Anybody keep their fridge running with the RV parked in a storage lot? Do these places have electric that you can plug into, or do they have prohibitions on keeping a fridge running on propane while parked there?I realize each place will have their own rules but I have no experience at all with these types of businesses so am trying to get an idea of what is normal and/or possible.We are considering downsizing our home and there is a good chance that our next place won't have room to park an RV. Somewhat spoiled always having the RV at home and keeping the fridge plugged in, stocked with staples and ready to go at a moment's notice.Here is what I am considering:Option #1: Storage lot allows me to plug in, fridge runs on electric, no issues.Option #2: Install 140W solar panel to keep the batteries fresh and run the fridge on propane. Burner in the fridge is 1500 BTU, a gallon of propane is 91,500 BTU, and a 30 lb tank hold 6.5 gallons of propane. So even if the fridge runs 18 hrs/day I can get about a month on one tank (TT has 2). Issue here may be storage yard has rules about flames, etc. associated with propane appliances.Option #3: Install 400W solar panel kit. Heating element in the fridge is 325W, so I should be able to run the fridge on the inverter with the solar supplying the power. Not sure about running the inverter for long periods of time.Not sure if any of these are viable or practical right now....what does everyone else do?

Why run the fridge while it's in storage?We only stock ours when we're going to use it. Save yourself a lot of trouble.

BurbMan wrote:Anybody keep their fridge running with the RV parked in a storage lot? Do these places have electric that you can plug into, or do they have prohibitions on keeping a fridge running on propane while parked there?I realize each place will have their own rules but I have no experience at all with these types of businesses so am trying to get an idea of what is normal and/or possible.We are considering downsizing our home and there is a good chance that our next place won't have room to park an RV. Somewhat spoiled always having the RV at home and keeping the fridge plugged in, stocked with staples and ready to go at a moment's notice.Here is what I am considering:Option #1: Storage lot allows me to plug in, fridge runs on electric, no issues.Option #2: Install 140W solar panel to keep the batteries fresh and run the fridge on propane. Burner in the fridge is 1500 BTU, a gallon of propane is 91,500 BTU, and a 30 lb tank hold 6.5 gallons of propane. So even if the fridge runs 18 hrs/day I can get about a month on one tank (TT has 2). Issue here may be storage yard has rules about flames, etc. associated with propane appliances.Option #3: Install 400W solar panel kit. Heating element in the fridge is 325W, so I should be able to run the fridge on the inverter with the solar supplying the power. Not sure about running the inverter for long periods of time.Not sure if any of these are viable or practical right now....what does everyone else do?Our storage lot "requests" that we shut the propane off at the tank when storing, it's not mandatory though. I think it makes sense given the number of RV's in close proximity so I always shut it off and that means no fridge.

I would only run the fridge in storage if I had shore power available.

Just the way we have been doing it for 15 years....fridge gets turned on when we de-winterize and stays on until we put it away for the winter. Bag of ice in the freezer, staples like catsup, mustard, and salad dressing that keep from one trip to the next. If we have leftover meats from a trip we will put them in the freezer for the next trip. When I fired up the fridge this year it took about 24 hrs for it to cool down...if you don't keep it on do you stop by the storage yard a day ahead and turn the fridge on before your trip?

We are where you are looking to get to. We go up and fire up the refer the night before a trip, most of the time. We have decided to go out for a weekend on Friday morning! Brought perishable food from home in tote like normal fired the refer & loaded. Hit the road about two hous later when we got to the camp ground refer was cold. That trip was one hour and fifteen minutes from the time I walked out of work until we were leaving the storage lot.

Question for those who store their RV in a storage lot

ol_Bombero-JC
Explorer
Apr 15, 2014
BurbMan wrote:
Just the way we have been doing it for 15 years....fridge gets turned on when we de-winterize and stays on until we put it away for the winter. Bag of ice in the freezer, staples like catsup, mustard, and salad dressing that keep from one trip to the next. If we have leftover meats from a trip we will put them in the freezer for the next trip.

When I fired up the fridge this year it took about 24 hrs for it to cool down...if you don't keep it on do you stop by the storage yard a day ahead and turn the fridge on before your trip?

24hrs is pretty standard.
Freeze up a couple of BIG cubes at home to get past the first 24, then toss. (Ex: a milk carton or? full of water)

Might be time for a change - for the next 15..;)
Put your "leftovers" and staples in a tote, and take 'em home.

However - if you can find a storage facility that furnishes electrical power, that's great.
Handy to keep your battery(ies) charged.

Would imagine there's a price to pay for that benefit.

BTW - besides the expense of running propane......if you've ever seen a storage lot fire (usually due to propane refers running) -
and/or the resultant destruction - it's *not* a pretty sight..:(

RVs and Mobile Homes do *not* have the same "built-in" fire protection as a sticks & bricks....
gone -down to the frame- in 3 minutes (or less), along with the next and the next and.....

Difficult for a facility to enforce - but if I knew propane "ON" was OK, I would be looking elsewhere!..:(

The facility I use, had a fire before I started using them.
Several of my cohorts were on that one.
Inc'l one responder who "lost" his boat which was stored there.

