You would have to have been there to appreciate how strong the winds were in the canyon. We were really being buffeted by wind coming off the canyon walls. It could have even been a strong wind off the canyon wall that put the fridge in the lee and momentary negative pressure that pulled the flame or heat out of the burner. Or a wind coming down the vent that pushed it out.
I wrote about it more to give a heads up that the thermal fuse is something to check if you find your fridge not working after driving with your propane fridge on or camping in a really windy spot. It is so easy to check. Also, it is a good thing to know that if your model fridge does have a thermal fuse, it can perform the function intended – shutting down your propane if the flame or heat gets out of where it should be.
As for carrying spares, the RV tech and I, with a few winks, talked about how to get by without it till you get to civilization and find a replacement. ‘Nuff said about that. But after my experience, I know I would never, ever drive with the propane fridge on if I did not have a working thermal fuse in place.
