Author |
Share Topic Topic Search Topic Options
|
Abercrombies
Groupie
Joined: 12 Jun 2018
Location: NC
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 42
|
Topic: Preventing Battery Drain Posted: 16 Jun 2018 at 8:09pm |
Parking our Pod while connected to the tow vehicle is draining the battery on our truck. We have nothing on or running in the trailer? Should we disconnect the trailer brake cable?
|
"better than we deserve!"👍🏼
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
RPOD-189
GMC Pickup
Bruce & Linda
|
 |
GlueGuy
Senior Member
Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2686
|
Posted: 16 Jun 2018 at 8:37pm |
Unless your TV has an automatic disconnect, then, for sure, you should unplug the 7-pin to prevent the TT from draining your TV battery.
|
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
|
 |
Abercrombies
Groupie
Joined: 12 Jun 2018
Location: NC
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 42
|
Posted: 16 Jun 2018 at 8:41pm |
Thanks!👍🏼 What about the fridge? What setting should it be on when not using?
|
"better than we deserve!"👍🏼
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
RPOD-189
GMC Pickup
Bruce & Linda
|
 |
GlueGuy
Senior Member
Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2686
|
Posted: 16 Jun 2018 at 8:45pm |
Originally posted by Abercrombies
Thanks!👍🏼 What about the fridge? What setting should it be on when not using? |
Not sure what you mean? If you're not using the fridge, then turn it off. If you are boondocking, then generally use the propane. If you have full hookups, then dealer's choice; we use AC when we have a full hookup.
|
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
|
 |
JAGMAR
Newbie
Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: Maryland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2
|
Posted: 21 Jun 2018 at 9:25pm |
Completely agree with GlueGuy. Running the frig on battery does not keep it as cold as the propane option or 110-120VAC. I ran the frig on battery when traveling for almost a year and could not ever get the temp below 42-43 even on mild days before I got smarter through reading many of these messages. I even went to the trouble of putting two pancake fans in the mechanical section to increase the air flow over the heat exchanger. Once ran the battery on the TV down to the point I needed a jump start. I was not a happy camper that morning.
I could not get the frig to operated on propane when we traveled; thought I had a bad controller. It turns out FR (or Dometic) changed the propane system one Monday morning but forgot to train the production line; they left the air shield off of the pilot and going down the road kept blowing the pilot flame out. Thankfully they left the parts in the mechanical section. Someone else received a frig that was completely assembled (Tuesday's production). They sent me a photo so I could put the puzzle back together.
Now I use propane in transit and shut it down before getting fuel or going oven bridges or through tunnels (propane cooled refrigerators still have an open flame).
|
 |
Tars Tarkas
Senior Member
Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Location: Near Nashville
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1450
|
Posted: 22 Jun 2018 at 7:52am |
Originally posted by JAGMAR
(propane cooled refrigerators still have an open flame). | They don't have an open flame. I'd be interested in seeing an official definition of "open flame". Candles, propane or welding torches, etc., have open flames. I can't find anything that says an enclosed flame in an appliance is an open flame. If the rule were "no flame" it might be different, but if there are open flames, it seems there must, therefore, be flames that are not open. An RV fridge would seem to fit that bill.
I think the idea that there is a law that propane fridges must be turned off at gas stations is a myth. Show me something official that says that. (There are a million places that say that, but I can't find anything from any government or regulatory agency.
TT
|
2010 176
FJ Cruiser
|
 |
lostagain
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2595
|
Posted: 22 Jun 2018 at 8:03am |
Are the propane refrigerator police really going to go into your Pod to check to see if the fridge is turned on with propane while you're filling up at your local Pilot or Flying J?
|
Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
|
 |
mcarter
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3419
|
Posted: 22 Jun 2018 at 8:20am |
+1 to TARS. I have never been able to find a validated regulation that addresses propane reefers while refueling. I have seen tunnels and ferries where they post propane off and even places that verify your propane is off. There could be a liability issue if there was proof your reefer caused a fire at a refueling stop, but nowhere could I find that instance occurring.
|
Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
|
 |
lostagain
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2595
|
Posted: 22 Jun 2018 at 10:45am |
Besides that, most of the time you're going to spend not more than about 10 minutes refueling, max. You could turn the valve off for the time you're at the pump, then turn it back on as you leave. If you have a long ferry ride or something the issue could be a problem, but there unless you're going to be in transit on the boat more than an hour, there is enough insulation and carry over cold that it probably wouldn't make much difference anyway; unless, of course you're going from Rihad to the port of Dubai.
In tunnels?? How do LP powered vehicles make it through the tunnel if they have to turn off the gas? Just curious.
|
Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
|
 |
GlueGuy
Senior Member
Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2686
|
Posted: 22 Jun 2018 at 10:49am |
Originally posted by lostagain
In tunnels?? How do LP powered vehicles make it through the tunnel if they have to turn off the gas? Just curious. |
Uhhh. You really asking that question? LP powered vehicles are still INTERNAL COMBUSTION engines. There is no pilot light or open flame. It's like gas, or diesel, or NG. Everything is inside the cylinders.
|
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
|
 |