Fridge on gas on ferry

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Off to Spain, Portugal and France on Wednesday for three weeks - our first trip outside in the UK in the campervan. We are taking the Portsmouth - Santander ferry and returning on the P&O Calais - Dover ferry. Are you allowed to keep the fridge running on gas while on the ferry?

thanks David
 
hi , i have left home with the fridge on gas and only turned it off to change a bottle . i have been away for 6months , on ferries and driven with it left on . never turned it off. the only time it played up was when it got very hot in maroc. they dont like alot of ambient heat. i hardly ever turn the gas off i leave it on permanently. . you can get an auto shut off valve that will shut it off if a pipe breaks or leaks . so far i,ve not had a problem. possibly hardly turned it off in 10yrs. i now use a compressor fridge . but still never turn the gas off.
cheers alan.
 
vwalan said:
hi , i have left home with the fridge on gas and only turned it off to change a bottle . i have been away for 6months , on ferries and driven with it left on . never turned it off. the only time it played up was when it got very hot in maroc. they dont like alot of ambient heat. i hardly ever turn the gas off i leave it on permanently. . you can get an auto shut off valve that will shut it off if a pipe breaks or leaks . so far i,ve not had a problem. possibly hardly turned it off in 10yrs. i now use a compressor fridge . but still never turn the gas off.
cheers alan.
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I would not reccomend leaving the fridge running on gas at a filling station with all the fumes about especially if a vehicle was filling with petrol opposite you when you were filling up at the same time.
 
Fridge on gas

Hi
Think you will find the ferry companies specifically prohibit use of gas in their conditions of sale. Also I would not leave gas on when travelling in the event of an accident etc

baz
 
gas

You are lucky to get away with it.It is something that is easily checked by putting a hand on the outside vent.

Just take long life food in fridge(eggs,veg,margarine , fruit juice ) Then stock up with perishables when You get there.
 
Jann is right, placing a palm over the vent lets the cat out of the bag. I myself, always turn off the gas when crossing from Dover to Calais. Not much of a melt down over so short a period.
 
I have a vague recollection that the "gas off/no flame" rules came about after a car deck fire on a ferry in the Baltic in the 1970s. I dont think its been a one off problem though, with various fatal ferry and tunnel fires over the years. A couple of Swiss tunnels we drove through a few years ago had fire detectors before the tunnel entrance. Probably a very sensible safety rule based on historical events rather than a paperwork hazard/risk assessment.
 
gas on ferries

Definitely part of the conditions before ferry sailing is gas isolated, Shetland ferries will ask every time prior to boarding and after loading
 
i have left the fridge running on gas on a 7 to 8 hour crossing but the camper was out on deck.
i would not leave it on if it was enclosed on an inside deck.
tony
 
Refilling gas bottles has nothing to do with it. If everyone abided by everything beurocrats dream up we'd still be getting towed by horses.:p
 
people can be careless.
i have seen people smoking while fuelling their cars with petrol / diesel.
i always switch off the fridge at filling stations even though there is a saftey system on mine that after stopping the engine the fridge wont try to cut in on gas for 15 minutes.
tony
 
every time something electrical is turned on or a door opened there is a spark, think of a distributer in a petrol car at 1,000revs per minute 4,000sparks at least have happened .never mind the sparks from the starter or dynamo alternator. .we have to be a bit real . there is carelessness and carelessness. perhaps we shouldnt use cars at all. i,m glad i fill at the commercial pumps and run diesel its all you petrol heads that cause the danger .lets ban petrol that would make it alot safer . come on lets be real. maybe getting out of bed is a threat. after all it does say guide on graths posting read page one. so is it a guide or is it a law. only guides i like are girl guides ha ha too old now must scout about a bit. hee hee. cheers alan .(tongue in cheek). use a leccy compressor fridge now so i dont leave my fridge on any more.
 
I have never seen a notice on the ferry telling me to turn the gas off. Also, we cross about 5 times each year and never ever turned the gas off. Don't worry about it, it won't be a problem.
 
Agreed, if they don't say anything just do i if you want, no harm in it.
 
vwalan said:
hi , i have left home with the fridge on gas and only turned it off to change a bottle . i have been away for 6months , on ferries and driven with it left on . never turned it off. the only time it played up was when it got very hot in maroc. they dont like alot of ambient heat. i hardly ever turn the gas off i leave it on permanently. . you can get an auto shut off valve that will shut it off if a pipe breaks or leaks . so far i,ve not had a problem. possibly hardly turned it off in 10yrs. i now use a compressor fridge . but still never turn the gas off.
cheers alan.
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alan
do you have the gas heating on as well while driving and what gas system you got . No reply from H&S brigate please
 
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I don't need it in my van but I used it regularly with my old Talbot based van, no problems at all.
 
bernardfeay said:
I have never seen a notice on the ferry telling me to turn the gas off. Also, we cross about 5 times each year and never ever turned the gas off. Don't worry about it, it won't be a problem.
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anytime i went on a ferry i was asked was the gas on or off.
tony
 
i use a thermex catalitic heater and have never driven with it on .i hardly use it . the gas lights give a fair bit of heat. i have just bought a blue flame heater for it. as i may use it in colder climes soon. i also have a gas instantaneous water heater . i dont leave that on as i only use it when having a shower . i could change it for an auto start instantanious w,heater as they dont have a pilot light. i use a mixture of butane /propane bottles . either bought exchange in spain or morocco or lpg here in uk. have thought of fitting a gas tank i have here but not worth it really its so easy to fill bottles or just use the foreign ones when away. i also have a full size lpg cooker and oven . just like the one at home. i built the trailer to be run on gas originally as i never had solar back then ,the gas lights are really worth it light /heat and help keep mozzies away. and give a more pleasant light than leccy . ask away i dont have secrets .cheers alan.
 
hi ***** , its something to do with the smell or something . it does give a smell but not un pleasant. when i first decided to have them our local caravan guy said no mozzies now and he was right.
if i had a rigid truck i would fit radiators and blowers in the back like a bus . good for when driving . but its a bit more difficult with the trailer . the blue flame heater i just bought is also made by thermex in spain.gives up to 4,200w of heat uses 305g/hour/ no flue so have to open a window ,as a device to cut off the gas flow if co or co2 gets high. also if oxygen levels get low. bit big for a normal camper i think .
cheers alan.
 
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