electric vs. propane

[rbryan]

Your post confirms what I and others have said. There's nothing wrong with all electric, provided you have a means of generating electricity via a generator or solar. That is, unless you want to be limited to short trips, or be tethered to a power cord. Not me.

[Steve L.]

Earlier this year during a lengthy power outage I used the Casita's fridge, powered by propane, to keep medicines requiring refrigeration cool. I didn't even have to break out the Honda 1000 to keep the fridge running. Keeping my trailer back behind the house rather than in a RV storage lot was certainly helpful. Some neighborhoods have restrictions about trailer parking but it's all good in my area.

As mentioned earlier, a stock all-electric trailer can serve the same backup assuming you have a generator adequate to run it's fridge or a cooler with enough ice to last the length of the blackout.

Having a gas fridge was just a convenience. Not something I couldn't cover otherwise with a little more fussbudgeting.

[Darral T.]

I took the propane OFF of my Scamp. We're certainly not full-timers or boondockers. We take a few weeks a year to go to an Alabama campground where there's FULL hook ups, beautiful Tennessee river with lots of action, plenty of restaurants close by but that's us.

We use a $9 electric hotplate for our stove, I have small Rival toaster oven, I added a "HottRod" to our 6 gal waterheater.

NOW, I DID leave the hookups for the stove in case I get ready to sell but I took it out and made storage in its pan. I added a nice wooden cutter board hinged and it looks very professional- thus more storage and extra counter space.

There IS one model airplane event I go to occasionally where I will install the propane to run my fridge and water heater during the day. Since we're out in an open field (not a campground), alot of us run Gens and I run that at night- again- back to all electric so I can have my A/C or heater. (September event). I still will NOT use a gas stove. The wife hates it and it REALLY heats/steams up the 13' Scamp FAST!

We recently bought one of the "CLAM" screen rooms and it's now our kitchen and a bug-free place to eat :-). We can leave our bed down. So, being all-electric REALLY works for us now.

But remember, this is ONE man's (wife's) opinion.
Here's the mod for removing my stove.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/503516...57652349079760

[Carlcivi]

Most state parks have hookups so they are really nice, at least in pa anyway. We mostly use hookups with our newer Scamp. We like the air, if we need it, but not much.We have a yamaha gen if we would ever need it, so far we did not use it. We have yet to run the fridge on gas or h/w heater. Also never used the gas heater yet , only used a electric space heater. Do you need propane, it all depends upon you and the way you camp. It is your choice, none are the the wrong choice. Good luck. Carl

[MSURRATT]

I am soaking all this info in big time.....i'm not sure what happen, my profile has me from Arizona, I am from North Carolina...I have been trying to edit my profile but can't seem to figure out how to do that, if anyone can assist me with that it would be great.
I really appreciate all the experienced info from everyone.
Thanks

[likeair2me]

Originally Posted by MSURRATT

I am soaking all this info in big time.....i'm not sure what happen, my profile has me from Arizona, I am from North Carolina...I have been trying to edit my profile but can't seem to figure out how to do that, if anyone can assist me with that it would be great.
I really appreciate all the experienced info from everyone.
Thanks

At the top of the page, there is a bluish bar that has "Quick Links" and "Log Out" in it. Just above it is "Wecome" and your name. Click on your name and you will get your profile page. Where it says "Arizona" you should see the editing pencil on the right. Click the pencil and you should be able to correct your location.

[MSURRATT]

I have been using my phone and could not get to the sections, I went to my computer and bingo!!
Thank You,
Mark

[iamjiwjr]

Since you're in Greensboro, go down 421 to Liberty and drop in on the Parkliner factory. We bought ours new last fall. Love it. Welome.

We're in Roanoke btw

[Tom 72]

As long as Lil Snoozy is able to sell all the trailers they care to manufacture, why add propane, which is the equivalent of another plumbing system. A plumbing system that can explode or burn up trailers, so there is additional liability. Seems like I've heard about industry certifications necessary for propane systems. Certainly, eliminating it lowers the price point at which they can sell their trailers and earn a profit.
I think I saw a post here within the past week about a Lil Snoozy owner who had added propane. No doubt there are many owners that carry stoves and lanterns to cook outside anyway. There's a large universe of DIY van conversions. I expect most do not have plumbed in propane. All that said, I'd want my trailer to have propane.
Boondocking may be the best way to bring RVing costs way down.

[rbryan]

If there's a trailer that's perfect for everyone, I haven't seen it. The key is to get the one that's perfect for you. There are trade-offs no matter what you choose, and many of those have been mentioned in this thread. That's a good thing.

[tua]

Interestingly, at the last event I went to, the subject came up about using propane. What they didn't like about propane was that it made the trailer sweat creating mildew and having to use the vent fan all the time to help exhaust the excess moisture. What they did like about it was that they could heat up water to make coffee.

Also, many preferred the butane camp stoves they could bring outside over the inside propane stoves.

