# Driving With Propane On????



## debbenkim

hi folks,

quick question about propane. do people drive with the propane on to power their refridge? i have a long trip in high heat so i'd like to know what people do to power their fridge while driving. thanks for your help.


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## KosinTrouble

debbenkim said:


> hi folks,
> 
> quick question about propane. do people drive with the propane on to power their refridge? i have a long trip in high heat so i'd like to know what people do to power their fridge while driving. thanks for your help.


I usually drive with the propane on to the fridge. But I know some people who are dead against it.

Kos


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## mswalt

I've travelled with my fridge on several times with no problems. I always remember to turn the propane off before entering a service station to refuel, however.

Mark


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## egregg57

We travel with it on as well. BUT! If we need to stop for fuel, prior to pulling up to the pump I secure it. The ignitor can, with the proper concentration of gasoline fumes, cause the fumes to ignite. There has to be certain circumstances for that to occur. But While I am enroute to my Camping destination, playing Mythbusters with my 31RQS is out of the question!

Eric


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## KosinTrouble

egregg57 said:


> We travel with it on as well. BUT! If we need to stop for fuel, prior to pulling up to the pump I secure it. The ignitor can, with the proper concentration of gasoline fumes, cause the fumes to ignite. There has to be certain circumstances for that to occur. But While I am enroute to my Camping destination, playing Mythbusters with my 31RQS is out of the question!
> 
> Eric


OHHHHHHHHHHH Mythbusters... I am going to submit this as a myth for them to either prove/disprove. Good idea mentioning it. Love that show.

Kos


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## PDX_Doug

This is kind of a personal comfort level thing.

In the beginning we were very much against it, and I still believe having the gas off is the safest way to go. But that said, on longer, hotter trips it may be necessary. We have basically settled on trips under 4 hours = propane off, trips over 4 hours = propane on.

As a point of interest, this spring I installed a transmitting thermometer in the fridge with the receiver in the cab of the truck. On two trips so far this spring - with the propane off - I have seen the temperature increase at just under one degree per hour. These trips have not been in extreme heat by any means (50-55 degrees, and 70-75 degrees), but does suggest that if you have the frig good and cold before you unplug, you can probably go quite a time without any worry.

Hope this helps.

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## Tiger02

Kept my propane on to the fridge for over 3 weeks straight during our 3600 mile trip this past May through many fuel stops. I would say you have a better chance of igniting gas fumes with a static discharge than with the gas fridge while at the pumps. The flame would have to be very close to the fuel spout in direct contact with the vapors to be of concern. If it's diesel than it just about impossible. My fridge is in the rear so the risk is just not there, but I can't talk for all models. Do what you think is best and are comfortable with.

Vince


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## kyoutback

"NEVER DRIVE WITH THE PROPANE ON!!" Drilled into my head by my father camping as a child. So I never do just for that reason. We drove 12 hours to Virginia beach and the stuff in the fridge was just fine. We never opened it during the trip and had it cold to start.

Also, there was a mention recently of a safety feature that would shut the propane off to the fridge if it was jostled too much. How would driving affect this?


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## battalionchief3

I have left the gas on to keep the fridge cold. Now to fuel up in my case the fridge is on the opposite side of my fill door and pretty far away BUT the other guy fueling up may be closer then you think. Not a bad idea to cut the gas while fueling. You also have to cut them while going through tunnels. I just got back from VA beach too ( chesapeak ) and they will inspect you to make sure they are off in the tunnel. Use caution and play it safe, I would not want to be 1 in a million....


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## mswalt

> We never opened it during the trip and had it cold to start.


If I had it cold to start off with, I wouldn't have the propane on, either. But for some of us who don't have hookups or the option to get it cold first, then that 4 or 5 hour (or more) drive to the campground can cool it down for us.

Mark


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## Scrib

We always have ours on, except when filling the gas tank.


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## tdvffjohn

Definitely a personal preference thing.

I have always left it on the entire time I am on the road. The camper is not on the island when pumping fuel and driving thru while leaving, there would need to be some high content of fuel vapors for something to happen. I still remeber in the 70's checking cars for bad spark plugs wires in the dark and seeing the arcing dancing all over the place under the hood while parked on the island. If that did not create a problem, my feeling is a spark in a contained area behind a vent door in a trailer not on the pump island is not a concern

Thats my feeling, yours may differ









John


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## Fire44

I'm with John....

I leave mine on and only shut it off if I have too.

Gary


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## CAMPING CRAZY

We always let ours run off of the battery when we are traveling. ( The alternator from the car continues to charge the battery). I forgot to switch it over after we set up last fall when we were "dry" camping.







My job!







DH couldn't understand why we were draining the batteries so fast.







He always checks behind me now regardless of where we camp.

Sheila


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## jetjane

CAMPING CRAZY said:


> I'm with John....
> 
> I leave mine on and only shut it off if I have too.
> 
> Gary


Same here.


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## Herbicidal

Perhaps add some frozen blue ice packs to the fridge portion to keep it







longer? Then when you're able to run the propane, move the blue ice back to the freezer and re-freeze for the next travel day. I won't run the fridge on battery power because it puts a huge load on the batteries and the tow vehicles batteries.

We're leaving on Tuesday for Yellowstone, stopping in Twin Falls, ID for two nights. I suspect that we'll be on the road the 1st day for a good 12+ hours. Pre-cooling the fridge and adding the blue ice packs to the fridge should do it. In fact, I'll be plugging the trailer in on Saturday to start the process. Of course, the fewer times the fridge door is opened during the drive, the better.


