Traveling while refrigerator is running on propane

[CoorsLite]

We are just now making the transition from cruising on the water to land-cruising with a new Airstream (on order). Our last boat was a 36 foot lobster yacht with a 420HP Volvo diesel. It had a 250 Amp alternator and 2 large house batteries dedicated to address house loads. Our starting battery was entirely separate for good reason. Our refrigerator was a Norcold which was 12 Volt only. All of our cooking was propane. With this experience I was surprised to learn that Airstream OEM refrigerators will not run on 12 volts DC.

I discussed my surprise with a good friend who is an excellent auto mechanic especially with electrical systems. He commented that modern auto & pickup truck alternators are typically absolute minimum to meet the load demands of the vehicle only. On top of that, striving for better fuel economy, modern alternators do not run all of the time - they only run enough to maintain the level of the vehicle’s battery. He suggested caution regarding the 12 volt power supply through the 7-Way connector, especially in trying to run things like refrigerators, as well as supporting now three batteries (one TV, two on the AS). Lastly, he pointed-out the possible risks of draining the vehicle battery through the 7-Way connection when stopped (why our boat starting battery was isolated). I am guessing all of you experienced folks know this stuff.

As a rookie I don’t have a good answer. It seems to me that running my refrigerator successfully using 12 volts from my TV while underway is possible. I don’t think the 12 volts coming from my TV are “free” however. Your postings here are helping me to weigh the risks of using propane against possibly having to take special steps to prepare my TV for increased 12 volt demands from our new AS while towing. Thanks!

[J. Morgan]

IMHO those who push the notion that running the refrigerator on propane while traveling is dangerous have made the subject more complicated than it needs to be.

#JustSayin

[switz]

We removed the stock Dometic refrigerators on both trailers. They were problematic and interior parts broke easily. We installed the marine Italian Vitrifrigo refrigerators that have a 12Vdc Dan Foss freon based compressor and it's own little inverter to use shore power and create 12Vdc at about 58 watts.

our 2014 31' Classic has nine 100 watt solar panels on the roof feeding a 600 amp-hour lithium battery and the 2015 23D International Serenity has five 100 watt solar panels on the roof feeding a 300 amp-hour lithium battery.

We installed model DP2600 in the Classic and the model DP150i in the 23D.

We also converted both trailers to the Italian made propane stove with oven (Dometic CU434) and installed the Truma "AquaGo comfort" models of instant on water heaters that run on propane only with a little 12Vdc for the control circuitry.

[featherbedder]

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

IMHO those who push the notion that running the refrigerator on propane while traveling is dangerous have made the subject more complicated than it needs to be.

#JustSayin

Totally agree as some make mountains out of mole hills and some cry wolf..

[Len n Jeanne]

Sigh.

We're very happy with our fridge-off system, described above.

What could be simpler than, "To each his own"?

Again, it's not a safety concern for ordinary driving. Our first AS was totaled in a serious accident. Nobody thinks one will ever happen. We didn't. But they do. And with everything else that goes on during a bad accident (like our getting an elderly woman out of her flipped car) that was one less thing to worry about.

Our system, described above, is no more complicated than spending 30 seconds moving a few items in the fridge and shutting off the propane, another 30 seconds. We also use it a lot while boondocking and stationary in the wilder places, to save the batteries, because we can shut off the main switch while we're out on a day-trip adventure. (Yes, we have a generator, also.)

Happy trails, y'all.

[JamuJoe]

Originally Posted by DavidSowder

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.

An Airstream rollover due to a tire blowout? Please share more details. I've had a blowout at 65 mph and would hardly have noticed it except for my TPMS. Current approved propane valves should shut off in event of a hose rupture. During a day of hot summer travel, our fridge struggles to stay cold even while running with propane on. Food safety is a bigger concern than propane risk.

[Len n Jeanne]

We're concerned with food safety, too. I completed a BC FoodSafe course, which is enough to scare anyone about leaving food too long in the temperature "danger zone."

We've never had food spoil or even had the ice cubes melt with our freezer pac system.

[J. Morgan]

What is interesting to me, is that even though the propane leaked in the above mentioned roll over accident, there was no fire. The thing is, I have been saying that LPG is safer in an accident than gasoline because it tends to disperse in the atmosphere while the liquid fuels used to power our vehicles tend to pool under the vehicle where it is a much greater threat to life and limb.

What I am saying is that the threat of propane is a much lesser threat than the threat of the fuels used to power our tow vehicles. I am certain I am right about that...

