Questions about propane tanks in Mex, CA & SA please...

I haven't gotten a fridge (or a frog!) yet cuz I'm still figuring out if a fridge is feasible because of the energy needed to run it. I'm not doing a propane fridge because I've read its a major pain in the arse trying to find an adapter that will fit your tank south of Mexico. I need to make a decision which way to go with a fridge soon though (DC or build a super insulated ice chest) or my construction will stop because I'm rebuilding the interior now. The fridge I'm considering will use 90 amp hours in the worst case scenario (i.e. super hot outside)...IF its running 75% of the time.

You will have dead batteries unless you have a small frig. My frig pulls 30 amps @ 12v DC. Of course when you are driving the alternator will work fine. Have you tried extended periods with the DC frog, in hot weather.

Nope. My fridge will be DC and I'll have at least 500 watts of solar on top.

keelhauler1 wrote:
magentawave

Don't you run your refrigerator on propane? 120v power is unreliable in most of Mexico, Central America and South America.

magentawave

Don't you run your refrigerator on propane? 120v power is unreliable in most of Mexico, Central America and South America.

I'm in the process of totally rebuilding my Sunrader so I yanked out all the propane stuff along with everything else when I gutted the interior. It had two horizontal tanks but my propane needs are minimal and I didn't want the weight and the space they take up. If I can find out conclusively that I can get a big tank filled down south without having a million adapters then I might buy a 5 gallon tank and use it to fill the little bottles as I need them for my stove.

keelhauler1 wrote:
If you have an RV with a propane bottle, why would you ever bring /buy small bottles. If you have a stove with a regulator you need to put in a tee before your RV regulator and have a long hose made up to reach your stove. Don't mess with 1 lb. bottles.

And what about Central America and South America?

Talleyho69 wrote:
Yes, you can buy the little bottles in Mexico. They are generally sold at hardware stores.

If I was cooking up a storm and running a propane fridge and heater then I wouldn't consider the little bottles, but I only use about three per year so I'm pretty sure that won't bankrupt me. ;)

moisheh wrote:
Those small bottles will bankrupt you!

Moisheh

According to many overlanders on the expedition portal forum that have driven through Central America and South America it can be a major challenge trying to find a place to fill your tank because so many of the countries use different fittings. Yes there are adapters but how do you know what will fit without having to buy a ton of them?

robatthelake wrote:
LP Tanks and fittings have been standard throughout the World for many years!

There are Adapter Hoses that allow using larger "Standard" Bottles in place of those Green Bottles.

Those small bottles will bankrupt you!

Moisheh

Yes, you can buy the little bottles in Mexico. They are generally sold at hardware stores.