Horizontal Propane Tank Under Van

[Luisafernandes]

I'm considering a couple things for this coming winter. One, I'd like to buy the Dickensen P9000 heater, but before I do I need to have a way to supply it with propane. 
This leads me to the second thing I'm considering; how feasible is it to have a horizontal propane tank installed under my 2500 Chevy cargo van? 

If it can be done, does anyone here know of a place I can take my van to have the tank installed? Or is this something I can do mysel? 

I thank all comments in advance. Thank you!

 

[Gary68]

thats one reason i would start with a camper van is that it has some exiting systems you might want to keep,you probably would have to weld in a couple brackets and drill in a couple holes for the straps/hold downs,so if you can weld no problem

 

[SternWake]

I've been eyeballing this tank:

http://www.amazon.com/Manchester-11...sbs_86_13?ie=UTF8&refRID=12A67RNPTE1Q56DR11KW

But they have to be removed to be refilled. I'd probably only have to do so once a year, but this project is pretty far to the right in the need/want list.

 

[compassrose]

I have had a 40lb/9gallon permanent mount LP tank on the Class C. It was filled twice in the 4 years we lived in it full-time. My daughter lived in the same Class C for 4 years and never filled it.

I do NOT have a permanent mount LP tank on the bus. Only 20lb tanks. I have a good reason for this. The Class C had to be driven to a propane fill station in order to be filled. We filled it once at a local fill station and once at a fill station in a campground we were living in on our way out. One town we lived in had fill stations at various convenience stores but no one was ever on duty that knew how to fill. So we resorted to swapping the 20lb tanks. We built a home-made "extend-a-stay" after looking at one in an RV store. Normally we refill our 20lb (BBQ) tanks but have had to do a tank swap fairly often due to various reason, mostly after hours or holiday weekend. So when David & I set up the bus, we knew we did not want a permanent mount tank. I have several tanks. I have two lp systems - one is regulated and the other is not. I haul the equivalent of a 100LB tank on the regulated side with out having to transport a 100lb tank (you cannot lay them on their sides in order to transport them once filled). I cannot handle a full 100lb tank by myself anymore nor do I have a truck that I can haul it in upright. But moving the 20lb tanks is far easier and I can transport several (or all I own) in my Jeep. I can swap them if I need to or I can have them refilled. Filling a 100lb tank costs the same per gallon as filling a 20 lb tank. There is no price break until you are at the 250lb tank size. But then you often have a delivery fee tacked on. And I rarely get all my tanks filled at the same time. Easier on my pocket at times. I generally get 3 or 4 of the 20lb tanks filled at once. I have two 20lb tanks for the unregulated appliances (the tag-a-long space heater and my LP generator). The nice thing is I can move the 20lb tanks around if one system runs out at a bad time.

This setup suits me very well. It's not for everyone. I stay parked more than I move and pulling a 40 ft bus into the small confines of some tank fill stations does not appeal to me. I've been in plenty that I had a hard time getting the jeep into when there were other folks getting tanks refilled.

 

[TMG51]

I pumped propane for several years. It can be tricky to get mounted tanks filled if you go to the wrong place. These types of tanks typically require adapters and are confusing to any attendant who is not familiar with them. But they're not difficult for anyone who has done it more than once.

My suggestion is not to get them filled at campgrounds or convenience type stores. Get your propane tank filled at a hardware store, or agricultural supply store. These places are almost always less expensive, and you stand a better chance of finding someone who knows what he is doing. If you have a van or anything lower to the ground than a big class C, carry some sort of small wheel ramps with you, because often times the fill hose will not fit between the tank and the ground (I made mine by layering 3 chunks of 2x6 with a few inches of overlap on each layer). When in doubt, find any local business that runs a forklift indoors and ask them where they get their LP tanks filled. Indoor fork trucks run LP instead of gas so they're getting their tanks filled somewhere.

 

[highdesertranger]

a lot of the propane dealers will do an install so will a RV shop. but both of these will be pricy. for just mounting the tank it should be pretty easy, but it's been mentioned about access for filling. that and tank orientation would lead me to go to a supplier and talk to them first. highdesertranger

 

[TMG51]

I've often wondered about installing a clamp bracket with removable 30lb tank, like the fork trucks use. Would be easier to get filled. But it's probably illegal for one reason or another.

 

[compassrose]

I've often wondered about installing a clamp bracket with removable 30lb tank, like the fork trucks use. Would be easier to get filled. But it's probably illegal for one reason or another.

You cannot mount a vertical tank, horizontally. It will not work. They do make clamp brackets that are used for vertical tanks. You can buy them on Amazon.

