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RetiredHoser's avatar
RetiredHoser
Explorer
Aug 03, 2015

Battery connect/disconnect and fridge

I am currently on my first adventure and I am half way through a 12 day road trip .I had the fridge working on house batteries and propane and the battery switch was on connect to make the fridge work as it would not work on battery disconnect when we were driving.When we ended our day in a Walmart lot the house batteries were completely dead and nothing worked.I had to start the engine to fire up the generator to plug in a battery charger to charge the house batteries.Is this normal procedure?What do others do if they want the fridge working while they drive and there is no plug in at the end of the day.
  • DrewE's avatar
    DrewE
    Explorer II
    Aug 03, 2015
    Ava wrote:
    If it not a three way fridge , 120v 12 v, and propane, then it won't work when driving.


    Many, many RV'rs use a 2 way fridge while driving all the time (on propane power). If you turn off the propane, of course this won't work, but with the gas on the fridge will do just fine while driving. One should turn the fridge off (so as to extinguish the flame) when refueling; if nothing else, this is legally required in most if not all states.
  • Ava's avatar
    Ava
    Explorer
    Aug 04, 2015
    I have always thought it was illegal to drive down the highway with an open flame and propane flowing. It is not something I am going to do. ( retired firefighter ). I have found that if the fridge was thoroughly cooled down after running through the night, it stays cool enough for several hours until my next stop.
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Aug 04, 2015
    Ava wrote:
    I have always thought it was illegal to drive down the highway with an open flame and propane flowing. It is not something I am going to do. ( retired firefighter ). I have found that if the fridge was thoroughly cooled down after running through the night, it stays cool enough for several hours until my next stop.


    If I was worried about using any propane appliance with in transit I dang sure wouldn't sleep in it with any of them operating.
  • CA_Traveler's avatar
    CA_Traveler
    Explorer III
    Aug 04, 2015
    Ava wrote:
    I have always thought it was illegal to drive down the highway with an open flame and propane flowing. It is not something I am going to do. ( retired firefighter ). I have found that if the fridge was thoroughly cooled down after running through the night, it stays cool enough for several hours until my next stop.
    Lots of different opinions on this subject. Alternates include running the gen (yep gas, diesel or propane) or the inverter. Inverters are more questionable in a trailer in terms of battery charge.

    There is a transition from camping to moving your home. And therefore we need residential referes, 50A, dump and a lawn at a CG - just saying... :B
  • CA_Traveler's avatar
    CA_Traveler
    Explorer III
    Aug 04, 2015
    It is not illegal to drive with the propane on and reasonably safe. You can't use some tunnels and have to turn off the propane in others. It has to be turned off for most ferries.

    Truthfully I'd rather drive with the propane on than walk the streets at home with all of the senior drivers. It's all about risk tolerance.

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