Can't keep RM2193 running on propane when going down the road

[Peg Davis]

Originally Posted by Roger C H

"Traveling with Propane
Driving with propane turned off may seem to be a no-brainer, but forgetting to turn your propane tanks off before traveling is one mistake that is easy to make. It's illegal to have your vehicle in motion with your propane tank valves open, and most definitely a risk when traveling through tunnels. It doesn't take much imagination to realize the impossibility of escape from a burning RV in a tunnel, on a bridge, or on the highway, anywhere. Play it safe and prevent fires."

RV Safety with Propane Tanks - Safety Tips



Some states don't allow propane tanks in tunnels, turned on or off.

Roger, I pursued your link and actually like IT'S link better:

RV Propane 101

They are rather unequivocal about this:

"Reminder: Never, ever use propane when driving. Your propane canisters should be secured on the outside of your RV or trailer and never indoors when in motion."

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by Peg Davis

Roger, I pursued your link and actually like IT'S link better:

RV Propane 101

They are rather unequivocal about this:

"Reminder: Never, ever use propane when driving. Your propane canisters should be secured on the outside of your RV or trailer and never indoors when in motion."

Hmmmmm... What about RV;s that have LP tanks enclosed in metal lined cabinets or, heaven forbid, have permanently mounted tanks......

[The Minimalist]

Now, let's all play nice.

There is one false assumption in the 'traveling with propane" article, that being that if one of the propane lines in the RV is broken in an accident that you will spewing propane. That was in fact true at one time. But if you have a newer cylinder with the OPD valve with Acme threads, i.e. later than 1998, and the newer regulator designed to work with it, that is no longer the case. If you have an OPD valve, you likely are using a regulator with the Acme connection, the one with the 'no wrench' plastic knob to attach to the cylinder valve. Points to note here are (1) that the OPD valve tanks can't release gas unless they are attached to the regulator. Secondly, the new Acme connector regulators are equipped with a number of safety features, see below, designed to prevent the disasters some are worried about.

"Several changes have been mandated for DOT cylinders since the pigtail mandate.(1977) In 1998 it was mandated that hand screw on Acme nuts be used on the pigtails in place of the older POL (Named after the company that designed them, the Prest-O-Lite Company) connectors. The Acme nut is the part that screws into the cylinder, and takes the place of the older brass POL connectors that screwed into the cylinder valve with a reverse thread requiring a wrench to tighten and seal. The Acme nut is the new Green one that screws onto the OPD's outside thread, uses a normal right hand twist to tighten, and which also tightens to seal by hand only, not requiring a wrench. This is significant because two safety features are built into the Acme nut itself. First, Acme nuts contain a thermal bushing, which will melt in a fire, and prevent the escape of gasses from the tank. When it melts, it allows the new OPD spring activated shut off valve, which will only allow the flow of gas if a fitting is attached, to pop out and completely shut the flow down. They also have an improved excess flow check valve, compared to the valve in the old POL fitting-more on that later. The new Acme nut also adds an O-ring to further help prevent leaks at the connection."

Source: Propane 101-The basics

That excess flow valve mentioned above is what will keep gas from flowing if you open the cylinder valve too quickly.

DOT cylinders must have these newer style connectors and valves. The production date is the top center stamping on your propane cylinder and the OPD valves are clearly marked as such on the valve handle and cannot be interchanged on the stem with the old POL type valve handles.

For more information on the OPD valves, go here: Propane OPD - Overfill Prevention Device Cylinder Valves

[gordon2]

So... Scamp's video tell you to have the gas off.. and when I was considering an upgrade to the bigger fridge that does not run on 12 volts, one of the Scamp salesman told me it was fine to run it on propane while traveling.

For every tit there is a tat, for every pro there is a con. This debate has gone on for as long as I can remember in this forum and elsewhere. It will never be resolved to the satisfaction of most.

I say we drop the debate over running the fridge on propane while on the road, and if you wish, respond to the OP's question about how to keep it running if that's what he wants to do.

