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Refrigerator on D.C. When traveling?

Saint_Augustine
Explorer
Explorer
Should you put refrigerator on D.C. When on the road. I had just been turning it off. I know not to use propane when moving. Comments.
21 REPLIES 21

S_K_
Explorer
Explorer
Islandman wrote:
I've always used the 12 volt when travelling, don't want to have to stop before pulling into a gas station and turn off propane before getting near the gas pumps. Never had any problem with our 3 way fridge, works fine on any of the 3 systems it was designed for: DC (12 volt) when travelling, AC (110-120 volt) when on shore power, propane when boondocking w/o shore power or using generator.

Thatโ€™s what Iโ€™ve been doing too. So far so good!
2010 Jayco Eagle SuperLite 298RLS
2010 Silverado 2500HD LT, Duramax, CCSB, 4x4
ProPride 3P-1000
2016 Winnebago ERA 70A

Islandman
Explorer
Explorer
I've always used the 12 volt when travelling, don't want to have to stop before pulling into a gas station and turn off propane before getting near the gas pumps. Never had any problem with our 3 way fridge, works fine on any of the 3 systems it was designed for: DC (12 volt) when travelling, AC (110-120 volt) when on shore power, propane when boondocking w/o shore power or using generator.

KD4UPL
Explorer
Explorer
Saint Augustine wrote:
I know not to use propane when moving. Comments.

Based on what? I can guarantee you there's nothing in the owners manual that says that. RV refrigerators are designed to use propane when in motion. Thousands of people, my self included, do it all the time.
Use the propane when traveling. That's what it's there for.

pianotuna
Nomad II
Nomad II
Another good plan is to make sure the drain hose has a "trap" so that outside air does not flow into the refrigerated space. Of course, if there are temperatures well below freezing you don't want that dip to freeze up. I routinely forget to recreate the trap until I start having cooling issues.
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.

steveh27
Explorer
Explorer
My 1997 Class B has a Dometic 3 way. I always use 12 volt when traveling. Mine does not work on 12 volt unless the engine is on. It keeps it cold enough.

GordonThree
Explorer
Explorer
Turn off BEFORE you pull into the gas station for fueling.

How do the safety Sam's know someone hasn't already spilled gasoline everywhere? Turning off after pulling into the pump could be too late.
2013 KZ Sportsmen Classic 200, 20 ft TT
2020 RAM 1500, 5.7 4x4, 8 speed

PSW
Explorer
Explorer
Our Roadtrek does fine going down the road on 12v. We have a little wireless indoor/outdoor thermometer mounted on the dash and just observe it as we travel. Now, that assumes the refrig was cold to begin with when we turned it to 12v. As soon as we stop for more than an hour or so, we shift back to propane and I have no concern whatsoever of going down the road on propane. On a really hot day, say over 100F, we go with propane.

Our three Class Cs we have owned over the years were all two way (110v or propane) so we always traveled on propane. As others have said TURN IT OFF before you get near a refueling pump. That's the reason we prefer to drive with 12v -- so we don't have to shut off the refrig when we refuel.

People have an inordinate fear of propane. In the area where we live, a lot fleets run on CNG (compressed natural gas) and it compressed to about 3000 psi in its tank. I have never heard of a CNG or LP (aka propane) problem around here and the CNG has been used by some local fleets for a couple of decades.

Paul
PSW
2013 Phoenix Cruiser 2350
2014 Jeep Cherokee behind it
and a 2007 Roadtrek 210P for touring

time2roll
Explorer II
Explorer II
Saint Augustine wrote:
I know not to use propane when moving. Comments.
Why not? Thousands of RVs do it every day.

Pawz4me
Explorer
Explorer
Our current fridge runs fine on 12v. We keep a thermometer in it and it has no problem maintaining a good temperature. In our former RV we traveled for ten years running the fridge on propane w/o a problem.
Me, DH and Yogi (Shih Tzu)
2017 Winnebago Travato 59K

Dennis12
Explorer
Explorer
Use your propane!
Dennis Hoppert

pianotuna
Nomad II
Nomad II
Hi,

The problem is voltage drop on the 12 volt side. My 12 volt setting works well--if I'm plugged into shore power when the voltage is 13.2, and draws about 34 amps. That works out to over 400 watts. I discovered this by accident on a trip in 2009, so I don't have a lot of data about it.

But at 12.7 volts, the fridge just doesn't keep up with the wattage needed to keep running well.

Part of the reason is the makers only use #12 wire for the DC supply to the fridge. #10 or #8 would work much better.
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.

palmwhit
Explorer
Explorer
I've run refer on propane when underway since taking delivery of our 2006 Lance in late 2005. We burn diesel so that's an advantage on explosive fumes danger at pumps, but doesn't protect you from the gasser on the other side of the pump. To be safe, just turn the refer off prior to reaching pumps and back on after clearing.
Never had the flame blow out when moving in all those years either. Individual designs might not offer same wind protection however.

path1
Explorer
Explorer
We used all the time but never felt really good about a open flame. Picked up a wireless thermometer and turns out our fefrig keeps temps except most hottest days. Get gauge with most range... I think ours is 55 feet. Works for us.
2003 Majestic 23P... Northwest travel machine
2013 Arctic Fox 25W... Wife "doll house" for longer snowbird trips
2001 "The Mighty Dodge"... tow vehicle for "doll house"

Johno02
Explorer
Explorer
designed to use propane when moving. Do it. Turn it off at fuel pumps. Don't smoke at fuel pumps. If you see someone smoking at fuel pumps, get away as far and fast as you can.
Noel and Betty Johnson (and Harry)

2005 GulfStream Ultra Supreme, 1 Old grouch, 1 wonderful wife, and two silly poodles.