keeping the fridge running

[yorkshireTraction]

hi all i'm new to this having just bought my first bus,i,m planning on going away thursday evening so should i fire up the fridge a couple of hours before i set off to get it cold?i should turn the gas off while travelling?when parked up do i keep the gas on all the time?is the fridge quite economical with the gas?how long should the fridge take to get cold?cheers all

[norfolkbcs]

I am very new too - but my understanding is that you should have the gas turned right off when you are travelling. On our trip last week we put the fridge on for a few hours before we left, put the cooled food in just before we left and turned the gas off. Things were still nice and cold when we arrived a couple of hours later and relit the gas.

As for amount of gas used - it doesn't seem to use that much. We haven't finished a bottle yet and we had the fridge running, plus cooking from Thursday until Sunday evening. We have bought a spare bottle so that we are not left without gas at any point.

Donna

[Oldiebut goodie]

I ( and numerous others) run my fridge on gas all the time - you just have to remember to turn it off at fueling stops. No reason whatsoever for not running it on gas whilst on the move.
I always set the fridge running the evening before I set off. Gas usage is quite low - you use far more burning your toast and sausages!

[Bowton Lad]

Run your fridge on 12 volt (from the alternator) whilst driving, not on gas. Use ice packs or freeze a bottle of water & use that to cool the fridge before leaving home. The fridge won't use much gas as the flame is only like a pilot light & a 4.5kg calor gas cylinder should last for days. Your hob/grill uses a lot of gas, as does a Propex heater.

[Cruz]

Like you I cool on gas for a while if it's a very hot day and then run on 12v when driving

A propex doesn't use tons of gas according to http://www.propexheatsource.co.uk/air-heaters.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Average consumption 142 grams/hour
3.9kg propane cylinder 27.5 hours

That's constant running which never happens due to the thermostat. I onlu use it when I'm sat in the van in the evening or when it's really really cold when sleeping just to take the edge off

[Ian Hulley]

Before we go away it's been known for us to level the van up (essential ... especially where we live) and put the fridge on hook-up for a day to get it really cold. Having said that a 4 hour drive on 12v maximum setting and the icebox has frozen everything inside it and the travel sandwiches are getting crispy ... beer's LOVELY and cold though

Ian

[BOXY]

My fridge is an RM122B and the gas useage figures in the manual are:-

Setting 1 - 0.15kg / 24 hours
Setting 2 - 0.19kg / 24 hours
Setting 3 - 0.23kg / 24 hours

[16vmini]

yep , sometimes remember to start it up before packing , othertimes i dont.

but drive on 12v , as it the times i have forgot to switch it over , the flame blows out when i drive ..

Matt

[Plasticman]

Light it the day/evening before and barring fueling up it stays lit for up to a month when on trips,
Mike