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Regular Visitor
Posts: 166
 
| How leaval must a gas fridge be when running on gas?
This morning i drove 1.8km from the Aire to the main parking to shop at the open market,i knew the way didnt use GPS.After 6 miles i put the GPS on.Arriving at the market i saw a sea of cars beyond those a sea of camping vans.The best places had gone.I was lucky to park on a slightly sloping place.
Having read through posts about leaving the gas on while driving i left mine on to keep the fridge running on gas.When i arrived there was only a slopeing place i wondered if i should turn the gas off and run on 12v(The sun was/is out for the solar panel) As it was i left the gas on,as id parked in the shade of a tree.
Just how leaval should the fridge(campervan)be?Is there a downside to a gas fridge not quite leaval?
Having driven off with the gas on i passed a fuel station which while normaly very over priced had a sign saying 10 cents a liter off(,no doubt for market day traffic) making a liter of Diesel at 1.31€ about 3 cents less than other stations.I stopped to fill up.While filling i looked around and saw the car on the otherside filling with petrol
During the tanker strickes in England id heard of the danger of filling with petrol while cooking,i looked at the side of my campervan and wondered when the explosion would come.Id paid by card as the pay the cash side had a long line,i stopped filling and drove off with haste.
Next time i fill ill turn my gas off first   |
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Location: Shropshire:Chausson Allegro 83(Renault 150dci)
| ...rather than "looking at the side" of your campervan, to ascertain where any explosion would come from( ?)..that time would've been better spent turning the gas and fridge off! 
Sorry mate(Miss?)but what with your previous post,in which you described how you'd been out and "bought a screwdriver" and precedeing to poke about with your battery..and now this!?...Well,you sound like a bit of a liabilty...?! 
(..that is of cause,if you are indeed a *real* person..?..sometimes it's hard to tell... )
Edited by pepe63 2012-05-03 12:14 PM
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Location: Sunny Southampton
| If this Numpty is real I hope I never park within a mile of him !!!!!!!!!! |
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| Many of us have done it accidentally but to deliberately drive with the gas on and the fridge alight is nothing short of STUPIDITY.
Even more so when the makers overcame that problem and fitted the fridge with a 12 volt power source that works only when the engine is running.
When the fridge is alight, and stating the obvious here, there is a naked and exposed lit gas flame burning in an area of the van that is vented to the outside and it does not take a genius to work out what will happen should that naked flame detect any petrol fumes on a garage forecourt.
DON'T DO IT - if only for the sake of others. |
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| plumbersvan - 2012-05-03 12:01 PM
" This morning i drove 1.8km from the Aire to the main parking to shop at the open market,i knew the way didnt use GPS.
After 6 miles i put the GPS on. "
)
I'm beginning to think that vindiboy is right.
Plumbersvan drove 1.8 kms ( that is about 1.1 miles ) to the open market - and after 6 miles switched the GPS on.
Now my maths isn't all that good but he / she appears to have missed the market by about 5 miles.
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Location: Shropshire:Chausson Allegro 83(Renault 150dci)
| malc d - 2012-05-03 1:07 PM
plumbersvan - 2012-05-03 12:01 PM
" This morning i drove 1.8km from the Aire to the main parking to shop at the open market,i knew the way didnt use GPS.
After 6 miles i put the GPS on. "
)
I'm beginning to think that vindiboy is right.
Plumbersvan drove 1.8 kms ( that is about 1.1 miles ) to the open market - and after 6 miles switched the GPS on.
Now my maths isn't all that good but he / she appears to have missed the market by about 5 miles.
Malc..probably "typos" due to:
a) Sun on screen
or
b) Poor Wifi connection in McDonalds
Those are the common excuses(sorry! "reasons")...  |
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Location: Varies. Self-Built LD T244 www.triptruck.net
| Or maybe a humorously ironic admission that the way to the market was not so well known after all?
Just throwing it out there as plumbersvan is not without the ability deliberately invoke response.
And following on in the spirit of blindingly obvious advice, it's best not to shoot yourself in the face either. That would spoil your day. |
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Stalwart
Posts: 1450
Location: Stockport Autosleeper Duetto on a MK7 Transit
| To answer the question, a Dometic 'tilt tolerant' fridge will work at an angle of about 6 degrees, or if you like, on a slope of 1 in 9.5.
Personally, I would not like to try and live in a van sloping at 1 in 9.5, so my rule of thumb is, if the van feels level enough to live in, the fridge will work. |
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Regular Visitor
Posts: 166
| How leaval dose a fridge on gas have to be?
