LP tank in van

[gypsycowboy]

I upgraded from those 1 pound green disposable propane tanks to a 4 pound mini tank. I'll use this for my propane stove while cooking outside the van. How safe would it be to carry the tank inside the van in a milk crate with the valve closed? Should I be worried about the gas leaking out and blowing us up? :huh:

 

[ccbreder]

Yes. Gas leaks. Exploding propane. All very possible. Another worry is flying canisters in an Accident or emergency stop. Don't get caught at the wrong tunnel.
If using caution and care and have a propane detector I would not worry about my tank/bottle.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Well, the experts all say don't. In spite of that fact, lots of people apparently do. And they apparently get away with it.

I would NOT consider a propane tank in a milk crate to be secure. In the event of an accident, that tank could go flying through the van, possibly hitting and killing somebody, possibly being damaged enough to begin leaking, either way making an already bad situation infinitely worse. If you're going to do this, you need to secure the tank so that can't possibly happen.

I would also have one of those propane leak alarms inside the van.

I suspect the reason people carry them inside is because it's hard to mount them outside a vehicle without attracting the attention of the authorities. The mounts built in to motorhomes and on the front of trailers meet the D.O.T. regulations for transporting them. Some home-built, redneck engineering mount the average guy comes up with probably won't. So people hide them inside to avoid being hassled.

That's my best guess, anyway.

Regards
John

 

[vanman2300]

Propane is heavier than air and can pool at the lowest point inside the van. So even though it is likely you'll smell a leak don't rely on it 100%. Small leaks can form a pool without you smelling it. Using a detector mounted close to the floor is wise.

 

[Van-Tramp]

Yea, there are concerns (as noted above) and I too have carried a propane tank in the van for the past few years.

HOWEVER... I have recently moved mine outside (mounted to rear door) as I really, really, really do not want to "go" that way. If I am going to get myself killed it isn't going to be something as idiotic as my propane bottle leaking in the middle of the night and me never waking up... or waking and lighting my heater only to explode in a big ball of flames. Not me, just ain't worth it.

With that said, a person once said that the 1# bottles do not have any safety mechanisms and can leak easier than a proper 20# bottle. So maybe it is no extra risk anyway?

 

[akrvbob]

I promise, if you carry a bulk bottle inside your van YOU WILL DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On the other hand I've been living in a vehicle for 13 years and for every single day of it I have had a bulk propane bottle inside it.

The 6 years I lived in a box van in Anchorage, AK I kept two 40 lb and a 30 lb bottle inside with me the whole time because when one bottle ran out I had to be able to hook another one up. As I'm writing this there is one 4 feet away under my kitchen counter and as long as I live I hope to live in a vehicle with one inside.

But do as I say and not as I do.
Bob

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

The 6 years I lived in a box van in Anchorage, AK I kept two 40 lb and a 30 lb bottle inside with me the whole time because when one bottle ran out I had to be able to hook another one up.

. . . Not to mention the fact that they would actually stop working if you had them outside during a typical Anchorage winter . . .

Regards
John

 

[MrNoodly]

Yes, propane is heavier than air. My tank is by the side door where any escaping propane would sink below floor level and seep out the gaps in the weatherstripping. Since the photo above was taken, I leave the hose attached to the tank. That means the tank valve and the ball check valve at the end of the hose would both need to fail in order for there to be a leak.
I replace the hose annually.

My tank is held in place by an industrial strength strap normally used to hold the tanks on forklifts. It's bolted to a steel cabinet that's bolted through the floor and to the roof/wall joint. An accident strong enough to dislodge the tank would already leave me with greater injuries. An explosion might mercifully put me out of my misery. Meanwhile, no one seems to worry about 20 pound tool boxes being loose and flying about the vehicle. And how well is your fridge anchored? Or your water jug? Or your porta-potty?

 

[Bdog1]

That's a nice mount.

