Just how dangerous is keeping a 20 lb propane tank in an RV for use with. Big Buddy?

[Brian_and_Jesse]

Back in my RV daze, it was habit to light the stove then turn off the bottle(s).  Thus draining the lines.  When reestablishing a camp, having purged lines would sometimes take a minute or two to relight the appliances.
However I, we, felt safer with this method.

We do that too, Regis.

 

[Wabbit]

....please know that I spent quite a while searching through the ‘old’ threads here before posting...

The search function here isn't great. I find using Google to search the site a better option. Here's how you do that...

site:cheaprvliving.com putyoursearchtermshere

...When I was five years’ old, I watched a trailer blow up not 50’ from where we were staying (at an Air Force base, waiting for sticks & bricks quarters). A lady and her newborn baby were in that trailer and they couldn’t even find enough of their body parts to bury. That’s not a scene I’ll ever forget...

This is the worst story I've heard about all week! Why did you tell me that?!? PTSD is nothing to joke about, but I'mma gonna do it anyways. I got PTSD from reading a story that Jess posted on a forum...

PS- I'm sorry you witnessed that event. I hope you've found a way to process it. Best of luck with everything.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I wouldn’t be afraid of having it inside especially if you drain the lines and check it as much as you do. You seem on top of it. I have two 5bls tanks in my van under the stove on the floor, with a 10 foot line going to the heater at the other end of the van, it has been like this since 2010. I also drain the lines after use. The box my tanks sit in has a small hose going outside to vent it through the floor so if propane should leak it would drop to the floor and vent outside. The box is sealed on all side and bottom except at the lid,which I access to turn it on and off. You could build a vented box.
I was wondering what has changed from last year, is it a lot colder?? I once had a tank filled a few years back and was carrying in another vehicle back to my van when I heard it leaking and I could smell propane, I brought it back to the very experience propane man and he said he had accidentally overfilled it, his scale must have stuck. He appologized and made it right, I asked him what were the dangers other then the obvious of leaking out, He told me that the stove or barbq would not have worked that it would have frozen up. So it is a long shot but if nothing has changed from last year and this occurred after a refill I was wondering if this could have happened to you.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I just reread your post I doubt that is your problem as you can run it for a couple of hours so it would not be overfilled so forget what I suggested

 

[Brian_and_Jesse]

I carry one 20# and one 11# tank inside my Box Van and feel safe.

If you bring the 20# bottle inside your RV and let it warm up some, keep away from any ignition source, check for leaks when connecting and use a new hose/regulator every year if not using copper line.  Sounds like you know what your doing and you will be fine with the tank indoors.

Thank you, Matlock!

We don’t have any ignition sources, apart from Big Buddy. We eat a (mostly raw) vegan diet, so not much cooking there. We do boil water for tea and coffee, and in the wintertime we use our smooth top electric plate indoors.

Our fridge runs on electricity when we’re using shore power and on LP when we’re not.

Clearly, sitting on a colossal petroleum gas tank would make for an impressive ‘BOOM’ if this rig caught fire, but by that time it would be beyond my concern.

Not being a huge fan of pain and suffering, if I *have* to die due to a major explosion then the bigger the ‘BOOM’ the better!

Thank you all sooo much for taking the time to respond to my post.

I’m happy to report that Mr. Big Buddy has been behaving like a gentleman for circa 12 hours now.

We still have to solve the ice-buildup problem, and I’m hoping that the Fiberglass jacket will do the trick. If it doesn’t then we’ll be bringing the tank inside.

Did I mention that I WANT A SUPERINSULATED VAN?

Love and All Good Things,


Jesse.

 

[Brian_and_Jesse]

I wouldn’t be afraid of having it inside especially if you drain the lines and check it as much as you do. You seem on top of it. I have two 5bls tanks in my van under the stove on the floor, with a 10 foot line going to the heater at the other end of the van, it has been like this since 2010.  I also drain the lines after use. The box my tanks sit in has a small hose going outside to vent it through the floor so if propane should leak it would drop to the floor and vent outside. The box is sealed on all side and bottom except at the lid,which I access to turn it on and off. You could build a vented box.
I was wondering what has changed from last year, is it a lot colder?? I once had a tank filled a few years back and was carrying in another vehicle back to my van when I heard it leaking and I could smell propane, I brought it back to the very experience propane man and he said he had accidentally overfilled it, his scale must have stuck. He appologized and made it right, I asked him what were the dangers other then the obvious of leaking out, He told me that the stove or barbq would not have worked that it would have frozen up. So it is a long shot but if nothing has changed from last year and this occurred after a refill I was wondering if this could have happened to you.

Thank you, Flying Curbmaster!

