Keeping Fridge Cool down the road.

[BobX2]

You are correct, I'm not going to change. I would also be willing to bet that 90% of the people who come on here and say they shut it off every time they stop and fuel up are just saying what people want to hear. It would be nice if people would actually be honest, instead of just talking heads. I know a bunch of RV'ers, and not a single one of them shuts down the fridge when fueling up, and I bet neither do most of those on this forum. It's easy to sit behind the keyboard and tell everyone that you are the perfect RV'er when there is no way for anyone to know any different. If I felt that I was endangering anyone, I wouldn't do it. Walking down the steps of your RV is more dangerous than my refueling with the fridge on. Compare slips, trips and falls to exploding RV's while refueling the TV.
Anyhow, the OP asked how we keep the fridge cool while on the road, and I gave my honest answer.

 

[Tom]

I'm not the "perfect RVer", but I've always been paranoid about ignition sources at fuel pumps. Long before my driver pulls into a fuel station, I walk down the aisle and shut off all ignition sources. It would be good if folks who don't care about it would display something on their RV, so the rest of us can leave before filling up.

If I see someone smoking a cigarette while fueling, we don't stop. Call me paranoid, and I'm not afraid to agree.

YMMV.

 

[BobX2]

Haha, if you see me coming, you better get outa there.  ;D  I don't disagree about the cigarette thing though. A glowing ember 2' from the fueling, or the possibility of it being flicked nearby (as smokers seem to have an aversion to ashtrays), is a little more of a realistic hazard.

 

[HappyWanderer]

There's a term for this in the fire service. Job security.

 

[WILDEBILL308]

Michael,
I agree that the reefer should be level I don't think the short times you are talking about would be a problem. The refrigerator is made to operate within 3 degrees off level side-to-side and 6 degrees off level front-to-back (looking at the front of the refrigerator). That is a pretty good slope. I bet there is a little more wiggle room before there is a problem. No I wouldn't leave it on a steep slope running and have moved to a different site because one was grossly un level.
Bill

 

[blw2]

Michael,
I agree that the reefer should be level I don't think the short times you are talking about would be a problem. The refrigerator is made to operate within 3 degrees off level side-to-side and 6 degrees off level front-to-back (looking at the front of the refrigerator). That is a pretty good slope. I bet there is a little more wiggle room before there is a problem. No I wouldn't leave it on a steep slope running and have moved to a different site because one was grossly un level.
Bill

Read some of the recent threads about the ARP absorption fridge controller.  It seems that the boiler operating temps skyrocket prety quickly if even only slightly off level.  Skyrocketing temps result in damage to the chemistry inside, which will result in future corrosion form the inside out.

 

[1275gtsport]

Bob, have you ever seen the after effects of a gas station blowing up? In the town I live in we had one blow up way back in the 70's.

The station was on the end of the bridge that crossed the inlet of a larger bay. most of the houses on the other side of the bay lost the windows due to the force of the blast.

The explosion was caused by a cigarette butt being dropped on the street......over 20 feet away.

Nothing has ever been built on that site.

Not saying I have never forgotten to turn off the fridge. just saying I always try to shut it off before arriving at the station.

I know you will not change your mind bob but one other thing to think about. do you back out of the station? or do you drag the flaming fridge past the pumps to leave? things go wrong all the time. just hope I am down the road a bit when it happens

 

[potterhead2]

Hi all, I want to make sure I understand what you are saying.  The consensus here is that it is okay to have the propane tank valve open while traveling.  Is that right?  We have always shut the tank while traveling.  Our trips so far have been within 3hrs and nothing has gone bad in the fridge so far.  But I'd love to be able keep the fridge on when we are traveling.  We're planning a long trip for the spring.

Also, I thought the fridge had to be level when on, but when the trailer is hitched to the truck the trailer is at a pretty good angle.  So the fridge would be running while not level.  Here I"m reading that it's okay to run the fridge out of level as long as you are moving?  Is that right?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[driftless shifter]

potterhead,
  The theory is that the constant motion due to road surface keep everything moving through the boiler and tubes.

The tubes have an angle to promote flow, mine slope toward the front of my rig. When shopping I try to position my rig as level as possible, I will park with front of rig a wee low. My thinking is that the flow may be faster but not impeded. Makes sense to me but may be completely wrong.

Bill

 

[ramit98]

we run ours on propane for 3 weeks and 7000 kms  while on vacation .and didn't even think about turning it off at fuel refills but I can a sure you I will now...guess  I got lucky seeing as fridge vent door is slightly to the right of fuel fill  ...

 

[randaben]

I just registered in the forum because I want to comment on the postings about running rv refrigerators while traveling down the road.

My wife and I are in our 14th year of fulltiming in, currently, a 38 foot Montana 5th wheel, and we we avoid all that confusion because we NEVER... EVER... travel with our fridge on. And even on the longest trips we NEVER... EVER... have any problem keeping our stuff in the fridge cold and stuff in our freezer frozen.  If we stop for lunch in the trailer we open the fridge door as briefly as possible and occasionally on a very long trip on a very hot day I will turn the fridge on to propane if we are going to be stopped for an hour or more and off before we leave.

I don't have to worry about fuel stops, or tunnels, or other places I don't know about where propane is banned.

 

[Ned]

If it works for you, that's great.  But there are some who would turn it off and forget to turn it back on.  And you still have to be concerned about tunnels where the propane has to be turned off at the tank, not just at the refrigerator.  And if it's banned completely, you still have to find another route.

