Running with the Fridge on

[SERENDIPITY1]

What do most people here do when you are physically traveling on the road. Is it Ok to run the propane fridge or can you switch to battery power while you are moving. I'm sure this topic is somewhere on this forum. I am new to the site and am not quite sure were it would be if it is here. Thanks for any help on this. This will only be my second trip.

[SuperTrouper]

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f287...-on-94070.html

Welcome serendipity. Here's a link to a "fridge on while traveling" thread. There's plenty of opinions but we run with ours on and we fuel at commercial petroleum fuel stops in the diesel lanes so we don't worry too much about gasoline fumes igniting. If we are close to gasoline pumps or are heading through tunnels we shut down the propane. - Brad

[moosetags]

Welcome to the Forums. We're glad to have you with us.

We have always left our refrigerator running on LP gas while we are underway.

Brian

[n2916s]

Unless you have a three-way fridge (rare), your choices are to run it on propane or have it off. Your basic RV fridge has a very slow recovery once it warms up so most of us run with it on.

Most road tunnels require the propane be shut off and many folks will not fuel with the refrigerator on but both these interruptions are brief.

Enjoy the journey,

Mike

[aftermath]

Read through the link provided by Super Trooper, it will provide you with a nice summary of the never ending debate.

I run with mine on. It is not against the law in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota......... There are some places where they want you to turn the propane off like on the Washington Ferries and some tunnels back east but that is it as far as I know.

Some will turn them off when filling up at the gas station while others don't. As in most things, it is up to you.

[SuperTrouper]

Originally Posted by aftermath

Read through the link provided by Super Trooper, it will provide you with a nice summary of the never ending debate.

I run with mine on. It is not against the law in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota.........

And New Jersey, as Dylan and the Traveling Wilburys sing in Tweeter and the Monkey Man ........."In Jersey anything's legal, as long as you don't get caught"

[Snedwid]

We turned ours on the day we got it, and it has only rarely been off ever since. It switches back and forth b/t gas and 110. I am blessed with a nice covered carport to dock it at home with full hook ups so it goes to 110 and stays there. The fridge is usually well stocked, and we are on the road at least half of every month. so far, no problems.

[Pahaska]

I have a wireless thermometer in mine. In our hot Texas summers, there is no way to keep food at a safe temperature without running with the propane on. In the last ten years, my propane has not been turned off except when going through the tunnel under Mobile Bay.

[Minno]

We have a 2 way: propane and elec. We run with the propane on unless directed to shut it off as in long tunnels.

Kay

[jcanavera]

We keep the propane on except when fueling or if we are stopped for a long period of time in a location which isn't level.

As far as battery goes, while I don't know if the fridge in your Airstream has setting to use battery, I have experience with this when I used to tow a Hi-Lo. I had a true 3 way fridge and I used to run on battery when I towed. That power connection from your tow vehicle to the plug must have ample gauge wire to carry the necessary voltage to keep your battery charged. In addition any corrosion between the contacts on your receptacle on the tow vehicle and your trailers contact on the plug must be clean. I used to carry some contact cleaner and sprayed both prior to going on an outing. I must have experienced about 4 cases in 14 years of ownership of a dead trailer battery upon arriving at a campground. If you ever have had a Hi-Lo, you know that it is lifted by cables attached to a hydraulic ram that is powered by a 12 volt pump. Needless to say I remember sitting in a campground, plugged into the campground outlet waiting as the battery built up enough charge to raise the upper end of the trailer. After that incident I started carrying jumper cables. Interesting giving your trailer a jump.

Jack

[TBRich]

We run with it on, and rarely turn it off ... pretty much only when we take it in for service and need to unload the frig completely.

[mistermcfrug]

You almost never need to turn off the propane. When re-fueling, just remember to stop at the first pump, even if the pump in front of that one is open. This means your trailer is always many feet from any possible gas fumes. After you fuel up, you drive past the pumps at a fast enough rate that nothing can happen.

I would never drive for hours down the highway with the refrigerator off. That's crazy.

[Bill M.]

We also run with the propane on most of the time. If you just do not want to you can dedicate the freezer shelf to some blue ice to help keep it cool when driving.

[MrUKToad]

We run with the fridge off. I'm happy to concede that the risk of propane mishaps is minimal but, to steal a line from Airstream Inc., it's how we roll.

When we're on the driveway at home the fridge is always on using shore power. We load before a trip, switch off just as we leave and the fridge (and freezer) stay cold enough during a day's travel. We have hit the LPG switch when stopped for a long lunch and we have supplemented the cooling with a bag of ice occasionally, especially when heading south. Of course, if we stay up here north of Lake Erie then our cooling requirements are not in the same league as you guys who live closer to the Equator than we do.

[OB Bambi]

I have always run with the propane on even when refueling. I would turn it off if I ever came to a gas station where it smelled like spilled gas and the air was "dead." It really in my opinion comes down to common sense. Airstream and trailer magazines tell you to not run it when underway, but if you ever read the instructions for a flashlight it tells you first not to take the batteries internally. What! Just common sense. When I first got my trailer I had a mis-conception that the frig would only keep food marginally cold. (I guess it was from years of camping with ice chests), Since my first trip with it I have had ice cream even in the hottest weather. Works great!

[mefly2]

Originally Posted by MrUKToad

We run with the fridge off. I'm happy to concede that the risk of propane mishaps is minimal but, to steal a line from Airstream Inc., it's how we roll.

When we're on the driveway at home the fridge is always on using shore power. We load before a trip, switch off just as we leave and the fridge (and freezer) stay cold enough during a day's travel. We have hit the LPG switch when stopped for a long lunch and we have supplemented the cooling with a bag of ice occasionally, especially when heading south. Of course, if we stay up here north of Lake Erie then our cooling requirements are not in the same league as you guys who live closer to the Equator than we do.

Yep, that's our procedure as well ... although we don't have the LPG switch - just a valve to turn on/off.

[m.hony]

Depends on the outside temperature.
The past couple of trips out there has been no need to run the fridge cuz it's COLD anyway.
Normally we run with the fridge on propane while traveling to keep the groceries cool.

[KenSanLan]

We would LIKE to travel with it on, but whenever we have tried that it goes out somewhere along the way. Any suggestions?

[idroba]

Originally Posted by KenSanLan

We would LIKE to travel with it on, but whenever we have tried that it goes out somewhere along the way. Any suggestions?

I think your trailer has the slots cut in the refrigerator service door for air entry to cool it. You might try putting a thin cheap cut down furnace filter in the space behind the louvers to protect the flame from drafts.

It is not real common that a refrigerator goes out, so another possibility is a dirty burner which has a marginal flame due to the need to be cleaned. Also, your gas pressure may not be set right, so the flame is not strong. Checking the gas pressure and re setting it or replacing the gas regulator is probably a professional service.

I am assuming your '85 refrigerator is not one with electronic ignition which automatically lights when it needs cooling, but is one of the older units with a two speed flame which modulates to cool or just idle.

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by KenSanLan

We would LIKE to travel with it on, but whenever we have tried that it goes out somewhere along the way. Any suggestions?

What idroba said. When trying to figure out the problem, I found that the gas pressure at my appliances was less than it should be. Replacing the switching regulator at the propane tanks resolved that issue, and haven't had the refrigerator flame blow out on the road since then. You want to see gas pressure of about 11 inches of water measured at the appliance under normal operating conditions. I think the usual test is to run another appliance (I ran the water heater while testing) and measure the pressure from the test port at the refrigerator. If memory serves, mine was at or a little below 9 inches of water before I lit the water heater.