Refrigerator while fueling up

Gtoglenn · 08-30-2016, 09:19 AM

I understand that it is dangerous to leave the refrigerator running while fueling up at the gas station. I know some people leave the fridge running but I have been stopping short of the pumps, getting out of my truck and turning the propane tanks off before pulling in. This is a hassle. I wonder what most people do and what the real risk is.....

jasoncw · 08-30-2016, 09:24 AM

How close to your fuel filler neck is the refrigerator? I have never turned mine off while refueling, but I have always had a 30' or 35' TT, which means the refrigerator is quite a ways from my fuel tank.

Marcm157 · 08-30-2016, 09:27 AM

I have never turned mine off - I don't really see the need as my refrigerator is also quite a ways from the pump nozzle.

Gtoglenn · 08-30-2016, 09:29 AM

My trailer is a 26' (29' overall) and the refer is in the rear. My truck fuel neck is midway on the vehicle. So...I guess there is about 30' between the two.

wags999 · 08-30-2016, 09:29 AM

I never turn mine off either. Depending on the location of your frig, your most likely 20' or more away from the pump. Static electric is a much more real issue to me.

bansai · 08-30-2016, 09:31 AM

Never gave it a second thought myself. I don't think I can deal with another checklist for getting gas.

Force · 08-30-2016, 09:33 AM

The only time the gas gets shut off is when I park it in November for the winter....

skiingviking · 08-30-2016, 10:35 AM

I have never done that either. Just fuel up and drive !

Preacher87 · 08-30-2016, 09:44 PM

Also never done it, however my fridge is 30' from the fuel neck, and on the opposite side from my fill door, AND i'm fueling diesel (which the chances of a vapor light are astronomical to the point of requiring scientific notation to calculate), AND generally only fuel at bulk diesel stations (no gasoline vapor).
Its just as likely the guy lighting his cigarette 30' away from you will trigger an explosion, and significantly more likely the guy gassing up his car and failing to maintain a good nozzle ground at the next pump will cause a static discharge explosion.

BuddyRay · 08-30-2016, 10:34 PM

40 years towing and I've never even considered it. Mine is also opposite side and way away from where I'm filling. I guess it could be closer to the guy in the next lane - but I think idiots smoking while pumping (yes I've seen that) are a greater concern.

Dagwood · 08-31-2016, 11:37 AM

I never shut mine off. Just the thought of the conditions needed to cause a vapor explosion tells me that it would be a very rare occurrence. Aside from that, the fridge Gas Flame is about 15 ft from where I fill up on the truck. If I see a puddle of fuel on the ground, I may reconsider..but it would need to be a large puddle.

**norty1** · 08-31-2016, 12:32 PM

Never shut it off even when I towed with a gasser.

With diesel, I never worry about it.

mike837go · 08-31-2016, 01:45 PM

Just the voice of the contrarian....

We leave the whole propane system off while underway. Too darned paranoid to risk leaking a highly flammable gas when not able to smell it.

The fridge is well insulated enough to not allow any spoilage. And will cool down within an hour or so of restarting.

Murff · 08-31-2016, 03:19 PM

Technically, the fridge is suppose to be off when re-fueling.

Since I never remember to turn it off in 33 years of towing, I will probably continue to leave it on. I'd worry more about a cold dry morning than a warm day and static electricity.

Murff

Camper_bob · 08-31-2016, 04:00 PM

I leave it on. With temps often over 100, I don't want to risk food spoilage. We generally try not to fuel up while hitched up anyway, so the problem rarely presents itself. When it does happen, my fuel port is opposite side and 30' in front of the fridge. I almost exclusively use the far outside lane, so my fridge isn't anywhere close to fuel. If I happen to be in a really tight situation, I'll just go somewhere else for fuel.

**Snake Plissken** · 08-31-2016, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gtoglenn

I understand that it is dangerous to leave the refrigerator running while fueling up at the gas station. I know some people leave the fridge running but I have been stopping short of the pumps, getting out of my truck and turning the propane tanks off before pulling in. This is a hassle. I wonder what most people do and what the real risk is.....

If you do a search on this topic you'll find dozens of threads...most of them locked as they start getting ugly. There are clearly 2 sides to this argument. Those that believe it's okay to drive with the propane on and those that feel very strongly that you should not do that.

BCx213 · 08-31-2016, 10:41 PM

I turn mine off before I enter the gas station for safety and liability...just my two cents.

bansai · 08-31-2016, 11:06 PM

The same people that leave the toilet seat up and catch from their wife, will be the first ones that have a pre-gas station checklist that has them extinguishing their propane. I love the irony in life. I don't sweat it either way. If you blow up the local 7-11 cause your fridge was on, I'm pretty sure you would be the first person in the history of the universe to do so. Have bigger things to worry about myself... To each his own as they say.

tnchuck100 · 09-01-2016, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bansai

The same people that leave the toilet seat up and catch from their wife, will be the first ones that have a pre-gas station checklist that has them extinguishing their propane. I love the irony in life. I don't sweat it either way. If you blow up the local 7-11 cause your fridge was on, I'm pretty sure you would be the first person in the history of the universe to do so. Have bigger things to worry about myself... To each his own as they say.

Absolutely.

There seem to be 2 camps on this issue.

Those that understand the dynamics/physics at play here and those who do not.

My refrigerator is started the day before we leave and remains on until back home. To me food spoilage is of more concern than blowing up at the gas station. The people on the highway driving are a MUCH greater threat to your safety. But that does not stop campers from going.

mike837go · 09-01-2016, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tnchuck100

Absolutely.

There seem to be 2 camps on this issue.

Those that understand the dynamics/physics at play here and those who do not.

...snip....

Time to start the contest!

I understand the physics quite well! Gasoline vapors (ULSD doesn't vaporize as easily) are more dense than air and will tend to flow downwards, away from the tiny flame burning inside a box, behind a cover, 3-4 feet above the ground. What are the probabilities of just the right gust of wind to carry enough vapors to ignite and then burn all the way back to a liquid source? "Astronomical" falls short.

I still choose to close my propane tanks while underway. Because of the much more likely possibility that some inattentive jerk will try and drive his car/suv/truck through my RV.

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