Elkmont refrig - 2-way or 3-way?

[cochise]

Originally Posted by voyager2

On our '09 Elkmont, the fridge uses 12 VDC when traveling. The Norcold owner's manual is not very clear about this. If you have your owner's manual look at the falult codes (probably on page 11). The first fault code is no "on" light. The meaning is DC voltage is unavailable or fridge is OFF. I am not sure about using 12 VDC while not hooked up to shore power and gas turned off. That happened to me last week in a campground and I got a confusing fault code. I checked fuses, etc. and found that the shore power cable had pulled out of the power post. In any event, if only DC is available, the batteries would not last long.

If you have a full size NORCOLD refrigerator it will ONLY run on either gas or 120 VAC. In both cases it needs the 12VDC for the control. The true 3-way refrigerators have a switch that allows you to chose either, 120 VSC, LP gas OR 12 VDC. Abd yes on 12 VDC you are not going to last very long.

Page 11 in the manual the first paragraph states: On Light "OFF", meaning: DC voltage is unavailable to the refrigerator CONTROL panel, or the refrigerator is OFF.

So the 12 VDC is ONLY for the control panel, NOT for running the fridge in the Elkmont.

I think the statement "The meaning is DC voltage is unavailable or fridge is OFF" is not implying the fridge uses 12V to cool, but rather needs 12V to operate the controls ( thermostat and Lighting flame)

After reading everyone's posts on this subject, I hooked up in the driveway and did some tests. The fridge works only on shorepower or gas. When we purchased our Elkmont, the dealer told us "auto" would automatically choose between 110 and 12 VDC. Guess he didn't know what he was talking about either.

Now the question becomes what to do on long trips to keep the unit cold. We have been fine for 2-3 hour trips, but what do you do when you are on the road for 7-8 hours? I really don't want to drive down the road with fridge in gas mode. Anyone have any suggestions?

Originally Posted by voyager2

After reading everyone's posts on this subject, I hooked up in the driveway and did some tests. The fridge works only on shorepower or gas. When we purchased our Elkmont, the dealer told us "auto" would automatically choose between 110 and 12 VDC. Guess he didn't know what he was talking about either.

Now the question becomes what to do on long trips to keep the unit cold. We have been fine for 2-3 hour trips, but what do you do when you are on the road for 7-8 hours? I really don't want to drive down the road with fridge in gas mode. Anyone have any suggestions?

If your fridge is like mine, then there is an automatic switch over between 120 volt and gas. When you unplug shore power, then the gas cuts on. There should be a button on your fridge panel that will allow gas only, no matter if you are plugged into shore power or not. I make sure the gas only button is pushed before starting up my generator while dry camping......if I didn't, then the fridge would switch from gas to 120 volt as soon as I plug my generator in.

After traveling with an ice box in my slide in camper and pop-up, and then the 3 way fridge in my Trailmanor, I was uncomfortable with going down the road with my propane tanks on and fridge operating on my conventional travel trailer.......and still don't like the idea. But I do it, as probably 90% of the non-3-way refrigerator owners do going down the road. I don't think that I have ever heard of an explosion by doing this, although I did read about a Class B catching on fire while gassing up, due to the fuel fill being too close to the fridge vent. On my setup, my fuel fill is 30' from my fridge vent......a lot further away then some fool walking by me while smoking.

One other draw of 12v power on the Elkmont fridge is the external cooling fan that is auto all the time no switch like the 3 way units. I drive with the propane on to keep things cold, but turn it off even before I fill-up the TV. I do miss the 12v only on my other TM, but this fridge is much to big for that fuction.

I think most of those big rv's you see on the road are running their big frig's with propane on. There are cars that run on propane and natural gas. So I've come to just accept running it with the propane on. But I do like to check all the fittings and so on, just to be safe.

EDIT: Although I guess those vehicles that run on natural gas or propane don't have an open flame like the frig.

[Bill]

On the Trailmanor website, the Elkmont specs clearly state "Norcold full-size 2-way refrigerator". There shouldn't be any confusion about this - especially among dealers, but also among buyers.

Bill

[ShrimpBurrito]

While many folks seem to recognize the risk of running propane down the road in the form of a fire hazard while refueling, I seldom see anything mentioned about what might happen if a propane line was cut while traveling.

I vividly recall traveling from Gainesville to Jacksonville, FL several years ago on a divided 4-lane state road. Coming towards us in the opposite direction was a vehicle towing what appeared to be travel trailer of some sort. It was hard to tell exactly what kind it was because it was literally engulfed in flames. I'm not talking about a fire coming out the window -- I'm talking about this guy towing a ball of fire. I'm not sure if maybe he didn't realize it, or maybe he did and didn't know what to do, but he was driving down the road with wild abandon at 55 mph. I will never forget that sight, and can only presume the fire was being fueled by propane.

Of course, if a propane line is going to get cut, it's going to happen whether the propane is on or off. And if it doesn't leak while you're on the road, it will leak when you turn the propane on when setting up camp. The Acme nuts are supposed to close when flow exceeds a specified value (I think 75,000 BTU), which is better than nothing, but still.....

Dave

Dave,
I struggle with this issue every time I pack for a camping trip. On short trips say less than 4 hours driving time I may go to bagged ice or an ice chest, lots of peace of mind.

Originally Posted by ShrimpBurrito

Coming towards us in the opposite direction was a vehicle towing what appeared to be travel trailer of some sort. It was hard to tell exactly what kind it was because it was literally engulfed in flames. I'm not talking about a fire coming out the window -- I'm talking about this guy towing a ball of fire. I'm not sure if maybe he didn't realize it, or maybe he did and didn't know what to do, but he was driving down the road with wild abandon at 55 mph.

Somebody should have got that on film. What a sight.