Propane on during driving. Do you do it?

[friendofeeyore]

We always ran the frig on propane on long trips.

 

[FtW Mike]

We run our fridge and freezer on propane while in transit. It takes a lot less effort to maintain them at a given temp than to cool down to temp. We run unit for 2 days on shore line to bring to temp before we fill with our food. To help with that for short trips I have some 1 quart/liter soda bottles I pre freeze and place inside along with bottled water I do the same with and then use for the dogs as they thaw.
On a longer trip, like to The Fort We pre cool the unit like always and fill as much space as we can with well frozen food we won't use for several days. Water bottles both frozen and cold fill any empty spaces. This way we use very Little propane except when we use it to kick start the hot water heater for showering

 

[FtW Mike]

In with Michael and myself is more like Bad Company or Outlaws.

Randy are you sure? With Michael involved it could be more like The Gang Couldn't Shoot Straight or F TROOP

 

[team bradfield]

15 yrs of RVing, always leave it on, even when its at home (in case the power goes out), we use the RV as a second fridge in the warmer months. good place for storing beer!

 

[peg110]

This way we use very Little propane except when we use it to kick start the hot water heater for showering

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Our old TT only had a propane Hot Water heater. The new one has Propane AND electric.

As for leaving the propane on during traveling, thanks for all the feedback. I have, and will continue to leave it on for travel. Even though I have not been RVing as long as some, I do have a few years behind me. While I have had my fair share of issues, NONE of them have been with propane (well except for maybe forgetting to turn it on).

 

[FtW Mike]

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Our old TT only had a propane Hot Water heater. The new one has Propane AND electric.

As for leaving the propane on during traveling, thanks for all the feedback. I have, and will continue to leave it on for travel. Even though I have not been RVing as long as some, I do have a few years behind me. While I have had my fair share of issues, NONE of them have been with propane (well except for maybe forgetting to turn it on).

Our water heater is both propane and electric as well but I have found that 40 minutes with propane has it hot enough for at least 1 of us to get a shower and electric keeps things running smoothly after that

 

[peg110]

Our water heater is both propane and electric as well but I have found that 40 minutes with propane has it hot enough for at least 1 of us to get a shower and electric keeps things running smoothly after that

Wow! 40 minutes? What type of heater do you have? How big is it? Ours is only 6 gallons and we get plenty of hot water in about 15 minutes so a 40 minute wait just seems like a long time (or we just like our showers not as hot).

 

[North of Mouse]

Wow! 40 minutes? What type of heater do you have? How big is it? Ours is only 6 gallons and we get plenty of hot water in about 15 minutes so a 40 minute wait just seems like a long time (or we just like our showers not as hot).

Same here - not sure exactly how large our water heater is, but we can have two good (long) showers, plus extra. If we are in a 'big' hurry, dh just uses both together - propane & electric! Super fast!

Sorry, thought ours was smaller, but dh says it's 10 gal. capacity.

 

[FtW Mike]

Wow! 40 minutes? What type of heater do you have? How big is it? Ours is only 6 gallons and we get plenty of hot water in about 15 minutes so a 40 minute wait just seems like a long time (or we just like our showers not as hot).

Same here - not sure exactly how large our water heater is, but we can have two good showers, plus extra. If we are in a 'big' hurry, dh just uses both together - propane & electric! Super fast!

We have a 10 gal. Atwood I use 40 min time frame as that is how long it takes me to get back to it once I turn on as I have other things to do to complete set up. You know Unpack and set up chairs, rug, grill, firewood Bikes and the like Plus take the girls out to EXPLORE the Wilderness

 

[Mad Stitch]

Corrrect me if I'm wrong but. With my PUP the fridge is 3 - way meaning it can run on 120 VAC, propane or 12 volts. If you have a 6 or 7 pin trailer connection (power) your vehicle will power the fridge as long as it is running. If you stop and turn off your vehicle for awhile you can then switch it to propane. All the switches are accessible from an outside panel just behind the fridge.

This is the set up I have. I use the 12v when I'm on the road, and then switch to 120v when I get to the campground. I have only run the fridge off the propane once when I was rural camping and didn't have hookups.

