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06-26-2018, 03:13 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 7
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How not to use Propane.
I am paranoid about using propane for anything in the RV. I don't want to use it at all. How would I be able to "get away with it" so to speak and just use electric. Is it really necessary for me to have it in the RV for anything. Advise needed please. Also, when I finally purchase an RV I want to rely on being plugged in and/or using solar power or both if that makes a difference. I am completely clueless about how all this stuff works. Thanks in advance!
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06-26-2018, 03:16 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,909
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EliPup-
Could you lay out a few specific reasons you are reluctant to use propane in an RV?
__________________
Mark
2008 Holiday Rambler Admiral 30PDD (Ford F-53 chassis)
2009 Honda Fit Sport
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06-26-2018, 03:22 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club Outdoors RV Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 4,580
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I can chime in.
The propane is really used primarily for 4 things.
Furnace, Stove, Fridge, Hot Water.
You could not use the furnace and use ceramic heaters instead.
You could cook in the microwave, electric or induction counter top or outside.
Just don't run the fridge on propane.
Always use electric for the hot water.
With a large enough battery bank, and the correct number of solar panels (properly installed and wired), one could get away with it.
But do your homework on the solar, it's a lot of very specific details that have to come together correctly in order for it to work, and it's not exactly cheap to do it correctly. According to handybob, 95% of solar installers do it wrong.
Just google handybob and then strap in.
Personally, I'd just use the propane. It works.
__________________
RVM#78 - -USAF- F-15 Eagle Radar Vet
'5 Fleetwood Revolution- '15 Airstream Intl Sig. 27FB
Jay, Andrea, Stella '14 Ram 3500 Aisin '18 ORV F30RLS
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06-26-2018, 03:25 PM
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#4
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 7
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Using propane
Many years ago, although seems like yesterday, I was involved in a house fire and anything that has the remote chance of something like that happening again is not anything I want to be involved with. My personal opinion, I just think it is dangerous and scary and I am afraid something bad will happen. Plus, I am very afraid of carbon monoxide poisoning and there is the risk of that with propane as well.
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06-26-2018, 03:34 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club Solo Rvers Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 37,725
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EliPup
Many years ago, although seems like yesterday, I was involved in a house fire and anything that has the remote chance of something like that happening again is not anything I want to be involved with. My personal opinion, I just think it is dangerous and scary and I am afraid something bad will happen. Plus, I am very afraid of carbon monoxide poisoning and there is the risk of that with propane as well.
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Perhaps RV'ing is not for you?
My rig is 45' and now all electric since I replaced the cooktop with an Induction unit
I've been RV'ing since 1957 when my parents rented a TT with an icebox. I've had propane in every RV and I've never been gassed or had a fire. Do they turn the gas off to drive down the road in a propane powered vehicle? Gasoline tanks don't have any of the safeguards that propane does but you still drive around with gallons of highly explosive gasoline.
__________________
2009 45' Magna 630 w/Cummins ISX 650 HP/1950 Lbs Ft, HWH Active Air
Charter Good Sam Lifetime Member, FMCA,
RV'ing since 1957, NRA Benefactor Life, towing '21 Jeep JLU Rubicon Ecodiesel
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06-26-2018, 03:35 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,383
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…...you must really be freaked out by the prospect of carrying 50-100 gals of gasoline or diesel fuel...some degree of fear is healthy, but......
__________________
Old Scout
2015 IH45 Foretravel
2003 Alpine 40' MDTS [Sold]
New Braunfels, Texas
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06-26-2018, 04:20 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club Outdoors RV Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 4,580
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Propane is likely the least likely element to cause a fire in an RV.
Most fires I've read about generally involve an electrical issue or the RV absorbtion fridges, which can catch fire even when turned off.
Google norcold fires
If I we're very concerned about fire, I would first eliminate the RV absorbtion fridge asap
__________________
RVM#78 - -USAF- F-15 Eagle Radar Vet
'5 Fleetwood Revolution- '15 Airstream Intl Sig. 27FB
Jay, Andrea, Stella '14 Ram 3500 Aisin '18 ORV F30RLS
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06-26-2018, 04:36 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club Outdoors RV Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 4,580
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I also understand your fear. I've been through a small house fire and that was enough...
Further , I sleep my baby right near an RV absorbtion fridge, which really freaks me out.
And somewhere along the line, someone in the RV fridge business said to me...
"Well, sometimes you just take your chances, and not everyone is guaranteed to live forever, you have more chances to die in a car accident than from your fridge"..
And I guess I understand that, still freaky though. So it's up to you to decode your own fears to measure and balance against, as we all do. But if I could easily do an all electric fridge in my rig, I would.
