Driving with Fridge on?

[tjdonahoe]

While going down the road the Refer is on gas since 1970 and never a problem,

[The Cralls]

My Dometc refrigerator manual says that when the tow vehicle engine stops, the refrigerator will turn off for ten minutes for gas stops. I have heard the refrigerator do this every time I stop and start my engine. I run the refrigerator on lp when I drive.

[tjdonahoe]

Originally Posted by thecralls

My Dometc refrigerator manual says that when the tow vehicle engine stops, the refrigerator will turn off for ten minutes for gas stops. I have heard the refrigerator do this every time I stop and start my engine. I run the refrigerator on lp when I drive.

How does it know? Never heard of this..

[Coloradobus]

We run our Dometics on gas continuously, even stationary at campgrounds. We were told years ago, LP is most efficient over 120v and 12v. Only time we have turned off the "frig" was the day and a half ferry ride from Skagway to Prince Rupert BC

[demijac]

We keep the gas on while driving to insure the fridge temperature stays in an acceptable range. We've had zero issues with this approach in three years of full-timing. With regard to the fridge not always being level while driving, we've again experienced zero issues - even in mountains and rolling terrain.

[Len n Jeanne]

Originally Posted by C21Tiger

When running with the refrigerator off you need to consider how often you open it. Put a thermometer in the refrigerator with door closed. Open the door take somethings out and close. Do that several times and the temperature will climb to much higher level (>50deg). Your use on the road will help you make the decision to leave it on or off. Food safety is the bigger concern in my opinion.

Once we're camped and stationary (in a non-electric site, obviously) we normally turn the fridge on propane. Keeps the cava cold, re-freezes any partially-thawed gel pacs, and we've had zero problems with food spoilage in 9 years of 'streaming. I've taken a BC FoodSafe course, and know that food temperature x time in the "danger zone" is critical. It never gets there.

One wonders how we all survived with perishables in picnic coolers for so long.

Also, obviously, we don't open the fridge while driving.

However, we sometimes keep the fridge off during the day when we're boondocking and will be away from our campsite most of the day. Then the issue isn't the propane but the fridge fan draw on the batteries. Then we shut off the main battery switch to conserve the batteries. But the same frozen gel pac strategy applies. We crank up the fridge once were back from our hike, paddle, or whatever.

(We have a generator, but prefer to minimize using it.)

OK, so we do sacrifice on some freezer space. No ice cream for us. But we've driven all day with a small bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer and never had it thaw when sandwiched between frozen gel pacs.

But what we don't quite get, is why use propane unnecessarily? If food will stay perfectly cold without it, we don't see the need to "waste" propane.

Oh, and Bambi I was in a serious accident. Since the propane was shut off, we can't report on the likelihood of an explosion if your AS gets smacked head-on. We don't take the precautions for normal driving, but for the risk of a driving accident. Sort of like RV insurance.

I get that camping in a southern state in summer might make food warm up a lot faster. Maybe the propane-off is a more northern thing.

BTW, all propane must be turned off before boarding one of the BC interior ferries. Yes, all vehicles ride above-deck, and yes, one propane tank blew up once on the Kootenay Lake ferry while in transit.

[Rocinante]

There are tons of threads on this topic here on the forum. We travel with our fridge on, no further discussion required. After considering all the "risk factors," you may also do whatever seems best for you - on or off while traveling.

[Len n Jeanne]

Anybody here sell RV collision insurance?

One wonders.....

[MelGoddard]

Originally Posted by sb55

"Just remember when crossing the waters on a ferry boat, the propane MUST be shut off, or 'they' will certainly let you know about it."

Really? I was on a ferry twice in the last 2.5 weeks and was not told to shut off the propane. No signs to that effect either.
But, Lake Champlain is usually quite windy, so stagnant fumes shouldn't be an issue.


On an island in Vermont

You wouldn't get away with that in Canada.
BTW: I backpacked the whole Long Trail in '92-93.
You can see my photos of the whole trail at the Historical Society Home.

