Propane on while driving

[TRSayers]

We have always traveled with propane on for refrigerator on our previous 5th wheel, but owners manual suggests that propane be turned off. Any opinions? Thanks. Tim.

[Yoda]

We have always traveled with propane on for refrigerator on our previous 5th wheel, but owners manual suggests that propane be turned off. Any opinions? Thanks. Tim.

I have never has an issue traveling with it on. Several posts here on this topic - possibly do a search.

[trkester]

We have always traveled with propane on for refrigerator on our previous 5th wheel, but owners manual suggests that propane be turned off. Any opinions? Thanks. Tim.

Well, last year I was on a little longer trip so left the propane on for the refer. Near the end of our journey, one of my lovely 15" Westlakes decided to blow up. (not that old, not over or under inflated, not overloaded)

When the tread of the tire decided to part ways with the core, it flapped around under the retracted slide out taking my propane hose to the kitchen stove with it. It ripped it out of the back of the stove, down the cavity behind the stove and broke off the quick disconnect from the distribution block attached to the frame. The hose was never found.

Thankfully, the excess flow valve on the propane tanks did its job so I didn't have a bunch of propane being released.

Since then, I have decided not to travel with the propane on. I figure I used one of my good luck tokens and don't want to chance another.

Some day I MAY replace the fridge with a 12V model but until then, everything is chilled down before we leave and it's not a big issue to travel with propane off.

Terry

[Country Campers]

I have done it both ways with no worries with it on while traveling. I think a couple of reasons why it is recommended to not have propane on while traveling are tunnels, gas stations, and other municipalities that require that propane be shut off while traveling thru. Each must make their own decision on this topic.

Brian

[Scott'n'Wendy]

My opinion? I have it on all the time.

[Yoda]

My opinion? I have it on all the time.

LOL You rabble rowser

Now one thing I haven't tried is using my Multiplus inverter and battery bank now that have the DC-DC charging system. .I guess I could do some experiments. ON shore power with nothing on my background draw is about 44 watts. I think that's the microwave display, radio display and the Multiplus charging the batterys in float along with the parasitic 12v draws. Does anyone have any numbers on what a gas/electric fridge (8CF) pulls on AC?

For a stationary approximate road test - would I remove shore power, turn the inverter on and read my BMV 712 and Touch 50 screen, then turn the fridge on AC and read again? Then calculate battery bank reserve and compare my DC-DC capability which is currently limited to 30A. I can go to 60A. Maybe I am just not sure of running the inverter while traveling too - concerned about cooling.

I know I am missing something here like inverter effeminacy and fridge cooling capacity on the AC side etc? I wonder what the display on the microwave and radio does draws? I can just unplug the microwave if needed.

Well better get back to the axles (bushing replacement and prep wiring today), but first make SWMBO happy with a new house bed with deluxe adjustable bed frame. She likes the Beautyrest Black mattress

Keith

I did not mean to go off track, just considering the alternatives to keep the fridge running when traveling and not use propane.

[AZMike]

We have always traveled with propane on for refrigerator on our previous 5th wheel, but owners manual suggests that propane be turned off. Any opinions? Thanks. Tim.

This was one of the main reasons that I replaced my absorption fridge with a 12V compressor fridge (the other was the additional 2 cubic feet of space).

[KSC_Travels]

I added this for peace of mind https://gasstopusa.com/

Also "nice to have technology" in case you ever develop a leak even when stationary. I recently noticed a kinked (rubber) propane line under my kitchen slide... wasn't leaking yet, but exercising the slide a few more times and it might have failed.

[Hogdrv]

Just a little warning about those gas stop devices; I put them on my propane tanks when the trailer was new and the second night camping I went outside to do my evening walk around, checking doors and such, when I smelled propane. What I found was the gas stop had blown the glass off the gauge and was leaking through the gauge slow enough not to cause the regulator to shut off and up stream of the safety feature on the gas stop. This only happened on the one tank and thought maybe a bad regulator had caused the issue, so I put the other gas stop on that tank and replaced the bad one and put it on the other tank. They are still working two years later but I keep eye on them because I did see they can fail.

Jim

[Scott'n'Wendy]

Just a little warning about those gas stop devices; I put them on my propane tanks when the trailer was new and the second night camping I went outside to do my evening walk around, checking doors and such, when I smelled propane. What I found was the gas stop had blown the glass off the gauge and was leaking through the gauge slow enough not to cause the regulator to shut off and up stream of the safety feature on the gas stop. This only happened on the one tank and thought maybe a bad regulator had caused the issue, so I put the other gas stop on that tank and replaced the bad one and put it on the other tank. They are still working two years later but I keep eye on them because I did see they can fail.

Jim

You don't need the one pictured. The over flow valve is in the tank.

[Scott'n'Wendy]

LOL You rabble rowser


I did not mean to go off track, just considering the alternatives to keep the fridge running when traveling and not use propane.

as to rabble rousing.......I like my propane fridge and will continue to support the propane industry...lol...have no interest in a 12vdc fridge at the moment. That could change with solar and battery improvements. They aint good enough yet.

[NoPeeking]

as to rabble rousing.......I like my propane fridge and will continue to support the propane industry...lol...have no interest in a 12vdc fridge at the moment. That could change with solar and battery improvements. They aint good enough yet.

Hear, hear!

Mike

[Hogdrv]

Scott'n'Wendy I’m not sure what you mean, but I found the glass from the gauge on the ground under the propane tank and if I hadn’t walked by the tank door it would have continued to leak out. That picture is actually on a different tank that I tested it on and I used soapy water to show it was leaking where the glass was. I had gotten them from Technorv and they said they had never seen that before and had me send it to them to talk to gas stop and replace it. I didn’t change anything in the tank and it leaked on three different tanks, so it didn’t matter which tank. Just some info that I hadn’t seen before.

Jim

[Yoda]

OOPS! did I start something Exit stage right

PS I like my propane too

[Cate&Rob]

You don't need the one pictured. The over flow valve is in the tank.

x2 . . . this additional device is redundant to what is built into every propane tank valve. Volume of propane in the tank can’t be measured by pressure (until you are nearly out). Note that this “gauge” has a wide green range (where the needle position will change with temperature) and a narrow red “almost out” range as the final pressure drops.

Rob