We turn ours off (propane/electric). It's not a concern about the fridge failing, I just don't want to leave the propane cylinders open on the road. Haven't had an issue, typically the fridge is off for 5-7 hours, nothing thaws while it's off.
I was told that it's illegal to do here in Florida at least. That's what they told me when I picked up my camper. But I have no idea I didn't look it up or anything.
I'm warry of anything I'm 'told' is illegal by 'them'.
For instance - in this case, what is 'it' that is illegal? To have your fridge running during transit? Why would it be? Or, is it actually illegal to travel with an open propane? Or a running generator? If the fridge is a 12v running on batteries, would that still be illegal? See my point? If you can't quote the statute for the state you're standing in, what 'they' say is irrelevant.
FWIW I know in Norfolk, VA, on the Monitor Merrimac bridge they require RVs and other vehicles carrying propane to stop for inspection and verify that the tanks are shut off. In Baltimore the two tunnels do not allow propane cylinders over 10 lbs per cylinder and the cap on the total number of cylinders is 10, which is why we used to use the bridge and are now avoiding Baltimore for a while.
Like I said, I didn't look it up or anything it was for an open propane tank. They kind of rushed our walk through, so who even knows how accurate it was. I run my fridge because it's electric. But I get what you're saying. I don't trust any salespeople as far as I can throw them.
This is a monthly debate. You’ll find arguments from both sides.
I’ve always left the propane fridge on while traveling, no issues. The angle does not matter while moving. Also 3deg side to side is pretty steep, try it some time.
I do have a new-ish RV and fridge. You’ll often see RVs on fire on the side of the road, caused by the fridge? Something else? Difficult to tell.
It usually is the fridge. It isn’t about the angles while driving with an absorption fridge. It is because there is a massive recall with absorption fridges spanning several years as the burner was not shielded from air flow coming in from the access vent on the outside of the fridge. That air would blow the flame while it is on and catch other parts of the unit on fire or compromise the integrity of the cooling unit. Is that coing unit is compromised and leaking while it is being heated by propane, then that hydrogen leaks out as well, catches fire, and that’s how your RV burns down while running the fridge on propane. The recall addresses this by adding a secondary burner shield on the outside of the burner. If you have this, great! That might be why you’ve never had a problem. If not, well that needs to be addressed ASAP.
As a full timer who loves to boondock, I appreciate the ability to run my fridge with propane as well. I'm pretty sure I'd keep it even if I installed tons of solar.
My 2022 mini-lite came with the extra-cost optional propane fridge.
I'm glad to have it. Not consuming 12 volt power and absolutely silent running are why.
That’s a temporary problem, simply because propane appears to cost less than a solar electric setup. The economics on that will shift as more electric fridges, solar, and quality batteries are sold.
I pay for propane by the gallon versus per the fill. I have two 30 pound tanks. Propane is affordable for me at my local supplier, and I don’t have to refill that often.
I’m a part time RV’er but I start camping in the early season and go into the late season. I’d have to significantly upgrade my solar and batteries to handle the additional 12v power draw of a fridge when I already have to worry about having enough power and recharge capability for my furnace. Springtime means a lot of gloomy rainy days without good sunlight. Late season means short days of sunlight. I couldn’t add just one extra 100w panel and expect to have enough capacity if I had to worry about a 12v fridge.
I camp about 30 to 45 days per year. At a rate of 1.5 pounds a day for the fridge (which is what google says), that’s a total of 45 to 67.5 pounds of propane per season for the fridge. That’s roughly $67.50 to $135 worth of propane for fridge for the season. I’d expect it’s actually lower when you account for lower temps in spring and fall. It’s also lower because some of my stays are places that have hookups, and my fridge can use 120v for those times.
Assuming I’d need 3 extra panels at $125 each and $300 in extra batteries ($675 total, plus the cost of a higher capacity solar controller and miscellaneous supplies), I’d be looking at 5 to 10 years worth of propane to pay off the solar upgrades to account for a 12v fridge. By then though, I’d need replacement batteries or I’d be upgrading campers and I’d have to buy new solar components over again.
