Is it ok to run the fridge while traveling?

[MoffatD]

Hi, newbie here, going on our first adventure, but having questions about the fridge, we cannot plug in yet, so started the fridge on Propane, but noticed the cabin power is on. Will it run without cabin (battery) power?

How about while traveling? Do we shut it off?

It is a 2018 Siesta SS, on the Mercedes chassis.

[K0LCB]

Battery must be on. It is okay to leave refrigerator on when traveling

[10scDust]

Originally Posted by K0LCB

Battery must be on. It is okay to leave refrigerator on when traveling

Correct.
The battery 12vdc is needed for the fridge's control panel, it will not run, nor stay on if not present.
Plug in or generator use, and converter supplies it, otherwise yes, use switch to "use" position (batteries connected), auto selected, propane valve open.
Sometimes the propane line needs purged of air, light the stove for half a minute.
I found ours needed about 2 days to pre-cool down to my desired coolness before traveling.

Oh, and some tunnels require gas to be turned off before passing through, I think Chesapeak Bay Bridge Tunnel for one!

And you may find the radio relies on that cabin power too.

[Bob Denman]

I agree, and welcome to the Forum!

When the cabin power is "Off": think of it like this:



But when it's on:

[The Gritz Carlton]

Lots of folks install an appropriately matched inverter to run the gas fridge on 120V while underway, eliminating need for gas.

[apr67]

We leave it on, and have in every rv we have ever had. Tunnels may require us to shut the propane off, and we do, but when we get to the other side we turn it back on and refire the fridge. Cold beer is worth it.

[The Gritz Carlton]

Beer...it's not just for breakfast anymore!!! Cold Beer is vital!!

[Mr Sunshine]

Originally Posted by apr67

We leave it on, and have in every rv we have ever had. Tunnels may require us to shut the propane off, and we do, but when we get to the other side we turn it back on and refire the fridge. Cold beer is worth it.

That's what we do, too. It is advised to turn it off at gas stations. You don't want a spark if there are fumes. (Last summer the guy at the next pump lit a cigarette, I wanted to blast him with my fire extinguisher!)

Our refrig cools overnight on gas from room temperature. Cold beer at the end of a travel day?