Portable 3-Way Refrigerator

[Leata & Bobby G]

I've been searching the forum and I find few mentions of portable 3-way fridges. It seems most folks carry it in the TV. We have one from our old days of tent camping. We thought we'd bring it along for extra refrigeration since we're big veggie eaters. We don't even own a big ice chest. Hubby's plan is to make a platform of sorts that will hold it snugly in place in the trailer since our maiden voyage with the trailer will be with a sedan tug.

I'm curious, since I have no idea where my owner's manual is: Do you run it on propane while traveling? We used to carry ours on the platform bed in a camper shell on a '79 LUV, on propane because it was too far away to hook it to the cigarette lighter; but that was in the days before air conditioning and our windows were always open. Now we have a kid in the car and an air conditioner, so a fridge doesn't seem like the right thing to share a seat with. If we haul it in the trailer, would we leave a window open a crack? Or does that cause disastrous turbulence inside?

[Harry Young]

Dear Leata and Bobby G.

I would not run your box on l/P while in transit...I would outfit tug and tow so you can provide the juice at 12v to the box if equipped...The idea that gas piping going bouncy down the road might loosen up next to a flame makes me shudder.

Its not recommended by the manufacturer or the RV associations, some states in the D.O.T. rules have it clearly stated that you should not.

Many do... The ice chest absorption models are the most common to cheat at this, or older folks who will to this day swear they can...The R.V. fires most commonly had are these individuals who sometimes rather innocently forget to switch over when they break camp as cited in the data presented to fire departments.

In several bulletins this is discouraged from the manufacturers and the insurance institute cites it as a leading cause of R.V. fires in transit.

The cost of the absorption system is the product liability insurance...not the material the unit is made off because this is well known as an issue.

The point is the industry that knows how to make cash out of risk has this technology down pat...

The consensus is not to travel using L/P by trailer or coach...Marine units are different and are built differently.


Happy Camping, Safe Trails.

[Leata & Bobby G]

Thank you Harry for your complete reply.

DH is worried about draining the battery in transit since we've had that trouble in several rigs. We'll search the forum for tips on preventing this.