Running fridge in transit

[Rich W]

Searching for government regulations is a feast or famine thing. You are either inundated with specific regulations or you just get someone's opinions with no reference citing.

The only state regulations I've found regarding LP tanks is for Maryland:
LP Gas is prohibited on I-95 tunnels of Baltimore Harbor and Fort McHenry. Alternate route for RVs with propane is over the Francis Scott Key Bridge on I-695. [http://www.rvtripwizard.com/rv-info/...road-laws.html, http://camping.about.com/od/rvfullti...egulations.htm]

There are local regulations for tunnels with a pull off area so you can close the valves, but nothing regarding using LP as you travel. There are LP fueled vehicles that travel down the highway, I wonder if they have to avoid the tunnels.

For the DOT regulations I found an article for farriers [shoes horses and other animals, hoof care and other stuff] dealing with the DOT requirements for transporting propane, oxygen and acetylene: [https://www.americanfarriers.com/art...tion-of-fuels]

Propane
The DOT sets exact limits on the weight of hazardous materials that may be transported before a vehicle is required to have a placard. A placard is a sign that is attached to the vehicle denoting the types of hazardous materials being transporting. When you are transporting propane cylinders, you are transporting hazardous materials. Vehicle placarding is required when the total weight of the cylinders and propane reach a combined weight of more than 1,000 pounds or exceeds 25 20-pound cylinders. Very few farriers are ever likely to have to deal with this transportation regulation. DOT requires that propane cylinders be secured on a flat surface or in a rack, tote or mounted so they won’t move around in the vehicle. A propane cylinder not in use or not connected by a hose to an appliance must be plugged or capped. Leaving your forge connected to the propane tank is legal under DOT regulations. DOT regulations also apply to the transportation of propane cylinders in closed vehicles, such as passenger cars, vans and trailers, when the amount of propane exceeds 90 pounds, or about 21 gallons. Farriers could have to deal with this regulation if they transport more than four 20-pound cylinders or three 30-pound cylinders. Some exceptions to the above regulations will apply when entering tunnels, crossing bridges or traveling down some parkways. For example, when crossing over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, you are not allowed to transport more than two 60-pound cylinders. In Canada, the maximum number of cylinders that can be transported in enclosed vehicles without displaying a placard is five, as long as each cylinder weighs less than 30 kilograms (66 pounds). A full 20-pound cylinder typically weighs about 17 kilograms (34.5 pounds). For open vehicles (back of a pick-up truck), the total combined weight of the propane and cylinders cannot exceed 550 kilograms (1,213 pounds).

I would think if it's illegal to use propane while traveling, there would be some kind of warning sticker somewhere in the AS. If the RV mechanic said it was illegal I'd sure like to know what his source is because I can't find anything on it.

As far as refueling at a gas station I would say there is a much greater risk of igniting the gasoline fumes with static electricity. Some people will put the nozzle in the tank and start it up then get back in their car. They pick up another charge of static electricity and then get out to remove the nozzle, creating a spark and starting a fire. [Leave the nozzle in, shut off the fuel or get the attendant to turn off the pump. Never pull the nozzle out.]

Anytime you are getting ready to touch the nozzle, touch the car and some metal on the fueling island to ground everything and prevent the static spark.

We travel with one cylinder open and the fridge running, I'm sure a lot of RVs, travel trailers and other vehicles do too. If there were some kind of laws against it and it was that big of a hazard, there would be signs posted somewhere.

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by richw46

As far as refueling at a gas station I would say there is a much greater risk of igniting the gasoline fumes with static electricity. Some people will put the nozzle in the tank and start it up then get back in their car. They pick up another charge of static electricity and then get out to remove the nozzle, creating a spark and starting a fire. [Leave the nozzle in, shut off the fuel or get the attendant to turn off the pump. Never pull the nozzle out.]

I think we almost always see one video a year either on the news or Internet where someone has started a fire from static electricity while fueling their vehicle, or filling a container that is in the bed of their pickup truck. I've felt the occasional static spark as I get out of the car so I'm much in agreement on the static risk. Wind can move gas vapors around so I usually am cognitive of the breeze in relationship to the gas pumps and my Airstream.

My only encounter with a regulatory requirement for gas shutoff was down in Mobile Alabama when we went through the tunnel on our way to Florida. I remember there may have been a turnout before the tunnel where we shut the gas down. It was back in the 80's and since that encounter I've not been in a tunnel situation since where the shut down was required.

Jack

[Outdoors4me]

I'm with Jack. We run the fridge, but turn off the propane at the gas station and tunnels or other restricted areas.

If we forget to turn it back on, the stuff stays cold and/or frozen the rest of the day. We travel only up to 6 hours a day.

[Richard Kern]

There's no other practical option than running propane while driving.

[submirj]

My 2011 23fb FC has a 3 way frig.