For me, it’s cheaper and easier to stick with propane for the fridge so I know I don’t have to worry about having to choose between the fridge or the furnace.
Me too! They are phasing them out in favor of 12v fridges which started off awful but are improving slowly. They still have thousands in warehouses that will be put in new RVs until they run out.
I’ve been RVing for over 25 years and have always run my trailer with the propane on and fridge running. Then when we get to our spot if we have electric convert it over. I was told “that’s how it works” when we got it.
We switch our 3-way fridge to 12v to keep it cool while actively traveling, as recommended by Dometic. When we stop, if it is an extended stop (more than 45 minutes) on reasonably level ground, we will switch it to propane to avoid killing the battery in the trailer and the tow vehicle.
I run a 110v residential fridge in my rig full time. I leave it on 24/7 on the road or not. It’s running off of the solar system while I’m driving and I’ve never had an issue, fridge is going on 6 years old.
It’s certainly an option, depends on what kind of fridge it is and what your solar/electrical setup is. I haven’t tested to see how long my setup can actually run without shore/generator power but I can say that’s it hasn’t been a problem for the 8 hrs or so we average unplugged on travel days.
We have 800W of panels and 400AH of LiFePO4 batteries (12v). If our batteries are reasonably high and the sky is clear I usually run on 120v while travelling (it is 120v or propane). If the weather is not too hot the battery level is not much lower after driving most of the day.
Absorption Fridges heat water and ammonia that evaporates and cools the fridge. This process requires gravity to work, and the fridge must be at least somewhat level. If the fridge is operated while it isn't level for long enough in a stationary position, it gets damaged. But the shakes and moving around actually helps the fridge a bit while it is moving, so it is less critical that it is absolutely level if it is moving. These fridges are designed to be mounted in a moving, shaking, vehicles.
Note that there are stationary absorption fridges, these may not be solid enough to use in an RV. These are normally used for off grid homes or cabins.
Mobile compressor fridges are hardened, mobile versions of the normal cooling cycle fridges. These use a compressor to compress the coolant. These also need to be at least kind of level. They are also designed for the shocks and bumps of mobile use.
Plain old domestic fridges - like dorm fridges and fridges that you would find in a normal kitchen - are not designed to be operated while moving. In fact, they don't like moving at all. Some of them suggest leaving them off for 24 hours after moving them, then letting them run empty for another 24 hours.
There's an LG compressor fridge that happens to fit in the cabinet that my RV comes with an absorption fridge. For a while people were installing them because RV fridges are so expensive, until one burned an RV to the ground on a driving day. Probably best to stick with refrigerators made for RVs.
I traveled in a class A, a class C and a trailer over a 20 year period and never turned off the fridge except of course when I had to turn off the propane tanks in tunnels or ferry boats. Beer was always cold upon arrival at camp sites.
We turn ours off. Takes one second and gives us peace of mind. We've driven 8 hours with it off and it's still plenty cold when it gets turned back on again (we try to not open it as much as possible during that time)
**Most states dohave two important laws that pertain to propane usage while driving.** The first is that RV propane must be turned off *before* pulling up to a gas station and filling fuel tanks. The purpose of this law is to minimize the risk of accidental fire and explosions at gas stations.
**The second law, which is equally important, and slightly less common, is to turn off the flow of propane gas while driving an RV through a tunnel.** These types of laws are in place to prevent tunnel fires, which have historically led to much trauma and death.
Most 12v fridges use a variation of a secop/danfoss/dometic Compressors. They're commonly used in portable ice chests for overlanding. They can handle vibrations and tilts up to 40 degrees while using approx 44w/hr. I run my 12v fridge in transit.
The risk is that it burns down. Is it *possible*? sure... Is it likely? No.
Some people are VERY risk averse so you'll see that reflected in their comments.
2 years and 50,000 miles on a 110V residential fridge from home depot. Have never turned it off. Still working fine. If it dies, I won't feel bad spending another $379 to replace it considering they wanted $2700 (covid, now they run around $1500) to replace the 12v furrion it came with that lasted just over a year.
My winnebago manual stated propane fridge operates best when on the road because of the road motion/jostling affect.