I moved and am now leaval
I thought that if you dont need to turn off the gas then the fridge could stay on.Up to now ive always turned off the gas when i remember and always put the fridge on 12v
Soon i wont be posting as much as i move on and wifi is again mac do only
Today my lunch bit me I bought Oysters No5s it was very hard to open one even with an oyster knife When i managed a bit i put my finger in the gap to move the knife & it bit me It hurt
All part of travels in a campervan
How leaval should the fridge be? |
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Stalwart
Posts: 662
Location: 24800 France, Hymermobile B594,1993 2.5td
| And if the engine is not running the 12V for the 'fridge will not run either
PS that's assuming that you have a recent 'fridge older say before 2000 are very intolerant of slopes, the answer is get out your levelling blocks or move.
To repeat the advice above, never run the gas while you are in motion.
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Regular Visitor
Posts: 166
| spospe - 2012-05-03 3:40 PM
To answer the question, a Dometic 'tilt tolerant' fridge will work at an angle of about 6 degrees, or if you like, on a slope of 1 in 9.5.
Personally, I would not like to try and live in a van sloping at 1 in 9.5, so my rule of thumb is, if the van feels level enough to live in, the fridge will work.
Thats good news  The reason i asked,i often find the aires have an almost imperseptable "slope" and other times so slight i dont use the ramps.The frigdge has so far always remained cool and deep freeze frozen even after two or three days of not being perfectly flat
Most other campers make quite a thing of being leaval.i was begining to be afraid i might have been causeing damage to somthing
As for the coment about my screw driver it was the only way to open the panel to get at the power  If you dont try you will never progress,i was carful now its all back as it was |
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| Leaval should be spelt level. |
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Location: Herefordshire - Motorhome = 2005 Hobby T-600 FC
| plumbersvan - 2012-05-03 2:47 PM
...How leaval should the fridge be?
John Wickersham's "The Motorcaravan Manual" (every motorcaravan owner should have one) says the following:
"All Electrolux refrigerators manufactured before 1986 had to be completely level to operate. A tilt in excess of 2-3° could impair operation. Since this date, all higher specification models are described as 'tilt tolerant'. Some models will operate at an angle of 3° (eg RM122 and RM4206); others at 6° (eg RM4217, RM4237 and RM4271)."
Hence, the older an Electrolux fridge the less tilt-tolerant it will be.
(I thought you were planning to swap your ancient rusty Electrolux fridge for a new one - presumably that never happened.)
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Location: Herefordshire - Motorhome = 2005 Hobby T-600 FC
| Tracker - 2012-05-03 3:00 PM
Leaval should be spelt level.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Spelling%20flame
"Leaval" should be spelt "level". |
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| plumbersvan - 2012-05-03 2:47 PM
I moved and am now leaval
Leaval should be spelt ' lethal ' - according to some of your postings.
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Stalwart
Posts: 5061
Location: Boston Linc's.
| Sorry Derek, leaval should be, and is spelt leaval. What the hell it means is anyones guess.  |
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| peter - 2012-05-03 3:46 PM
"Leaval" should be, and is spelt leaval.
What the hell it means is anyones guess.
I promise not to make a habit of it Peter but I agree with you there! |
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Stalwart
Posts: 2081
Location: Beddgelert, North Wales
| Bit mystifed by all this, my fridge will not run on gas once the engine is started, it will not run on 12v when engine is turned off. My fridge will not work if their is much of a slope. I always run with gas on and see no problem with this if you have the right setup, the makers clearly state this is OK and I can also use my gas heating, if required when driving. When you pull in for fuel the fridge should take about ten minutes, from turning off the engine, to ignite so see no need to turn the gas off even here. |
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Stalwart
Posts: 2081
Location: Beddgelert, North Wales
| Tracker - 2012-05-03 3:00 PM
Leaval should be spelt level.
Rich, what sort of pompous remark is this. Personally I never use a spell checker on here so like everyone else make mistakes. Personally I can do without the school master's among us.
Edited by rupert123 2012-05-03 4:06 PM
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| rupert123 - 2012-05-03 4:05 PM
Tracker - 2012-05-03 3:00 PM
Leaval should be spelt level.
Rich, what sort of pompous remark is this. Personally I never use a spell checker on here so like everyone else make mistakes. Personally I can do without the school master's among us.
Henry when it comes to pomposity you have a huge head start on the rest of us so no lectures please! |
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Stalwart
Posts: 643
Location: North Yorkshire Dales - Kontiki 640 Hank the Tank
| rupert123 - 2012-05-03 4:05 PM
Tracker - 2012-05-03 3:00 PM
Leaval should be spelt level.
Rich, what sort of pompous remark is this. Personally I never use a spell checker on here so like everyone else make mistakes. Personally I can do without the school master's among us.
You beat me to it. Is there any need to take the piss out of someone who doesnt spell too well?
We always drive with our gas on, the Gaslow chap said its perfectly safe but I dont drive with either the fire or fridge on. This cant be a good idea surely.
