# How to power the fridge while travelling in France?



## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

There was a thread a while back about the wisdom or not of travelling with the gas switched on and IIRC Jim commented that he needed to in order to power the fridge via gas as RVs often don't have a 12V option. 

This morning I came across a reference that powering the fridge by gas while travelling in France is a no-no.

How many RVs power their fridge while travelling by gas as opposed to via an inverter? In the former, doesn't the flame keep on blowing out entailing constant re-igniting with turbulence entering the vent and thereby the burner tube? What do you do in France?

And I've asked this before but do (m)any RVs have a 110V AC output on their alternator?

Dave


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## G2EWS (May 1, 2006)

Hi Dave,

Interesting question and I await the response of the experienced many.

With regards to the gas going out, no it stays alight no problem.

Chris


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## LC1962 (Oct 6, 2005)

DABurleigh said:


> powering the fridge by gas while travelling in France is a no-no.
> 
> Dave


For what reason Dave?

We always leave our fridges on gas when travelling, have never had a problem in doing that (even in France a few years back) and the pilot lights have stayed on.

With regards to the 110v output from the alternator question - no, certainly not on any that we have encountered.

Cheers
Linda


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Linda,

I haven't ferreted/Googled any further (hunting down UK law is difficult enough), but it's on Dometic fridge owners manuals. For example, the one I was perusing this morning happens still to be open, see page 7 section 5.2.3:
http://www.dometicmanuals.com:8080/1998/821/269053en.pdf

Dometic ought to know!

It's plausible, if for no other reason that there is a safety angle. In an accident, if trapped, it would really make my day if I could smell gas accumulating due to a ruptured line :-(

Dave


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## 2point (Jun 10, 2005)

Thread on this -

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-113541.html#113541

We've had no problems with this...................until I went to the dealers today to get a new bottle as the bottle was empty. It wasn't empty, the regulator was faulty, no flow. Apparently these are fairly sensitive and the failure rate appears to be fairly high.

Replaced while I waited, excellent service yet again from dealer, Knowepark.


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

Hi Dave 

Yes it was me who commented on RVs and gas fridges, I've never had it blow out. 
As for 12 v working, they would draw a fair amount of current, RV fridges are full domestic sized with large freezers.. not sure on the rating but I'm guessing this is why most don't have 12v option. 
In your accident scenario would there be any more danger from a low pressure gas line rupturing than a tank full of petrol or indeed a full tank of high pressure LPG ? 
I'm not suggesting the risk isn't increased but it's not IMO significant enough to worry about.. I've read all the warnings and advice from the various clubs and associations, if you can turn the gas off at the tank while travelling then do so... 
Slightly off topic .. 
I have often pondered why Eurotunnell think that an LPG powered vehicle is a greater risk than a petrol one.. yet it's ok to have an LPG tank or bottles for domestic use. :?


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## LC1962 (Oct 6, 2005)

Makes sense Dave although RVs are built differently - there are no gas bottles just a thundering great tank slung under the body the feed from which is operated by an external tap concealed in a locker - this is usually (as is typical with anything American) stickered up with warning labels so any would be rescuer would...one would hope... turn the supply off immediately.
One would assume that the LP tanks on RVs are a little sturdier than gas bottle set ups on their European counterparts although I am no expert by any means.


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Jim,

I think the old thread covered a lot of that ground, though I don't recall anything enlightening on your last point, if you raised it then. I dealt last time with forthcoming EC law and why there are differences between LPG powered vehicles and LPG domestic (the former already have to have automatic cut-off valves, the latter not yet but soon will for new vehicles, at least, bizarrely, for heaters....).

The sentiment of my contributions to that thread are the same as to this. By getting down to what is LAW, that can often (though not always!) inform us as to the risks. Also, of course, as ignorance of the law is no defence, flagging what IS pertinent law is a service in itself.

Now, as we hear that French policeman and authorities are being increasingly pedantic with enforcing the law, whether with speeding between tolls on autoroutes, moving off from tolls without belt done up, not displaying GB stickers or whatever, to find a reputable reference to gas powered fridges being illegal NOW in France when motoring and for all existing vehicles, and in particular alongside a statement that recognised relevant EC law, seemed a new point worth flagging. 

Forewarned is forearmed.

Dave
P.S. And for a potential RV owner, albeit academically for some years yet, as EU law grows I am beginning to despair of just how many laws would be broken by driving a typical new US RV from home into France. Width, mirror size/standoff, weight/licensing, projections, fridge operation ..... These are the actual or potential ones I'm aware of, and I suspect there will be more type approval issues to be added before too long :-(


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

Dave 

I understand your point and your despair at the growing list of regs. being introduced, however, I may be wrong (often am) but my understanding was that new type approval laws can't be applied retrospectively .. eg, seat belts and yellow/white number plates, these aren't required on vehicles pre dating the regulations.


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