Propane Questions

[One Awesome Inch]

I'm about to order a bunch of stuff (over $400) off amazon as I signed up for the Prime trial and I intend to get free shipping within the 30 days.

One of the things I need to figure out are the propane hoses etc.

A few questions...

1. I plan to permanently mount my 1 burner prop stove (coleman powerpack) and I am wanting to use a hose to connect the stove to the 1 LB bottle. This way I can place my 1 LB bottle in more space saving places... its just better. 

Do the little green 1LB bottles uses special hoses or will a standard propane hose work?

2. My source of heat will be a Wave 3 prop heater. I will be running it with a 20LB tank. Does the Wave 3 require a regulator?

3. Is there any way to tell how much gas is available in a propane tank? I suppose one could weigh it but that seems a bit awkward. Is there is any kind of gage you can use?

4. I still have not found a propane gas detector that operates 100% on a 9 volt or AA battery(s). It seems they all need to be plugged in. Suggestions?

I have not used propane as a fuel source previously so this is all new to me.

Thanks as always.

 

[SoulRaven]

Your Wave 3 uses low pressure propane. The lines for it comes with a regulator, at least mine did.

I never found a propane detector using only batteries, I asked the parts guy at PPL motorhomes and he had never seen one.

I bought a separate tank for my Wave 3, it came with a gauge that gives you an approximate level. If you are interested I can check the brand (it's out in the van).

I don't know about the 1 pound tanks, why not use your 20 pound for both?  

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

BTW, if it's a question of the "standard" 20 lb tank being too big and bulky for your design, you should be aware that there are smaller tanks available - http://www.campingworld.com/category/propane-cylinders/202 - and that they will be far cheaper in the long run than those disposable green cylinders.

Regards
John

 

[One Awesome Inch]

Your Wave 3 uses low pressure propane. The lines for it comes with a regulator, at least mine did.

I never found a propane detector using only batteries, I asked the parts guy at PPL motorhomes and he had never seen one.

I bought a separate tank for my Wave 3, it came with a gauge that gives you an approximate level. If you are interested I can check the brand (it's out in the van).

I don't know about the 1 pound tanks, why not use your 20 pound for both?  

I'd be very interested to know what brand/model that gage is. From reviews on Amazon, people are saying a gage wont work because the pressure in a propane tank is always the same.

Thanks!

 

[One Awesome Inch]

BTW, if it's a question of the "standard" 20 lb tank being too big and bulky for your design, you should be aware that there are smaller tanks available - http://www.campingworld.com/category/propane-cylinders/202 - and that they will be far cheaper in the long run than those disposable green cylinders.

Regards
John

I may attach the stove to the larger tank somewhere down the line, but I have a feeling I wont be using the stove that much any way.

The way I have my van designed I'd have a quite a long hose going from the stove to the 20LB tank. 

So I'm guessing most vandwellers dont bother with a propane detector then?

 

[SoulRaven]

Here are a couple of pictures of it. Gauge seems close, but it is not precise , I don't think.

 

[rvpopeye]

All new RVs come with propane detectors that use 12vdc , why not use one of those?
Note:
It will always be using a small amount of power.
AND they are a little pricey.

They sell a small scale at Wally's to weigh propane tanks.
Kind of look like a large fish scale (which might also work)
Weigh the tank full and subtract 20# to empty , also , the empty weight should be stamped on the tank .

 

[compassrose]

Do you have any idea as to how pricey the 1lb tanks are? A heater will eat one overnight. I run the space heater off a 20 lb tank. Your heater should have a built in regulator. It should take a long LP hose something like this one for the throw away 1lb tanks and this one for the 20lb tanks. Do not double regulate. The LP space heaters & gas grills take the same hose ends. And do not use a natural gas hose unless it also says "High Pressure". You are going to be using HIGH PRESSURE hoses. LP does not stand for "low pressure" it means "liquid propane".

BTW, I have several of the Worthington LP tanks with the gauge. They are accurate enough that I take them in to refill when the needle starts to hit red. I have been having about 0.2 gallons of LP left in the tank.

 

[LeeRevell]

All new RVs come with propane detectors that use 12vdc , why not use one of those?
Note:
It will always be using a small amount of power.
AND they are a little pricey.

