PSW wrote: I notice in Atlee's pictures that they are called "Tail Gating in VT" and I notice that in the third picture, the RT propane appears to be hooked up to an outdoor deep fryer. Those propane deep fryers have burned down many homes, not to mention RVs. I wonder if that was the cause of all this? The grease is allowed to reach the combustion point, the thing virtually explodes and sets the hoses on fire which causes the fire to spread.
The tailgating pictures at Va Tech were totally separate from the burning incident.
The deep fryer had nothing to do with the fire. The fire that burned the van was at the first rest stop in Mississippi on I-10 on the way to New Orleans to see the 2004 Sugar Bowl. I had filled the propane tank early (around 4:30am)in Tallahassee, FL. By the time I stopped in Mississippi, it was midmorning and much warmer. We had taken the dog for a walk, and when we got back, we smelled propane in the van. I looked at the propane tank gauge and it was pegged at FULL, ie in the red zone. Then it started coming out of the tank in volumes, and went up to the refrigerator. The rest is history.
Yes I had a deep fryer hooked up to the propane tank via the same type of connection that RT puts on all of it's RV's now. However, I wasn't deep frying anything. I was cooking a big pot of red beans and rice. There was no grease in the pot. Just water and beans and rice.
Erroll, Mary, Duffy the Wonder Doxie & "Ollie"
1996 RoadTrek 210 Popular, on 1995 Chevy Chassis
Davydd wrote: I thought the idea of of running without propane on was safety. If you pull up for gas it might be too late to turn off the flame at the fill up and same turning it on after fueling if there are fumes that can ignite. So I would assume those that fuel up first turn off the propane before approaching the pumps and then pull away from the pumps before turning the propane back on. I bet no one does that. Propane gas in the piping system to furnace, hotwater heater and fridge that can spark from an accident is another concern. Then when you approach a tunnel do you legally stop and turn off your main propane switch first? Doubt it. What would an insurance company say if you had a propane accident while running with it on? We turn the propane off at the main switch when running.
Will, I always turn mine off before reaching the pumps, then pull off to the side, get out, and turn it back on. Do what ever you feel confortable with, but don't assume what I do, or don't do! ("I bet no one does that.")
Davydd wrote: I thought the idea of of running without propane on was safety. If you pull up for gas it might be too late to turn off the flame at the fill up and same turning it on after fueling if there are fumes that can ignite. So I would assume those that fuel up first turn off the propane before approaching the pumps and then pull away from the pumps before turning the propane back on. I bet no one does that. Propane gas in the piping system to furnace, hotwater heater and fridge that can spark from an accident is another concern. Then when you approach a tunnel do you legally stop and turn off your main propane switch first? Doubt it. What would an insurance company say if you had a propane accident while running with it on? We turn the propane off at the main switch when running.
Will, I always turn mine off before reaching the pumps, then pull off to the side, get out, and turn it back on. Do what ever you feel confortable with, but don't assume what I do, or don't do! ("I bet no one does that.")
Rodger,
You are the experienced one. The OP asking the question and others might not know that. That's three separate stops just to fill up. That has to be a pain in the A and I still bet not many people do that and go through re-igniting the fridge propane. But bottom line if you are in an accident you increase your chances for fire.
Davydd
2005 Pleasure-Way Plateau Sprinter B Camper Van
Davydd is the Welsh spelling for David with an English twist using a v instead of an f. See Our Pleasure-Way and my pork tenderloin sandwiches
Visited states in an RV
I have travelled for 18 years; first 15 with a 5er; the last 3 with an LTV class B.
Have never ran with propane on in any of the camping units, and have never had refrigrating problems when it comes to keeping things cold or frozen (even in Mexico and the southern U.S.A.) Have only recently used the 12V while running because it is available with the LTV.(only when I remember)
A freind travelling with a 5er was broadsided at a highyway intersection which resulted in tearing his furnace and fridge from their mounts and fracturing the propane lines. Thankfully he always runs with his propane turned off at the supply tanks. Could have been very messy if the propane had been flowing through what turned out to be fractured propane lines.
You make your choices and take your chances!!!
Barry
Quote: That's three separate stops just to fill up. That has to be a pain in the A and I still bet not many people do that and go through re-igniting the fridge propane. But bottom line if you are in an accident you increase your chances for fire.
Yea, it must take me all of a minute or two.