[tjdonahoe]

We always leave our fridge on automatic and it stays on for up to 6 months while traveling , no problems, beer always stays cold.....

[bci]

Normally we run the refrigerator on gas while traveling.

The exception is then we need to enter a long tunnel (normally posted as "no explosives" or such), in which case. we run on the inverter through the tunnel.

[dcasr]

We've been running our propane frig turned on while we travel since 1971, thats 45 years, and only had a problem when occasionally a passing semi blew the flame out and the unit shut down, and that was before we got our 1990 Airstream, which will automatically reignite. Some tunnels require you to shut the tanks down tight, and then we do, but otherwise the unit turns itself off when being towed and the ignition is turned off, and then has a delay before starting after the engine on the TV is restarted. That to avoid an open flame at the fuel pumps, which I can appreciate.

[AWCHIEF]

Do people actually pull over to the side of a fast moving highway, get out and turn off their gas bottles prior to entering a tunnel? Sounds like a way to cause a massive wreck. Other drivers are already driving stupid enough with a tunnel coming up without giving them a target blocking the side of the road. I have never seen anyone outside a tunnel turning on or off the gas. Nor have I ever seen anyone turning their propane on or off at a gas station.

[RonH]

Been RVing for 45 years and full-timing for the past 10 years. We prefer shutting the propane down while in the road and so far have had no problems. At the end of the day the refer is still in the 30F's. We tend to be conservative in all things RV. No 70 MPH travel, routine hitch and tire checks, quality tires, empty black and wash water tanks and water in the fresh water tank.

About daring as we get is flushing toilet paper and lubricating the awning parts. Been lucky so far.

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

Do people actually pull over to the side of a fast moving highway, get out and turn off their gas bottles prior to entering a tunnel? Sounds like a way to cause a massive wreck. Other drivers are already driving stupid enough with a tunnel coming up without giving them a target blocking the side of the road. I have never seen anyone outside a tunnel turning on or off the gas. Nor have I ever seen anyone turning their propane on or off at a gas station.

I didn't do it on the highway though. There were enough warning signs prior informing of the tunnel and gas shut off requirement that I could safely do this without creating a traffic hazard for others or myself.

As far as the gas station, I go inside the trailer and flip the fridge switch to the off position. Shutting it off from the outside tank would not immediately shut down flame, and in many cases once the flame extinguishes the auto ignition would continue to spark every few cycles to attempt to relight, thus creating its own hazard.

Jack

[Rich W]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

Do people actually pull over to the side of a fast moving highway, get out and turn off their gas bottles prior to entering a tunnel? Sounds like a way to cause a massive wreck. Other drivers are already driving stupid enough with a tunnel coming up without giving them a target blocking the side of the road. I have never seen anyone outside a tunnel turning on or off the gas. Nor have I ever seen anyone turning their propane on or off at a gas station.

The only place I've encountered a tunnel where you have to turn off the propane tank is the Cumberland Gap tunnel on US 25E in south central Kentucky at the Tennessee border. There is a place to pull off, turn off the tank, then get back on, kind of like a rest area. I believe you have to find your own stopping point on the other side to turn them back on but it's not an Interstate so stoplights, stores, berms, etc., lots of places to pull over.

[JCWDCW]

Re running on 12 V
Most TV s won't deliver enough volts to run the fridge
You will likely get a"check" light
We have always run on propane on the road
Biggest risk is if there is a spill when refuelling
Might want to close the propane tank valve while refuelling if you are not planning to go into the trailer during refuel stop
You would then need to reset the fridge if it shuts down on fuel starvation
JCW

[cdufault]

I always run my gas refrigerator while driving (77 Argosy 28 MH) and while sitting in sideyard. Only shut off gas for refill or as required in tunnels.

[wvstreamer]

Yes to LP for almost 45 years. Never a problem.
Actually cools better moving and on gas.

[boblind]

I run power from tv battery thru 10 gage wires through a separate plug to a 300 watt invertor that is connected to the 120vac refrigerator circuit.
We can have ice cream cones during travel breaks and cold beer when we get to distentination.
Our 2002 22' international's Dometic refrigerator uses 175 watts, so the 300 watt unit gives us plenty of capacity.
It's been working for 5+ years.

[Billyg]

I NEVER turn my fridge off. I keep it running at ALL time. Stored or on the road, it's always on. When I'm in transit I use my propane and leave my settings on auto.

[Outdoors4me]

It's called planning ahead. If our route includes tunnels, we make sure the propane's off.

[paiceman]

We run the fridge on propane while traveling. We also run the furnace when it's cold out. Don't see an issue. Just installed a self actuating fire extinguisher in the outside area of the refridge. Not for while we are traveling, but when stopped and on propane and dogs are alone in the trailer.

[switz]

The newly installed in the 23D as of today Vitrifrigo DP-150il refrigerator only uses 12Vdc power for the Danfoss freon compressor. Thus there will be no open flames anymore in the refrigerator space.