Running fridge while driving

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Serrano4657

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Joined
Mar 18, 2007
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54
Location
Riverside, CA
We have a 2 way fridge in our motorhome. 120 Volt and Propane. While driving, should you use 120 volt with generator or propane to keep the food cold?
 
Serrano4657 said:
We have a 2 way fridge in our motorhome. 120 Volt and Propane. While driving, should you use 120 volt with generator or propane to keep the food cold?

You will get a different views on this but the newer fridges are auto so if you run it on auto, and don't have 120V AC then the gas comes on but if you turn on the generator it will then switch to electric.

There is a safety issue of having propane on and  also the burner assembly in the refrigerator could  burn through and cause a fire. Dometic is now modifying many units because they installed burners that have too thin of walls. Norcold has also had problems and recalls before.

Actually if you don't open the door much, everything will stay cold enough for several hours so if your days are not too long on the road just leave it off.

All that said, I run mine on gas going down the road and many others do. I have faith in the safety features built into the propane system and the refrigerator and in my insurance company.

Bob
 
Propane takes a few hours to really cool things down at the beginning. If for any reason you are goig to be running withthe Genset run the fridge on electric. If not make sure it;s cold and switch to propane as soon as you are  ready to leave.  Most of the Motorhomes have an auto switch and that's what I keep mine on, that way it will switch itself.
 
While driving, should you use 120 volt with generator or propane to keep the food cold?

Yes. Take your pick.

The alleged safety concern over use of propane while traveling is a tempest in a teapot. No state fire marshal even suggests it is a concern (except when fueling), nor does the NFPA (National Fire Protection Assc, authors of the national fire codes). The insurance industry has created this scare, but those folks are also against children's swings and any kind of ladder.
 
We usually run our refrigerator from the inverter while in transit. The inverter is powered by the house batteries which in turn are being charged by the alternator. Essentially, the alternator is powering the refrigerator.
 
We keep ours on Auto when driving.  That way, if we run the generator, it switches to electric and back again.  About the only time we take it off Auto is when we're dry camping and want to force it to stay on propane.

ArdraF
 
Tom said:
We usually run our refrigerator from the inverter while in transit. The inverter is powered by the house batteries which in turn are being charged by the alternator. Essentially, the alternator is powering the refrigerator.

Hmmm, I need to check this but I always assumed my refrigerator was not wired into the circuit for the inverter! But maybe I am wrong. I leave it on auto and run my generator a lot on the road. Thanks, Tom

Bob
 
Normally they do not wire the 34x watt inverter to the inverter  but some folks have selectable systems, Many of these have a dual outlet in the frige's outside compartment (Outside the rig) one marked "INVERTER" and you choose which way it works

i'm considering adding that feature to my rig, I'd rather add a toggle inside the rig but alas, it's not the only thing on that line
 
Bob, Some coaches have only the freezer section wired to the inverter, but that's not the case on our coach. If you have the coach schematics, you can check it out.
 
Bob Zambenini said:
Hmmm, I need to check this but I always assumed my refrigerator was not wired into the circuit for the inverter! But maybe I am wrong. I leave it on auto and run my generator a lot on the road.

Bob

Our coach came from the factory without the refer on the inverter. During our walk thru I had the factory guy giving the walk thru rewire the refer to the inverter. If we travel with the laptop on (most of the time) I have the inverter on for power. The alternator keeps the batteries charged and I can leave the propane off. However, as others have said, if you keep the refer door closed, we don't, you can leave the refer off for 1/2 day or longer without worry.
 
How much propane does the "average" fridge burn in an hour?  If I'm going camping tomorrow, can I turn on the fridge the night before and not run out of propane?


I know, average is a bad word, but any help would be appreciated.
 
Turn it on  You'll not run out  unless you are using the furnace>  Just the fridge it might last for couple of months or more.
 
We have 30 gal. of propane on board and that would probably run our refrigerator for 3 months or more.
 
Just to clarify what others have said, your fridge runs on just a pilot light, not more, no less.


Woody
 
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