# What's Power Fridge When Under Way



## CJ999 (Aug 11, 2005)

With the propane off completely, the batteries on, the trailer plugged into my truck, and the fridge in the auto setting, is the fridge getting powered?

You'd think I would know this by now.... thanks.


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## johnp (Mar 15, 2004)

If the propane is left off nothing. If you have the gas on fridge in the auto position and a good battery hooked up it will run on gas. With the propane off you will get a check light from it trying to light with no gas to it.

John


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## CJ999 (Aug 11, 2005)

Thank you. That's what I thought but wasn't sure. Technically it's illegal to roll with the propane on here in California but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes, right?

I'll just barely crack it open...


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

It's also illegal in a lot of states to roll into a gas station with the fridge running on gas. Technically we should all be stopping prior to the gas station, turning the fridge off and starting it up again down the road from the gas station.


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## Bob in Virginia (Jul 15, 2010)

If I get the fridge fully cooled down, I can go several hours of driving with it staying cold without the gas turned on.


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## luverofpeanuts (Mar 9, 2010)

CJ999 said:


> I'll just barely crack it open...


 You mean the propane? It think just opening a crack will do more harm than good. The gas appliances are designed to work with a certain pressure. Opening a crack might serve nothing more than to make the fridge work extra hard to light....and actually never light.

IMHO, If you you need to cool the fridge while driving, open 'er up, make sure it's lit, and think no more about it.


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## Bob in Virginia (Jul 15, 2010)

I meant that I don't run the Fridge when on the road for a short trip of an hour or two, as long as I pre-chill it before we leave.


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## alebar17 (Mar 10, 2006)

we've driven longer trips with the fridge off(up to 8 hours) with no problems......just be sure everything is cold first ( you could stick something frozen in to be sure) and don't open the fridge while in transit


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## duggy (Mar 17, 2010)

I used to leave the fridge off when I traveled. Then I had a 10 hour day of mid 80's. I ran the fridge a few times when we stopped, but it still totally defrosted. I had been told that it was illegal to run it on the road, but I now know that here in Ontario, it's not illegal. As already mentioned, just turn it off when refueling. Now I leave the propane on all the time, and let the fridge switch over to propane whenever the trailer is unplugged.


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## Mgonzo2u (Aug 3, 2004)

duggy said:


> I used to leave the fridge off when I traveled. Then I had a 10 hour day of mid 80's. I ran the fridge a few times when we stopped, but it still totally defrosted. I had been told that it was illegal to run it on the road, but I now know that here in Ontario, it's not illegal. As already mentioned, just turn it off when refueling. Now I leave the propane on all the time, and let the fridge switch over to propane whenever the trailer is unplugged.


In CA is it illegal or are you warned in a common sense way by the gas station to turn it off?

Because its not illegal to talk on your cell phone while pumping gas. Nor is it illegal to get in and out of your vehicle while fueling up but you shouldn't because of the built up static that can discharge. However, in both cases there are specific written warnings on each and every pump station. But its not illegal, just a common sense warning.

So again, I ask, is it truly illegal to gas up with your RV refer running or just a warning due to the common sense thought that you shouldn't do it?

Either way, when I am on the road far away and need to refuel, I have always refueled with the refer on (I do not stop elsewhere to turn it off). The truck is generally near the pump while the refer spark is far removed from any possible fumes. At least I make sure its that way.


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## duggy (Mar 17, 2010)

Mgonzo2u said:


> I used to leave the fridge off when I traveled. Then I had a 10 hour day of mid 80's. I ran the fridge a few times when we stopped, but it still totally defrosted. I had been told that it was illegal to run it on the road, but I now know that here in Ontario, it's not illegal. As already mentioned, just turn it off when refueling. Now I leave the propane on all the time, and let the fridge switch over to propane whenever the trailer is unplugged.


In CA is it illegal or you are warned in a common sense way by the gas station to turn it off?

Because its not illegal to talk on your cell phone while pumping gas. Nor is it illegal to get in and out of your vehicle while fueling up because of the built up static that can discharge but in both cases, there are specific written warnings on each and every pump. But its not illegal, just a common sense warning.

So again, I ask, is it truly illegal to gas up with your RV refer running or just a warning due to the common sense thought that you shouldn't do it?

