Running your propane Refrigerators while traveling?

The You Tube RV guys are never going to recommend running your fridge on propane while driving. It’s a liability issue for them so they have to say don’t. Everything has benefits and risks, and I think running the fridge while towing is a relatively low risk, providing you have inspected the burner and everything is in good working order. We have a 5 hour trip next week and the fridge will be loaded, so it will be on the whole way.

old guy wrote:
it is dangerous. by far one of the worst things you can do. I know I will get all kinds of flax from saying that but it is true. RV educating 101 guy says no don't do it. the RV Doctor says don't do it. I fought fires for 30 years and I can honestly tell you I have been on fires started by rv fridges that were running while traveling. One guy who owns a truck dealership built a super class C and he made it 30 miles before his Super C burned up. a group of band members were coming through the country side and their C class burned up. a woman who's relatives in a class A burned up with in 20 miles of our town. a gas station we had was leveled in a fire caused by a guy who thought he turned off his fridge before he fueled up started a beaut of a fire almost blowing up half the town but we stopped it before it got to the 10,000 gallon propane tank next to it. yes many on here have been lucky, pure lucky that they haven't lost their RV's or burned a service station to the ground, and that doesn't make it right. I have learned fro ours mistakes and I use reusable ice packs to keep my fridge cold and when I get to camp I refreeze the packs and use them over and over again. but it's up to you what you do. one guy a few years ago said that is why he has insurance. I just hope you are not next to me when it happens

Won't give you any flax over this but you have set yourself up for a lot of flack. I would be very interested in any "proof" you have regarding your statement, "I can honestly tell you I have been on fires started by rv fridges that were running while traveling." I have asked on two different forums for anyone, ANYONE, who could produce proof of such statements. To date, nada. I did get some videos of motorhomes burning but the fires I saw were all from the front of the vehicle where you find things like carburetors and gas lines. I also saw the one showing the van on fire at a gas station. The old guy lost control of the gas hose and sprayed the side of his van where the fridge was running. This was more than a stretch someone used to justify their fear of using the fridge as it was engineered.

As in all things, please do as you would like. Use your appliances or turn them off. It doesn't really matter to all of us. But, please refrain from posting fear based statements without any proof in your effort to scare us into following your plan. I understand that you are fearful of a fire. If you let your fear rule every decision you make, have you ever thought about all the gasoline you are hauling down the road at high speeds? How about the 4 tires on your TV? And, more importantly, do you ever think of all those other drivers who pass you at high speeds, going the other direction on all those 2 lane roads your travel? Man, I am getting scared just thinking of the possibilities. Oh, and what about all those food illnesses we read about every day? I think am going to stay home to be safe, yep.

Dutch, what did the factory use to keep your fridge doors "latched" in transit?

Scott

Seeeeee! If ya-all switch to residential refrigerators you won't have this debate! :B :B :B

Never thought I'd appreciate an all electric residential refrigerator, but after having one (with my new 5er for 3 months now), it sure is nice!

On two occasions we have accidentally turned our fridge off while driving to a CG . Both times we were only two hours away and the temps were in the 70's.
By the time we got to the CG's the inside of the fridge was noticeably warmer - as in unhealthy warm. Also, my fridge was (last TT) insulated better than most with 3" bat on all sides.
So running with them off doesn't work and how could it? Fridges are designed to run about 50% duty cycle. If they could get them to not run for hours at a time, they would.

drsteve wrote:
Refrigerated semi trailers run theirs while traveling. The vast majority of RVers do it without a second thought. If this hazard was statistically meaningful Dometic and Norcold would have safety interlocks to prevent fridge use while underway.

The only places I've seen that demand you shut off the propane are tunnels.

refers run a compressor fridge, not propane. often powered by a diesel generator.

If we are only a few hours away from destination I turn it off. If we are going to be traveling most of the day, it's on.

I believe the experts have spoken

You should try without power during the drive and evaluate. Our 2003 Norcold 2 door unit was so well insulated that ice was still frozen and milk cold while remaining closed 12 hours in 90 degree heat during our drive.

We would run at home for a day before our departure and fill with groceries the night before leaving, unplug shore power and leave closed. We would restart at the end of the day and all was still closed and frozen.

Maybe the new units aren’t as well insulated so this may not work for you.

Refrigerated semi trailers run theirs while traveling. The vast majority of RVers do it without a second thought. If this hazard was statistically meaningful Dometic and Norcold would have safety interlocks to prevent fridge use while underway.

The only places I've seen that demand you shut off the propane are tunnels.

time2roll wrote:
No more danger than stationary. Just run it.

Ditto.

I've run mine going down the road in all 5 of the RVs I've owned since 2003.

I've even run the furnace while driving.