Keeping Things Cold on the Road

I work in the grocery buisiness.
In perishible foods.we follow a practice called
Dont break the cold chain.

Cold food must be under constant refridgeration

Atlee wrote:
You should post that picture of the "don't use while traveling" notice. That's what the poster you said took you to task wants. He provided several quotes which did not prohibit using the fridge on gas.

He simply said if anyone could show info to the contrary, he would stand corrected.

I'm the one that you are referring to and let me remind you that what you are saying to do "IS NOT" what I asked for. Below is the exact quote from my post ...

Now if NanciL comes back and provides proof of their claim that their manual does recommend not operating their refer during travel then I will stand corrected, but I want to be able to independently verify this information and not simply "TRUST ONE'S WORD"

The key elements are:

1. It has to come from an actual equipment manual

2. It has to say that you should not operate the refer during travel and that would be normal travel and not very limited and unique situations such as travel on ferries, certain tunnels, etc.

3. It has to be "independently verifiable" and by that I mean one can find the information on the web. I can gin up or photoshop some "document" etc. to say anything I want with any title listed source take a picture of it and post it and this is where the "TRUST ONE'S WORD" comes in that I say is not acceptable proof.

To me arguments about increased chances of fire, explosion, ruptured line, etc. are red herrings and I could just as easily say one should never get in a vehicle and drive since that simple act exposes you to potential injury from and accident over not getting on the road at all.

BTW the Dometic info I posted came direct from the manuals readily available on the Dometic website that anyone here can pull up and independently read. I would bet the info I posted from NORCOLD is also available on the web, but I actually have those manuals downloaded on my computer for ready reference so I don't have to use the internet to refer to them. I also provided the actual manual nr. and information that I pulled the direct quotes from.

I will repeat, the whole reason I as some are calling it as "taking to task the info posted" is that I have a HUGE problem when I see someone posting misleading or false information that readers less experienced than some of us more "seasoned RVers" might read and actually take as being correct and using it believing that it is actually factual when in fact it is far from that.

Larry

Please let me know what makes it ok, in your mind, to run a fridge on gas in a motorhome, but not in a TT or 5'er.

jaycocreek wrote:
Running your frig while traveling is a personal choice,not a necessity!You don't have to run your frig just to be like the cool kids.I don't run mine in trailers or fifth wheels but have in motorhomes...My choice for my reasons.

It's just to easy to shut down the propane completely while traveling by using ice bottles in the refrigerator for long trips.With a pre-cooled refer your beer will be cold 8 hours later.

Have I heard of fires from running the frig,Yes, but it was all here say from snow birds..Have I seen RV,s burnt to the ground on the road,yes but reason unknown at the time.

So I choose not too,which is my choice and it presents no problems at all in keeping the cold items cold.I come from the ice box days of RV refrigerators and I never have to worry about being level fro long lunches or hunting/fishing adventures.

You should post that picture of the "don't use while traveling" notice. That's what the poster you said took you to task wants. He provided several quotes which did not prohibit using the fridge on gas.

He simply said if anyone could show info to the contrary, he would stand corrected.

NanciL wrote:

jaycocreek wrote:
Running your frig while traveling is a personal choice,not a necessity!You don't have to run your frig just to be like the cool kids.I don't run mine in trailers or fifth wheels but have in motorhomes...My choice for my reasons.

It's just to easy to shut down the propane completely while traveling by using ice bottles in the refrigerator for long trips.With a pre-cooled refer your beer will be cold 8 hours later.

Have I heard of fires from running the frig,Yes, but it was all here say from snow birds..Have I seen RV,s burnt to the ground on the road,yes but reason unknown at the time.

So I choose not too,which is my choice and it presents no problems at all in keeping the cold items cold.I come from the ice box days of RV refrigerators and I never have to worry about being level fro long lunches or hunting/fishing adventures.

Thank you.
My post was in answer to the OP's question.
I refuse to stoop to the level of the poster who took me to task and therefore won't give him the satisfaction of a reply although I am very tempted to take a picture of the section under "General Safety Information" and send it to him

jack l

jaycocreek wrote:
I think everyone knows you can travel with the RV refer on if you so choose but it's the issues that can arise that some choose not to chance knowing an accident can happen even to the best drivers...It's the explosion part that can and does happen in accidents..I've seen it happen for whatever reason.

