Turn fridge LP off at gas pump - another warning!

[kginder]

I see there are more threads about traveling with the fridge on LP. I do. My class c fridge is always on except, ahhh 98 percent of the time, when fueling.

This actually happened to me this past weekend in MD at a gas station. I was filling up the thirsty giant and watching the dollars tick away when a Harley pulled into the pump, the same pump as mine on the opposite side. He proceeded to fill up. I suddenly heard one of the loudest f bombs I've ever heard in my life. The gas pump did not auto-shutoff when the Harley was full. Gas shot out of the tank with an explosive force sending gas into the air, all over the Harley, the rider, the gas pump, the ground etc. It had covered an area of about 10~15 feet around. This guy was upset! I was still fueling but stopped the flow and went over to help. After I asked him if he had a match (kinda got smile out of him) he got some paper towels and proceeded to clean up. I finished fueling grabbed my multi-hundred dollar receipt and got into the RV.

I HAD LEFT THE FRIDGE ON AND COULD HERE IT BURNING!

If the Harley had pulled into the pump across from me instead of the opposite side, y'all would be reading about our dental records on the news.

I'm going to have a reminder plaque made up to put on my dash "Turn the @#$*&^%$ fridge off before fueling you idiot!"

[2oldman]

Redterpos3 wrote:
He was talking on the phone for a while and as I finished up he closed his door.

So, he was violating the cell-phone spark danger rule too!

[DiskDoctr]

2oldman wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:
chances of an RV explosion while filling gas from a pilot light are almost non-existent unless you shoot gas directly onto the pilot light.

And that would probably extinguish the burner flame.

Gasoline is harder to light than most people think. The movie scene where somebody flips a cigarette onto a pool of gas and it catches fire is not true. It just puts out the cig.

It's the fumes which are not hard to ignite.

Gasoline LEL is about 1.4% a lower concentration WILL NOT EXPLOSIVELY IGNITE, regardless of the presence of an ignition source. The upper limit is something like 7.x% IIRC. Above that, no explosive ignition.

The BIG problem I have seen with gasoline is the vapor that can build up on the surface of an OPEN CONTAINER. A jar of gas is far more volatile than a propane fridge running at a fueling station, IMHO.

BTW, the first story linked (Rhino explosion) is from 1892, 1992, 2002? Not directed at poster, but at the author of the story who neglected to include a DATE in the article. It was a "Monday" no idea which Monday, but pretty sure it was a Monday :R

A pet peeve of mine. LOL.

I leave propane fridge on while fueling TV. Others can choose as they like, but IMHO the risk is negligible.

[Redterpos3]

I read this thread last night all the way through. This evening as I was at the fuel pump the guy pumping at my pump on the other side almost drove away with the nozzle still in his gas tank. He was talking on the phone for a while and as I finished up he closed his door. I said to myself, "I don't think he put the nozzle back?" I looked and sure enough the nozzle was there and he was pulling away. I used my outside voice, and fortunately he stopped, realizing what he almost did, and thanked me 🙂 happy ending. I got the attention of everyone within earshot, however, and everyone looked quite startled. I guess my outside voice is a bit loud 😉

I now know what people in this thread were saying by you have to watch at the gas pumps!! Thanks all!!

[msmith1199]

Francesca Knowles wrote:
Since this thread's about propane fridges/pilot lights, I'd like to step into the Motorcycle Brawl here and ask:

Where on the bike does the fridge ride? :@

Usually on the back seat.

[Francesca_Knowl]

Since this thread's about propane fridges/pilot lights, I'd like to step into the Motorcycle Brawl here and ask:

Where on the bike does the fridge ride? :@

[msmith1199]

remoandiris wrote:

ol Bombero-JC wrote:

remoandiris wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:
You win remoandiris. You're the greatest person ever and the rest of us are dummies.

Grow up. If you didn't make unsubstantiated comments you wouldn't be taken to task.

.