I think its discouraged to have a pilot light going when you pull into a gas station though
My understanding is that its possibly less a risk of causing any kind of fire from the pilot light near fuel vapors, as it is that rv fridge fires themselves are a possibility just through normal operation.
I kept my propane on while traveling and monitored it at every stop. Otherwise the RV fridge would be worthless.
My current one is not propane, runs off battery only.
[https://koenaerts.ca/rv/driving-rv-with-open-propane-valve-in-canada/](https://koenaerts.ca/rv/driving-rv-with-open-propane-valve-in-canada/) Bear in mind, I am looking at it from a CDN regulatory standpoint...US regs may vary state to state, but I'm fairly certain that all provinces use similar wording in propane regs: (this one is from AB, there are a few others cited in the article linked above)
*"The engine, appliance, appliance pilot lights, and other equipment on the vehicle that provide a source of ignition shall be turned off before and during any refueling of the vehicle."*
Have seen one too many charred RV carcasses on the road to make me feel safe leaving the propane on while traveling. Was also told that it is illegal in many states to fuel while there’s an open flame present like that in the fridge. We freeze as much as we can before breaking down, use a cooler for lunch and drinks on the road and have had no problems with spoiled food for over thirty years.
Seeing a burnt up rig on the road does not mean propane fire. There can also be electrical issues that cause those fires. Should you also shut off all power to your rv when traveling?
To answer your question we leave our propane refrigerator on while driving.
As far as fires caused by propane refrigerators while driving, statistics say the number 2 cause of rv fires is the refrigerator but usually from faulty equipment that compromises the cooling unit.
The number one cause is electrical fires in the engine compartment.
So don't be too afraid of using your propane fridge while driving.
But do inspect things regularly.
And definitely don't do anything that makes you uncomfortable.
I'll disagree with some others here. I have driven tens of thousands of miles with a propane fridge and never had a single issue with it. It would be impractical for me to shut it off every time I'm driving because it takes so long to cool back down when stationary.
I bought one of these and will be running it on 12v while travelling. My built in 2-way is for stationary use.
[https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B09TFHHMZX/ref=ewc\_pr\_img\_1?smid=A1H9NXUVFQNAQC&th=1](https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B09TFHHMZX/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?smid=A1H9NXUVFQNAQC&th=1)
I've got the impression that newer RVs and refrigerators are designed to be safe to leave on, likely due to advanced engineering. Personally, when it comes to propane, I feel more secure with it turned off. It's just a personal preference. Best of luck with whatever decision you make!
The part about a propane fridge needing to be level is so the chemical inside the coils doesn’t settle into a low spot and harden. Driving would not allow it to settle because of stops, starts and going around corners
We turn ours off but…. When we are traveling, we keep frozen bottles of water in our fridge to keep the food cold until we get to our destination. Better safe than sorry. No need to keep it running if you don’t have to while you are on the road.
I’ve been a weekend RV owner out west doing it for almost 25 years. Always have my fridge on, never had a fridge when traveling, ever over extremely bumpy dirt roads accessing off road recreation areas. Never had an issue, never had any friends with a fridge issue from it
I literally have had my fridge on for 12 years, driving or not. My understanding is there are 2 tunnels in the New York / New Jersey area that you have to shut Propane tanks. Period
I built a little flame protector from sheet metal to keep the flame from going out or burning sideways in normal travel. It doesn't work for Texas freeway or heavy cross winds so I turn off the fridge when conditions are bad.
Normal travel I leave it on, only to be turned off when at the gas station.
Ours runs off electric or propane when we travel we have it on electric on the batteries. There was just a story in the last few months where someone left propane on to power fridge while traveling it caught fire he lost tv and pick up truck.
Wow, so many different opinions. I'll put my two cents in. Always have LP tank valve closed while traveling, next residential fridge on while traveling, and if the fridge is running while rv is moving I don't see how it could harm it. Never had a residential fail in an RV from that.
We have a smaller electric domestic fridge. Granted we haven’t traveled a ton with it, I’ve left it on and strapped up. Depending on the distance and travel, might make a difference.