 

[randaben]

I always turn it off at the tank when I travel

 

[joester]

I'll admit I sometimes fill the gas with the fridge running on propane. I do also check to see where I'll be parked when pumping, and always make an effort to have my fridge as far from the pump as possible - my usual rule is about 15'. I'll start taking a better look next trip, and I think it's time I start being more careful about the fridge on propane while gassing up.
Thanks for the heads up.

 

[BobX2]

Was out again for the long weekend. Fridge on before leaving the house and off when we got home. I NEVER... EVER... travel with my refrigerator off.  ;D  The ice-cream is ALWAYS... ALWAYS...  frozen when we get to camp.
I know, I shouldn't have

 

[Alfa38User]

Hi all, I want to make sure I understand what you are saying.  The consensus here is that it is okay to have the propane tank valve open while travelling.  Is that right?

Yes, that is correct!!! The exception to the rule could be Tunnels where the approach signs state no open tanks. Before entering a gas station for fuelling, be sure the fridge and water heater themselves are turned OFF. Once you are well clear of the pumps, you can start the fridge back up. If you don't do this before entering and the guy at the next pump accidentally pours gasoline all over himself and the ground, it could be a mite too late to react.

The reason for this precaution is to avoid a DSI circuit (Direct Spark Ignition) from trying to re-light the propane burners and possibly cause an explosion of any Gasoline fumes around you. It does no good to simply shut down the propane alone as the appliance will still try to light and create sparks in doing so.

Of course if the appliances have pilot lights instead of DSI then shutting down the propane is acceptable as the pilot lights go out and cannot re-light until you intervene.

It seems that not all agree with this philosophy though, and that's OK, as long as they are not next to me or I am not next to them in the gas station. Sometimes pretty hard to tell though!!! At the pumps, most gas stations seem to have a sign warning that open flames (sparks) should be extinguished. Failure to heed them might be costly, although the ultimate penalty might also be ....BOOM!!! (While fueling aircraft, the aircraft is always bonded to the tanker and the fuel nozzle is always bonded to the aircraft to avoid any chance of sparks from static electricity. Static is also built up by the flow of gasoline through the hose. Same principle, disaster avoidance.... And No, I have never seen one blow up but have seen someone tossed to the ground (ouch!!) by a built-up static charge on the aircraft....)

 

[blw2]

This is a rat trail I know, off the original topic.... but all this discussion of LP safety makes me wonder, do any of the higher end coaches have a way to shut off the LP at the tank from inside the coach?
I'm envisioning a safety shutoff button that a person could hit that would do two things.... shut off the LP supply AND shut off the DSI sparking..... for use in fueling and also before entering a hazardous area.
Alph38User brings up a point..... really, how many folks actually find a place to stop BEFORE pulliong into a gas station, get out, shut off everything, then pull into the sattion, then pull out of the station and stop someplace else to fire everything back up.  Get real!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Also, I thought the fridge had to be level when on, but when the trailer is hitched to the truck the trailer is at a pretty good angle.  So the fridge would be running while not level.  Here I"m reading that it's okay to run the fridge out of level as long as you are moving?  Is that right?

Yes, it's OK, but I'm surprised to that your trailer is at an angle steep enough to affect the fridge to begin with. That's not good for safe towing. And if it is that much angle, be sure to shut the fridge off if you stop, even for a few minutes. You would be amazed at how quickly the cooling unit can overheat. An ARP fridge boiler manager might be a good investment for you - see http://www.arprv.com/

do any of the higher end coaches have a way to shut off the LP at the tank from inside the coach?

Yes they do, and it is not just higher end models. Coaches with difficult to reach LP tank, e.g. mounted inboard rather than out near a bay door, will have a remote shut-off.

 

[WILDEBILL308]

Hi all, I want to make sure I understand what you are saying.  The consensus here is that it is okay to have the propane tank valve open while traveling.  Is that right?  We have always shut the tank while traveling.  Our trips so far have been within 3hrs and nothing has gone bad in the fridge so far.  But I'd love to be able keep the fridge on when we are traveling.  We're planning a long trip for the spring.

Also, I thought the fridge had to be level when on, but when the trailer is hitched to the truck the trailer is at a pretty good angle.  So the fridge would be running while not level.  Here I"m reading that it's okay to run the fridge out of level as long as you are moving?  Is that right?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Yes it is ok. The vibration will offset the not being level.
"When the trailer is hitched to the truck the trailer is at a pretty good angle."
Just for grins see if you can find out what the recommended deviation from level is recommended for towing your rig. I am not an expert on towing trailers but when towing my car it is only allowed + - 3 inches from level. You might find it tows better if the tongue is more level.
Bill

 

[HappyWanderer]

Alph38User brings up a point..... really, how many folks actually find a place to stop BEFORE pulliong into a gas station, get out, shut off everything, then pull into the sattion, then pull out of the station and stop someplace else to fire everything back up.  Get real!

Me. Always. Without fail.

I've seen houses catch fire because of gas cans stored in the basement near the furnace, and a person severely burned when gasoline vapors ignited from a brush fire. I guess you could say it leaves an impression.

In my mind, it's no trouble at all to press the button and turn off the fridge. Normally, it just means the DW walks back in the MH before we turn into the gas station. If I'm alone, I'll find a place to stop.