Will fridge run on propane with no electricity?

Will the fridge, once it is fired up on propane, continue to run on propane if all electrical is then disconnected?  IE: I want to pre-cool it before heading out, so I connect the battery so I can get the ignitor to work and get the fridge running on propane, and then disconnect the battery.  When I tried this of course all the lights went out on the fridge once the electrical was disco'd, so I am not sure if it is still "running" on the propane.

As CharlieM said, no; battery power is needed to run the fridge on propane. The fridge electronics require power as does the DSI.

You should be fine for many hours running on propane and the battery should recharge while you're driving. Though there is some controversy, I prefer to run the fridge on gas while traveling to make sure the battery is fully recharged. As I recall the fridge draws about 10 amps when running fully on DC and this can limit the charge to the trailer battery even when hooked to the TV.

Happy podding,

Originally posted by TerryM Originally posted by CharlieM You should be fine for many hours running on propane and the battery should recharge while you're driving. Though there is some controversy, I prefer to run the fridge on gas while traveling to make sure the battery is fully recharged. As I recall the fridge draws about 10 amps when running fully on DC and this can limit the charge to the trailer battery even when hooked to the TV. Happy podding, I'm not slamming you but I hope you never have an accident that crashes your camper with that gas turned on.  Big fire. Terry

Hate to say it.. but I believe this to be MUCH over hyped. Almost EVERY RV out there has only a 2 way fridge.. and they ALL go down the road on gas. The propane bottles have safeties built into them in case of line failure etc. If you have a crash so bad the propane lines are broken open.. I think a fire is low on the list of damage anyway.

I mean think about it.. BILLIONS of miles driven every year by RV's of all types.. very few spontaneous combustion events.


BUT to the OP's question.. Battery will run the fridge brain for a long time... Days and days. It's one of the lower draws on the 12v system. Heater motor, fantastic fan, water pump, lights. Thats where your amps go..

You know if all you are running is the fridge.. can you just run a regular extension cord out to the trailer? will be fine.

It is only illegal to run wth propane on in a few specific tunnels, such as the ones in the Baltimore area.  Other than that it isn't illegal, or unsafe.