Question of the Week

Do you drive with your RV's refrigerator running on propane?

With 3572 responses thus far, here's how the voting is going:

Yes, often

67.25% (2402)

Yes, sometimes

9.63% (344)

Yes, but rarely

5.60% (200)

No, never

17.53% (626)

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I do not have an aauto ignitor so not I do not leave mine run. the flame would blow out and then becomes a dangerouse situation. But when I owned my class a motorhome I ran with it on. depends on your hot water heater.

Posted: 6/1/2008 By: teresa

We always turn off the propane at the tanks. Our reffer/freezer will stay cold and everything frozen all day long even in hot weather as long as the doors stay closed. Too much danger of a fire with it on Wi full timer

Posted: 5/12/2008 By: Anonymous

We used to. No more! Our Dometic refer shorted out and caught fire. We had the propane on and it fed the fire. Fortunately a Swift truck driver flagged us over and the fire was put out quickly. It was a $14,000 repair and months without our "house on wheels", but we were lucky not to have lost it all! A refer and freezer will stay cold for at least 1 day while off! We lost a relative in an accident when the propane line ruptured and the righ caught firre. He burned to death! TURN OFF THE PROPANE TANK VALVE AND TURN OFF THE REFER/FREEZER! Twowanderers

Posted: 5/11/2008 By: Twowanderers

We run with the propane on or the frig switches to AC when the generator is on. One thing we learned recently, when the hot water heater went out on us, is that we should be turning the hot water heater off when running down the road. The propane flame can flare up and burn out the thermostat(?) on the hot water heater, which is why for Christmas that year my husband gave me a hotel room--so I could take a hot shower. We then waited for parts for 2 more days, needless to say, we added "turn off the hot water heater" to our take-off checklist!

Posted: 5/10/2008 By: Katherine

We always turn the propane off. The refrigerator always maintains temperature, because the propane left in the line keeps it running. Each time we stop for a break, we turn on the propane, let it fill the lines again, and turn it off. In our Allegro, it has kept the fridge cold for as long as four hours, without turning on the propane.

Posted: 5/10/2008 By: Bob & Nadine

I have been camping in an RV for over 30 years and always traveled with the propane on. If it is hot and I have the generator on to run the a/c, then the refrigerator automatically switches to electric.

Posted: 5/10/2008 By: Anonymous

Our propane is off at the tanks while driving. I am a retired firefighter and in my career I have personally responded to two RV fires where propane off would have saved the rig. One was a minor fender bender that happened to cause a propane leak that ignited, and the other was unknown cause, but the fire created a gas line leak that causes an explosion. In both cases the rig was a total loss, including pets trapped inside. I know of many others, but I personally have responded to two. Thousands of RV owners travel with propane on with no problems, but the risk is not zero. I do not intend to become the next statistic.

Posted: 5/10/2008 By: dave

To leave our area of Hampton Roads requires us to use bridges and tunnels in all directions but one. All require gas bottles to be off and now they check tank valves as well. When traveling in the cooler months we use gas, in the hotter months we use the generator for A/C and also the fridge. We turn the gas back on at the tank valve when we are clear of all tunnels.

Posted: 5/10/2008 By: W.Cooke

I installed a power inverter under the bed and ran a circuit back to the refer to power it on the road. I have seen too many rigs burn to the ground on the mountain pass near my home to worry about gas running thru the rig while driving!

Posted: 5/10/2008 By: mtngem98

We have an all electric coach,and loving it. We feel so much safer not having propane on board in case of an accident

Posted: 5/10/2008 By: Marilyn