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  1. #11
    Rolling Along Houndbb's Avatar
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    We mostly avoid having to fill up with trailer in tow (mostly because I haven’t the patience to sit in the truck through an entire tank of gas). However, sometimes it can’t be avoided, so we park, use the facilities, then before going to the pumps, we turn the refrigerator off. After pulling away from the pumps, we turn it back on again.

    Some folks here claim that the fridge works better on propane; however, only our freezer is colder while the fridge temp seems to raise a few degrees. Once back on electricity, the freezer comes up a few degrees while the fridge goes down.
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  2. #12
    Big Traveler boyscout's Avatar
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    As @livinthelife has said there are other threads on this, but in case this is the only one a new visitor sees...

    We haven't found it *necessary* to leave our Norcold 18cf fridge on while traveling, and it's safer and more-legal in some situations to have propane turned off. We've traveled more than six hours (about all the traveling we want to do in a day anyway) in temps up to low-80s and found at the end that fridge food was still safely cold and freezer food (including ice cubes) still frozen.
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  3. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by boyscout View Post
    As @livinthelife has said there are other threads on this, but in case this is the only one a new visitor sees...

    We haven't found it *necessary* to leave our Norcold 18cf fridge on while traveling, and it's safer and more-legal in some situations to have propane turned off. We've traveled more than six hours (about all the traveling we want to do in a day anyway) in temps up to low-80s and found at the end that fridge food was still safely cold and freezer food (including ice cubes) still frozen.
    You may be correct, but I challenge this statement. I have turned off our fridge for a few hours before and the temps inside the fridge portion easily climbed into the 50's which can cause some food issues. I would imagine that after 6 hours that this temp would be even higher. Did you measure with a thermometer?

    For this very reason we always travel with our fridge on.

  4. #14
    Big Traveler boyscout's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by weekender01 View Post
    You may be correct, but I challenge this statement. I have turned off our fridge for a few hours before and the temps inside the fridge portion easily climbed into the 50's which can cause some food issues. I would imagine that after 6 hours that this temp would be even higher. Did you measure with a thermometer? For this very reason we always travel with our fridge on.
    Well, challenge away but not using a thermometer before making this claim doesn't make it false.

    An explanation for your different experience may be that your fridge isn't as cold to begin with, and/or its insulation isn't as good. We're on our second Norcold, the first replaced under warranty. The second one has been terrific (except for the infamous non-closing flap problem I've repaired) and keeps food at 35-36 degrees on setting 5 (yes, measured over days after installation with multiple thermometers - our business was pharmaceutical QA including coolers).

    My considerable sensual experience says that our food has been in the low forties after a day of travel, and ice cubes just beginning to loosen in their trays. Sorry that your experience may be different.
    Last edited by boyscout; 10-16-2019 at 08:54 AM.
    Mark - 2018 Solitude 310GK - 2017 F-350 diesel SRW short box - Pullrite Superglide hitch

  5. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by boyscout View Post
    Well, challenge away but not using a thermometer before making this claim doesn't make it false.

    An explanation for your different experience may be that your fridge isn't as cold to begin with, and/or its insulation isn't as good. We're on our second Norcold, the first replaced under warranty. The second one has been terrific (except for the infamous non-closing flap problem I've repaired) and keeps food at 35-36 degrees on setting 5 (yes, measured over days after installation with multiple thermometers - our business was pharmaceutical QA including coolers).

    My considerable sensual experience says that our food has been in the low forties after a day of travel, and ice cubes just beginning to loosen in their trays. Sorry that your experience may be different.
    Fair enough on this, but I am just sharing my experience as well so the OP can make the best decision. We have had 2 Dometic and 2 Norcold gas absorption fridges ranging from 6cu ft to 12cu ft in 4 different trailers and 5th wheels and we let them cool for 3 days prior to travelling so I know the temp was stable. Would load food in the night before as well. i have never been able to turn the fridge off for more that 1 - 2 hours travelling before it climbed well above 40 - 50 degrees. When on gas or electric the fridges cruise along at 35 degrees, but turned off they do not hold the cold very well.

  6. #16
    Site Sponsor Skiddy's Avatar
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    Leaving the appliance valves open while moving might be illegal, depending on where you are. In BC the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act covers this scenario and the basic answer is close the valves when moving.

    Would be nice to see if other jurisdictions have similar regulations.

    I think fridge efficiency depends on where you are as well. This past summer after 6 hours driving thru 34ºC temps, our fridge was still at 4ºC, ice cream in the freezer still frozen. We do stop every couple of hours to let our dog stretch her legs, during the 30 or so minutes we are stopped I turn the propane on and allow the fridge to catch up a bit.
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  7. #17
    Long Hauler DaveMatthewsBand's Avatar
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    Fridge use while driving. Yes or no?

    We turn LP off and run the fridge on electric while traveling.

    As far as keeping food below certain temps goes it’s not that big of a deal unless it’s meat.

    About every 6 months I take everything out of the fridge and freezer and put it in “somewhat” insulated bags then spend about 30 minutes or so getting rid of the ice and cleaning.
    I’m pretty sure every bit of our food gets well above the temps people are mentioning and we don’t get sick.
    I guess being vegetarian has advantages beyond dietary. Since there’s no meat in our fridge or freezer.
    Ice cream will also refreeze and tastes just fine.


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    Last edited by DaveMatthewsBand; 10-16-2019 at 11:34 AM.
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  8. #18
    Site Sponsor livinthelife's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by boyscout View Post
    As @livinthelife has said there are other threads on this, but in case this is the only one a new visitor sees...

    We haven't found it *necessary* to leave our Norcold 18cf fridge on while traveling, and it's safer and more-legal in some situations to have propane turned off. We've traveled more than six hours (about all the traveling we want to do in a day anyway) in temps up to low-80s and found at the end that fridge food was still safely cold and freezer food (including ice cubes) still frozen.
    There have been a couple of tests run on whether the temperatures rise too much when the fridge is turned off. Here's one:
    https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/show...or+temperature

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  9. #19
    Site Sponsor Skiddy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by livinthelife View Post
    There have been a couple of tests run on whether the temperatures rise too much when the fridge is turned off. Here's one:
    https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/show...or+temperature
    Thanks for the post of the study. Very helpful. With temps in the 40ºC range as per the study, it seems obvious if the ambient temps are in the 25ºC to 30ºC range, six to eight hours of no energy to the fridge is just fine.
    Judy & Larry
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    2019 Imagine 2150RB - lovingly christened “IM-A-GENE” towed by Dusty via Andersen 3350.
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  10. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Skiddy View Post
    Thanks for the post of the study. Very helpful. With temps in the 40ºC range as per the study, it seems obvious if the ambient temps are in the 25ºC to 30ºC range, six to eight hours of no energy to the fridge is just fine.
    You can do what you feel is right, but per the study and my personal experience I will run my fridge while driving to avoid unsafe food. As per the findings of the study:

    • This model of refrigerator will not maintain a
    safe food storage temperature on a hot day
    with the power turned off.

    • The usage of Blue Ice will slow temperature
    increases, but will not maintain a safe food
    storage temperature on a hot day with the
    power turned off.
    Last edited by weekender01; 10-16-2019 at 02:57 PM.

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