The Advantages of a Propane Gas Refrigerator

What are the advantages of a LP powered refrigerator?

A propane refrigerator is an efficient way of cooling food when one is living off the grid. There are many propane fridge advantages. Since there are no moving parts on a propane refrigerator, this then means that there are no parts to wear out.

With the propane price at $1.859 a gal., a refrigerator will cost approx. $0.60 a day to operate in warmer climates. In cooler climates such as in northern CANADA , higher altitudes, etc., a refrigerator will operate at approx. $0.45 a day. With this amount of propane gas usage a person should be able to get 20 days of use with only a 20# propane cylinder.  This sure beats using a cooler and ice packs to carry to your cabin every time you get there.

The initial cost to purchase a propane gas refrigerator is quite a bit higher than an electric refrigerator but cheaper than a 12VDC refrigerator. But to compare an electric refrigerator with a propane refrigerator is not comparing apples with apples. An electric and 12VDC refrigerator runs with Freon and a compressor pump. A propane powered refrigerator operates with a propane gas flame to heat the ammonia and distilled water using hydrogen gas to circulate steam vapor and liquid ammonia to cool it down. No electric lines or inverters and generators to power the refrigerator.

All propane gas refrigerators are hooked up with a 3/8” copper or flexible gas line to feed the gas.

If I were to purchase a refrigerator whether electric, 12VDC, or propane, which would I choose?

Most people may think that it depends on what the application would be. This being true, I personally use a propane powered refrigerator at our house. And if I were asked why, I would say that in order to live in a house off the grid, I still believe it would be the most cost effective to operate a propane refrigerator in the long run. This is based on the amount of maintenance to operate vs. a 12VDC refrigerator. Since there are no moving parts on a propane refrigerator there is hardly any maintenance to use this type of refrigeration unit. Generally speaking, a gas refrigerator usually needs to be cleaned only twice a year by cleaning the burner area and flue tube. No compressor unit to go bad . No batteries to charge.

For more information regarding Propane Refrigerators contact Warehouse Appliance at either 928-636-1955 or by visiting our website at http://www.warehouseappliance.com/.

More Information:
Propane Fridge Comparisons
Gas Refrigerators
Propane Refrigeration Information

Maintenance for Gas Refrigerators

How to do maintenance on your gas fridge or gas freezers.

Warehouse Appliance brings you these quick maintenance tips for your gas refrigerator. If you have any questions or comments please contact us directly at 928-636-1955 or visit our website at http://www.warehouseappliance.com

Because there are no moving parts in these gas refrigerators and gas freezers, there's not much maintenance needed. One very important thing you can do to keep the unit working to it's maximum efficiency is to periodically clean the flue. The flue will soot up due to impurities in the gas. The dirtier the gas, the more soot will develop. Turn the unit off and let the flue cool for awhile. Place something over the burner orifice to protect it from the falling soot. Place a rag or piece of tin foil under the unit to catch any falling soot. Remove the baffles from the flue (if any). Be careful!! They may be hot. Use the Flue Brush and gently scrub the full length of the flue. Rotate the brush a few times to get all the soot possible.

One other common occurrence is debris in the Burner Air Intake. If the gas fridge or gas freezer has been sitting for awhile, spiders like the smell of propane and will make webs in the burner area and the unit will not light or burn with a dirty foul flame. Dirt, dust, pet hair, insects, lint, or anything migrating behind the gas fridge will increase the chances of the burning running foul. If the flame tip is yellow or orange, then chances are, there is debris in the Burner Tube and Air Intake. It is very easy to remove. Turn the unit off. Using a piece of 1/4" flexible rubber hose, just aim it at the Air Intake of the Burner and blow through the other end to clean out the debris. Using compressed air or "air in a can" works well also. Be sure the unit is off and cooled before using "air in a can" since it can be highly flammable. Re-light the unit and visually check the flame. It should be a crisp blue flame with a white or yellow tip. To prevent debris from getting into the burner tube and creating this problem, it's a good idea to vacuum under and around your gas refrigerator or gas freezer often. This is best gas fridge maintenance practice.

A more detailed description for servicing gas refrigerators is available on DVD along with many other troubleshooting and repair tips and tricks.

Gas Refrigerator Maintenance DVDs:

Diamond Gas Set-up and Trouble Shooting DVD
Danby Consul Service Repair DVD
EZ Freeze Maintenance DVD