# Tell me about propane refrigerators **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 1, 2014, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-propane-refrigerators/677608 "2014-01-01T02:54:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-propane-refrigerators/677608/1 "2014-01-01T02:54:50Z")
The wife and I are building a home on our 8 acres in Pepeekeo on the Big Island of Hawaii. We’ll be off grid and rather than install a massage solar power system, we’re thinking of putting in a propane refrigerator. Since we have the room, we’re thinking of installing a 500 or even 1000 gallon tank. Pros and cons? Other off grid choices? ---
**Author:** ![Gbro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Gbro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gbro)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-propane-refrigerators/677608/2 "2014-01-01T03:27:48Z")
If you have the Bucks go for it! I do not have one myself, but the cabins all around me do have them. A couple of the cabins are more modern and Have the Amish ones, [Here](http://crystalcold.com/) Most cabins have the old ones that are Ammonia filled. As for any of them they need to be serviced. If I ever improved my cabin (Hunting Shack) I would definitely put it in a screen porch as I wouldn’t want it discharging into the living area like most have them. The old Ammonia units have been know to leak nasty poisonous gasses. The most modern Cabin on the lake has a Propane Generator and its the quietest one on the lake. All his needs are supplied by that generator. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-propane-refrigerators/677608/3 "2014-01-01T03:34:41Z")
My grandparents had three or four Servel gas refrigerators. Maybe a freezer or to as well. They never had any problems with them. [This page](http://vintageservelrefrigerators.8k.com) for Servel refrigerators can answer some of your questions. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-propane-refrigerators/677608/4 "2014-01-01T03:43:11Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > […] our 8 acres in Pepeekeo on the Big Island of Hawaii. Dopefest 2014 at **Mangosteen** ’s place! ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-propane-refrigerators/677608/5 "2014-01-01T04:50:47Z")
How are you acquiring electricity for your other electrical needs? Why not simply use that? Propane refrigerators are expensive and have a reputation of being slow to cool the stuff in them. ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-propane-refrigerators/677608/6 "2014-01-01T05:06:34Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > How are you acquiring electricity for your other electrical needs? Why not simply use that? > > Propane refrigerators are expensive and have a reputation of being slow to cool the stuff in them. We plan to install solar panels, but refrigerators really suck the energy out of them seeing how refrigerators run 24/7, so we are trying to come up with another source of power. We may also put a mini hydro electric system in the stream that runs along the property line. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-propane-refrigerators/677608/7 "2014-01-01T05:46:44Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > How are you acquiring electricity for your other electrical needs? Why not simply use that? My grandparents had a generator that they’d start at dusk. When it ran out of gas, there were only the 12 volt lights. It would have been too expensive to run the generator all the time for refrigerators. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-propane-refrigerators/677608/8 "2014-01-01T06:07:49Z")
My brother has been off grid for over 40 years. His 1st house had three sources of light. Gas, 12VDC, and 120 VAC. He had a small generator that he ran for short periods of time. The 12 VDC system supplied from two 8D batteries, the batteries were in the back of his service truck. He would start the truck in the morning on the trucks battery then connect the 8Ds to the trucks electrical system to recharge throught out the day. His refrig was an propane unit. Never had any problems with it. I may be wrong but I believe all absorption refrigerators are ammonia and water. ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-propane-refrigerators/677608/9 "2014-01-01T06:11:03Z")
We have a 5th wheel trailer and of course it has an electric/propane fridge/freezer. Going by how long two small tanks of propane last us I’d say a 500 gallon tank should easily do you for the rest of your life if you just use it for the fridge. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-propane-refrigerators/677608/10 "2014-01-01T14:08:07Z")
We have one at our family cabin, also off the grid. The only downside that I know of is that it was expensive compared to an electric fridge, but if it’s your only choice, that’s what you’re stuck with. It works fine. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2014, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-propane-refrigerators/677608/11 "2014-01-02T00:11:13Z")
We used to have an Electrolux-Kerosene. More compact. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2014, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-propane-refrigerators/677608/12 "2014-01-02T02:39:30Z")
An electric chest freezer rigged as a refrigerator uses less electricity than I would have guessed. I heard about [this guy](http://www.treehugger.com/kitchen-design/man-retrofits-freezer-to-make-an-ultra-efficient-fridge.html) from an earlier thread here. ---
**Author:** ![j\_sum1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8baadc/32.png) [@j\_sum1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j_sum1)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2014, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-propane-refrigerators/677608/13 "2014-01-02T10:43:43Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > …rather than install a \*massage solar power system… - The mind boggles! ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2014, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-propane-refrigerators/677608/14 "2014-01-02T14:14:52Z")
A lot of the Amish I’ve known use them and from what I can see they are very good. They tend to last longer and work more reliably than electric units and the operating costs are good. Initial cost sucks ---- but that can be true of a lot of things that only pay off over years. Visit > **[Lehman's - Products For Simple Living](https://www.lehmans.com/)** > > Live simply with the Lehman's online store. We sell oil lamps, wood cook stoves & more. Non-electric tools & homesteading supplies since 1955. and maybe use some free phone minutes to give them a shout or two. Good folks and when it comes to propane appliances, they know the topic better than anyone I know. ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2014, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-propane-refrigerators/677608/15 "2014-01-02T22:01:44Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Propane refrigerators are expensive and have a reputation of being slow to cool the stuff in them. I have one in my camp and shut it down each time I leave. They are slow to cool down at startup, but once they get going they are fine. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2014, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-propane-refrigerators/677608/16 "2014-01-05T03:18:24Z")
We lived off the grid for 7 years. We had an old Servel refrigerator. It was quite old, maybe 20 years. Replaced the door gasket, and it worked fine. Also consuming gas was the stove, oven, and water heater. We also used kerosene lamps (Aladdin brand) for lighting. Heating in winter was provided by two wood stoves. Because the road was horrible in the winter, we had 500 gallon propane tank. It was filled once every summer. You might investigate the newer RV refrigerators. They can run on 12VDC. Not sure on how many amps they would draw. Eventually purchased 3- 35 watt solar panels and deep cycle batteries. These were used for lighting, TV and music. Then got a gasoline generator. It was used to power the washing machine and vacuum. Good luck. Living off the grid is awesome! And a refrigerator is a fine thing to have.