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Fridge - Propane While Traveling?

NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
in Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
Little tidbits on this subject have been spread out in various threads on the forum so thought I'd start a dedicated one even though it could turn into one of those where there's no difinitive right/wrong answer, just opinions.

I personally don't have a problem traveling with the fridge on battery as my alternator is large enough to handle the draw battery wise. But, the fridge doesn't cool as efficiently as on propane. On longer trips it loses ground somewhat. And there are those with smaller alternators that struggle.

What got me thinking about this is that I got distracted while cooking and closed the stovetop lid while the burner was still on. Didn't discover it for 15-20 minutes. I fully expected to smell propane fumes, especially when I opened the cover - nothing, not even a wiff. So, it's almost like there's a sensor and it shuts itself down.

Going from that thought led me to the fridge. I know there's the opinion that you could blow out the flame as the intake/exhaust are on the front of the T@B and fill the T@B with propane. But, could there be a similar reaction as my stovetop experience. Could there be a cutoff. It certainly can be hard to get lit sometimes. After seeing a pic here of how the intake/exhaust hoses snake down behind the fridge and the fact that the vents block air going straight into the hose, what are the real chances of the flame getting blown out - even if there is no safty shutoff.

Was discussing this whole thing with a couple guys that have other camper brands and visit their user forums like I do here and this has come up there also. The general consensus was there was no definitive answer. One of the two always travels in propane mode, the other once in awhile.

Is there a safety cutoff? Can wind really get down in there and blow it out. If it did, how much propane could escape?

So, while reasoned opinions are welcome, facts will win the day ... Ok, have at it :-)
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    keithpkeithp Member Posts: 31
    My concern is more that I'd have to leave the whole propane system live to get gas to the fridge, including all of the exposed piping under my trailer. Just seems like that could make a bad situation (like a crash or running over something in the road) worse.
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    NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Running over something and hitting it hard enough to break the plumbing would probably cause a lot of damage besides the propane lines. Probably wipe out the axel. Haven't actually traced the gas line. Will have to take a look.
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    GeoGeo Member Posts: 160
    PXLated,
    My 'opinion' on this is - almost all gas (natural and LP) appliances use a device called a thermo couple located next to the pilot light. It activates the gas valve when warmed and shuts the valve off if no heat is present, hence the red button you have to hold in while you light the fridge (to bypass the thermo couple). A close look at the wiring diagram for the fridge may reveal this.
    When traveling with the fridge in LP mode if the flame is blown out the gas valve would shut off due to no heat on the thermo couple.
    I used the LP mode when we traveled all the time with our '04 DM T@B #100, never had it blow out. I have since replaced the fridge with the 12VDC compressor type.

    Hope this helps,
    Geo
    T@BMahal
    #100
    Geo & Liz
    T@BMahal
    '04  #100
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    PhotomomPhotomom Member Posts: 2,217
    According to the 3163 service manual there is a safety valve that stops the flow of gas if there is no flame. Don't have the link handy, I have it on my iPad, but the information is on page 5 in the paragraph about control A.

    That being said, we use the fridge on 12v when traveling with propane turned off at the tank.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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    PhotomomPhotomom Member Posts: 2,217
    edited August 2016
    Here's a link to the owners manual. The safety valve is discussed on page 4. http://www.thetford.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/1236/636287-Installation-Owners-Manual.pdf

    This document has instructions for testing the safety cutoff valve to ensure it is working. 
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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    ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,442
    Say what, Photomom? You talkin' 'bout reading the directions?! 

    PXL said he wanted facts, he didn't say they had to be true facts!  :-)
    2015 T@B S

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    PhotomomPhotomom Member Posts: 2,217
    Oh, that kind of fact.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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    CyclonicCyclonic Member Posts: 1,232
    keithp said:
    My concern is more that I'd have to leave the whole propane system live to get gas to the fridge, including all of the exposed piping under my trailer. Just seems like that could make a bad situation (like a crash or running over something in the road) worse.
    Yes, that is my concern as well.  Thus, no propane use while driving.  The fridge might lose some ground over the course of a long drive, but I am good with that, as I find it is better then the chance of an explosion in the case of an accident.

    States the T@Bpole has camped, so far ;)
    Nathan & Becky... 2013 Ford F150 FX4 TAB HLR... 2012 LG T@B T@Bpole.
    Sterling, VA
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    VernaVerna Member Posts: 6,878
    Here's how the big guys do it:  

    I drove my sister's 24' Winnebago View RV from my driveway to the storage lot yesterday. I had to empty her fridge and freezer. I noticed it was set to auto and had the choices of electric or propane. She normally drives with it in auto so the propane cools it while driving. She doesn't even think about it. The propane had an alarm on it ( probably out of propane since she's been traveling for two months), but she had been connected to electric in my driveway for a few days. 

    So, their fridges' can automatically select whichever source is available, or the owner can select manually. The big rigs must not think traveling with propane on is a problem. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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    PhotomomPhotomom Member Posts: 2,217
    The safety valve would shut off the gas at the fridge if the flame went out, but if you were driving for several hours and didn't know the fridge went out you might have spoiled food. 12v operation is just safer all around, I think.

