Propane use in mountains

[TDiddy51]

I have just been told that the refrigerator won't work on propane in the mountains while on the road. If this is true, I need to get some dry ice for our trip from the Black Hills to W Yellowstone next week. Can anyone verify this for me?

[Community Alumni]

soren wrote:
TDiddy51, Well by now I guess you figured out that the whole propane issue isn't one, LOL. Hope you have a great trip. The ride from the black Hills to Yellowstone is a fantastic trip. Just for fun, take a break and pull over at top of the first real high pass you come to. Now grab a bag of chips out of the cabinet. If it is unopened, you will find that it looks like it's ready to blow up. The pressure difference inflates sealed bags...... hey, don't blame me I am easily amused. Have fun.

Oh yea that is neat i had one bag pop in Colorado in the San Juans in the back of the Jeep took a while to figure out

JimR

[murphy38]

We have never had a problem with that. You should be just fine.

[restlesswind]

We have camped in both of those areas (and many other high altitude places)
never gave a thought to the fridge not liking to work on propane at higher altitudes.
I think that whoever gave you wrong information should go back and check his/her information scource.

[johnwalkerpa1]

Technically it is true...but....it won't be an issue at any altitude you can drive too 🙂

[rfryer]

Wow, I guess my propane didn’t know that, it’s been running perfectly for over 30 years in the mountains. The only exception was a winter hunt about 7500’in my PU when it got so cold it wouldn’t light. I couldn’t fault it, though; my drains, water and food all froze, too. Even the moisture in my levis froze and they crackled when I put them on. Plan B saved me, I also took my old tent camping Coleman gas stove and lantern and they work under any conditions.

[path1]

Hi pianotuna

I Edited post to correct. I got the quotes wrong. Quoted myself, (face plant):S

[pianotuna]

Hi path1,

I've been at high altitude. You won't need the dry ice.

[path1]

I need to get some dry ice for our trip from the Black Hills to W Yellowstone next week. Can anyone verify this for me?

Ours worked just fine at both locations, coming and going. And I would have your refrigerator packed with items you get at a metro area, and not tourist prices IMO.
However told you that must not of had their frig not working right at that time, I don't think it was because of mountains.

[soren]

TDiddy51, Well by now I guess you figured out that the whole propane issue isn't one, LOL. Hope you have a great trip. The ride from the black Hills to Yellowstone is a fantastic trip. Just for fun, take a break and pull over at top of the first real high pass you come to. Now grab a bag of chips out of the cabinet. If it is unopened, you will find that it looks like it's ready to blow up. The pressure difference inflates sealed bags...... hey, don't blame me I am easily amused. Have fun.

[time2roll]

My Dometic fridge on propane has worked fine on the road in all conditions to at least 11,000'

[knshook]

For the past 15 years we have camped eastern Sierra campground with altitude 9,500 feet. We use propane for stove,fridge,heater, hot water tank...we have never had a problem.

[pianotuna]

Hi naturist you are dead wrong. Sorry.

[naturist]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi MCIbus,

You have the right idea--but it is backwards. Butane has a higher boiling point than propane (-1 C for butane, and -42 C for propane). In the south--it doesn't matter and butane actually has more "heat content" than propane. Where it is cold it does matter.

MCIbus wrote:
During the winter butane is often mixed with propane and keeps the tanks from “freezing up”.

Yes, @pianotuna, and salt has both higher melting/freezing and boiling points than water, but the mixture has a lower melting/freezing point than either.

While I do not know about the addition of butane as claimed by @MCIbus, I do know that the claimed benefit would be a function of the MIXTURE rather than of the individual components thereof, just as it is with salt and water.

[Francesca_Knowl]

The thinner air at high altitudes can/does affect propane appliance operation, but it's less noticeable with fridges/stoves than with furnaces. Above 5,000 feet or so the former usually continue to function although less efficiently while furnaces can quit altogether due to sail switch "unfunction".

Thetford advises that refrigerator functional changes will begin to be noticed at around 5500 feet, which is likely true for other brands, too. That's not to say the fridge will quit altogether, though.