Community Forums

papaquad · 02-21-2012, 09:05 PM

Hi everyone, been lurking here for a while, just closed a deal on a new TT at a show a few weeks ago, very excited to get back into the RV world after many year absence.

First question for all of you experienced people, we are probably going to have a non-electric seasonal site this summer in a Provincial park, if we want to leave staples in the fridge during the week, is it safe, and how long will my propane last ?

Dumb question perhaps, but it's been 20 years since I had a trailer.....sorry !

Really like the site, learned lots already, y'all helped us pick our new unit out.

IWillRVToo · 02-21-2012, 10:17 PM

What are staples to you?
A few of the items I will eat at home after a week are;
mayo, salad dressing, mustard, pickles, jam, jelly, cheese, butter

I don't eat veggies, fruit, meat, milk, bread, leftovers after a week

I have experience with a tiny fridge in a popup which only cools about 40 to 50 degrees below ambient temps. That means on a 95 degree day all the food goes bad.
I hope the fridge in our TT is better.

The flame on our little fridge was about the size of a pilot light. Propane lasted a long, long time.

Possum · 02-21-2012, 10:27 PM

I have a two door unit that will go a few weeks to a month on two 30# bottles of propane. If it is not in a fridge with the door opening and closing multiple times a day it would probably cool for about a month and a half on two bottles. It is also one of the larger fridges made a couple of years ago.

By the way; what province and what parks?

papaquad · 02-22-2012, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IWillRVToo

What are staples to you?
A few of the items I will eat at home after a week are;
mayo, salad dressing, mustard, pickles, jam, jelly, cheese, butter

I don't eat veggies, fruit, meat, milk, bread, leftovers after a week

I meant the same as you, just thinking about leaving those items in fridge, for the 5 days every week when we're not there. I will get the fridge specs from the dealer and do the math.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Possum

I have a two door unit that will go a few weeks to a month on two 30# bottles of propane. If it is not in a fridge with the door opening and closing multiple times a day it would probably cool for about a month and a half on two bottles. It is also one of the larger fridges made a couple of years ago.

By the way; what province and what parks?

Good to know, and we have a genny for the weekends, thanks !

We're in east central Sask., and our favorite park is Duck Mountain (not the Sask. park, just across border in MB). We're wait listed for 2 possible sites. Find out in 3 weeks.

BTW, we're from Victoria.

LibbyLA · 02-22-2012, 06:51 AM

Our Norcold 1200 seems to use about 2 gallons of propane a week during the winter. No idea what it will do during the summer.

We did make the unhappy discovery that if the batteries get too low, the fridge goes out. Fortunately, we don't ever leave perishables in it, we just leave drinks and sealed containers of mustard, ketchup, etc.

We just haul all our perishables in each weekend and we take extra ice in the ice chests when it's warm, just in case the fridge went out during the week. We have "setup" and "takedown" (which doesn't involve moving the FW) down to a science, or maybe it's an art. We've done it every weekend (except Christmas weekend) since the second weekend in August.

liz

TXiceman · 02-22-2012, 06:58 AM

A non-electric site, your problem will be keeping the batteries charged so that the 12 VDC power is available for the frig controls. easiest way to do this is a good set of solar cells and a charge controller. Of course these cannot be mounted in the shade.

The water heater and cooking will use more propane than the frig.

Ken

papachaz57 · 02-22-2012, 09:17 AM

when we moved over to the TT from the popup, one of the things i really looked forward to was the fridge. the heating element is out, so i've been using it on propane and it cools to below 40 degrees, with the freezer getting close to zero. I'm not any more concerned with leaving stuff in this one any more than i am the home fridge, it's all about the temp. safe food storage according to my serve safe food saftey training is from 40 to 33 degrees. anything below 32 obviously freezes.

the others are right, the water heater and cooking use more propane than the fridge, and the furnace uses more than anything.

papaquad · 02-22-2012, 02:55 PM

Thanks for the replies all, don't imagine we'll use the furnace much at all, and I'm on the lookout for some solar panels and a charge controller.

I will probably haul perishables every weekend as well, it's about an hour each way, no big deal. It would be nice to have an electric hookup but the site is remote and has everything else we want. Fishing, swimming, and best of all....the most amazing atv trails I've ever seen.

Possum · 03-04-2012, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by papaquad

Thanks for the replies all, don't imagine we'll use the furnace much at all, and I'm on the lookout for some solar panels and a charge controller.

The CTC just had a sale on of twin 30 watt matched panels and a charging controller for $99.00 bucks. I had to get a raincheck as the stock was sold out before I got into the store.

Quote:

I will probably haul perishables every weekend as well, it's about an hour each way, no big deal. It would be nice to have an electric hookup but the site is remote and has everything else we want. Fishing, swimming, and best of all....the most amazing atv trails I've ever seen.

Denise is from Regina and we will more than likely stop in that area on our way back east after heading to Ontario (& further) for a wedding this June. I've planned a mod to out MH that will allow me to change out empty for full propane tanks.

We lived in Victoria before retiring to Port Alberni.

We're thinking of going camping out at Long Beach or Toquaht Bay next weekend and the an Easter Camping trip with the family at Strathcona Dam up behind Campbell River. Lots being planned for 2012.