RV fridges run best when operated on propane. The cooling process is fast and lasts longer upon propane. The tank amount of propane decides how long it will work.
How Long Can RV Fridge Run on Propane? A 20lb propane container has 4 gallons of propane. It will operate an RV fridge for 11 days if consuming 1500 BTU per hour. Propane provides heat to run a cold body. One gallon of propane gives 91,000 BTU of heat. Keep in mind that propane must be of standard quality.
- For a 30lb tank, it will work about 17 days.
- 1-gallon propane provides heat = 910000 BTU of heat
- Propane Fridge use BTU per hour = 1500BTU
- 1 gallon can run average fridge = 2.52 days
- 20lb tank or 4.7 gallons propane can rub fridge = 11 days approximately
How Long Can RV Fridge Run on Propane?
Without any doubt, propane RV fridges are efficient. They are silent, off-grid, environment-friendly, work well, cost less, reliable, and the best alternate over electricity or battery.
Many RV propane fridge users complained that their fridge uses a good deal of propane, almost 36000 BTU or 1.5 pounds per day.
It can run long or short depending on how you treat, the efficiency of gas, fridge size, fridge type, and few other factors. The need is to provide maximum your best input to have the best output.
You can increase your fridge-propane bond strength by adapting a good behavior explained beneath.
Keeping the food cool is a big issue when we are going towards mountains, beaches, or on long trips with family members, especially when we are traveling on our RV in hot areas.
RV built-in fridges are your solution, but the next issue is cost. We can operate RV fridges on propane gas on a half of lower gas consumption with more advancements. But still, you must adopt good practice.
Place your fridge where maximum airflow is possible. Considerable airflow will circulate hot air from the compressor and better cool the cold storage at the expense of lower gas consumption.
In the presence of an air conditioner, the fridge will work best or, you can say, a chill environment increases propane fridge efficiency.
Above all, the quality of gas used directly affects gas effectiveness. Use standard quality propane.
Timing when you on or off the fridge also matters. When you on your fridge, it takes time to get cold. Choose the best time always. So, what is the best time? It is time when the sun is no more to spread its heat like early morning, evening, night.
According to physics, every material object has its heat. The greater the number of things in the fridge, the more time it will take to cool the icebox and hence, greater gas consumption.
Tightly shut the fridge door and open less frequently only when you need to avoid power consumption.
In what ways, Propane gas is better than a battery?
In two ways, propane is better than electricity.
- Cost-effectiveness
- Environment friendly
Propane provides a massive amount of heat at the same cost when weighing up to electricity. As there everyone is in search of cost-effective ways, so, propane is recommended for RV fridges.
Secondly, when we talk about electricity produced from non-renewable resources, it’s not safe for the virtuous environment while gas burns cleanly without releasing harmful gases.
Is propane enough for running an RV fridge?
Yes, and that’s the motive propane, being loved and adored by RV owners because you do not need to attach any rootage of electricity like a battery, etc.
How much time do propane fridges take to cool down?
Sounds not superior that it takes at least 8 hours to get tepid and, yeah, there are also variations from fridge to fridge and gas to gas. It’s better to allow it to cool a day before you need and the ideal time for cooling is when the sun says goodbye.
Cooling time varies from fridge to fridge. Some fridges get apathetic sooner while some take extra time depending upon the brand or you can tell the quality of the fridge
Best Propane RV fridge
- Midea 3.1 Cu. Ft. Compact Refrigerator, WHD-113FSS1 – Stainless Steel
- Avanti RA7316PST 2-Door Apartment Size Refrigerator, Black with Platinum Finish
- Whynter FM -452SG 45-quart slim fit portable refrigerator
- Norrcold 323T R/L 323 small RV refrigerator
- Kalamera Portable fridge
- Kohree Portable RV fridge
How to reduce the amount of propane used by the refrigerator?
Yes, we can use fans and pre-cool your fridge to lower the gas consumption. Two types of fans are available.
- RV fridge vent fan
- RV fridge cooling fans
RV Fridge cooling fans:
You can improve thermal efficiency by lowering the temperature. The fans do this job. They also drive cool air throughout the fridge from freezer to refrigerator. So you can call them to ridge assistants.
Pre-cooling of fridge or food: ice packs can be a good option. Put them into the cold storage and share the burden.