 

[Kidatheart2010]

We have used propane for our fridge always during trips. But please do turn it off when refueling. I was a volunteer fireman for many years and I respond to a RV explosion / fire at our local convienice store. The individual was fueling with his fridge on. The vapor traveled into the camper while they were fueling and others around them were fueling. The pressure wave created in the camper shattered / pushed the windows out in several locations and raised the roof off of the main structure. Fire damage inside was minimal but the camper was a total loss due to the roof and window and structure damage. Thank God no one was hurt. I know you may go a lifetime without this happening but trust me it can really destroy an RV. I always turn off the gas prior to fueling the MH. Better safe than sorry.

68 Days till the Fort.............................................

 

[faithhelen]

Ok this is from a newbie RVer (well we have a TT)... So far in the trips that we've taken around here (farthest drive so far is only 2 hours away) with the TT, I feel like the propane didn't "kick in". We are in MN so when we head to WDW next year we have a 27 hour drive (without pulling a trailer that is!) so I want to be sure I can keep that fridge cold! We plan on stopping for 1 or 2 nights but it might not be all at campgrounds.

Do you suggest shutting off the electric an hour or so before you head out to make sure it's working with the propane?

 

[peg110]

Make sure you PURGE your gas line. If the refrigerator doesn't start on the propane within a specified amount of time, it may stop trying (as a safety feature).

Me, I plug in the TT DAYS before to make sure the fridge is down to temperature, then I turn on the propane as well (in case of a power outage at home too) but after I turn on the propane, I go to my "Stove" (which is usually by the fridge) and open a burner and attempt to light it (with a long lighter). It could be several seconds before it lights as it purges the AIR from the line. Once it's lit, I make sure all the burners will light then I shut them off. I will then disconnect the electric so the fridge is forced on Gas (some of an optional switch to force gas, but my new TT does not. It will ALWAYS favor the 120V Electric when available). There is almost always a light or sensor or something to tell you the state of the fridge while on gas (Flashing light, red LED, etc if there is a problem). If it makes you more comfortable, then leave the PROPANE to fuel your fridge over night to be sure.

 

[jbrostek]

I take that one step further, after turning on the propane after its been off a while I first light the stove which is the closest in the gas lines. But then I actually put the fridge on propane until it lights. At that point I feel secure enough that the system will light when I need it to. I then leave the propane on pretty much until I have to turn it off to do something or till I shut the fridge down at mid or end of the camping season.

 

[tiggerdad]

I take that one step further, after turning on the propane after its been off a while I first light the stove which is the closest in the gas lines. But then I actually put the fridge on propane until it lights. At that point I feel secure enough that the system will light when I need it to. I then leave the propane on pretty much until I have to turn it off to do something or till I shut the fridge down at mid or end of the camping season.

This. You may have a faulty igniter so you need to make sure beforehand. Just go out to your rig and turn on the gas operation on the fridge. Go back in 24 hours and check it.

 

[North of Mouse]

Do you suggest shutting off the electric an hour or so before you head out to make sure it's working with the propane?

We leave our mh plugged in to electric until we leave our home - it automatically kicks over to propane when we unplug - have never had it fail. We also turn the fridge on at least 24 hours before we pack it. If you're in the sun, you may need to turn it on earlier - ours is in our RV barn and is kept plugged in.

 

[tiggerdad]

Okay, now comes up this "auto" kick over to electric thing. On our November 2014 trip to the Fort we arrived and plugged up. Light on fridge turned green so we were good...not.

By morning I had lost temp and everything in fridge was condensating. I thought the fridge had died so iImoved the perishables to the outdoor fridge. Turned the indoor fridge off and back on. By that night it was back cold again

When we got home iImentioned it to the dealer who laughed and said he had heard it before. Said it's a good idea when you arrive and hook back to power to physically turn the fridge off and then back on.

Said sometimes the light changes, but the auto switch may not actually fire. Just an FYI.

 

[peg110]

Good tip Michael. I will be certain to do that too. Thanks.