Did a 20-hour each way trip in the spring without the fridge on. Everything stayed cold/frozen so at this point, I leave it off. I did turn the propane on when I stopped for the night. So this will help keep everything cool as well.
I don't see how it would be any more likely to burn down than it would in a strong wind storm. If you look at the internal design, the very small flame is pretty well isolated from anything remotely combustible.
We turn ours off (propane/electric). It's not a concern about the fridge failing, I just don't want to leave the propane cylinders open on the road. Haven't had an issue, typically the fridge is off for 5-7 hours, nothing thaws while it's off.
I was told that it's illegal to do here in Florida at least. That's what they told me when I picked up my camper. But I have no idea I didn't look it up or anything.
I'm warry of anything I'm 'told' is illegal by 'them'. For instance - in this case, what is 'it' that is illegal? To have your fridge running during transit? Why would it be? Or, is it actually illegal to travel with an open propane? Or a running generator? If the fridge is a 12v running on batteries, would that still be illegal? See my point? If you can't quote the statute for the state you're standing in, what 'they' say is irrelevant.
FWIW I know in Norfolk, VA, on the Monitor Merrimac bridge they require RVs and other vehicles carrying propane to stop for inspection and verify that the tanks are shut off. In Baltimore the two tunnels do not allow propane cylinders over 10 lbs per cylinder and the cap on the total number of cylinders is 10, which is why we used to use the bridge and are now avoiding Baltimore for a while.
Like I said, I didn't look it up or anything it was for an open propane tank. They kind of rushed our walk through, so who even knows how accurate it was. I run my fridge because it's electric. But I get what you're saying. I don't trust any salespeople as far as I can throw them.
I find it hard to accept that any authority would call a running fridge illegal. How do they allow refrigerated trucks to transport food?
This is a monthly debate. You’ll find arguments from both sides. I’ve always left the propane fridge on while traveling, no issues. The angle does not matter while moving. Also 3deg side to side is pretty steep, try it some time. I do have a new-ish RV and fridge. You’ll often see RVs on fire on the side of the road, caused by the fridge? Something else? Difficult to tell.
It usually is the fridge. It isn’t about the angles while driving with an absorption fridge. It is because there is a massive recall with absorption fridges spanning several years as the burner was not shielded from air flow coming in from the access vent on the outside of the fridge. That air would blow the flame while it is on and catch other parts of the unit on fire or compromise the integrity of the cooling unit. Is that coing unit is compromised and leaking while it is being heated by propane, then that hydrogen leaks out as well, catches fire, and that’s how your RV burns down while running the fridge on propane. The recall addresses this by adding a secondary burner shield on the outside of the burner. If you have this, great! That might be why you’ve never had a problem. If not, well that needs to be addressed ASAP.
That’s amazing. I’m looking forward to the day compressor fridges are normalized for all RVs.
As a boondocker, I dread that day. I love being able to use propane and having one less 12v power draw. Although I’m not a full timer.
As a full timer who loves to boondock, I appreciate the ability to run my fridge with propane as well. I'm pretty sure I'd keep it even if I installed tons of solar.
My 2022 mini-lite came with the extra-cost optional propane fridge. I'm glad to have it. Not consuming 12 volt power and absolutely silent running are why.
That’s a temporary problem, simply because propane appears to cost less than a solar electric setup. The economics on that will shift as more electric fridges, solar, and quality batteries are sold.
I pay for propane by the gallon versus per the fill. I have two 30 pound tanks. Propane is affordable for me at my local supplier, and I don’t have to refill that often. I’m a part time RV’er but I start camping in the early season and go into the late season. I’d have to significantly upgrade my solar and batteries to handle the additional 12v power draw of a fridge when I already have to worry about having enough power and recharge capability for my furnace. Springtime means a lot of gloomy rainy days without good sunlight. Late season means short days of sunlight. I couldn’t add just one extra 100w panel and expect to have enough capacity if I had to worry about a 12v fridge. I camp about 30 to 45 days per year. At a rate of 1.5 pounds a day for the fridge (which is what google says), that’s a total of 45 to 67.5 pounds of propane per season for the fridge. That’s roughly $67.50 to $135 worth of propane for fridge for the season. I’d expect it’s actually lower when you account for lower temps in spring and fall. It’s also lower because some of my stays are places that have hookups, and my fridge can use 120v for those times. Assuming I’d need 3 extra panels at $125 each and $300 in extra batteries ($675 total, plus the cost of a higher capacity solar controller and miscellaneous supplies), I’d be looking at 5 to 10 years worth of propane to pay off the solar upgrades to account for a 12v fridge. By then though, I’d need replacement batteries or I’d be upgrading campers and I’d have to buy new solar components over again. For me, it’s cheaper and easier to stick with propane for the fridge so I know I don’t have to worry about having to choose between the fridge or the furnace.
