Poll
Question:
For those of you with both electrical and propane, how do you keep your fridge cold while you're on the road?
Option 1: I use my generator
votes: 6
Option 2: I use propane
votes: 21
Option 3: I use an inverter
votes: 15
Option 4: I keep it turned off on the road
votes: 6
Just a discussion that came up recently with some fellow bus nuts....
We don't do anything. We keep it full of food or containers of ice water or jugs of ice and things are just fine when we arrive at our destination. We have checked the temp when doing this and everything always stays super cold and safe.
In our truck bed camper we just keep the opeing of it at a minimum. Stuff stayed cold over a 1200 mile trip. I drove straight thru tho.
Ours is 3 way. 12 volt on the road, 120 volt in campgrounds and propane dry camping...Cable
Ours is 2 way I use the electric (a/c) on the inverter. It only takes 1 amp to run.
Only time we use propane is if we are boondocking and that allows us to turn the inverter on and off for the remaining intermittent loads too.
We can get down to a couple hrs of gen time a day if the weather is right.
I like the propane fridge just as much for its ability to opporate electrically on only 1 amp as I am about anything.d/c powered circulating fan from camping world in it on a shelf helps a bunch in hot weather.
I suppose a propane fridge would not lend itself well to a big family all the door openings and they do not recover well if your in and out of it all day long. Its just me and Debbie usually.
If I am running the AC I run the generator and Fridge at the same time. If I am not running the AC it seems to stay cool enough with out running it on propane while on the road. If I don't have plug in at the end of the day I fire it up on propane so it is cooled down for the next day.
This is why I have a compressor type Norcold and also have a Novakool compressor type. Both pull about 5amps at 12vdc when running and never have to worry about a pilot light, keeping it level, leaking ammonia, having fits about thermostat control, etc. Don't know why anyone puts up with absorption refrigerators? Good Luck, TomC
With a day left in the poll, 42% say that they run propane over the road to keep their fridge cold. I asked the question because most people I talked to used propane. For some reason I always thought that it was illegal to run propane over the road but I can't find any motor vehicle laws that state this. I guess if you own a propane powered vehicle it's the same thing.
Any concerns about using propane while your coach is rolling down the road?
Bryan
Of what I have heard it can be a pita to keep the pilot light lit when travelling. I personally turn mine off in my S&S when going down the road. Get it cold and and it will last for awhile.
Back in the gasoline powered S&S days there was a danger when filling the gas tank. The claim was fumes from
the filling process could whaft into the fridge vent & go bang. May not be such a problem now with the fume
recovery type pumps. 06 Bill