I found your post highly instructional, and I’m sure that Brian will too. If we do have to bring a tank inside, we’ll absolutely vent it to the outside! I wouldn’t have thought of that! Bless you!

As for the difference between last year and this year, if you take a trip over to my FB page, you can read all about the ‘Mini’ Ice Age that we’re now in - globally. The link is at the bottom under the one to my website.

Love and All Good Things,


Jesse.
XXX

 

[Brian_and_Jesse]

I love this forum! Thank you, Bob!

 

[Almost There]

I've kept a 20 lb tank inside my van(s) and travelled all over the continent for decades and I'm still here.

I currently  have the 20 lb tank sitting in the foot well of the passenger seat area with a hose running to my Mr. Buddy.

If I want to cook on my 2 burner propane stove outside I often just run the hose through the window to the stove, leaving the tank right where it is.

The other possible option for you is to have a quick connect valve installed in the propane line inside the RV so that you can use the onboard tank to fuel the heater. This will only work if you have a way of refilling the onboard tank though. Some parks allow or have the service, some propane dealer will do the small fills on a scheduled basis and some won't but it might be an option.

 

[Seminole Wind]

heater blanket for propane tank. https://www.northerntool.com/shop/t...MIsq6Y_qDW3wIVCZRpCh2zjAaPEAQYASABEgKcAPD_BwE

ice freezing on the outside of a regulator should (with a quality unit) not have any impact. good propane regulators will operate in temps low enough that the propane will not boil off enough to maintain suitable tank pressure. as propane is with drawn from the tank the pressure drops and the propane literally boils till the pressure rises. this process (boilng/evaporation) absorbs heat, if the liquid propane can not absorb heat from the enviroment then the temp of the liquid inside the tank will start to lower. as the temp falls, so does the pressure. you will also have a second temp drop at the regulator as the pressure drops from "tank pressure" to a few inches that the reg is passing. this pressure drop also absorbs a lot of heat. this is basically a refrigeration/airconditioning cycle. if it is cold where the tank is and the liquid in the tank is say 32 degrees F then as the liquid converts to vapor in the tank you get a temp drop and then when the high pressure vapor drops to the lowpressure you get another temp drop. very easy to have a regulator get cold enough to form ice on the outside even if the weather/temp outside is above freezing. putting any sort of insulation or blanket over the regulator will just cause the regulator to get colder as it is being cooled from the inside due to the evaporation. unless the regulator is failing or installed wrong (like vent facing up or something) most likely the problem is not the regulator but the tank pressure dropping to low to supply the appliance. moving the tank to a warmer location (like inside as you mention) will provide more heat to keep the propane warm and the pressure up and would solve the problem you mention. other things you can do that are safer would be a larger tank as the larger surface area helps transfer heat to the liquid propane. next is keeping the tank fuller, a full tank will provide pressure better than a tank 1/4 full when temps are real cold, or you are drawing lots of propane. if you are not allowed larger than a 20# tank, would they allow 2 20# tanks? if they were connected to a manifold and both turned on it would work better as each tank would only need to boil off half the volume of propane.

another, slightly "outside the box" solution would be to acquire independent high and low pressure regulators like are typically mounted on home service propane tanks. the high pressure reg would be at the tank and then you could have the low pressure reg inside. technically that probably isnt "right" as they are usually intended to both be mounted outside. but even just getting independent higher volume regs may improve the situation

rereading your original post, is the regulator that is icing up inside next to the heater, or outside mounted on or near the tank? if the reg is inside, you are undoubtedly having a problem with the pressure in the tank getting too low. getting a bigger tank or providing extra heat to keep the pressure up is what would need to happen. no amount of insulating the tank/hose/reg will help.

if you have grid electric power, this or something similar is the solution. it is basically an electric blanket for your tank. UL approved and safe. keep the propane outside and you stay warm and safe inside

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/t...MIsq6Y_qDW3wIVCZRpCh2zjAaPEAQYASABEgKcAPD_BwE

 

[Yohan]

Ok, I need some help on this keeping a propane tank in the back of your van. I belong in the Propane tank for dummies category. I have 1992 Chevrolet G20 conversion van and I want to install a Camco Olympian catalytic heater. So, if I build a wood box for a 20lb propane tank to just be put in the back of the van. What type of venting would I need. Can I just drill a hole through the floor of the box and van with a hose/tube to run outside under the van. If so, how big of a hole would be required? Would that be adequate ventilation.

 

[speedhighway46]

I’ve kept mine inside for more than 10 years. Never had a problem. Read all these threads, learn what is safe and proper use techniques, don’t get complacent, and don’t be dumb.

 

[Dakotalee]

Ive had a 30lb in mine for years. After a refill I like to smoke a ciggy while I hook it back up.