Driving with Propane On (Revisited)

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: Heat with L.P. question..

Dalehelman

We leave ours on even when traveling. That way it is all really warm when we stop.

Cbusguy

gotta chuckle.......and some folks fuss about me traveling with my Fridge using propane.     I gotta admit,   the last fuel stop before we stop for the night I turn on mine as well,   no waiting for the trailer to warm up.

Just make sure the alde is powered off before plugging or unplugging from shore power,  ya might blow the fuse in the alde

boonie

Cbusguy said:

gotta chuckle.......and some folks fuss about me traveling with my Fridge using propane.     I gotta admit,   the last fuel stop before we stop for the night I turn on mine as well,   no waiting for the trailer to warm up.

Just make sure the alde is powered off before plugging or unplugging from shore power,  ya might blow the fuse in the alde

hi, so you just set it to lp, and a set temp. drive, stop, warm toasty cab. good idea thanks.

gspdx

For what it's worth.  Just pulled this off of a website.

While traveling, appliances move and they can break the propane line allowing the gas in the tank to escape. You only need a small spark to ignite propane gas. A broken line can trigger a fire in an instant.
If you travel with your propane on, turn it, and all other appliances off before going into a gas station. Most states also require that you turn propane off when entering a tunnel.

I am OK waiting for my heat to kick in when I get to my destination.  If it is that cold I am starting a fire anyway.  Wouldn't travel with propane on.

Dalehelman

boonie said:

Cbusguy said:

gotta chuckle.......and some folks fuss about me traveling with my Fridge using propane.     I gotta admit,   the last fuel stop before we stop for the night I turn on mine as well,   no waiting for the trailer to warm up.

Just make sure the alde is powered off before plugging or unplugging from shore power,  ya might blow the fuse in the alde

hi, so you just set it to lp, and a set temp. drive, stop, warm toasty cab. good idea thanks.

Correct. We have RVd for over 40 years. A lot of the time in motor homes. In order to be comfortable it is often necessary to use the RV heating system. It is important to turn off all flames when refueling. 

Sharon_is_SAM

If I am not mistaken, the Alde manual instructs to avoid operation of the Alde under tow.

boonie

Sharon_is_SAM said:

If I am not mistaken, the Alde manual instructs to avoid operation of the Alde under tow.

yep, read that myself in the good book, that's what i'll do, stay on the safe side

pthomas745

@gspdx How would the gas in the tank escape if a "line breaks?"  Wouldn't the propane regulator prevent the runaway flow of propane that might cause an "explosion?" 

Denny16

In theory yes, but some gas will still escape and is a fire hazard.  I never tow a trailer with the gas on, it is an accident waiting to happen.  I recently saw a burned out RV alongside the road, that had caught fire while using it’s propane system wile underway.  Also also your insurance company can deny a claim if they discover your propane system was turned on.
Cheers

Cbusguy

so what is more dangerous,  fiddling with a cell phone while driving or towing with your propane fridge on?

I have traveled with propane on in the trailer for years,  powering my fridge,   I do follow the posted signs regarding tunnels and ferrys. 

 Didn't a community famous youtuber sell his camper and buy a 400 because the fridge  wouldn't run on propane while traveling?

ScottG

Sheesh. You mean to tell me the Alde can heat up the camper as well? I thought it was just just for hot water. To think I spent all those nights shivering needlessly!  ;-)

Seriously, "I've been doing it for years and I'm fine" is a common but not always compelling argument. Same goes for "Yeah it's potentially dangerous but at least I'm not doing something even more dangerous!"

Sure the risk may be small, but in my (not so) humble opinion, so is the reward. In addition, the consequences of a propane accident are pretty dire. I take plenty of risks, but given these economics I'll drive with the gas off. YMMV!

gspdx

pthomas745 said:

@gspdx How would the gas in the tank escape if a "line breaks?"  Wouldn't the propane regulator prevent the runaway flow of propane that might cause an "explosion?" 

I just pulled this off of a website.  Not my analysis. 

I will say just because we haven't seen it doesn't mean it can't happen.  I had a battery on a truck that lost the charge and left me stranded.  A guy helped me jump the battery and while I was cranking it to start my truck the battery blew up.  And I do mean blew up.  The guy had just stepped away from my truck so he wasn't hurt.  Battery pieces and acid went everywhere.

