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furpod
Moderator Group - pHp
Joined: 25 Jul 2011
Location: Central KY
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Posts: 6128
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Topic: Running refrigerator on propane while driving Posted: 01 Sep 2018 at 5:36pm |
I've been to central NV.. well almost all of NV.. My parents got hitched in Virginia City a long long time ago.. Staggering beauty is a stretch.. In fact, my Excursion was just in Winnamucca this week.. without me, thankfully..
BUT.. I will admit that the desert has it's own beauty, though not for everyone...
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Live2Camp
Senior Member
Joined: 17 Apr 2017
Location: No. California
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Posts: 240
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Posted: 01 Sep 2018 at 5:37pm |
I tend to think in categories such as "planning for a positive outcome", "situational awareness" and "points of failure" as a few examples. So in this case for me, leaving propane on creates an additional and (for me and mine) unnecessary potential point of failure. On the other end, choosing to drive let alone haul a trailer is something we happily do even though it's "high risk". Therefore do everything we can to increase our odds of keeping it positive (driving while rested, sober, seat-belted, WDH, etc.). Here at our country-setting home we leave our 500-gallon propane tank on because it feeds our propane appliances. We also leave on our RPod propane tank when we're away from our property (it's chocked so unless we have The Big One it's not going anywhere ) In our setting we live with all kinds of potential hazards without even leaving home but that's ok too, we take precautions to increase our odds of a positive outcome, without being afraid. I really appreciate these discussions and all the divergent views because at the least they're interesting, they add to my thinking and more often than not I learn something too. So thanks all!
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2017 R-Pod 179 HRE (the green one)
His:Ford F150 double cab 4WD; Hers/mine:Tacoma V6 double cab 4WD
Still love rugged, diggin' comfy too
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mcarter
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
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Posts: 3419
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Posted: 01 Sep 2018 at 5:39pm |
+1 to you.
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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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lostagain
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
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Posts: 2595
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Posted: 01 Sep 2018 at 5:39pm |
Oh, mcarter, politics out here in NV is a blood sport. .... we carry guns. It's always been entertaining.
Seriously, though, we went on a nearly 3 week trip with our fridge on propane and temp's in the high 90's and low 100's and our little Norcold freezer kept everything frozen hard as a rock. I was tempted to make ice for Margaritas, but Herradura Reposodo tastes too good to ruin with margarita mix.
Well, as for the presence of God in NV, we are a pretty wild place and He's got a lot of work to do out here with all the stuff that goes on that you can't talk about back home.
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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
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Live2Camp
Senior Member
Joined: 17 Apr 2017
Location: No. California
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Posts: 240
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Posted: 01 Sep 2018 at 5:40pm |
Originally posted by lostagain
the staggering beauty of central NV and our historic mining towns?
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Completely agree with your description! And we're looking forward to spending a lot more time exploring. I've done a bunch on and off but it's been since 2010. Keep enjoying!
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2017 R-Pod 179 HRE (the green one)
His:Ford F150 double cab 4WD; Hers/mine:Tacoma V6 double cab 4WD
Still love rugged, diggin' comfy too
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HockeyDave
Newbie
Joined: 24 May 2018
Location: Denver, CO
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Posts: 10
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Posted: 02 Sep 2018 at 1:04pm |
Just got back from camping in the Colorado Mountains. On the side of I-70 I saw an old camper trailer that was burnt on one side in the rear half. No one was around, fire was out, no vehicle, no people, camper only. Therefore, I didn't stop. Who knows exactly what it was from? But, I suspect that if the propane tank was turned off, any fire would have been a lot less widespread. Plus the fact that it has been super dry in most of Colorado this year, so a large fire could have started as well. Starting a wild fire would be a terrible burden. Burning yourself would be an even bigger burden.
That's why I always travel with my propane tank turned off. I leave the frig on the battery and it seems to do fine. But my frig is cooled down and has frozen stuff in the freezer prior to traveling.
As my father used to say, "Even if it's less than 1%, if it's you, it's 100%!!
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Hockey Dave
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lostagain
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
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Posts: 2595
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Posted: 03 Sep 2018 at 11:45am |
Dave, as for the fire damage you saw, keep in mind that most RV fires have either an axle/brake or electric origin. Given the materials that they're made of, it's almost like dragging a giant matchbox behind you; lots of terribly flammable materials and a nice breeze to fan the flames if you're moving. To draw a conclusion that the fire damage you observed may be connected to the propane system is quite a leap in logic and does not appear to be supported by any facts. If propane propagated the fire, it is likely that the only thing left would be the melted trailer/camper frame and burned up tires/rims, unless the event happened right in front of a firehouse.
There are just no statistics of fire incidents that suggest that propane refrigerators in use while driving are a significant cause of fire, either while traveling or fueling. Again, according to the statistics, axles/brakes and electrical sources are the biggest causes of fire. And, yes, no matter what the probability of the fire event, whether <!% or <.0000000000001% to the power of 10, you still suffer the loss of the RV and that's not fun (unless, of course, it was old, well insured, and you wanted to sell it to get a new one).
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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
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mcarter
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3419
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Posted: 03 Sep 2018 at 12:33pm |
HockeyDave,
It's an unwinnable discussion, I'm with you, never a high believer in statistics, unless you become one.
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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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HockeyDave
Newbie
Joined: 24 May 2018
Location: Denver, CO
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10
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Posted: 03 Sep 2018 at 1:19pm |
Lostagain, point taken.
If a fire started from an axle, brake, or electrical source on the trailer itself, would the fire be able to burn through a propane line? And wouldn't that make the fire burn much faster, decreasing my odds of putting it out with my fire extinguisher?
Dave
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Hockey Dave
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Keith-N-Dar
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 03 Apr 2011
Location: Mayville, WI
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Posts: 1447
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Posted: 03 Sep 2018 at 2:05pm |
The best solution is to stay at home in bed with the covers over your head. But then you could be like that guy in Florida a few years ago that was swallowed by a sink hole while he slept.
There is risk in life. But what a waste to stop living just to be safe.
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Keith-N-Dar
Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers)
2011 R-Pod 177
2010 Ford F-150
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