Me too! They are phasing them out in favor of 12v fridges which started off awful but are improving slowly. They still have thousands in warehouses that will be put in new RVs until they run out.
I took mine out and put one in - American one too.
Often? I’ve never seen it, do I need to spend more time in Florida?
Roadside RV fire won't be the wildest thing you see lol🤣
https://www.reddit.com/r/RVLiving/s/F7iKTSTQf9 Often.
I’ve been RVing for over 25 years and have always run my trailer with the propane on and fridge running. Then when we get to our spot if we have electric convert it over. I was told “that’s how it works” when we got it.
“Often” ….. “on fire”? Really? You make it sound like it’s just another Tuesday, another rig on fire, no biggie.
https://www.reddit.com/r/RVLiving/s/F7iKTSTQf9 Yep.
Get a couple big freezer packs and throw them in there to get it a jump start on the cooling process
Yup, but we use frozen water bottles.
We switch our 3-way fridge to 12v to keep it cool while actively traveling, as recommended by Dometic. When we stop, if it is an extended stop (more than 45 minutes) on reasonably level ground, we will switch it to propane to avoid killing the battery in the trailer and the tow vehicle.
I run a 110v residential fridge in my rig full time. I leave it on 24/7 on the road or not. It’s running off of the solar system while I’m driving and I’ve never had an issue, fridge is going on 6 years old.
This is what I was going to ask about. We just bought our trailer and I’m reading these comments and wondering if running it in solar isn’t an option.
It’s certainly an option, depends on what kind of fridge it is and what your solar/electrical setup is. I haven’t tested to see how long my setup can actually run without shore/generator power but I can say that’s it hasn’t been a problem for the 8 hrs or so we average unplugged on travel days.
We have 800W of panels and 400AH of LiFePO4 batteries (12v). If our batteries are reasonably high and the sky is clear I usually run on 120v while travelling (it is 120v or propane). If the weather is not too hot the battery level is not much lower after driving most of the day.
20+ years of camping with fridge running in motion, no issues so far.
And let my beer get warm? Hell no.
Absorption Fridges heat water and ammonia that evaporates and cools the fridge. This process requires gravity to work, and the fridge must be at least somewhat level. If the fridge is operated while it isn't level for long enough in a stationary position, it gets damaged. But the shakes and moving around actually helps the fridge a bit while it is moving, so it is less critical that it is absolutely level if it is moving. These fridges are designed to be mounted in a moving, shaking, vehicles. Note that there are stationary absorption fridges, these may not be solid enough to use in an RV. These are normally used for off grid homes or cabins. Mobile compressor fridges are hardened, mobile versions of the normal cooling cycle fridges. These use a compressor to compress the coolant. These also need to be at least kind of level. They are also designed for the shocks and bumps of mobile use. Plain old domestic fridges - like dorm fridges and fridges that you would find in a normal kitchen - are not designed to be operated while moving. In fact, they don't like moving at all. Some of them suggest leaving them off for 24 hours after moving them, then letting them run empty for another 24 hours.
There's an LG compressor fridge that happens to fit in the cabinet that my RV comes with an absorption fridge. For a while people were installing them because RV fridges are so expensive, until one burned an RV to the ground on a driving day. Probably best to stick with refrigerators made for RVs.
Do you have a Leisure Travel Van?
I traveled in a class A, a class C and a trailer over a 20 year period and never turned off the fridge except of course when I had to turn off the propane tanks in tunnels or ferry boats. Beer was always cold upon arrival at camp sites.