You never know when something bad will happen.

pthomas745

So......jumping a battery and having it explode is not the "leak of gas" into the trailer that causes an explosion.  How much propane would be inside any of the lines inside the Tab?  If I turn the gas off, wouldn't that gas still  be in the lines?  And if one of those lines leaks, wouldn't the explosion threat still exist?

I'm having difficulty imagining the concentration of propane in the trailer that would explode.

gspdx

pthomas745 said:

So......jumping a battery and having it explode is not the "leak of gas" into the trailer that causes an explosion.  How much propane would be inside any of the lines inside the Tab?  If I turn the gas off, wouldn't that gas still  be in the lines?  And if one of those lines leaks, wouldn't the explosion threat still exist?

I'm having difficulty imagining the concentration of propane in the trailer that would explode.

That wasn't my point.  Sometimes we think what we do is fine because "nothing bad happened" so it must be OK.  I have jump started vehicles many times and this only happened once.  Most people have never had that happen.  Just because it has never happened to you doesn't mean it is safe.

Also - you are depending on a cheap regulator to protect you and your investment just so you have a little less discomfort when you arrive at your destination.  It's just not a choice I would make.

I also use the Andersen WDH and tow with a 1/2 ton pickup truck because I appreciate the extra margin of safety.  I have taken plenty of risks in my life (certified pilot, scuba diver, mountain climber) and I always have looked at risk mitigation as the smarter choice.  I just don't feel like this is a place to take unnecessary chances.

Just my opinion. 

db_cooper

There was a horrible fatality accident here last Labor Day, where a man had a medical emergency, lost control and hit trees at full speed.  His wife died in the ensuing fire, which came from a ruptured propane tank on the front of the trailer.  Doesn't matter if the propane is turned on or not if the wreck is bad enough. 

I'll continue to do as @Dalehelman and a few others, and occasionally heat the camper when we're close to our destination, as we do a lot of cold weather camping. 

gspdx

db_cooper said:

There was a horrible fatality accident here last Labor Day, where a man had a medical emergency, lost control and hit trees at full speed.  His wife died in the ensuing fire, which came from a ruptured propane tank on the front of the trailer.  Doesn't matter if the propane is turned on or not if the wreck is bad enough. 

I'll continue to do as @Dalehelman and a few others, and occasionally heat the camper when we're close to our destination, as we do a lot of cold weather camping. 

Certainly your choice.

My Mom wouldn't wear her seatbelt because she was scared about ending up in the water in an accident and drowning because she couldn't get out of the car.  She lived in Indiana and couldn't swim.

Saftey measures don't eliminate risk - they mitigate risk.  Bad things can always happen.

nhmike

Out of respect for others I agree they have the right to make decisions for themselves.  When someone decides to take a 'risk' that is a decision they make for themselves.  My problem would be if their freedom of choice could put others at risk.

Somebody fiddling with their cellphone while driving could result in a serious or fatal accident for someone else that is not on the cellphone.  Doesn't seem right.

Personally I would never travel with gas on.  The Alde heats our trailer pretty quick when we arrive at  the campsite.  (I also don't mess with my cellphone when driving)

MiquelCamo

Years ago in our town a young man was killed by an explosion at a car wash when a line was pulled loose on a propane tank. He was an innocent worker at the car wash and not in the vehicle. A few minutes of discomfort waiting for heat is a small price to pay. 

falcon1970

I have noticed that the Alde heats the 400 pretty quickly.  I turn the heat on as soon as I have the TAB positioned where I want it.  By the time I get it chocked, disconnected from thenTV, and hooked up to utilities, it is warm in the trailer.  Of course the OATs are not hovering around zero when I camp.

Tundra57

I modded my trailer to use Alde heat to keep water tanks from freezing. This was so traveling from Florida to Connecticut I did not have to winerize on the way up and still have water. I did not take into account the dangers of running with propane on. In retrospect I will still winterize but carry water in the truck. Then when I stop I can dewinterize and fill up from the water in the truck. The Alde will keep everything thawed. Then I would have to winterize when I break camp. It is really quick anyway. The other issue I have is with the fridge. I have the big one in my 400. It depletes the battery when driving. Everything is ok with the truck but the truck battery management system reduces battery voltage so the Tab is slow to charge. It manages with solar until darkness falls.

I am fitting a seperate charge manager at the tab to remedy this.

Up until now I was using gas for the fridge too.
Thanks for the safety reminder.