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## CAMPING CRAZY

We have run ours off the battery when traveling since we got the camper in October of 2005. When our fridge setting is on auto inside the camper and the gas button inside the camper is in the off position -- it will automatically switch to battery when you unplug the camper. Never had any problems until that one time I forgot to switch over the day we set up at Bruton's Branch. It was the first time we had dry camped in that camper and I was used to it automatically switching when we plugged up.







We camped there again last weekend and this time I remembered.







We usually camp where there are electric hookups. We have driven 8 hours between home and campground and never had any problems with the fridge or freezer.


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## having_fun

Wow, mine is 120v or gas, no 12v, (2 way) or so I thought....... (12v is needed to run on gas to light the flame). It was 3-way in the pup-up, but not the TT..... Do others have 3 way friges in their TT's?


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## MAYZ83

I always travel with fridge on propane, but turn it off before stopping for gas. Just in case. I like the mythbusters idea


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## Carey

We always tow with fridge and gas on.. Never an issue.

Carey


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## Bill H

Gas On......
Fridge On.....
Beer Cold.........


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## Colorado Outbacker

Bill H said:


> Gas On......
> Fridge On.....
> Beer Cold.........


SAME HERE!


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## ED_RN

Maybe Camper Andy can weigh in on this one. My understanding is the fridge runs on 110V or propane. Will it run on 12V??????????????/


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## Camping Fan

> having_fun Jun 15 2007, 04:00 PM
> Wow, mine is 120v or gas, no 12v, (2 way) or so I thought....... (12v is needed to run on gas to light the flame). It was 3-way in the pup-up, but not the TT..... Do others have 3 way friges in their TT's?


The small fridge in my old pop-up was a 3-way, but even with just that small fridge you didn't want to run it on battery very long cuz' it would drain the battery in a day. The fridge in my Outback is a 2-way and runs on either 120 AC or propane. I didn't think any fridges the size of what you get in an Outback were 3-way.







Especially with the freezer section in the fridge, a battery would be run down in just a few hours.



> CAMPING CRAZY Posted Today, 03:27 PM
> We have run ours off the battery when traveling since we got the camper in October of 2005. When our fridge setting is on auto inside the camper and the gas button inside the camper is in the off position -- it will automatically switch to battery when you unplug the camper.


Maybe your fridge is different than mine.







Mine has an on/off button to turn the whole unit on or off, and an auto/gas button to choose between automatic mode (fridge runs on AC if available, if not then it switches to gas) and gas only mode. No battery option at all here.


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## johnp

I always leave mine on. The way I look at it I always use the outside end pumps on the island and the pilot flame is 4' off the ground and 20' back on the opposite side if that was to spark a fire I would have to be swimming it.

John


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## Scrib

My fridge in the Outback would run on 12V, but I had a 2,000 Watt inverter. I still used gas though, because I didn't think the alternator would keep up with it


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## Northern Wind

Always travel with the gas on for the fridge, have never had any problems and even at the Boarder never been an issue.
I fuel at the diesel islands and am usually aways away from the gas pumps, have never been concerned.
Steve


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## bentpixel

kyoutback said:


> "NEVER DRIVE WITH THE PROPANE ON!!" Drilled into my head by my father camping as a child. So I never do just for that reason. We drove 12 hours to Virginia beach and the stuff in the fridge was just fine. We never opened it during the trip and had it cold to start.
> 
> Also, there was a mention recently of a safety feature that would shut the propane off to the fridge if it was jostled too much. How would driving affect this?


My dad had the same rule. The cooling units at that time needed to be perfectly level for proper operation. There was a risk of getting a bubble in the works and stopping the cooling process. Today's unit are build and mounted to reduce the risk considerably. I turn on as soon as I start packing up to go camping. I turn off before fueling. I have not seen the tunnel situation, but it too sounds prudent.

Maybe I'm mistaken but I believe the propane shutoff you posted about refers to the new Over Pressure Relief valves required on LP tanks. The sales guy said the if you lay it down it prevent liquid (or gas) from coming out as well as safely releasing pressure in case of overfilling. Driving should not affect it.

It still comes down to personal choice.

Happy Camping,
Scott


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## Y-Guy

Until I had the motorhome I never felt I needed to run the fridge and if you have precooled the fridge and put in cool items you probably don't need to. If you are going to be driving 8 hours in the sun then its another story. Though I have done it you should weigh the real need and the risks. Most of the RV fridges today can keep things cold/frozen for several hours without running. Unless you are in critical need try running without the fridge on.


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## gone campin

We've driven with the gas on for three years now. I turn it off before gassing up, my dh doesn't.

Linda


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## CamperAndy

CAMPING CRAZY said:


> Maybe Camper Andy can weigh in on this one. My understanding is the fridge runs on 110V or propane. Will it run on 12V??????????????/


No but 12 vdc is required to operate the controls.


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## the eubies

We were just told during dealer walk through that in California it is illegal to have the propane tanks open while driving.

Therefore, Fridge is off.


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## CamperAndy

The Eubies said:


> We were just told during dealer walk through that in California it is illegal to have the propane tanks open while driving.
> 
> Therefore, Fridge is off.


Sorry but I doubt that is true. It may cause cancer according to the state of California but there are no laws that I can find that indicate it is illegal to use. There are no signs at the border to tell us less safe visitors to stop and turn it off. Please call your dealer and ask for the code or statue that is applicable.


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