[m.hony]

I'm thinking it shuts off for 10-15 minutes when you fuel up.
It doesn't know that you are at a gas station, but it knows the truck's ignition was turned off.
This is not part of the refrigerator's circuitry, but part of the charger/converter circuitry.
The change in charging from the truck's alternator is sensed by the trailer's charging system.
I may also be crazy.
That sounds insane.
Anyway, it works perfectly to travel with propane on and refrigerator working.
I leave the refrigerator off while traveling on short trips. The refrigerator will keep food cold for 4-5 hours if you don't open the door. My minds starts to wander. I think of a blowout tearing the propane line and a spark causing an explosion or a collision tearing the propane lines and a spark causing an explosion, but some say that if the regulator senses a sudden discharge of propane it will shut off the supply.
Maybe I have an over-active imagination...
On 8-9 hour or longer trips I do run the refrigerator on propane while traveling so my food doesn't spoil.

[MontyV]

we set the fridge to auto and go! never worried about getting gas either. it is 30 feet away from the gas tank.

[SSquared]

Originally Posted by tjdonahoe

How does it know? Never heard of this..

When one of these fridges is installed in a MoHo, it is easy to run a wire that is connected up to the ignition switch. That can be hooked to the fridge, letting the fridge "know" when to shut down.

The standard trailer umbilical connector does not carry that signal. So the fridge cannot perform this trick.

You could always run a separate wire from TV to TT to implement this function. Or include it in the umbilical by replacing the seven pin connectors with eight-or-more pin connectors.

And if you want to maximize the cursing done by the next owner of your TT or TV, rewire the seven pin connectors to carry the ignition signal on the line that is supposed to be the backup lights (most AS trailers do not have backup lights, but some do) and connect it to the fridge.

[m.hony]

It knows by ignition key turn.
Truck running charge wire hot.
Truck not running/ignition switch off charge wire not hot.


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[kenwadude]

Hi, just wondering why I have not seen anybody mention that a 3 way fridge can run while traveling.
I have not done this, but plan to...

[n2916s]

So, your basic 12vdc heating element needs to be about 350 watts. That's just under 30 amps. Unless you have a serious battery bank, maybe some solar and an upgraded charge line running from your tow vehicle to trailer, you won't be cooling the reefer very long on 12 VDC.

Most of us run on propane. Some don't.

[Caffeinated]

Originally Posted by n2916s

So, your basic 12vdc heating element needs to be about 350 watts. That's just under 30 amps. Unless you have a serious battery bank, maybe some solar and an upgraded charge line running from your tow vehicle to trailer, you won't be cooling the reefer very long on 12 VDC.

Most of us run on propane. Some don't.

When we first started trailer camping, about twenty five years ago, we had a second hand 24 foot Nomad with a three way fridge. We would run it on 12 volt DC for 8to ten hours while traveling, and it worked great. No issues at all.

Now we have the two way and I used to refuse to run it on propane while traveling for safety reasons, until last summer when we spent 8 hours traveling through the deserts of Nevada and Calif. I ran it then on propane and it kept things nice and cool. Now if it's a short trip it's off, but if it's a long trip, I think I'll run it.

Mike

[kenwadude]

Well now I am confused.
If they offer a 3 way on the trailer, when do you use it???
I would think that while the tow vehicle is pulling it, it would be ok
to have it on, and it would work fine....
I guess I will try it and find out what happens.
Thanks

[m.hony]

Most of our trailers have a 2-way refrigerator.
Either 120 volt electric on shore power or propane-


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[Glenritas]

All 3 of my Casitas and my Airstream have 3 way refers.
Over the years I ran the Casitas on propane while driving and 120 when camping.

The Airstream on the other hand only has run on 120 while camping and 12 volt driving.
Why not on propane ? Well I haven't yet installed a propane system .

I do have 30 # propane on board but just for the BBQ .

Some day I'll get around to installing the propane system and a gray tank.

Meanwhile we'll continue to Glamp at full hook up sites in our all electric Tradewind.

[SSquared]

Originally Posted by kenwadude

Well now I am confused.
If they offer a 3 way on the trailer, when do you use it???
I would think that while the tow vehicle is pulling it, it would be ok
to have it on, and it would work fine....
I guess I will try it and find out what happens.
Thanks

My thirteen foot Scamp has a (very small) three-way Dometic fridge. We run that on 12V when we are on the road. This fridge draws about 8 amps when running on 12V so it will suck down a battery in a hurry if you let it. Our tow vehicle provides about that much current so we keep up when we are on the road.

When we stop for lunch or sight-seeing, we switch it to propane.