# Propane On While Driving



## mailfire99

Do you keep your propane bottles open while traveling down the road to operate the fridge? I think most people do, I was told to, but I have heard from a few people that they actually dont do this.


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## billyj

Yes, we keep ours on to keep the fridge on. We have never had a problem with this, and I havent heard about it being a problem.

We do NOT leave our gas water heater on while traveling, but we do keep the fridge on.


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## l2l

I keep mine on as well but I have heard that it is illegal to do this :scratchhead:


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## antigua

I've asked the question thru my RV dealer and he tells me that it is not illegal. It's no different than a propane car as he says. I always drive with it on for the fridge.


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## haroldj

Its not illegal here, that I know of I know everyone does it, and we were told to do it when we left the dealer as well.


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## ctfortner

Same here, we leave ours on while driving, everyone does I have ever talked too. Thats what the dealer showed us, so I assumed it wasnt illegal, although I have never checked on that.


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## roadhouse

Mine are on too and from camping to keep the fridge cold. I was told it was okay by the dealer we bought the camper at.


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## ctfortner

I have read about this a lot, you could literally spend hours reading posts about it.

The majority of people (that I can tell) drive with it on, most not turning it off at gas stations. There are a few who do feel that driving with it on is unsafe and that is fine, for them.

I drive with it on for the refrigerator only, and always turn off appliances, especially if I am going to any gas stations


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## kiteri

I think there are a few tunnels in the East that you could get a fine if you were pulled over and the propane tank valves were not in the closed position.

It is one of those things, though, that I think they would not pull you over to check if the valve was open, but if they pull you over for something else and discover it was open they would tack it onto your ticket.


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## grace

I do live next to the Hampton Bridge Tunnel. You are probably right about having those on when driving through it. I drive through it frequently, with no problems. Just a few days ago, a horse trailer got loose in the tunnel. The Transit people had to catch horses first thing in the morning.:10220:

Here's the latest picture from my Mom.


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## happiestcamper

Run it while traveling, will turn it off at gas station or if CG has 110.


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## bill0830

Gues I'm very illegal as I leave mine on. One for refer and the other for HOT water when we get to the camp ground.


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## bludog

We ALWAYS kept our LP on: keep the refrigerator cold....right? Would take forever to GET cold...generally the beer/soft drinks occupied an ice-chest, in the bathtub. (Yes, we showered...just had to juggle the beer chest first...). 
So at our 'walk-thru' with this last RV...the manager says: "Never, never go down the road with your LP on...use the generator if necessary." Yikes! Been breaking the law for (hmmm...) ??? 
Sigh... who knew?!:shrug:


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## cassiem

I think I would enjoy camping with you :thumbup1:

Everything else may be hot, but our beer is always cold

I dont have much input on the propane, we tent camp, but the campers we have been with, I am sure they keep it on, because the fridge is always on when they get there :shrug:


bludog said:


> We ALWAYS kept our LP on: keep the refrigerator cold....right? Would take forever to GET cold...generally the beer/soft drinks occupied an ice-chest, in the bathtub. (Yes, we showered...just had to juggle the beer chest first...).
> So at our 'walk-thru' with this last RV...the manager says: "Never, never go down the road with your LP on...use the generator if necessary." Yikes! Been breaking the law for (hmmm...) ???
> Sigh... who knew?!:shrug:


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## bludog

One simply MUST keep the priorities straight...he, he, he!:yippie:


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## grace

Well it sounds like you have a system when you camp. Everyone has their own things they do while driving. As long as you don't blow yourself up or others.:no: Some of time, we do something illegal. We have car phones, no baby seats, eating food and drinking while driving. I have the baby seats though. Personally, I can't drink water or eat when I drive.:comfort_:


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## bill0830

I leave my LP tank open and refrigerator on during camping season. Usually it's on AC power, but we keep the refrigerator stocked and with a power lost we could lose everything because it gets so HOT during the summer in the Memphis, TN area. I use the LP as a backup. The BEER has to stay COLD....:thumbup1:


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## happiestcamper

Leaving out early in the morning, and my fridge won't stay lit :bang: - so this trip the propane will be off.