I won't say anything more about running using propane while underway because of the liability.
Maybe someone will join me in the silence.

[Peg Davis]

Originally Posted by The Minimalist

Now, let's all play nice.

There is one false assumption in the 'traveling with propane" article, that being that if one of the propane lines in the RV is broken in an accident that you will spewing propane. That was in fact true at one time. But if you have a newer cylinder with the OPD valve with Acme threads, i.e. later than 1998, and the newer regulator designed to work with it, that is no longer the case. If you have an OPD valve, you likely are using a regulator with the Acme connection, the one with the 'no wrench' plastic knob to attach to the cylinder valve. Points to note here are (1) that the OPD valve tanks can't release gas unless they are attached to the regulator. Secondly, the new Acme connector regulators are equipped with a number of safety features, see below, designed to prevent the disasters some are worried about.

"Several changes have been mandated for DOT cylinders since the pigtail mandate.(1977) In 1998 it was mandated that hand screw on Acme nuts be used on the pigtails in place of the older POL (Named after the company that designed them, the Prest-O-Lite Company) connectors. The Acme nut is the part that screws into the cylinder, and takes the place of the older brass POL connectors that screwed into the cylinder valve with a reverse thread requiring a wrench to tighten and seal. The Acme nut is the new Green one that screws onto the OPD's outside thread, uses a normal right hand twist to tighten, and which also tightens to seal by hand only, not requiring a wrench. This is significant because two safety features are built into the Acme nut itself. First, Acme nuts contain a thermal bushing, which will melt in a fire, and prevent the escape of gasses from the tank. When it melts, it allows the new OPD spring activated shut off valve, which will only allow the flow of gas if a fitting is attached, to pop out and completely shut the flow down. They also have an improved excess flow check valve, compared to the valve in the old POL fitting-more on that later. The new Acme nut also adds an O-ring to further help prevent leaks at the connection."

Source: Propane 101-The basics

That excess flow valve mentioned above is what will keep gas from flowing if you open the cylinder valve too quickly.

DOT cylinders must have these newer style connectors and valves. The production date is the top center stamping on your propane cylinder and the OPD valves are clearly marked as such on the valve handle and cannot be interchanged on the stem with the old POL type valve handles.

For more information on the OPD valves, go here: Propane OPD - Overfill Prevention Device Cylinder Valves

Thx for the reffing, but really not required.

And yet all of the recommendations from trailer manufacturers remain, 17 years after OPD inplementation. In my PSM (process safety management) world, this is a low probability, high consequence event. With some minimal inconvenience attached to the safer way. Now, the OPD valves DO, almost always, stop "excess flow", emphasize "excess". It's also a practice that can't practically be regulated. But if it was comparably risky drilling practice we would put up with the truly minimal "inconvenience" of not doing it. Or, if a remedy was as comparably cheap as running a TV line, then that.

That said, "You gonna do what you gonna do." Nobody can stop you. I just hope that the more thoughful of us, don't.....

[The Minimalist]

Another quick note relative to Bob's last comment. As I was researching this subject, I found a comment that the reason for all the DOT safety features mandated on newer cylinders and regulators is based on their reasonable assumption that the cylinders, as opposed to tanks, which are permanently mounted, will be removed, and replaced by non-professionals and therefore should have additional safety features. The ones they mandated make perfect sense.

Of the two Youtube videos I watched, they were clearly talking about motor homes with permanently mounted tanks. In this one,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMtzsY3Ps8c

, he is talking about motor homes and seems to throw in trailers for good measure. Now, if your trailer is hard piped from a built in tank, this would definitely apply.

In this one,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJMTQWWoMSw

, Mac, The Fire guy clearly mentions schedule 80 pipe, in other words a permanent setup hard piped to the tank. The permanently mounted tanks, professionally installed and filled at the filling station by experienced people, do not have the 'fail safe' features required on removable tanks.

