe spot to park and relight the fridge.

I've done it this way since 1998 and feel quite comfortable with doing it like this. Prior to '98 I had a travel trailer with a 3 way fridge and I towed on battery power, with the tow vehicle's alternator providing enough output to keep the battery charged as we were driving.
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Old 07-19-2017, 09:28 PM   #16
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Since we removed the Dometic refrigerators that used propane from both of our current Airstreams, we drive down the road with the 12Vdc freon DanFoss compressor keeping the contents cold in the fridge and the ice frozen in the independent freezer section.

Before these upgrades, we traveled with the propane on and, since we filled up at the diesel pumps, the flash fire issue of the gasoline area was not a concern most of the time.
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Old 07-20-2017, 05:35 AM   #17
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Thank you all for your responses. My wife believes that we should not run on propane and should plug it in the night before to get everything cold. That is what we have been doing and probably will continue to do. Drive safe!
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Old 07-20-2017, 05:57 AM   #18
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I plug in and get things cold at least a day in advance. If my trip will be more than 6 hours the fridge is running.
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Old 07-20-2017, 12:05 PM   #19
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My most recent experience has led me to believe it is best to travel with propane off. When the trailer rolled over onto it side due the TT left rear tire blowout the hoses broke and propane was spewing out. Site was cordoned off preventing me from retrieving items from the truck that the towing company personnel helped themselves to. Sometime ago I attended a propane safety seminar that advised turning the propane off when underway. Food will stay cold until the next stop.
My propane will be off when traveling from now on.
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Old 07-20-2017, 12:07 PM   #20
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Running refrigerator while traveling

I use a 12vdc to 120 vac to power my refrigerator while traveling. My 2002 22' AS refrigerator uses 175 watts AC, I installed a 300 watt invertor, cost about $100 to run my unit.
Its nice to stop along the road and have an ice cream cone.
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