Community Forums

chiliman · 10-14-2015, 11:54 AM

All,

We will be embarking on our first multi-day trip.

We will travel with overnight stops for 2 days before stopping at a a campground where we can plug in.

While on the road for the 2 days of travel do most people use propane or run the genset to keep the refrigerator running.

Also (I know this is a general question) if running on propane and having a 100 gal tank will the propane last for the 2 days?

We plan on overnight stops at Wal-marts.

Thanks

Waiter21 · 10-14-2015, 12:01 PM

Generally,, your frig will automatically switch over from propane to 110. It looks to see if you have 110 power, if you do, it switches,, when the 110 goes away, it will attempt to switch back to propane.

Your frig should run for months and months on 100 gallons. I suspect you really have 100 lbs, but it will still run for a couple months.

HOWEVER - Even when running on propane, your frig most likely needs 12 volts for the controller board, so if your 12 volts goes dead, the frig will shut off.

I wish they would make a large absorption frig that did not use a controller board. I had a small one years ago, it would run for about 2 months on a 20 lb tank of propane., no 12 volts required.

vsheetz · 10-14-2015, 12:45 PM

The refrigerator uses very little propane. No need to run the genny for the refrigerator.

The furnace is the big consumer of propane.

Barrier2 · 10-14-2015, 03:17 PM

Hi, I run my Refrigerator 100% on propane. I have a 2001 36' Monaco Dynasty with a 42 gallon tank. The refrigerator is a 4 door Norcold 1200 series. Depending on the circumstances I run the hot water heater the stove and Suburban heater all on propane. I usually fill up again after 6 weeks or so. When I fill there is about 1/4 + left. The tank has an 80% limit to handle expansion. The Norcold runs Freezer 0 deg, Frige 35 deg.
No need to worry.
Barrier

Todd157k · 10-14-2015, 03:49 PM

I agree with Vsheetz.. propane. And, don't worry about your batteries.. they'll get all charged up the next day while driving. I've run that way for a few days without charging up the batteries.

wa8yxm · 10-14-2015, 06:14 PM

If you are looking for which is less expensive... IF the generator is running for other things.. That is a tough call.

IF you are talking about running the Generator JUST for the TV..

PROPANE The generator will use more fuel for "Overhead" (Running the engine) than it will for heating the boiler on the Fridge. Propane 100% of the energery generated and fuel used goes to heating that boiler.

Ruddog · 10-14-2015, 08:50 PM

I will run the gen whenever I'm driving down the road to run the house air in summer or heat pumps in cooler weather. It just keeps the coach more comfortable and everything is available including 110 outlets for coffee. 😃

You could run your fridge on propane or gen. Either one will do the job.

precious · 10-15-2015, 05:45 PM

Traveling with propane is very dangerous

precious · 10-15-2015, 05:46 PM

Traveling with the propane on is very dangerous

Nana25K · 10-15-2015, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by precious

Traveling with the propane on is very dangerous

Oh a can worms. We travel with our propane on. It gets turned off for 3 things
When we fill the propane tank
When we go thru a tunnel that requires it, and that's only a couple place
When we fuel the rig.

So set by our refer on propane when you leave and forget it until you hit your final destination

ahicks · 10-15-2015, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by precious

Traveling with the propane on is very dangerous

Potentially maybe, but in the REAL world? The one with VERY few propane fired refer issues - of any kind?

My vote would be to run it on propane. That much propane should easily last an entire season - unless you run your furnace.

Mentor · 10-16-2015, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by precious

Traveling with the propane on is very dangerous

Damn, i once had a pickup that was propane powered, good thing I didn't know to shut the gas off when driving, pushing that brute would be sooooooooooo tough.

durhamj · 10-16-2015, 04:46 PM

When we travel , we use the propane. We will fire up the GenSet if we want to run the roof ACs during summer driving.
Your frig probably has a mode selector switch; "AC, LP, AUto". We keep ours in LP or Auto mode.

1bigmess · 10-16-2015, 04:55 PM

There must be a tremendous amount of RVs running around with their LP gas on for the fridge, but we just don't hear about gas station explosions from them, do we? There are entire TV shows dedicated to getting the footage on that shows people causing terrible accidents, but when I used to watch them, no RV fridge caused propane or gasoline explosions. Anyone see one? Anyone? Buehler?

If you want to argue the law, well, that's one thing. If you just want to say something is dangerous, well, isn't all of this more dangerous than any other regular day in the life? I see vapor recovery systems on so many gas pumps and I wonder how could even smoking a cigarette at the gas pumps even be anywhere near the danger it clearly used to be? (not suggesting or condoning this behavior, not in any way, merely speculating about safety)

I don't even smell gasoline at gasoline filling stations anymore. Do you?

I have a diesel. Much harder to ignite. I'm safer in this regard with the fridge running on propane at the pump.