    I'd also be concerned about a rupture somewhere in the piping in case of an accident. Some drunk rednecks I know once put a propane tank in a campfire and shot at it with their hunting rifles until it blew up. The resulting explosion was dramatic, to say the least.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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    RatkityRatkity Member Posts: 3,770
    Many of the big rigs have shielding to prevent the pilot light from going out as well as an alarm for when the light goes out.
    2017 820R Retro Toy Hauler from 2015 Tabitha T@B from 2009 Reverse LG Teardrop (but a T@Bluver at heart)
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    ericnlizericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    We have always traveled with the fridge in either 12V or propane mode. Even when we had our '82 Rockwood tent trailer we used the propane mode without an issue. The only thing I ensured was when we would stop, I'd check to make sure the pilot light was still lit. As Photomom stated, and on page 4 of the Norcold manual, there is a safety valve present in the line. Simply said no gas, the valve closes and no propane flows. I usually start [before a trip] by plugging in to shore power, and getting the fridge cold first [24 hours], then fill the fridge and switch to propane. I would rather the 12V from my alternator [14.3] charge my battery than operate my fridge. 
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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    TommyTommy Member Posts: 175
    Well we are admittedly newbies ... this is our first camper trailer and we hit the road before I started digging into the information on this forum. We also bought our trailer new/used from a dealer who knew ZERO about Tabs and gave us no information specific to our Tab when we picked it up. With these disclaimers in place - we started traveling with the fridge on propane our very first trip, and two more trips since then and have had nothing but success. We had a single instance where it went out by itself on the first trip but it hasn't happened again. To be quite honest when we are traveling and running on propane seems to be when the fridge is at it's coldest and giving us the least amount of problems. Maybe this is because the moving vehicle causes better venting off of the heat on top of the fridge? Hopefully the fan mod will help change this but I'm just relaying our experiences so far.
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    NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Looked underneith and if you hit something that wipes out the gas lines you'd be taking out a lot of other stuff - axel for one. So, traveling on propane today to see how she goes. Checking at stops. So far I like what I'm seeing on my battery meter.
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    ericnlizericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    Pxl, that's exactly why I choose to run the fridge on propane! Really doesn't use that much, and I think it works better than on the battery power anyway. I'd rather have the power left in my battery to boot. Saves having to feed my solar panel caffeine! =)
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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    PhotomomPhotomom Member Posts: 2,217
    Ya'll must have wimpy alternators. We have had no problem keeping the fridge at 36 on 12v while simultaneously arriving at camp with the battery reading 12.7v!
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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    NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Photomom -- My alt is just fine BUT, there's times when you can't get a full battery charge in the morning before you leave so it'd be nice to be able to get it charged while you're traveling so you show up at your destination with topped off batteries
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    ericnlizericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    Photomom, Really has NOTHING to do with the alternator, mine, like PXL's works just fine, just ditto what he said! We, like PXL choose campgrounds where we don't have shore power 95% of the time. We also use solar power, and sometimes it doesn't have a chance to "full' charge, hence running the fridge on propane rather than compromising our battery. Nuff said? ;)
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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    PhotomomPhotomom Member Posts: 2,217
    I am sorry if I offended anyone.

    I will not joke on the internet with people who don't know me.
    I will not joke on the internet with people who don't know me.
    I will not joke on the internet with people who don't know me.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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    ericnlizericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    Photomom, I didn't take it offensively, really. Keep smilin' and have a good day  =). If my skin was that thin, I'd have to wear :o bubble wrap!
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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    Michigan_MikeMichigan_Mike Member Posts: 2,861
    edited August 2016
    I am not a big fan of driving down the road with propane on so I choose not to do it.   You might want to ask this guy how he feels about t...   :o  


    Mike - Elmira, Mi / 2019 T@B 400 / 2021 Chevy Silverado LTZ
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    ericnlizericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    Mike, the other part of that would be.. doesn't look like he was driving at all. That problem looks like it occurred WAY before he hit the road with a leak he ignored! 
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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    VernaVerna Member Posts: 6,878
    I figured it had something to do with the chemicals he was mixing....  :o
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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    PhotomomPhotomom Member Posts: 2,217
    Meth lab in a Walmart parking lot? I guess you need to be careful who you boondock next to.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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    RatkityRatkity Member Posts: 3,770
    Photomom said:
    Meth lab in a Walmart parking lot? I guess you need to be careful who you boondock next to.
    @Photomom, that was my first thought when I saw the shopping carts LOL. I *do* like the lonely fire extinguisher in the picture.
    2017 820R Retro Toy Hauler from 2015 Tabitha T@B from 2009 Reverse LG Teardrop (but a T@Bluver at heart)
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    NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Well, started out from a campground with no solar in the morning on what was supposed to be a 4hr trip that turned into 6 because of road construction and landed in rain so no afternoon solar either. BUT, I did the fridge in propane so landed with a cold fridge and fully charged battery. Without the fridge on propane, I'd have had to pulled out the generator.
    Me be happy :-)
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    ericnlizericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    PXL, Yes sir! ;)
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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    VernaVerna Member Posts: 6,878
    Sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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    ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,442
    Photomom said:
    I am sorry if I offended anyone.

    I will not joke on the internet with people who don't know me.
    I will not joke on the internet with people who don't know me.
    I will not joke on the internet with people who don't know me.
    Ahh, well... you did poke fun at the size of their alternators.  :-)
    2015 T@B S

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