Running the LP Heater while towing?

[Ned]

Every propane fill station I've used has always asked if all gas appliances were turned off and then they turned off the main valve.  I believe it's mandatory for them to do both.

 

[macthefireguy]

Fellow RVers, my name is Mac McCoy aka Macthefireguy.  I was asked to commit on this link about driving with propane on or off.  I worked for many years as the training coordinator for the Oregon State Fire Marshall's office.  I am also a full time RVer and teach fire safety classes at RV Rallies. 

Some states require you to turn your propane off when entering tunels or some bridges.  The newer propane appliances are designed to have automatic igniter's and not pilot lites.  However, due to the vibration of our RV's, branch lines coming from the main line have been known to come loose or rupture because they rub against RV parts.  Your safer if you shut off the propane at the tank.  Some MH's are equipped  with a toggle switch inside the unit to shut off the propane.  How do you know the switch works unless you test it.  Do you know how?  The design of some propane compartments in 5ers lend itself to rupture the line. 

Safety is not usually high on most RVer's list of things to do.  Safety of you and your family should be the first thing on your list.  This is only one of many questions we should all have about our safety while RVing.  At this time according to US fire officials, we burn around 21,000 RVs a year with 6,800 total losses.  The majority are Diesel MH's that have engine fires.  12v is tied for second with refridgator fires.  As you know the 2 major brands of fridge manufactures have as of this date recalled 4 million units because they catch fire.  That might help you to decide to shut off your propane.

Thanks for the opportunity  to talk with you all, Mac

 

[Tom]

Thanks for stopping by Mac. Appreciate your comments.

 

[Ned]

Mac, good to see you here.  Please check in occasionally and share with us your experience and knowledge.  Many of us have attended your safety seminars and use your products, so you're among friends.

We don't have a remote shutoff for the propane.  Is there an aftermarket kit to add such a shutoff?

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Your propane detector may already have a shut-off solenoid at the propane tank. If so, it should be easy enough to add a switch for manual control.

If not, here is an Aftermarket Propane Shutoff Solenoid

And Another LP Shutoff Solenoid

 

[Ned]

Nope, no shutoff at the tank.  Detector is standalone.  Thanks for the references to those.

 

[Ron]

Mac,

Thanks for your post.  I is good to see you here.

Ned
Our propane detector will shut the propane off at the tank if turned off or if it detects gas.  If the tank is shutoff because of an alarm condition the detector has to be turned of and on again to reset.  The propane detector in the Bounder was the same.

 

[John From Detroit]

Welcome to the forum Mac, and please make it a habit.. I respect your knowledge and modified my rig so that I can SAFELY switch the fridge to inverter power when on the road. thus eliminating the need to run with Propane on.

I also have foam extinguishers on board.  (Got 'em from you in fact )

 

[ArdraF]

Tom,

You may have been surprised by my statement but I believe that until fairly recently - with the advent of the internet and forums like this - most of us didn't give much thought to such things.  Remember back in the early days of RVing when we didn't have gray tanks and just dumped the gray water wherever we could including while driving down the road?  We used to see that a lot.  Now we (or at least most of us) know better.  There were many things that no one talked about because it simply didn't occur to us when the industry was newer.  Now we do talk and it's forums like this that make us all better and safer RVers.  But, I'd also bet that, if the truth were known, the greatest majority of RVers still don't pay any attention to such things because they're in their own little world and don't communicate with people such as ourselves.  Some of us change practices based on what we read here and that's good.  Then there's a certain percentage where I'm sure it all just goes in one side and out the other without any real comprehension.

Mac gave some interesting statistics (thanks, Mac).  I suppose with the millions of RVs going down the road it's probably surprising that the numbers are as small as they are.  If I read his statement correctly he said the second cause of fire is 12-volt refrigerators.  Our early models were 3-way with 12 volt being one of the three, but newer models don't have 12 volt.  I'm thinking he meant all refrigerators (not just 12-volt) because of the follow-up mention of recalls which are for relatively recent models and a manufacturer defect.  Hopefully once the defective ones are replaced or repaired refrigerators will no longer be in second place!

ArdraF

 

[Ned]

What Mac said was 12 volt caused fires were tied with refrigerators for second place, not 12 volt refrigerators   RV refrigerators still use 12V but most are not solely powered by it.

 

[ArdraF]

Thanks, Ned.  Your eyes must be reading better than mine! 

ArdraF