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Location: Herefordshire - Motorhome = 2005 Hobby T-600 FC
| rupert123 - 2012-05-03 4:01 PM
Bit mystifed by all this, my fridge will not run on gas once the engine is started, it will not run on 12v when engine is turned off. My fridge will not work if their is much of a slope. I always run with gas on and see no problem with this if you have the right setup, the makers clearly state this is OK and I can also use my gas heating, if required when driving. When you pull in for fuel the fridge should take about ten minutes, from turning off the engine, to ignite so see no need to turn the gas off even here.
Your description suggests that your motorhome has a 'smart' fridge - probably a Dometic AES-type.
As you know, such fridges select their energy source (230V, 12V or gas) automatically. When the motorhome is being driven 12V will be selected; when the motorhome is on electric hook-up 230V will be selected; otherwise gas will be selected. Obviously, for gas to be selected, a gas supply needs to be available and, consequently, the motorhome's gas bottle/tank will need to be turned on. For safety's sake during refuelling, when the 12V supply becomes unavailable (ie. when the motorhome's engine is turned off) there will be a 15 minutes delay before the fridge starts gas operation.
However, that's academic here as Fiona's motorhome does not have a 'smart' fridge and she has been driving the vehicle with the fridge actually running on gas, not with just the gas-bottle turned on. This is not only unsafe, but illegal in France. Dometic's Operating Instructions advise "Operating the refrigerator with gas is not permitted during travel in France and Australia." |
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Location: Nottinghamshire
| My i suggest that you could earn a decent but short living by leaving your gas on and filling up at a petrol station in Baghdad. you may have heard that some explosions occur there and that way at least i would not be anywhere near you when you leaval the area and a lot safer than if i was parked next to you. I hope that you are joking 'are you'?
Edited by Dr Dave 2012-05-03 4:34 PM
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Location: Nottinghamshire
| We always drive with our gas on, the Gaslow chap said its perfectly safe but I dont drive with either the fire or fridge on. This cant be a good idea surely. Cant see that driving with the gas turned on is any different with a gaslow or calor if you have an accident and the hose from the cylinder pulls out or ruptures then you could have a very dangerous situation. boom bang a bang as Lulu said. |
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Location: Herefordshire - Motorhome = 2005 Hobby T-600 FC
| Dr Dave - 2012-05-03 4:32 PM
... I hope that you are joking 'are you'?
I doubt it!
Roaming around caravan forums indicates that it's far from unknown for people to run a fridge on gas when travelling, particularly in warm weather with older fridges where cooling via 12V is considered to be less efficient than via gas. Evidently, leaving the fridge running on gas during a Channel ferry crossing also happens. |
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Location: Nottinghamshire
| Derek Uzzell - 2012-05-03 4:44 PM Dr Dave - 2012-05-03 4:32 PM ... I hope that you are joking 'are you'? I doubt it! Roaming around caravan forums indicates that it's far from unknown for people to run a fridge on gas when travelling, particularly in warm weather with older fridges where cooling via 12V is considered to be less efficient than via gas. Evidently, leaving the fridge running on gas during a Channel ferry crossing also happens.
At least when the caravan goes up the inferno is behind you and probably quite spectacular much better than if you are quietly sat in the motorhome wondering what that bang was and why its so hot!!!!!! |
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Stalwart
Posts: 1282
| I have a Dislok on my steering wheel. In big letters on it it says GAS, TURN FRIDGE OVER, LEVELING BLOCKS, CORNER STEADIES, MAINS LEAD. TV ARIAL. Not that I forget any of these you understand but a prompt when taking the Dislok off is no bad thing. Our new motorhome does sound a warning if you start the engine with the mains lead in and does sap the step in when the engine is started. The trick is to remember it has done this so you,don't step out and fall over! Not that this has ever happened to me you understand. |
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Location: Nottinghamshire
| Colin Leake - 2012-05-03 5:01 PM I have a Dislok on my steering wheel. In big letters on it it says GAS, TURN FRIDGE OVER, LEVELING BLOCKS, CORNER STEADIES, MAINS LEAD. TV ARIAL. Not that I forget any of these you understand but a prompt when taking the Dislok off is no bad thing. Our new motorhome does sound a warning if you start the engine with the mains lead in and does sap the step in when the engine is started. The trick is to remember it has done this so you,don't step out and fall over! Not that this has ever happened to me you understand.
Hope the sprained ankle is getting better  |
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Regular Visitor
Posts: 166
| Perhaps my fridge was off then?
On the subject of old fridges,ive been wondering if the jet can be made to give more gas to the burner by waggeling a needle in the jut to make the opening just a bit larger??
Unfortunatly the spell checker hasnt been seen for months??I think a windows update caneceled it?
My spelling is faultless But spoilt by the presance or past spell checkers
I may leave hear tommorow But its so comfortable and the skys blue At last
There is an aire thats said to have 220v no very far away?And i could do with a post or tree to tie a washing line soon since its stopped raining |
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Stalwart
Posts: 1424
Location: Horsham, SX.(10 Rapido 7090F)
| To paraphrase a dearly loved double act.
"All the right letters, but not nesecarily in the right order"
RGds |
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