I don't have propane, and so far have not found that I miss it or need it.

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by tua

Interestingly, at the last event I went to, the subject came up about using propane. What they didn't like about propane was that it made the trailer sweat creating mildew

What they needed to do is stop breathing. That's where the moisture was coming from.

[tua]

Propane gas, when burned, produces by-products. This includes nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and water vapor. If the water vapor emissions are in excess of what the area in your tt can exhaust, you will have excess moisture in your tt. Propane 101.

[Vtec]

Originally Posted by tua

Propane gas when burned produces by-products. This includes water vapor, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide. If the water vapor emissions are in excess of what the area in your tt can exhaust, you will have excess moisture in your tt. Propane 101.

Wow, you no propane guys are really stretching the justifications for not having propane in your trailers. Common sense 101 says when using propane to cook open a window or turn on the exhaust fan. Mold/mildew build up from propane use over time is beyond laughable.

Again, propane is no more dangerous than electricity but far more environmentally friendly than running a generator. Having propane in an RV is all pluses, no minuses, saves you lots of money while camping or traveling (non electric sites are really cheap!). It's a bonus if you have it, gives you options. Please quit making lame excuses for not having it.

[thrifty bill]

Propane furnace and refrigerator exhaust directly to the outside... I prefer having a second source of heat, refrigeration and cooking. Assuming everywhere you camp will have 120 hookups limits choices. Here in western NC many of the public campgrounds have no hookups.

[Jon Vermilye]

As others have mentioned, the choice between all electric & propane depends on how you camp. I like to spend the winter in the Arizona desert at BLM Long Term Camping areas. No utilities, no need for air conditioning, but heat at night is nice.

I can supply all the electricity I need with 355 watts of solar, but running the refrigerator or providing heat would be a problem with an electric only rig since I don't carry a generator. I've gone 91 days without hookups (other than a short drive to dump & get water every couple of weeks).

[Joe Romas]

Originally Posted by MSURRATT

I just spent time on the escape website and will be calling them tomorrow....i thought i had seen that in October a rally is in Cherokee NC and i also the outer banks. I definitely want to get to a rally, any recommendations for 2017?

Look here for upcoming rallies. There are several near you.
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f57/

Joe

[rbryan]

Originally Posted by Vtec

Wow, you no propane guys are really stretching the justifications for not having propane in your trailers. Common sense 101 says when using propane to cook open a window or turn on the exhaust fan. Mold/mildew build up from propane use over time is beyond laughable.

Again, propane is no more dangerous than electricity but far more environmentally friendly than running a generator. Having propane in an RV is all pluses, no minuses, saves you lots of money while camping or traveling (non electric sites are really cheap!). It's a bonus if you have it, gives you options. Please quit making lame excuses for not having it.

While I agree with your conclusions, I don't necessarily agree with how they're expressed. I'd suggest we keep it a bit more civil, but that's just me.

There's no moisture buildup from the propane when we cook indoors, as much from the cooking itself - particularly boiling water for example. But yes, we do open the window in the kitchen, and we also use the range hood fan to exhaust excess moisture. It's not propane 101, it's cooking in an enclosed space 101.

I particularly agree with the statement that non electric sites will save you money. They do - alot. The only time we want or need an electric site is If we want to run the AC. That's not too common for us, as we avoid camping when it's too hot.

[MSURRATT]

I really appreciate all the different opinions or maybe I should say experiences from all of you guys! I have taken many notes and now have a more intelligent list of questions when I visit or talk with the different manufacturers or for sale by owner.
When I started this post, I was sure of one thing only, that was a 17' trailer! Now I am debating between 19' or 21', so the search goes on as I am waiting on the rally that will be in Cherokee in October. I have gotten a couple really nice people that said I could come and look at there trailer at most anytime, I plan on doing that so that I can see in person and not just on the computer screen. I am in Greensboro NC if anyone has a trailer that i could look at, of course at your convenience.

Thanks Again,
Mark from Greensboro

[tua]

Originally Posted by Vtec

Wow, you no propane guys are really stretching the justifications for not having propane in your trailers.

.

hahaha I think it's the other way around. Some very defensive propane people here! lol I surely didn't mean to offend propane users. I was just stating some comments I heard and facts I looked up.

For the record,

1) I was just repeating what I heard from about 40 people who have propane that were sitting around a campfire talking about what they liked and didn't like about propane, (the moisture and mildew), and I have no idea how or why they even started talking about propane and,

2) I was curious about the comment from the poster who said propane didn't give off moisture, people breathing did. So I looked it up. The gas company propane 101 manuals state that propane gives off moisture.

And for the record - I'm not a guy nor am I opposed to using propane. In fact, the only reason I don't have it is because my tt didn't come with it (I bought a showroom model), but it is sold as an accessory and I have been researching propane products myself to see if I need any.

lighten up guys, life is too short! We are all on the same team here trying to help each other out, hopefully by presenting facts and our experiences to those who ask, so they can make their own educated choices.