Propane o­n or off?

Traveling with propane poses a dilemma for RVers: Should it be turned o­n or off while driving down the road? There are pros and cons to each; therefore, each RVer must weigh.

There are several conveniences to traveling with the propane o­n. First, it allows the refrigerator to run, which guarantees the food inside remains cool and fresh. In cold weather, propane allows you to run your RV's heating system in your RV and keep water in the hot water heater hot. Some RVs require the propane be o­n to run the generator.

Clearly, there are benefits to traveling with the propane o­n; however, there are definite risks. Propane lines can break if an accident occurs while you're o­n the road or if an appliance moves while traveling. With no restriction in the line, the propane in the tank can escape.

Since propane can ignite with o­nly a small amount in the air (eight parts per million of propane), any triggering device in the vicinity will light it. A broken propane line is extremely dangerous and can trigger an explosion and fire.

If you choose to travel with your propane off, you forfeit the additional warmth of your vehicle's heating system, the guarantee food in your refrigerator will remain cold and water in your water heater will remain hot. However, it's a trade-off that may someday save your life.

By traveling with the propane off, you minimize the risk of an accident becoming much worse due to propane leakage. Many states even require that the propane be turned off before entering tunnels.

If safety is your first priority, then the clear choice is to drive with your propane turned off. If you feel the benefits of driving with your propane o­n outweigh the potential dangers, then you may choose to keep it turned o­n. Either way, you're making an informed choice.