As Woodalls says:

The key issues are safety-related: There is an open flame back there in the refrigerator compartment, so it is absolutely critical to shut the refrigerator off before you approach any kind of fuel-dispensing facility. In fact, before you approach a fuel station or propane fill station, all appliances that are capable of producing a flame or a spark must be turned off. Also, the fact that the propane must be turned on at the tank in order to operate the refrigerator may create a hazard in case of an accident or even a tire failure. If anything happens that creates a hole, crack or leak in the propane supply piping in the RV, you have an instant fire/explosion hazard just waiting for a spark. It really is safer to drive with the propane supply turned off at the tank. Most folks find that, for the average trip, the refrigerator will maintain a low enough internal temperature to keep your food fresh. It is also possible to freeze some Blue Ice packs the night before and use them in the refrigerator compartment to help keep everything cold while traveling.

It can explode sitting still to. . Things happen. You can't sit in an enclosed bubble. Live life. It's too short to worry about what can happen.

I think everyone knows you can travel with the RV refer on if you so choose but it's the issues that can arise that some choose not to chance knowing an accident can happen even to the best drivers...It's the explosion part that can and does happen in accidents..I've seen it happen for whatever reason.

As Woodalls says:

The key issues are safety-related: There is an open flame back there in the refrigerator compartment, so it is absolutely critical to shut the refrigerator off before you approach any kind of fuel-dispensing facility. In fact, before you approach a fuel station or propane fill station, all appliances that are capable of producing a flame or a spark must be turned off. Also, the fact that the propane must be turned on at the tank in order to operate the refrigerator may create a hazard in case of an accident or even a tire failure. If anything happens that creates a hole, crack or leak in the propane supply piping in the RV, you have an instant fire/explosion hazard just waiting for a spark. It really is safer to drive with the propane supply turned off at the tank. Most folks find that, for the average trip, the refrigerator will maintain a low enough internal temperature to keep your food fresh. It is also possible to freeze some Blue Ice packs the night before and use them in the refrigerator compartment to help keep everything cold while traveling.

NanciL wrote:
I refuse to stoop to the level of the poster who took me to task and therefore won't give him the satisfaction of a reply although I am very tempted to take a picture of the section under "General Safety Information" and send it to him

jack l

I believe you. I would still like to read the full text.
My RV came with no such manual, just a booklet of appliance manuals.

bobjogone wrote:
We turn propane off while traveling. We us keep two ice packs in freezer for day use and they help keep it cold. When we're traveling more than 4 hours - we add frozen water bottles the day before for fridge and freezer.

A more convenient approach compared to my earlier suggestion of ice blocks, but, of course, that block becomes ice cubes for my adult beverage after use. :B Just fuel for thought.

Another thing. If you would like to know the temp in either the frig, refer or both at any time, I started using a common "aquarium" thermometer. I just ran the sensor wire through the hinged side of the door opening, put the sensor with suction cup inside & mounted the thermometer outside above the freezer door. No tools & seams to work fine. I also have an internal dual fan with on/off switch in the refer that works to help cool things down faster at start up & helps greatly on hot days. :W

THANK YOU to everyone for so kindly taking the time to reply to my question. We learned alot from your comments and really appreciate all of your advice. This is our first TT although we don't actually have it yet. Picking it up in Indiana at the end of November and our old bones are excited to be done with tents!

common sense trumps experience

Don't buy that at all..The point I was trying to make is there are tons of modern day RV refrigerators out there that the owners either did not want to replace with a new $1,000 dollar or more unit or buy the cooling unit itself, usually for less than $500..I have replaced a few cooling units in my day and done what I say below..

What they do is use the gas/electric refer as an icebox like the RV's of old.Put in an ice tray on top and a drain to the outside as they did for years and kept stuff safe and cold.

Even the freezer can be used for frozen stuff with dry ice which last very well.All without electricity or propane!Lot's of loggers and forest service people do it this way.

Bottom line is 8 hours without an RV refer running is nothing if the correct measures are taken.

As others have said here,I don't care how anyone else does things,I just try and share what I have done and seen over the years of mostly living in tin cans!I was 60 when I first bought a real house on a foundation,the prior years dwellings all had tires under them at one time or another.