Running your propane Refrigerators while traveling?

larry cad wrote:

tjschaefer wrote:
Its not propane refrigerators that start fires, its people that aren't aware of what they are doing that start fires. Common sense goes a long ways.

Not to be disagreeable, but what lack of common sense occurs when an RVer is sitting outside of their 5 year old RV, and all of a sudden their Norcold 1200LRIM bursts into flames and totals their RV?

Please don't try to put failure of a poorly engineered frig onto the backs of unsuspecting users. Say all the bad things you want about the manufacturer, but consumers should have a reasonable expectation that RV appliances should not suddenly burst into flames and destroy their home when all the owner did was operate the appliance according to the manufacturers instructions.

Many of the problems are due to improper installation by the RV manufacturers.

Larry Cad,

Well said! Flu temperatures of 700 degrees are stupid design and have nada to do with operator error.

tjschaefer wrote:
Its not propane refrigerators that start fires, its people that aren't aware of what they are doing that start fires. Common sense goes a long ways.

Not to be disagreeable, but what lack of common sense occurs when an RVer is sitting outside of their 5 year old RV, and all of a sudden their Norcold 1200LRIM bursts into flames and totals their RV?

Please don't try to put failure of a poorly engineered frig onto the backs of unsuspecting users. Say all the bad things you want about the manufacturer, but consumers should have a reasonable expectation that RV appliances should not suddenly burst into flames and destroy their home when all the owner did was operate the appliance according to the manufacturers instructions.

Its not propane refrigerators that start fires, its people that aren't aware of what they are doing that start fires. Common sense goes a long ways.

DM6156 wrote:
On a related note, at least in Georgia..

RULES OF SAFETY FIRE COMMISSIONER
CHAPTER 120-3-11
RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR FLAMMABLE AND COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS

120-3-11-.07 Standards for Transportation of Flammable and Combustible Liquids by other than Tank Vehicle.

Vehicles shall be in good operating condition and shall not be overloaded. Every vehicle regularly used for transporting flammable or combustible liquids shall be equipped with at least one fire extinguisher having a rating of 20-BC, permanently mounted and readily accessible to the driver.

Make sure you have the appropriate fire extinguisher.

I had to research what 20-BC meant...
https://www.bettendorf.org/egov/docs/1160167747_549163.pdf

Also, while I can't find the exact code, but there is a limit of the number of cylinders a single vehicle can transport. I have found reference to this in several places, but not found the exact number. I had a conversation with a friend who went with some buddies to local store to fill up their cylinders before a 2 week trip last fall and the rep told them they had too many cylinders by law in a single vehicle.

I suspect that statute applies to commercial trucks hauling cylinders of welding gas, rather than RVers.

On a related note, at least in Georgia..

RULES OF SAFETY FIRE COMMISSIONER
CHAPTER 120-3-11
RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR FLAMMABLE AND COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS

120-3-11-.07 Standards for Transportation of Flammable and Combustible Liquids by other than Tank Vehicle.

Vehicles shall be in good operating condition and shall not be overloaded. Every vehicle regularly used for transporting flammable or combustible liquids shall be equipped with at least one fire extinguisher having a rating of 20-BC, permanently mounted and readily accessible to the driver.

Make sure you have the appropriate fire extinguisher.

I had to research what 20-BC meant...
https://www.bettendorf.org/egov/docs/1160167747_549163.pdf

Also, while I can't find the exact code, but there is a limit of the number of cylinders a single vehicle can transport. I have found reference to this in several places, but not found the exact number. I had a conversation with a friend who went with some buddies to local store to fill up their cylinders before a 2 week trip last fall and the rep told them they had too many cylinders by law in a single vehicle

I would say those laws are talking about tanker trucks or trucks that carry propane bottles and such - not RV's.

There are no laws that say you cant have propane bottles on a rv-travel trailer etc.. while going through any state.

On a related note, at least in Georgia..

RULES OF SAFETY FIRE COMMISSIONER
CHAPTER 120-3-11
RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR FLAMMABLE AND COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS

120-3-11-.07 Standards for Transportation of Flammable and Combustible Liquids by other than Tank Vehicle.

Vehicles shall be in good operating condition and shall not be overloaded. Every vehicle regularly used for transporting flammable or combustible liquids shall be equipped with at least one fire extinguisher having a rating of 20-BC, permanently mounted and readily accessible to the driver.

Make sure you have the appropriate fire extinguisher.

I had to research what 20-BC meant...
https://www.bettendorf.org/egov/docs/1160167747_549163.pdf

Also, while I can't find the exact code, but there is a limit of the number of cylinders a single vehicle can transport. I have found reference to this in several places, but not found the exact number. I had a conversation with a friend who went with some buddies to local store to fill up their cylinders before a 2 week trip last fall and the rep told them they had too many cylinders by law in a single vehicle.

MSchu wrote:
It says "especially in underground tunnels". Is that because propane sinks and would be trapped in the tunnel? would it be less of a risk in a mountain tunnel where one end is lower than the other?
I pulled my trailer through the tunnel in Zion NP where you have to have a permit to pass and they never even mentioned propane.

The word underground is misleading. Pretty much all tunnels are underground. Even the ones that go straight through a mountain from one side to the other are technically underground. So are the ones that go underwater. They are anchored in place with a layer of silt or sand over top of them. Whether they go straight through from one side of a mountain to another or down and then back up again like an underwater tunnel it really doesn't matter. Even if the tunnel has fans that are pulling the bad air out of the tunnel so fresh air can come in and there is an explosion there will be a fireball. That fire ball will travel in the direction the air is flowing in the tunnel.That is usually in the direction that the vehicles are traveling. This creates a blast furnace effect incinerating everything in the path of the fireball until it burns out. If the fireball is bad enough you can get a chain reaction of explosions as feul tanks from other vehicles cook off. Tunnel fires are not a very pretty sight. Even if it's just a car fire because of an engine problem or electrical problem there will be a lot of smoke created let the ventilation fans probably won't be able to keep up with.

drsteve wrote:

MSchu wrote:
It says "especially in underground tunnels". Is that because propane sinks and would be trapped in the tunnel? would it be less of a risk in a mountain tunnel where one end is lower than the other?
I pulled my trailer through the tunnel in Zion NP where you have to have a permit to pass and they never even mentioned propane.

They don't want an accident inside the tunnel to cause a propane-fueled fire.

Or to make it shorter, "they don't want an accident inside the tunnel"

Happy New Year everyone. Isn't it nice to know that there will always be things in our lives to anchor us down. The sun will rise tomorrow, it will set in the evening and there will always be a propane thread like this one running on any and all of the trailer forums.

I like to talk LOGIC when people start getting all worked up. I DO NOT believe that there are ANY states out there that prohibit the use of propane while driving down their highways. There ARE places where you have to turn off propane and I have even heard that there ARE places where you can't even take a cylinder. These are rare cases usually involving car ferries and tunnels.

The OP asked about the general practice. Yes, you can use your propane while traveling. I live in the Northwest. I will use a ferry now and then. I have to turn off the propane when doing so. That won't stop me from using it all the rest of the time.