getting the fridge ready for a trip

I use shore power to do the initial cool down and leave it on that mode until we are ready to go. I do make it run on propane for an hour or so to make sure that function works! No surprises when you are firing up the truck, ready to go.
I always run the hot water tank and furnace too for a bit just to make sure they operate.

I Keep a gallon ziplock bag full of ice cubes in the house freezer.
I put it in the freezer compartment of the rv's fridge... That helps a lot. Also put 5-6 cans of soda pop or beer in the tray below the cooling fins of the fridge compartment.
This get's the fridge cool quite quick....
I do not know how long it takes. I always start the fridge up on the day before leaving.

As for how long a 40# tank will last.

Our fridges take about 1000btus/hr when cooling..

If the fridge is in the process of cooling down it will use about 24,000 btu's (24 hrs).

There is about 92,000 btu's in a gallon of Propane.

Easy math eh? Rounding you can figure the initial cool down will take about 1/3 gallon.

A 40# tank holds about 4 gallons. Depends on the fella filling...

After the fridge has cooled down the big variable will be the outside temperature.

At around 100deg I think the fridge is in cooling mode almost 100%... So 1 gallon every 3 days...

At around 70 deg maybe it runs a little less than 1/2 of the time... You do the math.



Jim

Unless ambient temperatures are below 50 degrees, I would start it 24 hours before you want it cold.

And, if it has been three years since you have used it, you need to do a complete propane system check and a refrigerator "burner area tune-up".

I start it up in the evening, then load it the following morning. Doesn't take much gas at all. If you have shore power hooked up it'll take no gas...

4 hours, no, I don't know