How to disable propane >> Yeah another fridge topic.

[Kayteg1]

In my previous RVs I liked to travel with propane off at tanks as safety measure.
The older fridge models had manual switches that when I opted for 120v from inverter - they would stay or die on this mode.
Motorhomes had bigger charging wires, so running fridge for couple of hr on house batteries, still would recharge them when I continue driving later.
Now I would like to do the same on TC and having built-in inverter on my truck, would be nice to take advantage of it and secure 120V cable from truck directly to the fridge plug.
My dilemma is the computerized system, that when I stop at gas station and turn the truck off - in lack of 120V the computer will start sparking the igniter and with lack of propane it will spark for a while.
That brings safety concern at gas station as well.
So for those who are good with computer controls - how to override the propane option and let the fridge go off or into 12V mode when 120V turns off?

[jimh406]

Kayteg1 wrote:

jimh425 wrote:
Don't fridges prefer AC. So assuming AC is available, there is nothing to do.

You did not read the question.
When I turn the truck off, the AC is no longer available and computer automatically switches to propane.

If you really think you’ll never use propane, add a valve to turn it off. If you are concerned about the safety, turn off the propane while traveling because the water heater could ignite as well if left on.

Or as you implied, provide a different AC inverter and don’t depend on the truck AC.

But, diesel vapors don’t ignite that easily, so I wouldn’t bother.

[Kayteg1]

JoeChiOhki wrote:

Upgrade to a lift gate plug for your 12 volt +/- coming from your alternator so you have #4 wire going all the way back and install the inverter in the camper as a permanent fixture.

Setup a two way two pole throw switch that connects the outlet either to the inverter or to the camper's internal 110volt circuit and put a small circuit breaker box in with a 15 amp breaker so that the fridge still has circuit breaker protection.

Now, you can leave the fridge going, no worries about it trying start the ignitor and your batteries are getting enough current from the alternator to charge while powering the fridge off the inverter.

I am considering that option if the first idea can't be make working.
Problem I have with it is that my camper inverter is low efficiency and will drain camper batteries if I decide to make 2-3 hr stop in the afternoon. Following with 1 hr driving will not recharge the batteries enough.
Another tough is just do the plug and operate fridge on 12V, but that element has lower output and I usually drive in triple digit temperatures, when full fridge output is needed.
But I still would rather deal with thin 120V cable, who I just plug into the truck, than with #4 cables.
However DC operation has manual switch on the fridge.
Why they didn't make one for AC ? :S

[AnEv942]

Kayteg1 wrote:

When I turn the truck off, the AC is no longer available and computer automatically switches to propane.

I assume fridge set to auto? so that it switches as designed when 1 source (default AC) not available. Ive never tried the manual AC mode setting, I use the DC, when truck shut off fridge shuts down, when restarted the fridge starts up again in DC. I assumed that what ever mode its set to it would restart when that source available again, except gas as it throws code and have to reset.
Never tried to disable the igniter, if it would still trigger error code, I would guess it would. I 'think' flame across the electrode would need to be duplicated-just a wag.
For the amount of time to refuel etc I wouldn't think switching to DC be very beneficial so would just set to AC instead of auto IF refer will restart in that mode.

Never mind... cant get to AC without being in auto, just went and looked. Tired to unplug and also ground electrode- don't know what is used to trigger board that it's lit in gas mode.
Turned to auto/AC then turning off breaker fridge switches to gas- at any point up to when 'check' comes on, restoring AC power fridge starts again AC. Once 'check' light on fridge it does switch to AC when power restored but doesn't start, Have to turn on/off fridge clearing check to get it to restart.

Which does work. In AC/auto fridge on, turning off DC (pulled fuse at converter panel) fridge shuts off. Reinserting fuse restoring 12v clears code, fridge restarts in AC. Which basically is what I did only for DC mode. Toggle switch in cab that triggers 40 amp relay (even though your only powering controls)on fridge 12v line. Mine is 2001 Dometic. Need to verify panel retains last setting, some dont. But all you'd need is a relay and run a trigger from cab.

[GordonThree]

Why not shut the fridge down BEFORE the gas station? You could pull up to the pump that someone previously spilled gas all over and boom!

[midnightsadie]

everybody should kill the frig when fueling gas or diesel. period theres no maybe.

[JoeChiOhki]

Kayteg1 wrote:
In my previous RVs I liked to travel with propane off at tanks as safety measure.
The older fridge models had manual switches that when I opted for 120v from inverter - they would stay or die on this mode.
Motorhomes had bigger charging wires, so running fridge for couple of hr on house batteries, still would recharge them when I continue driving later.
Now I would like to do the same on TC and having built-in inverter on my truck, would be nice to take advantage of it and secure 120V cable from truck directly to the fridge plug.
My dilemma is the computerized system, that when I stop at gas station and turn the truck off - in lack of 120V the computer will start sparking the igniter and with lack of propane it will spark for a while.
That brings safety concern at gas station as well.
So for those who are good with computer controls - how to override the propane option and let the fridge go off or into 12V mode when 120V turns off?

Upgrade to a lift gate plug for your 12 volt +/- coming from your alternator so you have #4 wire going all the way back and install the inverter in the camper as a permanent fixture.

Setup a two way two pole throw switch that connects the outlet either to the inverter or to the camper's internal 110volt circuit and put a small circuit breaker box in with a 15 amp breaker so that the fridge still has circuit breaker protection.

Now, you can leave the fridge going, no worries about it trying start the ignitor and your batteries are getting enough current from the alternator to charge while powering the fridge off the inverter.

[Kayteg1]

I bet you smoke when fueling as well?

[SidecarFlip]

Never turn mine off and don't plan to. I fuel with diesel not gasoline and the flash point of diesel is much higher than gasoline anyway. I never give it a thought. That will change next year when I replace the inefficient 'Amish' fridge with a Waeco compressor no propane fridge and cap off the propane line.

I'll just keep on ignoring a non existent problem until I upgrade.

[Kayteg1]

jimh425 wrote:
Don't fridges prefer AC. So assuming AC is available, there is nothing to do.

You did not read the question.
When I turn the truck off, the AC is no longer available and computer automatically switches to propane.

[Chris_Bryant]

Have a battery disconnect so the TC 12 volt system is running off the truck, so that shutting the truck off also kills 12 volt power. You can override easily, of course.

[jimh406]

Don't fridges prefer AC. So assuming AC is available, there is nothing to do.

[Kayteg1]

Turning it off/on at gas stations is what everybody forgets 😉
I am not worry about it too much with present setup as TC fridge is on opposite side and much higher than my diesel cap, so unless I find easy way to do, I will continue filling up with flame under fridge.
Coming to pulling a lead on igniter, shouldn't that activate warning light on the panel?
Would I disable panel, the fridge will not work at all.

[Photomike]

That is the last thing I would do. At a gas station shut fridge off till your filled to stop from propane firing. Turn on when done. Problem is when you stop for the night without power you will need to start propane manually. Too much remembering and work for me.

[bgum]

Disable igniter by pulling one of the leads.