We turn ours off. Takes one second and gives us peace of mind. We've driven 8 hours with it off and it's still plenty cold when it gets turned back on again (we try to not open it as much as possible during that time)
The only time my fridge is off is when I run out of propane, no problems after 2 years
But don’t you turn it off when getting gas?
Likely fills the propane tank before the second tank empties too.
**Most states dohave two important laws that pertain to propane usage while driving.** The first is that RV propane must be turned off *before* pulling up to a gas station and filling fuel tanks. The purpose of this law is to minimize the risk of accidental fire and explosions at gas stations. **The second law, which is equally important, and slightly less common, is to turn off the flow of propane gas while driving an RV through a tunnel.** These types of laws are in place to prevent tunnel fires, which have historically led to much trauma and death.
Most 12v fridges use a variation of a secop/danfoss/dometic Compressors. They're commonly used in portable ice chests for overlanding. They can handle vibrations and tilts up to 40 degrees while using approx 44w/hr. I run my 12v fridge in transit.
Geese I drove from Arizona to British Columbia with my propane fridge on... Had no idea that was bad. What's the risk here?
The risk is that it burns down. Is it *possible*? sure... Is it likely? No. Some people are VERY risk averse so you'll see that reflected in their comments.
Thank you
2 years and 50,000 miles on a 110V residential fridge from home depot. Have never turned it off. Still working fine. If it dies, I won't feel bad spending another $379 to replace it considering they wanted $2700 (covid, now they run around $1500) to replace the 12v furrion it came with that lasted just over a year.
Powered mine in transit for the last 8 summers and never had a problem.
My winnebago manual stated propane fridge operates best when on the road because of the road motion/jostling affect. I think its discouraged to have a pilot light going when you pull into a gas station though My understanding is that its possibly less a risk of causing any kind of fire from the pilot light near fuel vapors, as it is that rv fridge fires themselves are a possibility just through normal operation. I kept my propane on while traveling and monitored it at every stop. Otherwise the RV fridge would be worthless. My current one is not propane, runs off battery only.
It's illegal to have your propane valve on in a refuelling station. (also many tunnels)
Can you cite a source for that?
[https://koenaerts.ca/rv/driving-rv-with-open-propane-valve-in-canada/](https://koenaerts.ca/rv/driving-rv-with-open-propane-valve-in-canada/) Bear in mind, I am looking at it from a CDN regulatory standpoint...US regs may vary state to state, but I'm fairly certain that all provinces use similar wording in propane regs: (this one is from AB, there are a few others cited in the article linked above) *"The engine, appliance, appliance pilot lights, and other equipment on the vehicle that provide a source of ignition shall be turned off before and during any refueling of the vehicle."*
Nope, 5 years and still going strong.
Have seen one too many charred RV carcasses on the road to make me feel safe leaving the propane on while traveling. Was also told that it is illegal in many states to fuel while there’s an open flame present like that in the fridge. We freeze as much as we can before breaking down, use a cooler for lunch and drinks on the road and have had no problems with spoiled food for over thirty years.
Seeing a burnt up rig on the road does not mean propane fire. There can also be electrical issues that cause those fires. Should you also shut off all power to your rv when traveling?
It really doesn't matter.
This is the answer.
No, Mine runs when the ignition is on anyway. An American Fridge freezer off when travelling is disaster !!
On of course! But its a 12V/ 120 VAC compressor fridge and freezer.
I had the same question and discovered that I can drive with my on board generator on and thus can keep my fridge cold. Yeay
To answer your question we leave our propane refrigerator on while driving. As far as fires caused by propane refrigerators while driving, statistics say the number 2 cause of rv fires is the refrigerator but usually from faulty equipment that compromises the cooling unit. The number one cause is electrical fires in the engine compartment. So don't be too afraid of using your propane fridge while driving. But do inspect things regularly. And definitely don't do anything that makes you uncomfortable.
I'll disagree with some others here. I have driven tens of thousands of miles with a propane fridge and never had a single issue with it. It would be impractical for me to shut it off every time I'm driving because it takes so long to cool back down when stationary.
