Traveling while refrigerator is running on propane

[Shariofnb]

We also always travel with the gas/fridge on.

[fwjumper]

Yes we do run it while traveling. Of course. That is how it is designed. 40 years with no incidents. If you roll your Airstream, there are many other ways that propane could escape. Use common sense and you'll be fine. Good travelling.

[jdalrymple]

We travel with propane on.

I grew up driving propane powered vehicles.

We carried 80 gallons in the bed of a pickup.

Conversions are still available today.

I fail to see the difference in a propane powered fridge and a propane powered engine.


One must understand, not assume.


Regards,


JD

[aftermath]

Originally Posted by tjplus

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!

If your mind was made up, why did you post the question?

[aftermath]

Originally Posted by centennialman

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.

You are aware that traveling on the highways is quite risky, don't you? If you consider the "odds", I think staying at home would be your best bet.

[xrvr]

The next step is eliminating propane completely, go all electric. But there is the chance of electrocution.

[aftermath]

In our city we just changed all of the garbage trucks to propane. Whoops, actually compressed natural gas. So, if driving on the road with a small pilot light sized flame running your fridge is dangerous, what about a HUGE garbage truck in service with a very large pressurized natural gas tank tooling around the city, driving in traffic and moving through neighborhoods. Hmmmm, something to think about.

[rvb]

I have a fairly recent Dometic refrigerator with a digital temperature readout which I have checked against an accurate thermometer.
When set to 3 it is typically 39 degrees.
When set on 4 it typically is 36 degrees.
When set on 5 it drops to 33 degrees.
If it is 36 degrees and I travel with the propane off it heats up to 40 degrees in about 2 1/2-3 hours which is the max safe refrig temperature.
If it is 33 degrees it takes about 2 1/2 hours to warm up to 36 degrees.

The night before we travel I set it at 5 so the box is 33 in the morning, then turn it to 3 before we leave, but, leave the propane on so the pilot is on. The burner will not come on for about 5 hours while on the road.

I designed convenience stores with gasoline sales for 16 years. The fuel pumps have recovery and safety systems. Gasoline vapors are denser than air so they seek the lowest level and your pilot light and burner are at least 2' above the ground, typically on the opposite side of the trailer and 20' behind the tow vehicle fuel filler. You would have to have gasoline running on the ground under the trailer to even have a remote possibility of fumes near the refrigerator.

I do, typically use the end dispenser which puts the refrigerator away from any others, but, I really do that because I can get in and out of the station easier.

[ke6gkv]

Always do. Keeps my sodas nice and cold

[switz]

Referring back to post #28, if one sees the extremely poor job Airstream does wiring and the extremely cheap duplex outlets that wires can and do vibrate loose from, then an electrical fire seems more probable.

After completely re-wiring both trailers and using commercial grade Hubbell 20 amp GFI outlets, using proper wire sizes, adding additional breakers so others don't overheat, moving the A/C breaker to the outer edge of the breaker stack so it can cool at least on one side from the heavy A/C current draw, the electrical fire issue is far less serious than one caused by the ammonia based cooling system in the Dometic fridges (over 100 year old technology).

Since we now have no appliances that need propane when under way, we currently just turn off the tanks. The fridge runs off 12Vdc from the lithium battery and keeps food cold and ice frozen.

[alantbird]

The reason why the propane option is there is for boondocking and traveling .

[xrvr]

I guess you just use electric heat, then? How about hot water, some AS have gas only water heaters. How do you cook, electric cooktop?

[1973Argosy]

Originally Posted by avionstream

I guess you just use electric heat, then? How about hot water, some AS have gas only water heaters. How do you cook, electric cooktop?

He stated he has no appliances that need propane while underway. The lithium batteries are great, but the cost to make the conversion is out of reach for many on the forums. After seeing a Tesla go up in flames, watched the video of the test drive gone wrong in the uk, I'm not sold on the idea of the battery route being any safer than the original propane appliances that have been working near flawlessly for a 100 years.

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by Jammer

We all get to make our own choices.

I remember once a scare about filling your gas tank while talking on a cell phone. I saw a employee come out and yell at a customer that he was going to shut the pumps off if he didn't hang up his cell phone.
I did a Google search and couldn't find a single instance of a gas tank exploding anywhere due to a cell phone.

[Njg]

I have yet to receive my trailer, I'm in an interstate now, but the 2018 trailers seem to have done away with separate outlets for inverter and shore power which makes me think the whole system is wired together with a transfer switch. With that said, if the inverter is on and the reefer switched to electric would it not function on electric while underway with unbilical power and solar charging to keep up with the draw?

[1973Argosy]

Originally Posted by Njg

I have yet to receive my trailer, I'm in an interstate now, but the 2018 trailers seem to have done away with separate outlets for inverter and shore power which makes me think the whole system is wired together with a transfer switch. With that said, if the inverter is on and the reefer switched to electric would it not function on electric while underway with unbilical power and solar charging to keep up with the draw?

With the factory inverter it is possible. Maybe someone with knowledge of the new units will chime in.

[xrvr]

Originally Posted by 1973Argosy

He stated he has no appliances that need propane while underway. The lithium batteries are great, but the cost to make the conversion is out of reach for many on the forums. After seeing a Tesla go up in flames, watched the video of the test drive gone wrong in the uk, I'm not sold on the idea of the battery route being any safer than the original propane appliances that have been working near flawlessly for a 100 years.

No he said boondocking and traveling.

[1973Argosy]

Originally Posted by avionstream

No he said boondocking and traveling.

Sorry I was referring to post #50

[xrvr]

Cool!

[75Bob]

Originally Posted by Llando88

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.

Do you realize that when you get gas your pulling up to a gas pump with a lit flame?