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## ctfortner

Strange. It strikes, lights, then just goes out? I hope its staying on with electricity, I assume it is.



happiestcamper said:


> Leaving out early in the morning, and my fridge won't stay lit :bang: - so this trip the propane will be off.


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## grace

Well the heat will be going up with spring and then summer coming. You said Memphis is very hot. It's probably consistently about 20 degrees more there. I think the last summer here in Virginia was hot. But there in Memphis it must be hotter than us. I was thinking that during this summer, there will be more heat to deal with, inside and outside. We are going to need our air conditioning this summer for sure.


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## happiestcamper

ctfortner said:


> Strange. It strikes, lights, then just goes out? I hope its staying on with electricity, I assume it is.


Yeah, when I got to the CG, it worked fine off of 110. Oh well, the service shop has only gotten $700 from so far this year :smack-head:

But they will have to wait - I got to call a locksmith first because I discovered the keys missing when we got home an hour ago :bang:

I bet they're sitting on the ground at the last gas station I was at - I was jumping in and out of the truck to get around those idiot non campers who were blocking my way :rotflmao1:


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## ctfortner

The hits just keep on coming dont they :bang:

You only have one set of keys?

I got ours out and de-winterized it and headed to the campground last night. Glad to be back at it!


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## happiestcamper

ctfortner said:


> The hits just keep on coming dont they :bang:
> 
> You only have one set of keys?
> 
> I got ours out and de-winterized it and headed to the campground last night. Glad to be back at it!


When I got it, I couldn't find anybody that could find a match to make a duplicate for the door - not even the dealer. Oh well, the locksmith picked it for $55 this morning. I've already made a dupe of the other key, so I'm going to get the dealer to put a new lock on the door when it goes in for the fridge and the waste tanks. Waste tanks? Yeah, last night in the dark as I was backing past the house, I thought I just got tangled up with a boxwood. Turns out there was a garden hose in the bush which got wrapped up in the sewer connection. Today in the daylight found pieces of it all the way through the side yard. The black water tank will definitely need to be replaced - maybe they can leave the gray water tank there and run a new line for the drain. Speaking of drains, my money just keeps going down it this trip :comfort_:

Hope everybody else's trip is going well :10220:


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## mailfire99

Man o man happiest. Dont know what to say, its just been one of them trips for you. You must have patience, because by now my camper would be laying on its side when I got done with it.


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## happiestcamper

Mostly all my fault, I can't be mad at the camper :10001:

I only spent $80/night to stay in Disney's CG compared to $400-500 to stay in one of the mouse's resorts - before this one is over, I may end up spending that much :no:


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## mailfire99

Hey, but you will have a lot of new parts to show for it. Hope things get better from here on. I assume your not camping this weekend :scratchhead:


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## l2l

$80 Bucks a night to camp at Disney, I sure hope that included some park passes :scratchhead:

Sorry to hear about your troubles, look at it this way, things happen in threes and you got all three bad things out of the way now, nothing more can happen to you!!!!!


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## antigua

You know what, it's March......I can't stand March. This March has cost me a lot of money so far and I'm about to LOSE IT (l2l - the champ on Q. Remember that?) This month has been the pits. I thought about it just yesterday and in the past 5 years the month of March has been very bad for us. So far it's cost me a new car, A new back window for the truck...Remeber that....Ya $1400....Ouch. A new bathroom....well almost. It started out as a painting project and it all went down hill from there. I found mold and had to rip out the drywall. Ya lots of fun. Basiclly everything I touched broke or didn't work out. So I blame it on March. Everyday was a bad day. DAMN YOU MARCH. I'll welcome April with open arms. I feel your pain brother. Hang in there, it's got to get better.
By the way, how was the campground? We're thinking of going for a week or so in the next couple of years and was thinking that this would be a great idea.


