Traveling With the Propane On

double post...

You won't find anyone with more applicable training and experience, including with RVs, than Mac the Fire Guy. From his website:

Mac McCoy served 33 years in the fire service.
He holds a BS degree in Fire Science and a Masters degree in Fire Administration.
Mac has served as a firefighter, paramedic, Captain, Assistant Chief of Training, Deputy Sheriff, and for 12 years as the Fire Training Coordinator of Oregon's Fire Marshall's Office and Public Safety Academy. During his tenure with Oregon Fire Marshall's Office, Mac helped pioneer the states HAZMAT program.

What he says makes perfect sense to me.

My propane supplier deliversd my home propane a couple of days ago.Guess what? The truck runs on propane.If you want to be afraid of something,be afraid of that 1/16" plastic gas tank with 100 to 200 gallons of gasoline in it waiting for a piece of road debris to puncture it.

I don't worry about it when I'm sleeping in my RV so I don't see why I would be concerned with it on going down the road.

On for me.

Come to think of it, we saw a TT start swaying and it ended up flipping on its side (I90 coming down western side). It violently swayed side to side it slammed both sides of the TV (Jeep Wagoneer). It finally tore the "box" off the frame and slid down the road on its side. It came to a stop blocking three lanes. I still remember the PP tanks connected to that empty frame.
When we got out to help, the driver and I ran to the tanks and turned them off. There was no leakage, the valves had done their job.

As a side note, they had two dogs in carriers in that TT. They were both OK.
I also saw a tiny mouse stick its head out a hole n the bottom of the TT with the funniest WTF look on its face. :)

This comes up often. If it really was dangerous there would be no propane powered vehicles. As with anything in life you have the doom and gloom folks.

Grandpere wrote:
Back in the day before refrigerators had the option of 12 volt or 120 propane was the only way to get the frig cold. All of our travel trailers only had propane and we traveled with the propane on all the time. .

Our system has 120 A/C and propane. It is a two way fridge, not a three way, on a 2012 Kz Sportsmen Classic 170. I unplug----the unit switches over to propane.

cbshoestring wrote:
Based upon the video you linked, getting in and out of many GC can be as dangerous as travelling down the road with the propane on. This fireman's biggest concern was a ruptured gas line. Well, I have news for you---that is a concern if you are driving, sitting still, or in a stick framed house. Leaking propane is BAD.

If you are driving off the edge of a road, with a surface so severe that you can rupture the main line that is tucked higher than your frame, then I have to bring in to question your driving abilities---or at the very least your judgment that allows you to put your unit in that unstable of a situation. (climb under there and look---it doesn't dangle loose by the road surface. If it is, you better fix it).

As for damage caused by an accident. Well----accidents by there (edit---their) very nature are dangerous. Always expect to die in an accident so major that you rupture the fuel lines running under your vehicle. If you live, say a prayer of thanks.

WOW XXX2 Cbshoestring could not be more spot on.

My gas is on all the time even sitting in storage so seals stay sealed. Lived several times in all gas houses, never gave it a second thought.

I would worry more about the high pressure tanks than the 2 psi out of a regulated line.

So a blown tire was not the cause of the five fatalities?? It was the gas line that got damaged in the following running off the road.

IN my small footprint trailer I do not have propane on until we setup for camping.

My small fridge has a 12VDC setup so we usually fire it up on 12VDC a couple of hours before arriving.

We too use the 5-day ice chest big time when camping.

I keep the bottom full of ice all the time and have a snap lid plastic box sitting on top of the melting ice for meats and things we don't want to get water logged.

Roy Ken