Refilling Propane on the road?

Originally posted by Retroactive The fridge runs on propane? MIND BLOWN... as an engineer now I am compelled to go look at how that works...  I just assumed the fridge worked on TEC unit like a lot of the wine chillers people have now.

There's a little flame down there that keeps everything cold.  Actually, absorption refrigeration works like other refrigeration.  It relies on phase change, evaporation.  As the coolant evaporates, it absorbs heat.  Instead of a compressor, the system uses heat to compress the coolant by boiling it.  The coolant then travels though a capillary tube to the evaporator where it experiences lower pressure and it evaporates and absorbs heat from the fridge.  Years ago, such refrigeration was the rule.  Edison told his research engineers not to mess with compressor refrigeration because absorption units had no moving parts and were therefore much more reliable and long lasting.  I have a water jug made from black clay.  You fill it with water and get the outside wet and set it in the sun to have cool water.  Such jugs are sold all over Mexico.

You can get a 30-Pound Propane Cylinder and it will fit in the existing space you have now. 20 lb. cylinder 4.7 gallons, 17.5” high x 12.2” diameter, 30 lb. cylinder 7 gallons 23.5” high x 12.2” diameter, so you only get 2.4 gallons more with dual 20 lbs. cylinders. I have an extra 20 lb. cylinder I can carry in the truck if I need more, that way I keep the tongue weight down.

http://www.amazon.com/Worthington-30-Pound-Cylinder-Overflow-Prevention/dp/B00JABY3AI

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/refillable-steel-propane-cylinders-30-lb-7-1-gal-/56056

I go to to ace hardware for refills ( most small towns have one ) and home depot for exchange. I am retired military & both give 10% discount. At home depot you usually get a newer tank. Tanks can be refilled for 12 years & then must be replaced or recertified. It is cheaper to exchange from my experience. Here in Florida you pay sales tax on any propane tanks over 20 lbs. so it is cheaper to operate 2 20 lbs than one 30. I always carry the extra 20 in the back of p-up. We use it to cook & light propane stove, grill and lantern at the camp table weather permitting.that way I have a backup tank,stove & light for camping. We do alot of dry camping. I also have a Honda 2000 generator. When dry camping I run generator about 2 hrs every other day to keep my one battery up. I could probably push it to push it another day but haven't so far. We also take an extra cooler that we use blue ice to keep cool by using the fridge freezer & exchange everyday. You have to use smaller blue ice so they refreeze overnight. We have 8 different ones (4 in freezer & 4 in cooler). It works for us.

Good to know!

We made our vent covers using regular screen mesh. We cut them to the approximate size and used a hot glue gun to attach the screen to the plastic covers. They have been there for 4 years and not loosened.
I think there are pictures of them on our mod page

Vann