Either way, I have always fueld up with the refer on. The truck is generally near the pump while the refer spark is far removed from any possible fumes. At least I make sure its that way.
[/quote]

Just to be clear, I turn the gas off when refueling. By saying " I leave the propane on all the time", I was referring to all the time except when I refuel. (ie the whole season, whether it's in our driveway, or on the way to the campground.) I only refuel two or three times a year with the trailer in tow. I always fill up before the weekend, so I don't have to drag the trailer through a gas station.


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## sunnybrook29 (Oct 7, 2009)

I have used propane in trailers or motorhomes for well over thirty years and have never turned the propane off or the refrig away from auto . I always wear my seat belt .

I know , I know . The only excuse that I have is that I used to teach propane safety to firefighters all over Florida and it takes almost perfect conditions for propane to burn . One of the things that we did was place a large , lite , propane burner under a large propane tank and see if we could cause a fire or explosion .IT NEVER DID . It will in the movies and maybe in California , but we could never make it happen in real life .


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## funbikerchick (Jun 6, 2011)

When you connect your vehicle to the tow vehicle electrical system, the refrigerator will operate through your vehicle's battery. The check light will come on initially as a result of being disconnected from the gas, but just turn it off and back on again after connecting to the vehicle and it should go out. If yours does not power through your tow vehicle, then you do not have your tow package (assuming you have one) set up properly. Sometimes the dealer forgets to install the necessary fuse for accessory power.


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## luverofpeanuts (Mar 9, 2010)

funbikerchick said:


> When you connect your vehicle to the tow vehicle electrical system, the refrigerator will operate through your vehicle's battery. The check light will come on initially as a result of being disconnected from the gas, but just turn it off and back on again after connecting to the vehicle and it should go out. If yours does not power through your tow vehicle, then you do not have your tow package (assuming you have one) set up properly. Sometimes the dealer forgets to install the necessary fuse for accessory power.


Does your camper have a 3-way fridge? (i.e 12volt, A/C, & propane). These types of fridges are more rare and I've only ever seen them in pop-ups where the fridges are small. In larger campers, they are usually only 2-way fridges... A/C and propane. That is why quite a few people leave the propane on. When I plug the camper into my tow vehicle, the fridge still uses the battery to control the cooling cycle... but the cooling itself is done via the propane method.. not the A/C method, or pure electrical/battery method.


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

Mgonzo2u said:


> So again, I ask, is it truly illegal to gas up with your RV refer running or just a warning due to the common sense thought that you shouldn't do it?


What you will find is the laws will state something like it is illegal to have any open flames near a service station fuel pump. A few years ago I did some research on the laws in Oregon allowing Diesel owners to pump themselves, Oregon is one of two states that require pump jockeys to fill your tank no you. However there is a provision allowing Diesel owners to do it themselves, while researching that I found the laws about fueling and there were references to no open flames. The debate comes down to is the flame of the RV fridge open or not? It's not like a lighter out in the wind, its enclosed in an aluminum housing inside the RV fridge wall with an access cover. I am sure some States have wasted their time to detail this out, however my guess is they fall back to it's an open flame. I've only been asked once in all of my travels if our fridge was turned off, and that was in Oregon - in a self-serve state who's going to ask? I believe it really does just come down to common sense and the potential risk. In our rig its easy when we pull in one of the kids turns off the fridge if it's on, but not so easy in a trailer. Is there potential for explosion, there sure is. Is it likely? Probably not. But it sure makes for a fun debate and keeps RV forums buzzing!


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

duggy said:


> I used to leave the fridge off when I traveled. Then I had a 10 hour day of mid 80's. I ran the fridge a few times when we stopped, but it still totally defrosted. I had been told that it was illegal to run it on the road, but I now know that here in Ontario, it's not illegal. As already mentioned, just turn it off when refueling. Now I leave the propane on all the time, and let the fridge switch over to propane whenever the trailer is unplugged.


Maybe I'm a bad boy, but I do not turn the fridge off when refueling. I always pull into an island on the end so that the flame from my fridge is is on the opposite side than the gas pump. And also - that flame is about 35 feet away from the gas pump. And consider, too, that if your fridge is at temperature, the control board shuts off the gas automatically, then relights the flame if the fridge temp gets too warm. I suppose the responsible thing to do would be to turn the fridge off before refueling, then back on after leaving the gas station, but that's a lot of fiddling around a couple times each day when we are on a long trip.

That said - I have turned it off at times when I get out of the truck and smell strong gas fumes from an earlier spill.

Mike


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