No, I'm not the one to make the distinction between 'tanks' and 'cylinders'. That was a distinction made on the propane association site.

[Peg Davis]

And please don't kill the messenger. I highjacked my wife's login. We split up fora logins for the fora we register for....

[The Minimalist]

Right on Gordon!

Scamp: You may want to read my post on cleaning the gas jets on your refrigerator,http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ets-70834.html

Cleaning the whole thing, particularly the jets made a lot of sense. I was having problems with keeping the fridge lit when traveling, though I hadn't in the past. After cleaning the jets, I took the trailer out to adjust my brake controller and while at it took a nice, reasonbly long spin at highway speeds. When I go back the refer was still lit.

Now, just to clue you in, I had the trailer hooked up on shore power, with the refer running on AC. When it was nice and cool, I switched from AC to propane. Hours later, I was surprised to find the fridge getting warm. Checking the flame I found it still lit. I then noticed a couple of small cobwebs around the heating unit. I turned off the propane and blew out the burner assembly with air and relit. She started cooling right down. Chances are that if I had taken the trailer for a spin when it wasn't cooling, the flame would have gone out.

Spiders seem to thrive on the residual smell of propane.

Canned air is part of my kit from now on.

[stevebaz]

Originally Posted by Garylee in SC

We made a trip to Alaska with our 2014 13' Scamp last summer and had the same problem with our Refer propane Pilot failing as we traveled down the road. We used the 12v hook up at times to our tow vehicle and had the switch on 12v, but this caused our battery to run down very quickly if forgotten for any length of time when stopped.

If you add a 12 volt constant duty solenoid to your charge line, when you turn your key off on your tug it would kill the 12 volt charge line to your trailer battery, isolating your tugs battery, not allowing the trailers battery to steal your electrons.

Tow Ready Battery Isolation Solenoid Tow Ready Accessories and Parts TR118665

http://www.etrailer.com/static/image...u53172_800.jpg

[Garylee in SC]

Bob Miller,
To answer your question the vents I am talking about are on the outside entrance door to where you light the Refer Propane. Now not to fuel this discussion, I have chosen to do as I did as I have had my propane pilot light get blown out when just sitting at a campsite for dry camping, and nearly lost everything in the refrigerator, and of that that was not spoiled smelled a little. As I said, I do not have that problem any longer and have traveled with my class C for 7 years now and always used Propane on the road and it was a 1985 model. This refer had only Gas or 110volt shore power. What decision was I to make with those choices?

I do not always follow mfg. recommendations using common sense of course to make this decision. I do not wish to persuade you this is the thing to do, it is only what worked for me and I passed it on. If you pilot light blows out in a windy day at a campsite, can be frustrating and if not found out in time costly with loss of food. Please make up your own minds but decide to do what I have done only if you feel comfortable with it. Just don't do it if you will worry. Not worth it. Good luck with your decision.

The only horizontal door vent slot left open was the upper slot. all others allow too much air in blowing out the pilot, even when stopped if the winds are severe enough.
Garylee

[scamp]

I really appreciate all the advice and the spirited debate about what to do or not do in regards to running the propane fridge while under way. I feel the “propane off” recommendation is more for other issues that can happen like a burner left on, other appliances not working and or leaking. The fridge seems very safe and in need of cleaning to do what I need, so that's what's next and I will follow up with the result. Happy trails!

[Bob Miller]

I only asked about which vents because Dometic Refrigerators can be very picky about bottom to top air circulation for proper cooling operation. If yours is doing well you still have enough...

[redbarron55]

Bob,

What about DOT approvals for refrigerators if it was required for water heaters while in motion?
Anybody see a DOT approval for a LP fridge?


Sent from my SCH-I605 using Fiberglass RV mobile app

[Bob Miller]

Again, I didn't introduce the issue about DOT requirements.


About all I can guess is that, as conventional water heaters are considered "Pressure Vessels" they may have different requirements. But that's just a guess.....