Propane tank: where to buy, who to install?

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In the town I live in if natural gas is being worked on, the contractor needs a specific natural gas certification. Few city codes have that. Or it might be a county code. Can't remember. When I had a house the furnace went out. In order for the warranty to be valid, the new furnace needed to be installed by a certified person. Only two people in town were qualified to install this high efficiency furnace. It has pvc pipe for both the intake and the exhaust.

My insurance company also wanted it installed to code by a certified installer.

The vented PlatCat has simple requirements. The furnace has to have at least 6 inchs of metal tube of a specific diameter from the unit itself; this is built into the unit. Then abs vent pipe needs to be a specific diameter and a maximum length. It also can't have a negative flow; that means the pipe must run at least horizontal and may need some vertical slope. I can't remember all the details, but it is an easy install.

While I'm far from an expert, I looked up the specs for different pipe along with Montana regs and it there wasn't much to it. It is a low heat, low electrical appliance. As such there are far fewer codes.  If it were 440 volts and created enough heat to smelt copper, then the applied codes would truly need a professional.

The rules and regs of different states vary quite a bit. What that means to me is just because I'm not to code, doesn't mean how I built it is wrong. I can do the wiring in my house (if I had one); just pay for the permit and pay to have it inspected. Some areas allow only certified electricians to do electrical work.  In one state I'm legal. In another I'm a criminal. Doesn't mean the wiring is any less safe.

Let's say I want to do one room in the house. I would need to do ALL the wiring in the house to code because I can't hook up to existing wiring that isn't to code. Since your rig isn't a stick and brick home nor is it an honest to goodness RV, you may find that a contractor may not be able to work on it because of some code such as needing Sheetrock or Hardiboard installed first or some weird thing. When I had the furnace installed, the guy wouldn't install it at first because of something odd with the chimney. He drilled a couples holes through the foundation instead so I wouldn't need to redo ($$$) the chimney.

If I wanted to hook up propane to an outside tank and run a line into my rig, I'd ask a propane dealer/installer for some gas line that is made to run from an outside tank to an inside propane oven on a mobile application. Those people should know their product. Screwing in one end of a propane line, threading the other end through a hole that has a grommet in it and screwing that end into a furnace or cook stove doesn't need a certified gas pipe technician to do it right. You can google what kind of goop you can use on the threads to make sure you have the best seal possible.

Make the install look professional. When things look ratty, you are drawing attention. If you are literally using duct tape and rusty hose clamps, you aren't doing yourself any favors.
 
ascii_man said:
IGBT,

That's very impressive.  But I want to keep it simple: buy a tank like the one from GoWesty and install it or have it installed.  Where would I go to learn about how to do it correctly?  Is there a concise authoritative text?  I found a page where a guy was installing a system and he said that he couldn't use flexible tubing inside because it was forbidden.  I don't even know where to find the relevant regulations.

A manufactured RV will come with a RIVA sticker 

MHSeal5-11-copy4.png



http://www.rvia.org/?ESID=adopted

Fuel Systems and Equipment as specified in ANSI/NFPA 1192 Standard on RV’s. (National Fire Protection Association)
Venting requirements for propane appliances are specified where necessary.
Propane piping sizes are required to ensure a propane supply that provides for proper appliance performance.
Over fill protection devices (OPD) are required on all installed propane containers.
Propane line routing and accessibility - all joints in propane lines must be accessible for periodic leak testing and repair. Lines may not be installed in spaces where a nail or screw could pierce the line.
Fuel burning appliances must be listed for RV use and labeled by a nationally recognized testing agency that has found the product to be suitable for its intended use.
Sealed combustion and direct venting to the outside is required for all propane appliances, except for gas ranges, to provide for a complete separation of the combustion chamber from the interior atmosphere.
Each propane system must be tested upon final assembly to determine proper leak-free performance.

http://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/document-information-pages?mode=code&code=1192

I did not register to view it but found this excerpt.

5.2.3.3 Propane containers with their control valves shall be installed in compliance with one of the following:

(1) Mounted in a recess or compartment, other than on the roof, that is vapor resistant to the inside of the recreational vehicle 

(2) Mounted on the tongue or A-frame of a travel or camping trailer or forward of the front bulkhead below the overhang of a fifth-wheel trailer and not lower than the bottom of the trailer frame 

(3) Mounted on the chassis or to the floor of a motorhome or chassis-mount camper, provided neither the tank nor its support is located in front of the front axle, as follows: 
(a) Tanks mounted between the front and rear axles shall be installed not lower than the front axle height. 
(b) Tanks mounted behind the rear axle of a motorhome or chassis-mount camper shall be installed in such a manner that the bottom of the tank and any connection thereto shall not be lower than either the rear axle height (excluding the differential) or any section of the frame immediately to the rear of the tank, whichever is higher. 
(c) All clearances shall be determined from the bottom of the tank or from the lowest fitting, support, or attachment on the tank or tank housing, whichever is lower when all axles are loaded to their gross axle weight rating. 

(4) Mounted on the chassis or to the floor of a travel trailer or fifth-wheel trailer as follows: 
(a) Tanks mounted behind the rear axle of a travel trailer or fifth-wheel trailer shall be installed in such a manner that the bottom of the tank and any connection thereto shall not be lower than either the rear axle(s) height or the lowest section of the frame to the rear of the tank, whichever is higher. 
(b) Tanks mounted forward of the rear axle(s) shall be installed in such a manner that the bottom of the tank and any connection thereto shall not be lower than the lowest section of the frame in front of the tank. 5.2.3.4 Containers shall not be mounted on the exterior of the rear wall or the rear bumper of the vehicle.

5.2.4 Securing of Propane Containers. 5.2.4.1 Containers shall be secured in place so they do not become dislodged when a load equal to eight times the container's filled weight is applied to the filled container's center of gravity in any direction.

There are a lot more pages like this.
 
VJG1977, great info. To make it simple: Install the proper tank in an area so the it isn't exposed to outside trauma. Minimize the possibility of leaks in the living area. Make sure the lines and fittings are easily accessible for testing purposes. Make sure the tank is very securely mounted.

If one keeps those 4 things in mind, that would go a long way toward being in compliance and being safe. Would be easier than trying to remember the entire regulatory codes and mandates all at once.

The easier access to the fittings will make it easier for one to check and replace. If one installs it in a bugger of an area, that person will likely be much less inclined to do proper maintenance.
 
Yep, I followed the guidelines and mounted our tanks in the steel cage between the front and rear axles such that the bottom of the cage is higher than the bottom of the axles.   I like this placement of tanks much better than having them inside the living compartment, even if the compartment is vented to the outside.

The expanded metal of the welded cage is 1/2" openings, which is small enough to impede passage of road debris which would have enough mass to puncture a tank.

I do wonder about those trailers which have the tanks fairly unprotected on the front tongue of the trailer.   I could see a large object getting kicked up and piercing the tank...
 
Regarding the milk crate suggestion, U-Haul sells plastic rings specifically designed to keep propane cylinders upright.
 
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