Community Forums

Boomer Express · 03-14-2011, 10:13 AM

Is it safe to travel with the refrigerator on using propane setting?

hoppers4 · 03-14-2011, 11:38 AM

Yes, most folks do just that. You might consider shutting it off while fueling.

TXiceman · 03-14-2011, 05:25 PM

Yes it is safe. You will get some of the "gloom and Doom" crowd here in a bit with all kinds of stories and reasons to not run with the propane on.

I the Texas heat, you cannot run on the road for 8 hours and keep a food safe temperature in the frig.

So go ahead and enjoy your wobbly pop cold and the ice cream frozen.

ken

dajudge · 03-14-2011, 05:38 PM

Yes, it is safe as long as you turn it off when you refuel. I have been doing it for almost 40 years.

melvonnar · 03-14-2011, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dajudge

Yes, it is safe as long as you turn it off when you refuel. I have been doing it for almost 40 years.

very important to turn it off when refueling; fuel and flames don't mix well.

Gary RVRoamer · 03-14-2011, 06:37 PM

By the way - there is no need to turn the propane itself off while fueling. It's the fridge, furnace, water heater, etc. that must get turned off. Anything that can make a spark or has a flame.

I've seen folks jump out and turn the propane tank valve off and then start to fuel. Their fridge is still on and sparking away, trying to light the propane to cool things off. Duh! Fortunately, most fridges quit trying to light after a few unsuccessful attempts.

wa8yxm · 03-14-2011, 06:50 PM

When I took the RV safety class sponsored by the insurance industry they said to turn off propane while driving.

Now my opinion.. There are two dangers.. The greatest is a fridge fire,, a Secondary danger is propane fire in an accident.. We try real hard not to have those.

But the fridge fire.. Let's say I'm driving my hundred thousand house down the freeway and I see smoke and flame shooting out the side of your rig.. Am I going to pull in tight to the burning side and hold there till my rig catches.. Or am I going to perhaps pull wide on the non-flaming side and try to get your attention? Your rig is toast, mine is .. Un-harmed.

Option 2: We both pull into the FMCA rally one after the other and are parked so close awnings can not be extended.. You turn on your propane, and while we are at the opening ceremonies the fridge catches fire. Setting mine on fire, and by the time the FD gets there the two 200K rigs on either side of us are also fully involved, and a couple more either side of them are damaged.

Which settlement would you rather pay out if you were the insurance company?

I drive with fridge on.

wa8yxm · 03-14-2011, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

I've seen folks jump out and turn the propane tank valve off and then start to fuel. Their fridge is still on and sparking away, trying to light the propane to cool things off. Duh! Fortunately, most fridges quit trying to light after a few unsuccessful attempts.

Good point Gary.. I turn off the 12 volt when I get propane, but the gasoline filler is located where I don't much worry about it.

TXiceman · 03-14-2011, 07:14 PM

w8yxm,

The problem is your safety class was sponsored by the insurance companies and they are going to have their lawyers put together a policy that will have their hind ends well covered.

As for fires, you can as easily have an electric fire from the 12 volt or the 120 volt system. Actually you are more likely to have an electrical issue.

Also, the portable tanks are UL listed and pressure test. The mounted tanks are ASME tested and certified. Both are provided with an excess flow valve as well as a pressure safety device. Quiet frankly I am a lot more worried about the cheap plastic or sheet metal gasoline tank hanging under the cars.

Also, there a fair number of propane or CNG (compressed natural gas). These vehicles use ASME pressure tanks as their fuel source and they have to be on for the truck to run.

richardcoxid · 03-14-2011, 09:01 PM

Would you rather have Propane or Ptomaine?
Richard

hooverbill · 03-16-2011, 12:10 PM

These rigs are designed and made to have the propane on while driving.

scenic route · 03-17-2011, 12:57 PM

Last summer we ran our fridge 24/7 for 5 months. While on the road, it was operated on propane...no worries. The fridge was turned off while fueling. Bob

skigramp · 03-21-2011, 02:58 PM

Boomer ...

We run with our fridge ON while going down the road ... we turn the fridge OFF if we refuel at an island that gasoline pumps while refueling ... if there is only diesel at the island we leave the fridge ON