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## l2l

The Champ, I miss him :rotflmao1: It was Darringer who did that wasn't it :scratchhead:

"So the guy looks at my wife and I LOSE IT, I fake him out with a blistering left jab and destroy him with a mind blowing upper cut, ever since I've been the Champ"

Sorry your having a bad month Antigua, keep your fingers crossed for me as I am heading up to the trailer this weekend to see how she made out over the winter.....


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## antigua

Good luck. I hope all is well.


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## happiestcamper

antigua said:


> By the way, how was the campground? We're thinking of going for a week or so in the next couple of years and was thinking that this would be a great idea.


It was great. You're inside the resort, so you get the extra hours in the parks. The buses ran often to all of them (always took 2 to get from your campsite to the parks), and you could take the boat to the Magic Kingdom.

We planned too much around the parks, and I am worn out. In the future, we're gonna have a rule that we will not do more than 2 days in a row in the parks. There is plenty to do at the CG on a "down" day to keep everyone busy. There are several pools, stores (stores sell beer, wine, even liquor - mini-bottles and regular size), tennis courts, horse rentals, boat rentals, restaurants, shows at night, big screen movies in the outdoors, plus lots more I'm sure I'm leaving out. The sites are very far apart from your neighbor, but it's kind of swampy between them. No bugs, though - they have that under control. Plenty of asphalt to park on, plus a sand area behind that to put a tent. Now for some reason, they put the electric behind the sand - so you better bring an extension for that hookup. Water and sewer were in a normal location. Bathrooms, showers, laundry, and ice in each loop - and very clean. As many people as there were in the CG, it was quiet.

Like I said - you could stay at the Contemporary, Polynesian, or Grand Floridian to be closer and have a monorail come through, but you're going to start at $400/night. I've only stayed at two other CG's that were not a federal or state park, so I'm usually not impressed with any amenities, but this was different. We will be back :thumbup1::thumbup1::thumbup1:


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## antigua

Wow! Thanks happiestcamper. I want to pack up and go now. It sounds like a great place. I would love to drive down there with our trailer and spend a week or two but for now we are stuck here in our winter wonderland. Maybe in a couple of years we'll get a chance to get down there. Thanks for the info. I really hope I can get a chance to get down there.

l2l how was the trailer? Next time you come up my way stop by my place for a cold beer. That is if you have the time. As for the champ, (which I think you can still listen too on line) I think it's Andy Frost. The same guy that does the announcements at the ACC. By the way, my company (Atec Signs) is building the new time clock for the ACC. We'll have it installed before the puck drops next season. 
Anyway I hope the trailer is ok.

Shane


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## l2l

Antigua, trailer seemed ok but still snowed in...

I thought of you as I drove up the Orangeville by-pass, next time I head up that way I will shoot you a PM and I will stop by.


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## antigua

l2l said:


> Antigua, trailer seemed ok but still snowed in...
> 
> I thought of you as I drove up the Orangeville by-pass, next time I head up that way I will shoot you a PM and I will stop by.


Sure. I'll Have a cold beer waiting for you. I'm just off of the by-pass by the rec center.
I haven't been up to see ours yet, I'll wait until May.


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## l2l

Sounds good I will do that!


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## happiestcamper

Got the quote yesterday to fix everything - $1,352 :no:



happiestcamper said:


> When I got it, I couldn't find anybody that could find a match to make a duplicate for the door - not even the dealer. Oh well, the locksmith picked it for $55 this morning. I've already made a dupe of the other key, so I'm going to get the dealer to put a new lock on the door when it goes in for the fridge and the waste tanks. Waste tanks? Yeah, last night in the dark as I was backing past the house, I thought I just got tangled up with a boxwood. Turns out there was a garden hose in the bush which got wrapped up in the sewer connection. Today in the daylight found pieces of it all the way through the side yard. The black water tank will definitely need to be replaced - maybe they can leave the gray water tank there and run a new line for the drain. Speaking of drains, my money just keeps going down it this trip :comfort_:
> 
> Hope everybody else's trip is going well :10220:


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## antigua

Ouch!!! :comfort_: I feel you pain.