Also, there is a method we can pre-cool your food, like keep in an open atmosphere, try to normalize its temperature before achieving fridge cooling. It will help in two ways. First, it’s economically beneficial furthermore it saves your time.
Working of propane fridges
It progresses on three liquids which are ammonia, water, and hydrogen. All held on to sealed networks and chambers. There is a step-by-step procedure for complete guidance.
A chamber having ammonia and water is being heated through propane.
Ammonia boils, transform into vapors, rises, and go into the condenser.
The condenser condenses ammonia again into a liquid.
Next is the evaporator. Liquid ammonia pushes into the evaporator, where hydrogen is waiting for it.
In the evaporator, two of them ammonia and hydrogen combine, and their combination absorbs heat in the way of a chemical reaction. It is the way how ammonia fridges cooling process takes place.
Again heat gathered from the fridge interior, push into the ammonia cycle, and cooling the atmosphere.
The cycle repeats and repeats along with hence, we get more and more cooling in the fridge.
Are Propane fridges still dependent on the battery?
Sounds not ethical, even, yes, you still need a battery. Everything has its central unit’s likely a brain that controls its mechanism. The same is here.
The accumulator runs this central unit. No need to worry, it will not be expensive. It is necessary to attach a small power bank that runs on a small voltage. Most of the time, it requires 10.5 volts of battery power to ignite the RV propane fridge.
How to run an RV fridge on propane?
There is no guarantee of mechanics availability around you. If you have your camper, then you must have complete knowledge that how it works, which are its parts? What is its troubleshooting?
If you are having an RV propane fridge, you must have a complete understanding of how it operates, its parts, and its troubleshooting before you are on travel; there is no guarantee of mechanics availability around you. So learn to do it on your own.
- You have to make two connections, gas connection and battery connection. You can connect a small battery of about 12 volts.
- Now turn your fridge to on position. It will start to run on propane.
- Check for the light indicator. The indicator will blink.
- If you listen to any clicking or humming sound, it means have done.
- In other situations, check out the connections. Again turn it on and, hopefully, it will work.
- There is boil assembly when your connections are proper, a dark blue color flame spark ignited. It will start cooling your food.
For those with small family or cost-conscious, small fridges are their comfort. These cold bodies are small and hence, require less amount of propane for their cooling action.
These usually about 1.5 lb propane for 24 hours non-stop working. These are cost-effective, occupy a small space, and are best during short trips., that’s why known as propane mini-fridges.
Is it safe to travel with my RV refrigerator on propane?
It is the single thing that forces you to think again about your propane fridge idea. Usually, when we check something’s efficiency, we compare high and low and then choose. Pro and cons must consider before choosing. Some drawbacks are there.
The main issue is with safety. There is the continuous movement of appliances and gas in a propane tank. This gas can leak and spark to ignite. It will take a few seconds and can trigger fire with no much time to overcome the situation.
While traveling to gas stations, must power off all the appliances working on propane. It can affect your fridge efficiency to turn off and on after a while and increase gas consumption.
Some cautions you must do while traveling with an RV propane fridge:
Always choose the certified filling stations for filling the tank. It must terminate by some certified technician because it is a technical procedure. Before filing, inspect its working conditions. Also must be recertified after every 5 or 6 years.
Every time you refueled your propane tank, you must not forget to turn off the gas valve.
Propane fridges are safe until and unless you follow safety guidelines. Propane fridges use ammonia and, you must be aware of ammonia smell.
In case of leakage, turn off all the connections, locate the position and wrap the point with scotch tape with five or six-folds.
You have added fans for better at the expense of lower. Keep fans on the shelf that is at the lowest point.
At night, set your fridge on the coldest point, and when then, you can switch off it. This behavior will save energy. This cooling is enough for about the next 5 hours but make sure not to open fridge doors unnecessarily to retain cooling.
Are propane tanks restricted over tunnels?
Everything using propane is restricting in many of the tunnels in the US. In case of propane leakage in the RV, it can spread around and get trapped in the tunnel.
It is highly risky to travel in a tunnel full of gas which can ignite any time and can burn everything if not controlled on the spot.
We suggest that while traveling through tunnels, turn off your propane connections and check the RV fridge that is running on propane.
Related Articles:
How to measure the size of RV tire covers?
How to make my RV generator quieter?
When to replace the RV propane detector?
What happens when the RV furnace runs out of propane?