There is continued debate about driving whilst operating the gas fridge. Although some people do drive their vehicle with the fridge running on gas, it has the potential to be an unsafe situation and we have seen the results with our own eyes.

We were travelling in front of friends in a campervan. They called us on the CB to say they were pulling over as they could smell "gas". As they slowed down my husband saw (in his rear vision mirror) their van ignite and the walls bellow out. Both occupants were out in a hurry lucky to be alive. The gas line from the gas bottle to the gas safety fuse had worked loose and gas had escaped from the bottle storage are to the cabin. As they were travelling with both front windows open the free gas had been forced to the rear of the vehicle. As they slowed down the gas moved forward allowing them to smell it. As it passed the open flame of the gas fridge it immediately ignited the interior of the vehicle. Although it was only a flash, no surface in the vehicle remained intact with bedding burnt and anything else that was not solid melted and/or was badly charred.

Some will argue that they "have done it for years without problems" and will probably continue to do so without incident. For those who wish to play it on the safe side there are other options.

1) A 12 volt option on your fridge is the best alternative - as long as it is wired correctly. This wiring is a full subject on its own. Collyn Rivers is the expert on this subject and his notes can be found on the CMCA web site (for members) or in his books available from the Motorhoming Lifestyle Bookshop. Make sure it is wired through the ignition with a relay (so that the fridge is off whilst the engine is not running) to avoid flat batteries whilst stopped.

2) If you have an inverter large enough to run your fridge you may choose to run it on 240 volt through the invertor whilst the engine is running. Before you do this though ensure your alternator will recharge your battery(ies) - some motorhomes are not wired to do this. If you choose this option ensure you have it wired through the ignition as above. We have utilised this method in the past and it works well.

3) If you do not have either of these options the other alternative is to turn the fridge off. If you are only travelling for a few hours this is usually not a problem. It is a good idea to ensure though that the fridge is as cold as possible and running efficiently before you switch off. Do not go shopping and fill the fridge with room temperature food and drinks. This will only warm the fridge up before turning off. If you need to open the fridge whilst it is off, plan what you need before you open it so you have it open for the shortest amount of time possible before turning on again. We have also used this option with very few problems.