[sbowman]

Would agree, greater risk from "gasoline" than propane.

Safe travels

[J. Morgan]

Originally Posted by sbowman

Would agree, greater risk from "gasoline" than propane.

Safe travels

And diesel too. Especially with particulate filters in place etc. Since these devises have been mandated, Diesel powered vehicles burn in accidents all the time.

[sbowman]

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

And diesel too. Especially with particulate filters in place etc. Since these devises have been mandated, Diesel powered vehicles burn in accidents all the time.

Do not disagree on Diesel vehicles burning, however gasoline is a "bomb" waiting to go off. Propane can be a "bomb" as well, diesel is very low on the scale compared to gasoline.

Safe travels

[J. Morgan]

Originally Posted by sbowman

Do not disagree on Diesel vehicles burning, however gasoline is a "bomb" waiting to go off. Propane can be a "bomb" as well, diesel is very low on the scale compared to gasoline.

Safe travels

Not so much when it comes in contact with super hot exhaust parts, and then igniting the rest that is pooling on the ground. Once lit, Diesel is every but as dangerous as gasoline.

[JamuJoe]

Originally Posted by Len n Jeanne

We're concerned with food safety, too. I completed a BC FoodSafe course, which is enough to scare anyone about leaving food too long in the temperature "danger zone."

We've never had food spoil or even had the ice cubes melt with our freezer pac system.

I also load a few frozen gel packs in the fridge and freezer which mitigate temp gain during long hot tows.

[Bonnniem10]

In the booklet “Newbies guide to Airstreaming” provided with a new airstream it twice mentions to shut off the propane cylinders when traveling and also to turn off the refrigerator.

[BoldAdventure]

Still not dead.

[Adventure.AS]

Originally Posted by Bonnniem10

In the booklet “Newbies guide to Airstreaming” provided with a new airstream it twice mentions to shut off the propane cylinders when traveling and also to turn off the refrigerator.

In the Airstream manual it says that when travelling in below freezing weather to run with the propane tanks open and the furnace on.

[GammaDog]

Bonniem10: Welcome! Looks like this is your first post and like you've got a spankin' new Airstream. Enjoy.

Certainly, some risks are reduced by eliminating any open flames and turning off propane tanks. Some roadways (e.g. Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel) require propane tanks to be off. Others (e.g. I95 tunnel through Baltimore) prohibit propane entirely... you can't even tow there unless (presumably) you remove tanks entirely which I doubt anyone has done since there are alternate routes.

Pardon the sarcasm, but I'm guessing the "official line" was shaped by lawyers out of an abundance of caution... but based on genuine risk scenarios none the less. Some lawyer at the table probably argued that we should travel without tanks and buy new ones at every camping spot. That would certainly have given rise to "Tank B&B", but I digress.

For short trips, lightly loaded you can probably follow the guidance and all will be well. Many of us (including my wife and I) bought our trailers to go far for long periods of time in (almost) all weather. If we spend 6-8 hours moving across Texas in July, the fridge food itself will become a danger. These fridges are simply not well insulated enough to keep cold food cold for many hours in high ambient temps. I view the risk of food poisoning as higher than the risk of fire.

If you read this whole thread then 1.) it would demonstrate that you have a deep thirst for Airstream knowledge... you've going to love being an Airstream owner! and 2.) the community is split but leans toward running with propane on (except where prohibited) for refrigeration.

[Johnnyooo]

I turn it on a day or 2 before I leave for a trip, and turn it off while traveling... It is recommended to turn it off while fueling the tow vehicle...It only takes once to mess up a beautiful vacation...It's plenty cold when I arrive..

[Len n Jeanne]

The newer AS fridges (by newer, I mean at least since 2005 when Bambi the First was born,) are well insulated. We treat it like a big picnic cooler when driving, propane off, with the freezer gel pacs that we froze the night before interspersed in the food, or just left in the freezer. We've never had food get into the FoodSafe "danger zone," let alone spoil with this system. Granted, we don't drive a lot in super hot weather of the southern states in summer, but then a lot of other Airstreamers don't, either.

[AlinCal]

I replaced the refer in our 91 with the latest Dometic model in similar size and saw no real difference in construction, the insulation may be of higher value but certainly no thicker.
Here in California we start our trip on the coast where it can be mild and travel through hot inland areas (90-100)for 4-6+hrs to reach our typical destination in the Sierra Nevada mountains. If our refer was not running during this time we would be throwing away a weeks worth of food on day one.
We start ours a day or two ahead and don't shut it off until we are back home and unpacked.