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## happiestcamper

At least I had the opportunity the past few days to look at replacements, in case the the cost to fix was too high. Now I'm kind of disappointed that I won't be getting a new one


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## mailfire99

Ouch, that hurts. Nothing is cheap when fixing our beloved campers, thats for sure. So I guess your sending her in to get fixed?


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## happiestcamper

Definitely. It's kind of like a wife, can't imagine life without her - though there is the fantasy when I see a Class A or Kim Basinger :rotflmao1:


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## happiestcamper

After two months in the shop, it finally came home. Came in $200 under estimate. :thumbup1:

Only complaint (besides the amount of time it took) is the first thing they did was fix the fridge, let it get cold, then turned it off and left the door closed. Nice layer of mold I'll need to clean out of it :smack-head:


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## cassiem

Oh man that sucks happiest. Get some Tilex mold and mildew cleaner. It works great for cleaning refrigerators and freezers and anywhere else that gets moldy. It doesnt have to be just for bathrooms, I have used it, works better than anything else I have found so far.

Glad they got it fixed though, and under estimate, how often does that happen


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## bighabsfan11

This is off what the last page topic is, but on what the thread topic is...with the LP on for fridges, seems a little strange to me. I didn't read the 2nd page, so if this has been asked already, forgive me.

Does everyone not have 3-way fridges, that are powered by your tow vehicle when hooked up for towing? Mine does ('08 28 foot Dutchmen Aristocrat), and it's a dream! Only need gas for Hot Water, and when I don't have electrical at a site.

Just a thought.

Thanks!


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## happiestcamper

Mine is only LP or 110.


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## antigua

Mine too! no 12v. I wish it did though. My old popup's had the 12v and we used it all the time.


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## mark

In regards to the 110/12v refrigerator issue, the easiest solution I found during my travel trailer days, was to wire in a power inverter (12v to 110) and run the fridge off that while traveling. less than $150 in materials and gadgets, did the work myself, problem solved


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## dchaviland

mailfire99 said:


> Do you keep your propane bottles open while traveling down the road to operate the fridge? I think most people do, I was told to, but I have heard from a few people that they actually dont do this.


I had to re-read this thread and make sure I hadn't already replied to it. The reason this popped into my mind is that I'm not sure the Dometic fridge can run on 12V. As such, it needs either propane or 110VAC. 

DW and I had a "stupid" moment when we pulled into San Antonio over New Years in a quick trip from Houston. Noted the fridge wasn't quite down to temp but thought nothing of it. Same thing happened on the way back. :bang: Then it hit us... the fridge won't fly on 12V so that is where we pulled out our taped walk thru when we bought the trailer. In it, they guy said, "we can't recommend you run the propane while traveling, but let's just say that many folks do run it to keep the fridge down to temp." 

We don't have a problem when we load up for a trip as our RV is in a yard where there is power so our beast is plugged in 24/7 so the fridge is already cooled. 

Our biggest problem is making sure when we put it bed in the storage yard that the gas switch is off for the water heater and that one of us has turned off the electric side of the water heater. 

David :icon_smile_bbq:


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## antigua

I found with the 12V in the popups, I had so run a shore line to the pup the day before, get the fridge nice and cold. The whole idea behind the 12v is to keep an already cold fridge cold. It was never designed to get the fridge cold by itself. That's what I liked about it. On a long trip the fridge is still cold and none of the food spoils. With the new trailer (travel Trailer) it always pluged in to the shore line at home once we pack up the fridge before we go, usually the night before, the fridge stays locked until we get to our destination. Never had a problem yet. If we do stop for some reason I'll put the gas on to cool it off and turn it off before we leave again. I found that the gas cools off the fridge quicker the shore line. anyone else find that?


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## RVCamper

Our generator, refrigerator, and some other appliances all run off liquid propane. We have to use these on moving day to keep these appliances working.


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## crawford

as far as propane traveling sometime going through tunnels it posted not allowed go another way even if it it is turned off.


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