They sell a small scale at Wally's to weigh propane tanks.
Kind of look like a large fish scale (which might also work)
Weigh the tank full and subtract 20# to empty , also , the empty weight should be stamped on the tank .

A 'full' 20lb propane tank never holds 20 pounds of gas, as it must be reduced to allow for expansion.  80% at best.  Usually you'll get about 17lbs of propane.  Wally's may have empty tanks back in the camping section (got one of mine there) so you could weigh the empty before filling.

 

[ccbreder]

The bottles hold 20 pounds of gas with the expansion space. The exchangers put 17 pounds for more profit. I have checked this with 5 separate bottles with three different filling companies.
Those worthington tanks are available at lowes and home depot. pricy.

 

[SoulRaven]

12v Propane Detector:

http://www.amazon.com/MTI-Industris...d=1431863651&sr=8-4&keywords=propane+detector

Removable Accu-Level Propane Tank Gauge with Magnetic back:

http://www.amazon.com/Removable-Acc...qid=1431863908&sr=8-11&keywords=propane+gauge

 

[compassrose]

The Acculevel gauge I had wasn't very accurate (the mechanical gauge type). Temp changes really threw it off. It was great to let us know if there was a leak in the system as the tank level would drop too fast. It was worth the price of the gauge the one time that happened (tiny leak in the LP hose - tank level dropped overnight). The magnetic ones are accurate but I rarely want to go to the hassle and mess of getting hot water and the pouring it on the tank. I think I need some kind of remote gauge. I've been looking at a few trying to decide which will work best for me since my tanks will be linked together with one on an auto changeover as a backup. I would only need to monitor one tank out of the tank bank. I buy my Worthingtons at Sam's Club ($29.98). The ones (Benzomatic $29.97) at my local Home Depot did not have the gauges and they were out when I started buying LP tanks again.

 

[One Awesome Inch]

12v Propane Detector:

http://www.amazon.com/MTI-Industris...d=1431863651&sr=8-4&keywords=propane+detector

Removable Accu-Level Propane Tank Gauge with Magnetic back:

http://www.amazon.com/Removable-Acc...qid=1431863908&sr=8-11&keywords=propane+gauge

Does that propane detector require electrical plugin or can it run off 9v / AA batteries? Its pricey, but if I can get one with battery operation only, it might be worth it.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Do a Google search on "How does a propane detector work?"  and you'll see that the detector element has to be heated to 400 degrees Celsius in order to function.  That's why you'll NEVER find one that works off small batteries, like smoke and CO detectors.

As far as propane tanks go, remember that they hold a liquid which boils whenever the pressure drops, replenishing the vapor and keeping the pressure nearly constant until the liquid is completely gone.

So a pressure gauge, like you'd use on an air tank, would read Full until almost ALL of the Propane was gone, and then would drop to empty VERY quickly.

Regards
John

 

[DougV]

Do the little green 1LB bottles uses special hoses or will a standard propane hose work?

3. Is there any way to tell how much gas is available in a propane tank? I suppose one could weigh it but that seems a bit awkward. Is there is any kind of gage you can use?

I've been off grid and using propane for heat, cooking and light for close to 2 years. After using propane for awhile you will be able to roughly tell how much propane you have left just by heft. I usually have a spare full tank  available. I'm going to use the tank til it's empty so I'll pass on the gauge. The less gadgets the better. I'm not in a van yet but I plan on taking a 20lb tank, a 5or10lb for backup and at least 2 one lb green canisters. 

I've used http://tinyurl.com/mvoz2uf a propane adapter for refilling the green canisters regularly. It was a bit scaring at first, but no problems so far. I spoke with an acquaintance that is in the propane business and his input was replace the canisters after using them for a year and stop using any canisters that hiss or bulge. Last fall I got all new canisters and I'd pitched a couple that hissed prior to that.  

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

Regarding refilling the 1 pounders, something  that I've never seen mentioned.....if you do a typical refill you get it to about the 60% full level. But, if after that you disconnect it , hold (with gloves) upright and depress the valve to exhaust it into the air for 5-10 seconds. This super-chills the container. Then quickly re-connect to the 20 pounder and now you'll get close to a 90 % refill.
KinA

P.S. If you still stick&brick, just place the 1 pounder in the freezer overnite and then refill.