You can refill a 30lb tank but you cannot swap one.

You cannot use a horizontal forklift tank. As RV's use vapour and Fork lift trucks use liquid. The two tanks are not interchangable.

You may want to check out http://www.propane101.com/ and learn a bit more about propane and the various tanks and bottles used.

 

[TMG51]

You cannot use a horizontal forklift tank. As RV's use vapour and Fork lift trucks use liquid. The two tanks are not interchangable.

This part I didn't know. The rest I did know, and hadn't said anything counter to. I was speaking of horizontal tanks and mounting and having them filled. But that's interesting to think different tasks dispense in gas state vs liquid. I always imagined the vaporization would occur within the lines etc.

 

[blars]

In my 4 years of full-timing, filling my 15-gallon (real capacity) propane tank every month or two, only once did I not fill due to "the propane guy/gal isn't on duty". Some places are hard to manuver where the hoses will reach, and waiting up to half an hour because he is busy elsewhere isn't uncommon.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I have a permanent tank mounted under my Dodge Caravan, it is easy enough to access, not a problem, I take it to stations that have propane to fill vehicles that run on propane, it has the same nozzle end, I often do it myself, it is fairly simple and fool proof once you learn how. You connect the propane nozzle , they have a key that you use to loosen a valve next to the filler, you press the nozzle like a regular gaz filler nozzle, when the propane starts to fizz out the valve, your tank is full, you release the nozzle end, tighten the valve, unscrew the nozzle, return it to the pump, pay the attendant, end of story, not an issue. On the issue of having 20lb tanks on there side, I heard that you can;t put them on your side because they don' t work, however when I first built my van I was not equipped with this knowledge, so ignorant me stuck a 20lb tank sideways because that is how it fit best, it worked fine, no issues, so go figure.

 

[compassrose]

In my 4 years of full-timing, filling my 15-gallon (real capacity) propane tank every month or two, only once did I not fill due to "the propane guy/gal isn't on duty".  Some places are hard to manuver where the hoses will reach, and waiting up to half an hour because he is busy elsewhere isn't uncommon.

You have obviously never been to Cordele GA. This is the same place that the locals did not know they had a state park 10 miles from their town.

 

[compassrose]

On the issue of having 20lb tanks on there side, I heard that you can;t put them on your side because they don' t work, however when I first built my van I was not equipped with this knowledge, so ignorant me stuck a 20lb tank sideways because that is how it fit best, it worked fine, no issues, so go figure.

NEW VALVES = No more laying the tanks down on their side. It messes up the valving. That is what the LP distributor told me in NC when I was having my BBQ tanks filled and they refused to fill a neighbours 100lb tank because it would have to be transported laying down.

 

[66788]

I've been eyeballing this tank:

http://www.amazon.com/Manchester-11...sbs_86_13?ie=UTF8&refRID=12A67RNPTE1Q56DR11KW

But they have to be removed to be refilled.  I'd probably only have to do so once a year, but this project is pretty far to the right in the need/want list.

These are designed for mounting in RVs in an enclosure.  They are not constructed of thick material, and as you say, must be removed for refill.

I bought 2 under the van propane tanks at a local dismantler for my Dodge high top and my Grumman Olson.  Both are designed to be there, thick, and have protective plates welded to protect the valves and come with mounting tabs.  One cost $30.00 and the big 9 gallon cost $50.00.

Propane is safest outside of the vehicle, not inside.   A tank made to be mounted outside is a must for that use.

 

[66788]

NEW VALVES = No more laying the tanks down on their side. It messes up the valving. That is what the LP distributor told me in NC when I was having my BBQ tanks filled and they refused to fill a neighbours 100lb tank because it would have to be transported laying down.

The tanks SternWake linked to were designed to be mounted horizontally.   My 5er uses those type tanks and dispenses gas not liquid.  It's all in the internals of the tank as to how it is to be mounted.

 

[compassrose]

The tanks SternWake linked to were designed to be mounted horizontally.   My 5er uses those type tanks and dispenses gas not liquid.  It's all in the internals of the tank as to how it is to be mounted.

We are all talking about three different tanks. Vertical and Horizontal Vapour tanks and Horizontal Liquid tanks

Vapour tanks come in VERTICAL and HORIZONTAL configurations. You should not be mounting a vertical tank horizontally or a horizontal tank vertically.

The only FORK LIFT TANKS I have ever seen are made to be mounted HORIZONTALLY and dispense LIQUID. The fork lift tanks cannot be used with vapour gas appliances.

If you will just read all of Propane 101 it will explain pretty much everything.