A propane burner works as an alternate power source in those cases. How long will an rv refrigerator run on propane? How Refrigerators Work - Explain That Stuff Propane Refrigerators Refrigerator Compressor Propane So how does an rv propane fridge work? How does a propane powered refrigerator work . Ammonia refrigerators, also known as gas refrigerators, operate from an absorption system that use ammonia as the active key ingredient are made specific as a non electric appliance.typically you will see these units as propane gas refrigerators in recreational vehicles.ammonia is the key ingredient among 4 total ingredients within the cooling unit also. A propane flame heats the main generator, which holds the ammonia and water. Ammonia, hydrogen and water combine and evaporate. The refrigerator should generally operate on lp gas, unless it is set on automatic. The flame should be a solid blue and should not bounce around. A propane fridge has a sealed network of tubes and cha...