Newbie needs help with refrigerator question

Run your fridge on LP going down the road; that's what it is designed to do.

If you worry about an enroute fire (which I don't and always travel with my Dometic 2652 gas/120 frig running on propane) you can buy a portable fire extinguishing system, I believe it uses halon, that mounts in the back of the refrigerator compartment near the vent. If in the event of an enroute or stationary fire, it will go off and hopefully extinguish the flames, at least once.

Several years ago there were a problems with certain model gas/electric refrigerators catching fire. I don't remember which ones but if you google it you will find more info than most care to read and find out if your model is applicable. Service (clean) the burner section according to the manufacturers recommendations for best results.


Chum lee

I would just run the fridge on propane assuming it has some way of restarting itself if the flame blows out (we had an ancient fridge which you started manually with those piezo-electric starter buttons - that definitely didn't autostart :R).

My fridge would also run on 12v, but I wouldn't recommend doing that (or 110v via an inverter). From my experience the heater takes quite a lot of current and you could compromise your camper battery doing this (I reckon I killed at least one of my camper batteries by leaving the fridge on 12v when driving - the wiring from the truck alternator just didn't supply enough current to properly charge the camper battery AND run the fridge at the same time).

Steve.

flower farmer wrote:
Can an inverter be installed to run the refrigerator on 12v?

Yes. Find out how many amps the fridge draws on AC and get an inverter for that many watts (120V X n amps = watts) plus a little.

Then you need to figure out how many amp hours your battery(ies) is/are and figure out how long you can run the fridge on what DC you have. Also figure out if the camper batteries are being charged when you're driving.

A fridge runs about 50% of the time. If you turn it off comepletely it will warm up inside quickly. Why woldn't it? It's only insulated with an inch (at best) of styrofoam.
I once accidientally turned off the fridge just as we set out on a two hour trip. The outside temps were in the middle 70's and when we got to our CG, the beer I pulled out of the fridge was noticeably warm.
It may be ok to run with it off if you don't have anythig perishable but if you do, it will spoil if driving all day.
Run with the fridge on propane. That's what it's designed to do and is both UL and (better yet) CSA approved to do so.

If it is cold when you start traveling and you turn it off do not open the door, and it will be cold 8 to 10 hours later.

Wayne

My current fridge is 110 / propane. Plug in the camper at home on 110 and get it cold, unplug and it switches to propane till you get to the next spot, repeat. There is a reason that it is 110/propane with the auto switch over, it is designed to run on propane when driving.

Sometimes I just consider my frig to be a very expensive ice box. I use refreezable Blue Ice. It stays cold all day when turned off. Once parked and level, it can run on propane.

Just leave it on propane.

I estimate that over 80 percent of all RV'ers travel with their refrigerators on propane. They are designed for that.

Some, turn theirs off when fueling...some don't. There are restrictions on ferries and in some tunnels.