Running your propane Refrigerators while traveling?

If your propane refir has an open flame, then it is dangerous around a gas station. Otherwise it is pretty safe. You do not have be level all the time when moving.

I may be wrong but...your odds of getting struck by a texting driver might be higher than a propane fridge caused in flight fire...but

If you do have a in flight fire, set some parking brakes as you abandon ship after the forced landing

Motorhome fire

I prefer to use the 12 volt or 120 volt setting while traveling. It saves a bit on propane. Since I have a fixed tank, small towns can not give me a refill.

If I have to run on propane, I do shut off one block before I stop for fuel, and turn on after I have left the station.

Tvov wrote:
We travel with the frig off. Cool down the frig a couple days before leaving while packing, and usually put one or two frozen casseroles in it that help keep the frig cool while traveling. We usually are camping within about 3 hours, so we have never had any issues with the frig warming up.

And yes, I have seen RV fires caused by a fridge (remember the BIG recall by Dometic?). I am a little surprised that firefighters with decades of experience have not seen that... then again, my town has two campgrounds, so maybe I've just seen more than a "normal" amount of RV fires.

Around me, some bridges and tunnels require that propane tanks be shut off. Just easier to leave them off for the trip.

Also, I've always been curious about how well the frig works while traveling. I would think that the little pilot light flame would keep going out due to the wind, and the igniter would be constantly turning off and on? From reading others experiences, obviously it works, just curious about it.

Well if you have ever worked on your gas refrigerator you would understand the flame is completely enclosed very hard for wind to affect it. No different than running on a windy day.

I will also run the furnace while traveling on a cold day, just need to remember to switch to gas before traveling (RV Comfort Systems "Cheap Heat").

Manufacturers of propane refrigerators (Norcold, Dometic) have way more to lose than an individual RVer if there is a fire while traveling. Has anyone ever seen anything in a user manual from the manufacturer saying "DON'T USE THE PROPANE WHILE TRAVELING"??? Not once in any manufacturer publication has that warning. Not one! Why is that if they have so much to lose in a fire with resulting law suit? Hmmmmm.

IIRC, the big recall from Dometic was NOT an issue while traveling.
The stories were about stationary rigs, set up somewhere and running as they were in use, not driving down the highway.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

We travel with the frig off. Cool down the frig a couple days before leaving while packing, and usually put one or two frozen casseroles in it that help keep the frig cool while traveling. We usually are camping within about 3 hours, so we have never had any issues with the frig warming up.

And yes, I have seen RV fires caused by a fridge (remember the BIG recall by Dometic?). I am a little surprised that firefighters with decades of experience have not seen that... then again, my town has two campgrounds, so maybe I've just seen more than a "normal" amount of RV fires.

Around me, some bridges and tunnels require that propane tanks be shut off. Just easier to leave them off for the trip.

Also, I've always been curious about how well the frig works while traveling. I would think that the little pilot light flame would keep going out due to the wind, and the igniter would be constantly turning off and on? From reading others experiences, obviously it works, just curious about it.

20 years, 500,000 miles. Never shut the refrigerator off, never caught fire.

I run the fridge on 12V while traveling then switch to propane when parked to conserve the house battery. My late DW liked having hot water during the day so I left the gas on although it had to be shut off while crossing on ferries.

I'm pretty sure you're statistically in way, way more danger from food born illness from food allowed to get above 40F than from the RV fridge flame.