The FD required changes in procedures, wider access lanes, etc.
But, unfortunately RVs in storage lots are *always* close to each other.

Figure an excellent FD response time would be about 3-5 minutes,
depending on station proximity, etc.

~
2012Coleman
Explorer II
Apr 15, 2014
I don't keep mine running while in storage - do the same as RK911, I stage it in my driveway before going and after returning. Its always hard to put it back though...

Not many places are going to have electric, but you can always check your local area and ask people who have unused space such as a barn. I used to rent a garage for a few of my classic cars. Besides, the stuff you want to keep cold like ketchup seems to be just a waste of enegry - why pay to keep condiments cold between trips? Realize that this is your normal routine, but routines sometimes need to flex. Hopefully, you can stage the TT at your new home before a trip - then there won't be a need to continualy run it.
rhagfo
Explorer III
Apr 15, 2014
Why do many find this so difficult?
We live in a town house with no place to park to load up. We adapted as stated before we star the refer the night before most of the time, sometime we start it when we leave. 5er is stocked year round with non perishable food and all necessary cloths. Perishable foods come out of home refer into tub and get loaded into refer.
Works great reverse on return, also dogs don't as hyped up because the 5er is out front!!
Yes, we are lucky as we are also only about 4'mes from storage. If you think about it it is really very easy!
rk911
Explorer
Apr 15, 2014
BurbMan wrote:
Anybody keep their fridge running with the RV parked in a storage lot? Do these places have electric that you can plug into, or do they have prohibitions on keeping a fridge running on propane while parked there?

I realize each place will have their own rules but I have no experience at all with these types of businesses so am trying to get an idea of what is normal and/or possible.

We are considering downsizing our home and there is a good chance that our next place won't have room to park an RV. Somewhat spoiled always having the RV at home and keeping the fridge plugged in, stocked with staples and ready to go at a moment's notice.

Here is what I am considering:

Option #1: Storage lot allows me to plug in, fridge runs on electric, no issues.

Option #2: Install 140W solar panel to keep the batteries fresh and run the fridge on propane. Burner in the fridge is 1500 BTU, a gallon of propane is 91,500 BTU, and a 30 lb tank hold 6.5 gallons of propane. So even if the fridge runs 18 hrs/day I can get about a month on one tank (TT has 2). Issue here may be storage yard has rules about flames, etc. associated with propane appliances.

Option #3: Install 400W solar panel kit. Heating element in the fridge is 325W, so I should be able to run the fridge on the inverter with the solar supplying the power. Not sure about running the inverter for long periods of time.

Not sure if any of these are viable or practical right now....what does everyone else do?

our storage lot does not have electric but even if it did I wouldn't run the fridge. we bring it home a few days before we leave for packing perishables, etc.
colliehauler
Explorer III
Apr 15, 2014
No I don't run the frig in storage or on my seasonal site. I clean the trailer before putting in storage or before I leave my seasonal site. I lost power once and came back to a smell that would gag a maggot.
JesLookin
Explorer
Apr 15, 2014
BurbMan wrote:
Just the way we have been doing it for 15 years....fridge gets turned on when we de-winterize and stays on until we put it away for the winter. Bag of ice in the freezer, staples like catsup, mustard, and salad dressing that keep from one trip to the next. If we have leftover meats from a trip we will put them in the freezer for the next trip.

When I fired up the fridge this year it took about 24 hrs for it to cool down...if you don't keep it on do you stop by the storage yard a day ahead and turn the fridge on before your trip?

We do pretty much same thing, except we remove leftovers. Do leave staples in frig. We don't have a place to plug in at storage spot. Run frig on auto, it switches to LP with no 115 Vac, solar panels keep the batteries charged. LP lasts a long time.
JiminDenver
Explorer II
Apr 15, 2014
We keep some gallon and half gallon jugs filled with water in the bottom of the freezer at home. When we are ready to leave, we fire up the fridge, put the frozen jugs and food in there and go. The fridge acts like a cooler until it gets caught up and as the jugs thaw, we have ice water.
MetalGator
Nomad
Apr 15, 2014
I am lucky as I have a storage facility that is only 4 miles from my house. I keep our 30'TT in a covered 12.5x35' spot that has unmetered 30amp electric at each spot. Even the uncovered spots have electric. I keep the TT plugged in 24x7 but I usually only turn on the fridge the day before we are planning to use the TT. I also am able to run a dehumidifier in the TT all the time since we have electric. Really helps keep the moisture out of the TT during the hot and humid Florida summers.
BB_TX
Nomad
Apr 15, 2014
Each site where we store ours has electric (for extra $). I turn my fridge on a couple days before we get ready to head out on a trip so it can cool properly. Otherwise it is off. It builds up ice in the freezer over time is the only reason I leave it off.
BurbMan
Explorer II
Apr 15, 2014
LOL I have 150' of cords to get to my outdoor outlet on the back of my house. The 100' #10 cord is a killer to handle....

What you're saying make sense for a road trip but a lot of what we do are quick weekend trips. Good to know there are lots that have elec available, I would be happy to bring my 100' cord, not sure what else I would do with it...

Sounds like the inverter option isn't really an option, I don't have room on the roof for 1000w of panels nor do I have room for that much battery capacity.