Driving with lit fridge

[MommaMia]

This past weekend was our first trip out with a fridge.

I pre cooled the fridge before heading out, packed it and shut it off.  The trip to the cg only took about 45 min.

Got to the site, set up, lit fridge, no problem!  How nice it was not to have to deal with ice and a cooler!  The fridge actually gets cold enough to MAKE ice!  Way cool!

Time to go home, broke down site, packed up and headed home.  Only thing i forgot to do was turn off fridge.  I travelled the whole trip home with it running off the propane.  I thought of it just as I backe dthe camper into the drive.  I fully expected the pilot light to be out, and thought of all the propane that was wasted.

I was surprised to find the pilot was still lit!  Now I'm wondering, can I just leave the fridge running when I'm headed out to the cg?  Is it ok to drive with the thing running?   All the big 18 wheelers that have cooloing units for their cargo... do they use propane too?

[MtnCamper]

This has been kicked around a lot. People are really for it, or they are REALLY against it.

I have run mine all the way from Mn. to Co. I run it to the campground, if we are going far (3hrs. or so). Other than that I do just as you did, cold stuff in, turn it off, then relight it at the campground.

Some of the bigger RV's don't have 12V, so they run on propane, on the road, all the time. It's Ok, There is no law against it, So do whatever you are comfortable with.

[B-flat]

Don't use propane in tunnels.  Just my 2 cents worth.

[brainpause]

and thought of all the propane that was wasted.

Actually, very little propane was probably used. Seems like someone said that a propane fridge can run for a ridiculously long time on a tank of propane (something like 30 days?)
 
As for the 18 wheeled reefers, I believe their fridge also runs on diesel. You usually see a small tank near the front "legs" of the trailer. I stand to be corrected though. Diesel is the safest fuel out there (except for water, but it even has to be broken down to hydrogen and oxygen, which is KABOOM).
 
Maybe we could get diesel fridges in our campers!
 
Larry

[slowpez]

We just don't take the chance on running the fridge on propane.  It's not worth the danger if you are involved in an accident.  Besides, we have to turn off the propane to bleed the burners on the indoor stove before popping down.  Can't do that if the propane is lit.

[MtnCamper]

Besides, we have to turn off the propane to bleed the burners on the indoor stove before popping down.

Why do you do this?

[angelsmom10]

We have never ran with it, as we would have to PU before leaving to get the frig running -- DH wants to try to figure a mod to have a switch outside that we could flip to get the frig start to cool on trip to CG.
 
Ours runs off electic/battery and also has a switch to flip for either off/battery/elect and also an off/or temp adjustment.  Just don't want to keep it running all the time with the battery to where out.
 
Since we have never had a frig, we just need to sit a do some figuring -- any suggestions.

[mikewilley]

...
I was surprised to find the pilot was still lit!  Now I'm wondering, can I just leave the fridge running when I'm headed out to the cg?  Is it OK to drive with the thing running?   All the big 18 wheelers that have cooling units for their cargo... do they use propane too?

My concerns revolve around the open flame of the pilot (and burner when in an active cooling cycle).  When you pull into a gas station to refuel your TV there will be an open flame in a vented area of your camper.  I used to work as an engineer in the petroleum distribution business and I assure you, it is not pretty after a big gasoline fire!

I would also be concerned that there might be an accidental fuel spill in an accident which could get ignited by the open flame.

Both are pretty unlikely to be problems, but keep in mind it is also pretty unlikely that dropping a lit cigarette down the gas spout of your car will cause a fire, but I don't do that either.

Because of the above I keep my propane shut off when I drive, but YMMV.

cheers

[woodthumb]

Should be ok.  Most dealers will tell you that too I think.  I have done it many times and not given it alot of thought.......but for several years, I drove cargo vans propelled by LP and not gasoline.  I know how safe they were and never saw an accident occur.  LP rapidly looses it combustuble properties once it mixes with the air.  Just check all connections periodically. And like others say.... it's what you're comfortable with.

[tlhdoc]

I am not willing to risk the terrible accident that can happen with open flame.   I wear a seat belt too.

[brainpause]

Should be ok. Most dealers will tell you that too I think. I have done it many times and not given it alot of thought.......but for several years, I drove cargo vans propelled by LP and not gasoline. I know how safe they were and never saw an accident occur. LP rapidly looses it combustuble properties once it mixes with the air. Just check all connections periodically. And like others say.... it's what you're comfortable with.

Not to argue, but I truly beg to differ.
 
The difference here is that an LP-propelled vehicle does not have an open flame. A camper's fridge does have an open flame!
 
Also, LP actually gains its flammable (not combustible...there is a difference) properties when it mixes with air. It does have a narrow range of flammability (low to high limit of flammabilities). But, that does not make it any less dangerous, really.
 
The chances of a bad scene happening are small, but I would think twice about it. An open flame at a gas station is not a good idea, not to mention any number of other things that could happen. Maybe do it only in emergencies or something, like when you don't have a 12V source during travel (batteries dead, no charge wire, etc.)
 
Larry

[Gone-Camping]

Well, when I had my Pop-up I was one of those that held strictly to the belief that one should never run with the propane lit. And around here, you have to stop at the tunnels entrances and turn off the propane before proceeding. However, in the PU I at least had that 12volt option.

In the Hybrid, there is no 12volt option, it's either 120vac or propane, and when rolling, propane is the only option. I also have a freezer, and if I don't want thawed out frozen stuff when I get to where I'm going, then I gotta run with the propane lit. I've done that 7 times so far this year without any problems. I've stopped at the tunnel entrance to turn it all off, and once on the other side of the tunnel I stop again to re-light it.
 
Funny how circumstances can change ones opinion!

[slowpez]

Why do you do this?

The instructions with our PU said to bleed the burners inside the camper before popping down.  You would be surprised at how long the burner will burn with the propane turned off.  We are pretty conscientious about doing this.  As I said before, if we were ever involved in an accident I sure wouldn't want gas and an open flame anywhere near me or mine.

[B-flat]

That's another reason why some people never cook inside the camper, too.

[MommaMia]

Well, when I had my Pop-up I was one of those that held strictly to the belief that one should never run with the propane lit. And around here, you have to stop at the tunnels entrances and turn off the propane before proceeding. However, in the PU I at least had that 12volt option.

In the Hybrid, there is no 12volt option, it's either 120vac or propane, and when rolling, propane is the only option. I also have a freezer, and if I don't want thawed out frozen stuff when I get to where I'm going, then I gotta run with the propane lit. I've done that 7 times so far this year without any problems. I've stopped at the tunnel entrance to turn it all off, and once on the other side of the tunnel I stop again to re-light it.
 
Funny how circumstances can change ones opinion!

Cliff... doesn't the CBBT and HRBT prohibit propane tanks completely?  I am almost sure they do.