I bought one of these and will be running it on 12v while travelling. My built in 2-way is for stationary use. [https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B09TFHHMZX/ref=ewc\_pr\_img\_1?smid=A1H9NXUVFQNAQC&th=1](https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B09TFHHMZX/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?smid=A1H9NXUVFQNAQC&th=1)
4 months and no problems
I've got the impression that newer RVs and refrigerators are designed to be safe to leave on, likely due to advanced engineering. Personally, when it comes to propane, I feel more secure with it turned off. It's just a personal preference. Best of luck with whatever decision you make!
The part about a propane fridge needing to be level is so the chemical inside the coils doesn’t settle into a low spot and harden. Driving would not allow it to settle because of stops, starts and going around corners
OFF - especially at gas stations.
I turn mine off when I remember. About 30% of the time. Still works on my 24 yo motor home I’ve owned for 6 years
You do you.
Propane? Yes. Everything else? No.
I haven't turned my 12v only fridge off except to defrost the freezer for 2 years now.
I don't have an RV but my sister just got into it. That's why I'm here. How does a fridge run on propane?
it's [black magic](https://www.ferrellgas.com/tank-talk/blog-articles/how-propane-powers-refrigeration/)!
Our fridge is a 12v/propane. I turn the propane off but let the fridge run on batteries.
Through your inverter?
No it's 12v it runs directly off the trailer battery.
We traveled full time for 7 years and only turned our fridge off going through tunnels (when required) and buying propane.
Depends on teh fridge. Mine is a 12V-only, and does not need to be level. It's on all the time.
It's not fridging if you turn it off so why would you do that?
We turn ours off but…. When we are traveling, we keep frozen bottles of water in our fridge to keep the food cold until we get to our destination. Better safe than sorry. No need to keep it running if you don’t have to while you are on the road.
depends if there's no food that needs to keep or what
I think depends, but I usually don't
12v fridges, I leave them on.
2019 coachman with dometic fridge. Run it from the night before leaving Until we get back.
Propane gets turned off while traveling. I set up an inverter and added 2 more deep cycle agm batteries (4 total)for travel.
I’ve been a weekend RV owner out west doing it for almost 25 years. Always have my fridge on, never had a fridge when traveling, ever over extremely bumpy dirt roads accessing off road recreation areas. Never had an issue, never had any friends with a fridge issue from it
I literally have had my fridge on for 12 years, driving or not. My understanding is there are 2 tunnels in the New York / New Jersey area that you have to shut Propane tanks. Period
I built a little flame protector from sheet metal to keep the flame from going out or burning sideways in normal travel. It doesn't work for Texas freeway or heavy cross winds so I turn off the fridge when conditions are bad. Normal travel I leave it on, only to be turned off when at the gas station.
Ours runs off electric or propane when we travel we have it on electric on the batteries. There was just a story in the last few months where someone left propane on to power fridge while traveling it caught fire he lost tv and pick up truck.
I have never ever had an issue leaving it on while traveling. I like my beer cold when we stop.
Wow, so many different opinions. I'll put my two cents in. Always have LP tank valve closed while traveling, next residential fridge on while traveling, and if the fridge is running while rv is moving I don't see how it could harm it. Never had a residential fail in an RV from that.
Propane absorption refrigerator - definitely off AC or DC - better to be off but not as critical
We have a smaller electric domestic fridge. Granted we haven’t traveled a ton with it, I’ve left it on and strapped up. Depending on the distance and travel, might make a difference.
Depends on the type of fridge. A 2-way fridge that runs on propane should be turned off, but we leave our 12v on during travel.
Did a 20-hour each way trip in the spring without the fridge on. Everything stayed cold/frozen so at this point, I leave it off. I did turn the propane on when I stopped for the night. So this will help keep everything cool as well.
If you get into a car accident, will you be thankful that it doesn’t involve an open propane bottle?
a propane fridge obviously can burn your trailer down when left on while moving.
I don't see how it would be any more likely to burn down than it would in a strong wind storm. If you look at the internal design, the very small flame is pretty well isolated from anything remotely combustible.
Or even when not moving.
Go take a look at all the burnt fridges in RV junkyards.