Run fridge on propane on the road?

[timetogo]

Some do and some don't. I run with the gas on.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by bruce91

One point i didn't see mentioned is the need to have our propane absorption refrigerators level. We all level at camp but while driving on most terrain that will keep things working right but if i were to travel a longer mountain pass i would be turning it off.

Not sure if the newer RV's have a saftey for this but I know my 2009 noricold doesn't

There is an aftermarket device called ARP that will automatically shut the burner off if the burner tube gets to hot from running off level.

There is much to read about absorption refigerators on this forum. below is one of them
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f54/insta...ld-289290.html

Fridge being level is a concern while 'stationary' not whole in transit.
Dometic and Norcold both have statements above traveling with fridge ON

When the vehicle is moving, the leveling is not critical, as the rolling and pitching movement of the vehicle will pass to either side of level, keeping the liquid ammonia from accumulating in the evaporator tubing.

Originally Posted by ga traveler

As service manager I was sent to factory school on Dometic and Norcold. Both schools were in 1993. The cooling coils were redesigned before 1993. If you have a refrigerator made before the 1990's, It can be damaged by parking unlevel. If Your cooling coil is 1990 or newer, It will have to run off level for days to do damage. (Not from me. According to the manufacturers.)

That might have been the train of thought back in 1993 when you went to that school but no longer is the case.
As little as 20 minutes of 'off-level' fridge operation can cause overheating issue due to disruption of gravity flow. This overheating causes the sodium chromate to crystallize and plate out. This creates an obstruction which interferes with gravity flow, more overheating, more plating out etc.
This damage is accumulative and permanent.

Tests done with the above mentioned ARP Device show how quickly overheating can occur.

[rrtribble]

been traveling since 1978 with my fridge on. In fact, as we tow our TT in the winter I even run my furnace to keep things from freezing up. The tanks have an automatic shutoff if it detects pressure loss so it is fairly safe and it makes it a whole lot better than stashing everything in and out of a cooler.
Good luck!

[cherv]

we cool it 2 days prior to a trip. turn it off and have gone 8 hrs before parking for the nite in cg. ice cream still frozen in freezer. no problem. saw a motor home burn to the frame on ny thruway that cured me....

[Pepper2]

Our frig. is started 5 hrs. before leaving on a trip and stays lit, except at gas/propane stations, till we return home to unload.

[ahicks]

Yes. Set to automatic (where it switches to 110v when available) and forget it.

[The Logans]

It's made to run on the road... The old ones with a pilot light, not so much.

Turn it off when fueling, but other than that, set it on Auto, and enjoy!

[tmw188]

Originally Posted by The Logans

It's made to run on the road... The old ones with a pilot light, not so much.



Turn it off when fueling, but other than that, set it on Auto, and enjoy!

Really the ones with pilot lights? I thought most of this talk were about them too.


iPad using iRV2 - RV Forum

[mel s]

Originally Posted by tmw188

Really the ones with pilot lights? I thought most of this talk were about them too.

tmw188
Few RV refrigerators have come with pilot lights for over 20 years.

[RAM1961]

Originally Posted by cherv

we cool it 2 days prior to a trip. turn it off and have gone 8 hrs before parking for the nite in cg. ice cream still frozen in freezer. no problem. saw a motor home burn to the frame on ny thruway that cured me....

I had a '78 Kit 9.5' truck camper and forgot to turn off fridge when leaving Calgary for Banff one time. 30 minutes later, I had smoke and flames coming out the side of the camper. I got lucky that the only damage was to the outside of the fridge, but to this day with 1 more truck camper, three TT's, a fifth wheel and two motorhomes prior to current TT, I never run with propane on. I cool fridge down at home 24 hours ahead of time - food goes from house fridge straight to TT fridge, and I can drive from here to Seattle (8 hours on a good day) and everything is still frozen in the freezer, and everything is still cold in the fridge. Besides, how would I stop along I-90 before I hit the tunnels at Mercer Island?

Why waste propane?

[Drewd]

I always run on propane when towing. Have owned 5 campers over the past 8 or so years and never had a safety issue.

Personally wouldn't mind if my current, a 5th wheel, would catch on fire as previous poster. That would convince the wife to get a newer one.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by cherv

we cool it 2 days prior to a trip. turn it off and have gone 8 hrs before parking for the nite in cg. ice cream still frozen in freezer. no problem. saw a motor home burn to the frame on ny thruway that cured me....

SO..........

Fire could have been:
Overheated brakes
Engine fire
Oil fire
Blown tire....caused fire

You don't know for sure what caused it ....just speculation.
Fact is MAJORITY of RV fires are NOT due to refrigerator


If traveling with propane on and being used is dangerous WHY would you feel safe sleeping with propane n and being used

RV Propane System and propane appliances have numerous safety features/designs.
More then vehicle high pressure fuel system and few even think about consequences of that.

[carl.swoyer]

Run with the propane tank on all the time. Never a problem. The system is designed to be running while traveling... Save the ice chests for the beach. It will be safe and secure.

[69Stang]

Originally Posted by cherv

we cool it 2 days prior to a trip. turn it off and have gone 8 hrs before parking for the nite in cg. ice cream still frozen in freezer. no problem. saw a motor home burn to the frame on ny thruway that cured me....

X2

No need to run the fridge going down the road. They stay plenty cold on one day trips.