The fridge is directly vented, and if properly installed, the gas area is sealed from the interior. Otherwise you’d get a draft from the outside through that space. And maybe the propane venting into the living space. Less than ideal (if nothing else moisture buildup from the propane combustion, worst case if the combustion is incomplete you’d get CO leaking into the living space).
I just recently removed a fridge as part of maintenance (on a very poorly maintained 1982)- it was well sealed, and very well ventilated to the outside, much more than it needs, in my opinion (and I’d say that’s a good safety factor). Hilo put a low and hi vent, to generate convection. The fridge enclosure was sealed from the rest of the interior space, with good sealant around the propane lines, plumbing and electrical. It was a bit of work to clean up the sealant.
Not sure how a reduced air space *increases* a risk for fire, nevermind that the unit is externally ventilated. Do you turn it off while you sleep?
Additionally, every stat I’ve read shows a much greater risk of fire due to wiring, and DC is far more likely to start a fire than AC, in my opinion (the current levels are very high, and it’s always on - I’ve seen DC weld a wrench to ground in under 2 seconds). Are batteries disconnected while towing to prevent fires?
There *is* an argument for using electric while towing, because, well, propane uses an open flame to heat the refrigerant.
*I* don’t have a problem running propane while towing. Is there a slight risk increase while doing it? Sure, open flame, potential damage to fridge if you stop and leave it unlevel somewhere (but unlevel would apply to running it on electric too). The biggest argument against it I’ve heard has been “what if you pull into a gas station and ignite gas vapors?”. Well, if that happens, *anything* would’ve ignited those gas vapors, like a catalytic converter from a car already there. Gas is unbelievably volatile.
That said, I intend to upgrade my 7-pin to ensure I can run sufficient power to charge the batteries and run the fridge. Why not - I need to be able to charge the batteries while towing anyway, this covers both concerns.
