turn off ref. when getting gas

YZ wrote:
I too have heard all the stories...has there ever been an event in the last 15 years with a trailer blowing up at a gas / diesel station while filling up ?

This silliness has been going on as long as this forum has existed, and long before that, I imagine. Bottom line is that it's impossible to concentrate enough fuel, in the air, to create an explosive atmosphere when refueling. If it were the case, starting your car after every refueling would be an event similar to being on the run from a contract hit by the mob. You would close your eyes and pray as you turned the key, wondering if you were going to explode into a giant fireball from the hidden bomb, or live for another day.

Why? It's simple, every vehicle is awash with potential ignition sources, from starters with arcing brushes to worn out plug wires that shoot high voltage arcs into the atmosphere. All of these potential ignition sources flash continuously, at fuel stations around the world, with absolutely zero incidents.

At least a decade ago there were a small handful of "experts" on the travel trailer sub-forum here who stated emphatically that the issue is real, and HAS a history of causing gas station fires. One was even a fire fighter. I asked for just one published report, from a qualified investigator that backed their claims, and got .............crickets. There was even one or two reports of fires at the pumps, including investigators conclusions. Sadly, however, comprehension was an issue, since actually reading the reports made it clear that the cause had nothing to do with running the fridge while refueling.

I'm not advocating anything here, do whatever makes you feel safe. That said, I'm not a fan of worrying about non-existent problems. I carefully shut everything down when refilling the onboard propane tank, which is conveniently located adjacent the engine, but I don't spend a minute worrying about anything when filling the gas tank.