Doesn't seem much safer to hang it off the back bumper, as far as accidents go.

 

[masterplumber]

Mr Noodly brings up a very good point. Absolutely everything heavier than a pillow should be secured while underway. My sister was once hit in the head by a milk bottle that flew out of an ice chest when a lady turned right into her. This was at about 30 mph. She was fortunately ok other than a headache. But think about what that same accident would have been like at freeway speeds. As for LP inside, the rate of incidence is no higher than with any other fuel, but the effects can be much worse due to the previously mentioned fact that Propane is heavier than air. A lot can build up before you are aware of the leak. If I were to carry the bottle inside I would build a locker like they do on boats and vent it to the outside from the bottom. It could be as simple as a a plywood box with all the seams caulked and the lid screwed down over a gasket. Or you could just be anal about checking the connections - things don't just randomly start leaking, although road vibration can contribute to it if you have rigid piping.

 

[gypsycowboy]

Thanks for the info. Mr. McNoodly, really nice set up. I'm thinking I'll put that bottle in a box on my rear cargo carrier.

 

[highdesertranger]

I guess if I had to carry propane inside I would. however I would first try everything to mount it outside. how's that for a straight and to the point answer. I am guessing here that stealth is the reason for it being inside? that really is the only reason I can think of. am I wrong? highdesertranger

 

[gypsycowboy]

No I don't stealth very much. More of a boondocker.

 

[akrvbob]

I want to second Mr Noddlys point about replacing the hose.

In all my years of having a tank inside the van with me it has never been any problem. But I've had two different hoses get old and simply start leaking at the crimp. One caught fire!

I think the appliance hoses are not made to the same standards as house or RV hoses, plus appliance hoses are high pressure and RV hoses are low pressure.

I think I'm going to replace my hoses every year starting on 1-1-2015 and then 1-1 of every year thereafter.
Bob

 

[Tinman74]

I have had the 1# canisters leak for me. For when I have to carry them I have purchased a screw on Brass cap / with a rubber gasket used to cap off propane lines. It fits the small propane bottles. Don't know if it would seal it completely but I feel better by doing it that way.
Bob

 

[Rick_R]

40# propane tank mounted under and next to frame rail

 

[amwbox]

With these horizontal tanks, don't you need some sort of "vaporizer" component in order to insure you aren't feeding liquid instead of gas into your system? I thought these weren't exactly plug and play....

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

What you are seeing in the pictures is a true rv propane tank. It has the proper safety device built in so it can only be filled to 80% of it's volume, and it draws from the upper area, where the vapor is

The things the rest of us are using are technically not tanks, they are called propane CYLINDERS by the industry.

Vertical cylinders can only be used upright. Horizontal cylinders can only be used horizontally. With horizontal cylinders, they must be mounted so you are sure you are always drawing from the upper part, where the vapor is.

Btw, everything we use - stoves, lanterns, heaters, etc. - are designed to burn propane vapor. The internal combustion engines on propane forklifts don't run on propane vapor. They use the liquid propane instead of liquid gasoline, and horizontal forklift cylinders are DESIGNED to feed liquid propane from the bottom.

Obviously, we can NEVER use a forklift cylinder, even if someone gives us one for free.

Regards
John

 

[MrNoodly]

With horizontal cylinders, they must be mounted so you are sure you are always drawing from the upper part, where the vapor is.

I suppose that also means you must always be parked so the cylinder isn't tilted when you use it.

---

While a permanently mounted tank has its advantages, so do cylinders. For example, I can take mine to a picnic table to cook there, or to use with a lantern. If someone is making a run to town to refill their cylinder, I can give them mine to fill while they're at it. And if there isn't a propane filling station handy, I can usually find a place to swap cylinders.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I suppose that also means you must always be parked so the cylinder isn't tilted when you use it.

A good point, and one I hadn't thought of before.

Since most of us use the vertical cylinders, it probably isn't a real issue for most of us.

Regards
John