Community Forums

timneill · 08-13-2012, 08:52 AM

Read an article the other day discussing traveling with the propane on to keep the fridge cool vs. running the generator...As well, if it is safe, can the AC's be running as well?

Wondering what the voices of wisdom and experience out here have to say about this...

Generator runs on gas.

Thanks,
timneill

trackman · 08-13-2012, 08:57 AM

I would not have any flame on while traveling down the road. Saw a Coach burn to the ground on I-95. Owner said he left the pilots on as he was only going 100 miles to the next campground. Wind from the outside caught the flame and sent it up the side of the fridge. Generator is the safest way and of course depending on the length of time traveling the house batteries should be able to run the fridge for awhile

anotherone · 08-13-2012, 09:16 AM

How many campers do you see littering the highways all burned up? None! Campers by the 1000's everyday travel the highways safely and most do not burn up! You pay the insurance company to worry about it ; dont you. If it burns up they buy you another one. They pay for your lodging food lost whatever blah blah blah. So someone saw ONE ; please! Defecation occurs ; hell you need to worry about blowouts more than the one in a million accidental fires caused by some weird malfunctioning pilot light. Anyway relax ; too many other things to fret about. larry 30 yrs fire rescue in the armpit of fl.

rvguy40 · 08-13-2012, 09:28 AM

I run my genset to power both a/c's and the refer while traveling. When the weather is nice enough, I leave the refer on LP and open the windows. I've never had an issue in either instance on 5 motorhomes ( #5 is the current coach ). Always always ALWAYS shut refer and genset off while fueling.

OSP1268 · 08-13-2012, 09:36 AM

We can honostly say we have never ran with the fridge on propane. As for that matter we don't use propane at all for the fridge. We nearly always run the generator and have never had any sort of problem. And if and when the fridge dies we will put in a residential fridge.

RanCarr · 08-13-2012, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trackman

I
Wind from the outside caught the flame and sent it up the side of the fridge. Generator is the safest way and of course depending on the length of time traveling the house batteries should be able to run the fridge for awhile

Not all RVs have 3-way fridges. Most that I've seen have 2-way, electric or propane. They wont run on 12v.

GG1 · 08-13-2012, 09:40 AM

Absolutely the generator before propane, I have had the propane on and forgot to turn it off while I got fuel, just lucky I guess

kalynzoo · 08-13-2012, 09:54 AM

Out here in the West daytime travel can be very hot. We constantly travel with the generator running and the house air on. It also saves propane as the frig is on 110.
Our unit uses an estimated 2 gal/hour...rough estimate.
The MH fuel level must be kept above 1/4 as the generator will stop pulling fuel when the tank gets below 1/4.

steelheadbluesman · 08-13-2012, 09:58 AM

I don't use the genset going down the road. 3 rigs, 100,000 miles with fridge on basically ALL THE TIME. Only exceptions: I turn it off to defrost about once a year, for thirty minutes, and have had it off a few times for diagnostic reasons. The rest of the time it's running.... Over the years, I've replaced one fridge and one thermocouple. No worries.

rvguy40 · 08-13-2012, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OSP1268

We can honostly say we have never ran with the fridge on propane. As for that matter we don't use propane at all for the fridge. We nearly always run the generator and have never had any sort of problem. And if and when the fridge dies we will put in a residential fridge.

You would be well served to fire it on LP on occasion to make sure it does in fact WORK on LP. I don't know about you, but I leave the refer set on automatic so if I lose shore power, it will switch and continue cooling. I have had this happen a few times through my travels... being gone all day and coming home to a hot coach... but never lost any food....just a thought.

JacknKay · 08-13-2012, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kalynzoo

Out here in the West daytime travel can be very hot. We constantly travel with the generator running and the house air on. It also saves propane as the frig is on 110.
Our unit uses an estimated 2 gal/hour...rough estimate.
The MH fuel level must be kept above 1/4 as the generator will stop pulling fuel when the tank gets below 1/4.

I'm in the west too and it's 100 degrees today and will be tomorrow where we are going. I will have the geny running to power the A/C when we travel there. No worries.

Jack

new2RVn · 08-13-2012, 04:45 PM

Ditto on the "Auto" setting for just in case. We use the generator on the road always, especially in the warm months. Dash air just don't cut it and also makes the engine use more fuel. Estimates for my Emerald 5K is .7 gph under load. Works for us.

Benny367 · 08-13-2012, 04:49 PM

You'll be fine running the generator. I run the generator to run the roof A/C units and the refrigerator while traveling. I figure that gasoline is far more easy to replenish than LP gas. You can get gasoline at any gas station, but propane, usually not.
I only use my propane to cook.

JMacy · 08-13-2012, 04:55 PM

We travel with LP on for refer, we also run gen with fridge on auto LP is plan B
Talked to RV insurance underwriter/ adjuster who said most MH fires are electrical ESP with W/Dryer setup