LP Tank Safety

[AKat777]

I would love to find an affordable horizontal mount lp tank to mount under my truck. After pricing those, they are crazy expensive compared to the same size vertical style.

Yea, I was thinking vertical tanks. Perhaps two tanks inside a box. Using the same type of tie down as you find on the front of travel trailers. Accomplishes same thing, and it isnt like we dont have massive amounts of room under our trucks. Ground to crossmembers is 42" on my truck.

 

[daddywoofdawg]

You can always go with a home propane heater and save over a RV type heater.

 

[AKat777]

You can always go with a home propane heater and save over a RV type heater.

The heater itself isnt really a problem. I like my portable unit. The only real problem (and not really a problem overall) is the tanks. Building a box for them under the truck (I have plenty of room) and then running lines up through the floor to the inside.

I thought about copper and also CSST to run the pipe, since you are not supposed to use rubber hoses because they might chaff.

And if I go all electric for cooking, propane just for heat is kind of a waste to do all that work just for a heater in the truck..

 

[FrankZ]

Doesn't copper have the problem of cracking due to vibration?

I should think hose is a fine if it is well supported and has good chaff protection as it passes through anything.

 

[AKat777]

I would think *any* type of piping that isnt flex pipe would be subject to the problems of vibration eventually... even black pipe. But I am new to the RV world. All my experience is with homes, and stationary installs of whatever I was working on, electrical, plumbing, etc

 

[Dodger-TC]

I base a lot of my planning and design from of my rv, and my aviation background. My rv has black rubber type lines from the tanks that transition to metal lines once they go from the frame to the rv body. All the lines that junction from the metal to rubber connection are metal direct runs to the appliances. It is many years old, and has many a mile spent behind my truck. No leaks what so ever. It does have a lp gags detector for safety, and I plan to install one in my truck as well. I will more than likely use the black rubber line from Mr Heater with no alterations. I figure they know what they doing when it comes to propane lines. The generator will be regulated at the tank, so the supplied lines from the conversion kit will feed it.

 

[jbeech]

I'm a prospect for a horizontal LP tank, which doesn't break the bank as well. I rather LP than gasoline for my little generator, which needs to run 2-3 days at a time, maximum. Maybe 40-gallons, give or take. Thoughts?

 

[bushpilot-TC]

Doesn't copper have the problem of cracking due to vibration?

I should think hose is a fine if it is well supported and has good chaff protection as it passes through anything.

interesting....my coach was built w/ a combination of pipe...

the coach builder ran black pipe down the center under the floor, exposed to the road.

a conventional rubber gas line provides the connection between the tank & the black pipe.

each appliance is connected via copper lines to the black pipe.

when i ran a connection for an outdoor grill, i ran copper tubing to the rear of the coach and then ran black pipe down along the outside of one of my storage bins - i wrapped the copper pipe with split foam insulation.

my 50 gallon LP tank measures approximately 38" long by 20" high

 

[FrankZ]

I come at this from a boat point of view and that may color things but ABYC has disallowed copper for propane (in the supply line) in boats due to vibration fatigue.

That said, with pipe under the coach there is no where for the propane to settle with a leak. On a boat you have a bilge that has no way for propane to exit (because water would come in). It may very well be that a propane leak 1000 miles from land in a boat is a much worse thing that one on an Interstate 100 miles from anyone else.

I would have thought, however, that the vibrations in a road vehicle would be much worse than on a boat.

I did see some pictures of a 50 foot boat that had a partial 20# tank go. I would like to avoid that. ugh.

 

[bushpilot-TC]

brings up an interesting consideration - whats the life expectancy of rubber gas line...
seems to me that stuff will age and crack faster than copper or certainly black pipe.

 

[FrankZ]

If you buy the good stuff a long long time. Support it well, chafe protect through bulkheads and use the right stuff. This isn't something to skip on quality to save a buck.

But propane detectors are a must in enclosed (and none bottom vented) spaces none the less.

 

[Janet H]

Take a look at PEX Al PEX. It has an aluminum layer sandwiched in between two layers of pex. It's bendable, retains it's shape and strong. Of course you get to pay for all those awesome features but for some applications it's awesome.

PEX-AL-PEX - Aluminum PEX - PEX-Aluminum-PEX - PexSupply.com

While you have your wallet out take a look at these:

Propane Tank Safety - Our Propane Tanks will not Explode! - YouTube they come in a number of configurations and are the future

 

[hot rod]

You need to stay with hoses specifically designed for use with propane if you are going to use a hose. It will branded right on the hose along with the appropriate pressure ratings of 350# working pressure and 1750# burst pressure. Use the good high pressure stuff even on low pressure applications and you will never have an issue. Stay away from the cheap thermoplastic hose like you see on the gas grills, it is thin wall and easily damaged in a mobile environment. Propane will attack and deteriorate certain types of hoses, most notably rubber. Propane hose is usually constructed from polypropylene, which you really don't need to know, you just need to know that it is stamped for use with propane. When we had the family gas business we say every kind of hillbilly rig imaginable, but specifically I have seen regular rubber air hose deteriorate and become porous and leak propane right through the rubber in a matter of a few months of use. Your local propane supplier will have bulk hose on hand in a variety of sizes and can make what ever hose you need with any type of end fitting, and generally your welding gas supplier as well. Go to the "local" type dealers as opposed to the national chains for the best service on that type of thing.

 

[bushpilot-TC]

everything ive used is properly rated for GAS - i was certain to use black pipe & black pipe elbows etc - (I understand that galvanized pipe will corrode when used w/ LP/NG).

the copper pipe i used (and flared) has been leak tested (several times at every joint) using a sniffer & bubbles. i was certain to use gas rated thread sealant on any joints (except the flare)

im using c02 & LP detectors as well.