Do you tow with the fridge on or off?????

[drifter101]

On all the time!

[SAD]

Every forum has a thread like this... Or multiple threads like this where the fridge-on while traveling discussion comes up.

I'm kinda amazed there are people who ~don't~ travel with it on. What difference does it make if it's 30 minutes or 30 hour drive... IF there is a risk, the risk is the same.

Many will say, "Why take the risk?"..... Heck driving is a risk.. So is crossing the street...

It's designed to be on while traveling. Well maintained equipment will do what it's supposed to do.

How many people inspect their car's brake system hydraulic lines or their tie-rod ends prior to each morning's commute? No one... Yet those systems have a safety impact on every single move your daily driver car makes... Not a minimal one either... And not just when you're refueling every single instant you're moving...

Things that make you go... Hmm...

[smiller]

Perception of risk is a very funny thing. It's very common for people to focus on what's in front of them to the exclusion of the big picture, happens in forums of all different stripes. If you're going to worry about the minute risk of a refrigerator fire incident you should also not drive in inclement weather, on tires more than a year old, or if the sun is in your eyes as any of these probably represent 1,000x (or 10,000x) the risk factor.

[LarryL]

I turn mine on at storage when I pick up the rv for a trip
and have never turned it off when getting gas if the gas
station has gas fums that fill the gas pump bays I think
they would be shut down, the volume of fums would have
to be so great you would smell it as soon as you got out
of your truck

[dakingsella]

I always travel with it on.

[Jorme]

Originally Posted by SAD

How many people inspect their car's brake system hydraulic lines or their tie-rod ends prior to each morning's commute? No one...

Not on my daily driver.....but on my engine I do!!!!

[Jim & Kay]

Yes, we drive with the frig on all the time. Leave it on auto and it makes the switch when the electric cord is unplugged. Also, it automatically comes on if power is lost at a campground.

[therink]

I turn mine on in April and turn it off in October. Plug in at the house stocked, cold and ready to go.
Steve

[azlee56]

I brought this up to the boyfriend a few days back and he said, yeah I know that is why I fill up the truck when it isn't on. We go on short rides though. So I asked what if we were on the road and seeing stuff. He said I would shut off the propane, which won't make the fridge cold and then after turn it on.

bwt, I won't answer the phone or talk on it when I fueling! Most times I make sure it won't ring.

[SAD]

BTW.. the phone thing is a myth.

[chipjohns]

Originally Posted by SAD

BTW.. the phone thing is a myth.

Myth Busters tried EVERYTHING to get the phone to start a fire. Didn't happen.

[reubenray]

For the ones that have their campers in storage are you allowed to have the refrigerator running via propane in the storage yard? On our first trip I was wanting to start it the night before and then while we are making the 5 hour trip early the next morning.

Will this be an issue?

[f6bits]

No problems at my storage yard. I’m not sure how they’d enforce that, or even how they’d word it in the contract unless they called it “unattended propane usage.”

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by reubenray

For the ones that have their campers in storage are you allowed to have the refrigerator running via propane in the storage yard? On our first trip I was wanting to start it the night before and then while we are making the 5 hour trip early the next morning.

Will this be an issue?

I always start the night before, with the Copper Canyon, I set it on auto so as soon as we get to the campground it goes back to electric.

I also leave my Propane on in storage, if it leaks I want to know before I leave, not once i get there. if all gas appliances are correctly maintained you should not have an issue.
I don't "store" for the winter as we are four season campers, my winterize is to, by pass and drain the water tank and fill the water system with safe antifreeze!

[johnnyrose]

I am new to this, but I leave it on while driving. Don't see any need not to and makes it so I don't forget to turn the propane on to cook at the campsite.

[chris199]

We have had no reason to tow with it on. Agree with some posts here that the fridge is very well insulated. Sometimes, for longer trips, we will freeze a gallon jug of water and put it in there to keep things cold. Works for us.

We are planning a long trip for mid May. Planning to take our portable fridge in the TV and plug into cigarette lighter. I guess I could actually put that in the trailer, now that I'm writing this..... mmmmmm.......rather put the weight in the trailer but will need some way to secure it in there.

Anyway.....saw a 5er fire in NY. Very bad. I don't know what started it...they were driving at ignition.....but it was obvious the gas was one. There were explosions from inside the trailer and what appeared to be flame throwers coming from the trailer.

Just rather have peace of mind. I'd be the idiot to not turn off the unit at a gas station.

[SAD]

Originally Posted by chris199

We have had no reason to tow with it on...

Hmmm

Originally Posted by chris199

.....longer trips...

we will freeze a gallon jug of water and put it in there to keep things cold...

...long trip

...take our portable fridge in the TV and plug into cigarette light...

These ^ sound like pretty good reasons to me!!

[chris199]

I can't explain it but we can deal with not using gas so we do. Peace of mind.....

Maybe at some point we'll just bite the bullet and leave it on. The 90+% figure above speaks for itself.

Perhaps if we had not seen the trailer fire last summer (one of the first to run across it just as it started), perhaps I would not be as hesitant.

Just going with my gut...not necessarily my head.... on this one I guess.

[gerry.witt]

It's just more convenient to leave it on.

[chris199]

Were 14 hrs from home for this weekend's trip o Nashville. Kept the fridge on during the trip to. Nashville. Assumed we would do the same on the way home.....

Packed everything up...but had some work to do b4 leaving. Got back in the camper after all was done except disconnecting power. Smelled propane..no alarm. Turned out that DW or I accidentally/somehow moved a stove knob an gas was spewing slowly from the stove. Normally I would turn the gas off to travel OR would have just left thinking all was OK. Am thankful I had a reason to go back in the camper!

We travelled with the fridge on.....just triple checked to be sure all was OK.

Hopefully his post will cause someone to avoid the same circumstance.