Now that's the pot calling *ALL* the kettles black..:S


Give up "msmith1199" - nobody can be better than Mr. perfect, ROTFLMAO


~

Well bombero, where did I make an unsubstantiated comment?

Well you made claims about people filling motorcycles indicating they don't know what they are doing, and then you point out that your motorcycle doesn't have a fuel filler on top of the tank. The only bikes I've ever seen that don't have a fuel filler on top of the tank are custom bikes that have fuel tanks in other locations. So it should have been obvious to you that the comments made about filling a motorcycle tank were in reference to 99.9% of the bikes on the street that have fuel fillers on the top of the tank and not some type of custom bike that has the tank in some other location.

[remoandiris]

ol Bombero-JC wrote:

remoandiris wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:
You win remoandiris. You're the greatest person ever and the rest of us are dummies.

Grow up. If you didn't make unsubstantiated comments you wouldn't be taken to task.

.


Now that's the pot calling *ALL* the kettles black..:S


Give up "msmith1199" - nobody can be better than Mr. perfect, ROTFLMAO


~

Well bombero, where did I make an unsubstantiated comment?

[ol_Bombero-JC]

remoandiris wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:
You win remoandiris. You're the greatest person ever and the rest of us are dummies.

Grow up. If you didn't make unsubstantiated comments you wouldn't be taken to task.

.


Now that's the pot calling *ALL* the kettles black..:S


Give up "msmith1199" - nobody can be better than Mr. perfect, ROTFLMAO


~

[msmith1199]

Jeez, I already bowed down to your superior gas pumping skills and now you want me to grow up too? That's a little too much to ask.

[remoandiris]

msmith1199 wrote:
You win remoandiris. You're the greatest person ever and the rest of us are dummies.

Grow up. If you didn't make unsubstantiated comments you wouldn't be taken to task.

[Sea_Dog]

owenssailor wrote:
In Ontario problem does not exist. No auto-shutoff on any self serve pumps.
You hold the nozzle and pay attention to fueling your vehicle.

Are you sure about that?

[msmith1199]

You win remoandiris. You're the greatest person ever and the rest of us are dummies.

[remoandiris]

msmith1199 wrote:

remoandiris wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:
Sorry I'm not a perfect pump operator like you, but the pumps I have used will spill gas all over your bike if you're not careful.

Ahhhh, so you admit all you need to do is be careful, as in make sure there is a seal between the fuel tank opening and the nozzle base. Maybe that is why I don't have the issues that you do...I am careful. It's pumping gas, not brain surgery and is not hard.

Yes you have to be careful by being right there on the pump nozzle with it in your hand and watching for the gas to reach the top of the tank. Your original statement was you start the pump and stand aside and watch it. That isn't being careful. And frankly I don't believe you fuel like that and don't spill gas.

Believe, or don't believe, what you want. You must be under the impression all motorcycles have the fuel filler on the top of the tank between the handlebars. Well, they dont. You also seem to have no issue allowing fumes/vapor to escape as you fill the tank.

[msmith1199]

remoandiris wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:
Sorry I'm not a perfect pump operator like you, but the pumps I have used will spill gas all over your bike if you're not careful.

Ahhhh, so you admit all you need to do is be careful, as in make sure there is a seal between the fuel tank opening and the nozzle base. Maybe that is why I don't have the issues that you do...I am careful. It's pumping gas, not brain surgery and is not hard.

Yes you have to be careful by being right there on the pump nozzle with it in your hand and watching for the gas to reach the top of the tank. Your original statement was you start the pump and stand aside and watch it. That isn't being careful. And frankly I don't believe you fuel like that and don't spill gas.

[steveh27]

When traveling I have my 3 way Dometic on 12 volt, so no flame. 🙂 I'm surprised so many rv fridges aren't 3 way & don't have the 12v option.

When staying in one area I do use the propane, but always shut it off before I pull into a gas station. It's the vapors that are dangerous.

I'm surprised so many replies here say since they do not know of any disasters from this it can't be a problem. It only takes one time for you to become a disaster. Caution & thinking ahead go a long way towards preventing disasters.