Everyone I know turns off any open flame before they get fuel. I'm sure some drivers don't, but some don't wear seat belts either.
Quote: Could have been very messy if the propane had been flowing through what turned out to be fractured propane lines.
No more so than if the gasoline lines were ruptured. There's always a story out there, like I said do what makes you feel comfortable.
* This post was
edited 06/11/08 05:47pm by Rodger *
Rodger wrote: No more so than if the gasoline lines were ruptured. There's always a story out there, like I said do what makes you feel comfortable.
Only you just double your chance for disaster in an accident leaving the propane on.
And are you now going to tell me while cruising down the highway you will stop and pull over and turn off your propane before driving through a tunnel? Or do you ignore the law and drive on through?
I know the Pleasure-Way owner's manual says not to drive with the propane on. How about Roadtrek? Oh yes, here it is in the Roadtrek Manual.
It is recommended to close the propane tank shutoff valve when the vehicle is not in daily use. Further,it is recommended to close the propane shutoff valve while the vehicle is in travel.
Ignoring the advice of the manufacturer? I'm a bit surprised you are advocating bad practices in this forum.
Never been through a tunnel where I had to turn off the propane, but I would obey the law.
There is no law that says I can't drive with my propane on, and I'm not telling anyone here what to do, just what I do, and what my opinion is.
I could care less what you think about my opinions on topics, I have the right to post them just like everyone else.
And are you now going to tell me while cruising down the highway you will stop and pull over and turn off your propane before driving through a tunnel? Or do you ignore the law and drive on through?
Can you actually cite _any_ federal or state law making it illegal to drive thru every tunnel with propane on? I drive thru a _lot_ of tunnels; most are unregulated. The very small percentage that I've seen that do require turning off LP are very plainly signed, and have pull-offs to facilite obedience.
Davydd wrote: I know the Pleasure-Way owner's manual says not to drive with the propane on. How about Roadtrek? Oh yes, here it is in the Roadtrek Manual.
Maybe he feels it's just there as CYA legalese, in our ever-more litigious society? I know I do, anyway.
Davydd wrote:
Ignoring the advice of the manufacturer? I'm a bit surprised you are advocating bad practices in this forum.
Yeah, maybe he should be dishonest instead, and claim to do what he doesn't do. I'm more than a bit surprised that an educated person like you is incapable of recognizing a situation where there are equally good arguments on both sides. Your opinion of "bad practice" does not make it an absolute; the topic would not be so frequently and hotly debated by intelligent and educated folks if it were that simple.
Now let's talk about the risk of salmonella and other food-related illnesses from under-cooled reefers, shall we?
Jim
'06 Tiger CX 'C Minus' on a Silverado 2500HD 4x4, 8.1 & Allison ('Loafer's Glory'); '07 Forester 2.5 ( the 'HANDBSKT'); '95 Toyota SR5 V-6 4x4 pickup, ARB locker, Bilsteins, Warn hubs & M8000, etc;
'94 968, M030 swaybars ('DOPPLER')
Seems to me the question/problem isn't really what's legal or ethical or moral or even, to some extent, what's safer. It's the fact that the RV 2-way or 3-way refrigerators don't all work the same and we all operate under different ambient conditions.
Some of us have no problem keeping the frig cold on AC, Propane, or 12VDC. Some of us have a problem keeping everything cold on 12VDC but AC and Propane work fine.
Well, mine happens to work fine on 12VDC, looks like I'm lucky. But, if it didn't work satisfactorily on 12VDC, like many of you out there, I would have the same two or three options you do.
1. Run on 12VDC anyway and let the frig, and it's contents, warm up.
2. Run the generator (if I have one) and operate on AC.
3. Turn on the propane and run on propane.
I guess there might be a fourth choice - forget the refrigerator and bring an ice chest.
It's good to share information and find out what others are doing with a similar problem but in the end we all make the best choice we can from what we have to work with, I believe.
Sigh! Equally good arguments? The only argument so far advanced that I recall is someone can't keep his fridge cold on 12V DC in hot weather and thus willing to take on safety chances and inconveniences to overcome some safety situations but not moving accidents. Handbasket, you and Rodger are the presumed experts in this forum. Can you honestly say doubling your chances for disaster in a traveling accident with an open valve of propane coursing through lines to your refrigerator, water heater and furnace is OK and an equally good argument?
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