One thing I appreciate is the fact Ive had my fridge from new. Knowing I haven't abused it makes me feel a little better
__________________
RVM#78 - -USAF- F-15 Eagle Radar Vet
'5 Fleetwood Revolution- '15 Airstream Intl Sig. 27FB
Jay, Andrea, Stella '14 Ram 3500 Aisin '18 ORV F30RLS
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06-26-2018, 04:43 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 2,091
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Install a residential fridge , induction cook top , microwave , electric hot water, and electric heat or heatpump. You'll need lots of solar and batteries , as well as a good sized generator. There are a few all electric coaches out there , not cheap .
When used properly , propane is just as safe as gas or diesel.
__________________
1993 Tiffin Allegro Bay 32'
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06-26-2018, 04:44 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Somewhere....
Posts: 4,054
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EliPup
I am paranoid about using propane for anything in the RV. I don't want to use it at all. How would I be able to "get away with it" so to speak and just use electric. Is it really necessary for me to have it in the RV for anything. Advise needed please. Also, when I finally purchase an RV I want to rely on being plugged in and/or using solar power or both if that makes a difference. I am completely clueless about how all this stuff works. Thanks in advance!
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There are lots of all-electric RVs on the market these days. You don't have to use propane for anything.
Heat and hot water will come from electric or diesel/gas burners, depending on your engine fuel type. Refrigerator will be electric only. Cooktop will be electric (Induction type). Oven will be microwave/convection (electric).
If you don't want to have propane, you don't need to. Everyone telling you propane isn't a problem isn't actually answering your question.
__________________
2008 King Aire 4562, Spartan K3(GT) w/ Cummins ISX 600
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 5.7L V8 Hemi w/ Blue Ox Aventa LX Tow Bar and baseplate, SMI Air Force One brake
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06-26-2018, 04:52 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Cedar Falls, IA
Posts: 2,225
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Yes, it is completely possible to not have any propane in a large, newer motorhome. It restricts the places you can stay though. I have sympathy with your anxiety, nut it is possible to work through anxieties with professional help. You have already heard you have no logical reason for your fear (propane really is safe) but I know that doesn’t change how you feel at all. I have a totally irrational fear of heights. With desensitization training, I can manage a lot more than I used to, but the fear is still there. It is your choice whether to work on the anxiety or just get an electric motorhome.
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06-26-2018, 05:07 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 113
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There are compressor fridges that are designed to run on 12 volts dc. Microwaves are doable with battery and an inverter. I found the induction cook top used too much energy for battery. It is excellent with mains power. Heating and air conditioning can be done with mains power as well as hot water. But not so well on battery. Battery must have means to recharge, mains power is good. Solar is good.
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06-26-2018, 05:16 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: seattle,wa USA
Posts: 1,025
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EliPup
I am paranoid about using propane for anything in the RV. I don't want to use it at all. How would I be able to "get away with it" so to speak and just use electric. Is it really necessary for me to have it in the RV for anything. Advise needed please. Also, when I finally purchase an RV I want to rely on being plugged in and/or using solar power or both if that makes a difference. I am completely clueless about how all this stuff works. Thanks in advance!
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I suppose you could always start a wood fire inside the RV then you'd get around having to use the propane for cooking, heating water, and keeping the interior warm on those cold nights.
Of all the different systems on the RV, the propane systems seem to have close to zero issues.
__________________
Gary, Maxwell and the Beanie Weenie.
2002 Newmar Kountry Star. Cummins ISB 24 valve
2017 Mazda Miata MX-5 toad on a double axle car hauling trailer
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06-26-2018, 05:24 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: where ever the rv is parked today.
Posts: 629
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I made the mistake of stating mu opinion here that i did not like using propane and asked about using the fridge on inverter when driving a few years ago.
I got almost zero replies telling me if i could or could or could not but i damn sure got a lot of folks trying to tell me why i should run propane and how safe it is, I kept wondering why if it is so safe do i need a propan gas alarm in my rig? Does not matter. You did not ask for everyones opinion on using propane.
Yes you can live without using propane.
like the second post said.
fridge (but it also run on shore power or by solar) most newr rv dont even have a fridge that will run on propane any more.
cooking, many many ways around that. induction cook top, BBQ grill or campfire and cast iron cookware. microwave convetin oven all run on electric and some do it using solar.
propane heat. easy to get around. Stay places warm, sppace heaters, more blamkets and jackets.
Water heater. also will run on electric, dont know anyone powering it with solar but i suppose if folks can run air conditioner on solar and batteries water heater could also.
Solar and batteries and and inverters are not simple to make work right and effeciant and cost a fair amount of money.To some it is not worth it, to others it is.
The it has worked for years so why not keep doing it outlook in the rv world can be deeply rooted. I am shocked some are not using blocks of ice to keep the fridge cool, it worked so well for so longwhy do it different?
Yes it can be done. keep thining outside the box! Keep asking why. You got a lot of reading to do about how the rvs and systems work with each other. Then you got lots of readin on solar and batteries and inverters.
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