I will be traveling from TX. to CA. in my Pleasureway motorhome. It will take 3.5 days, as I am traveling with senior pets. One of whom is on insulin and it has to be refrigerated. My question is how do I set my Dometic refrigerator to keep going all night when I am in the motel (not camping this trip). Does the DC battery have to be left on all night to keep it going, as I will not be hooked up to electricity? I can use my propane, but will the tank last that many days? Can I drive with the propane turned on, or just turn it on a night after I have stopped for the day? Does the DC have to be turned on if I am using propane?Thanks for any advice!

One of the pets needs to be refrigerated?

Yes.RV refers require either 120VAC and 12VDC OR propane and 12VDC. On propane your refer draws minimal 12VDC current and it should last parked for a week or more just running the refer. Same for propane. The gas required to run a refer is very little. Your house batteries should recharge during the day driving. Leaving propane on going down the road is commonly done by lots of us.

If you have a true 3 way ref. that runs on 12v directly you can use that while traveling if you want. Most people just use propane while traveling. Some refigerators are only 2 way and don't have a 12v only option. Either way, you will need to leave your battery turned on, the refrigerator needs 12v to run the control board even when being fueled by propane. Your propane tank will last a long, long time running just the refrigerator, likely several months.

2oldman wrote:yes, many, yes, yesCorrect answers. :)

Help with keeping Refrigerator running | Good Sam Community

2oldman
Explorer II
Feb 17, 2018
yes, many, yes, yes
GordonThree
Explorer
Feb 17, 2018
One of the pets needs to be refrigerated?
donn0128
Explorer II
Feb 17, 2018
Yes.
RV refers require either 120VAC and 12VDC OR propane and 12VDC. On propane your refer draws minimal 12VDC current and it should last parked for a week or more just running the refer. Same for propane. The gas required to run a refer is very little. Your house batteries should recharge during the day driving. Leaving propane on going down the road is commonly done by lots of us.
KD4UPL
Explorer
Feb 17, 2018
If you have a true 3 way ref. that runs on 12v directly you can use that while traveling if you want. Most people just use propane while traveling. Some refigerators are only 2 way and don't have a 12v only option. Either way, you will need to leave your battery turned on, the refrigerator needs 12v to run the control board even when being fueled by propane. Your propane tank will last a long, long time running just the refrigerator, likely several months.
AsheGuy
Explorer
Feb 17, 2018
2oldman wrote:
yes, many, yes, yes
Correct answers. :)
bob213
Explorer
Feb 17, 2018
Turn on the DC and propane. Run refrigerator on propane for entire trip. Try to park as level as possible for overnight stay. Should be no problem.
gbopp
Explorer
Feb 17, 2018
GordonThree wrote:
One of the pets needs to be refrigerated?

Penguin? :)
GordonThree
Explorer
Feb 17, 2018
gbopp wrote:
GordonThree wrote:
One of the pets needs to be refrigerated?

Penguin? :)

Very cool! ;)
Tiger4x4RV
Nomad
Feb 17, 2018
Don't overlook the option of just using the refrigerator as an icebox. Buy ice or get a bunch of refreezable blue ice blocks and refreeze half of them in the hotel refrigerator while the other half keep your RV refrigerator cold overnight. No more worries about propane or batteries or keeping the unit level.
SharynB
Explorer
Feb 17, 2018
Thank you all for your help! Solved my doubts!!!:)