Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

hi guys!,i just bought a 3 burner wedgewood drop in stove on ebay thinking that i could just use those small throw away gas bottles to run it.my buddy says those bottles will last about 5 minutes and i need a large lp gas tank. how do i hook one up? the ebay seller told me i need to run copper tubing with flanges and connectors and such. this sounds way to complicated. did i get the wrong stove? does any one have pictures of how to hook this up if i run a tank off the tongue? any help would be greatly appreciated!

You can get simple soft copper line at hardware/home improvement store... Use readily available brass fittings and flair connectors.... Its not any more complicated that doing water plumbing/connections.....

All you have to know is what size connection is on stove and at regulator on propane tank, everything else is "adaptable"...

If you have any problems any RV tech and local trailer/Rv place can probably talk you through process.... Basically you just want to avoid any leaks...

Other option may be get long 12-18 foot rubber hose (premade with connectors) that will reach from tank on tongue to stove in galley and then just use any bushings/adapters required to make connection.. Only caution would be to put rubber hose inside some sort of tubing (3/4 inch pvc pipe) where you run it under trailer to protect it from road hazards when you are on the move... DO NOT run any propane line(s) through cabin area. PERIOD....

Contact MR HEATER, Tech support and see if they will send you this document...


Propane Accessories Installation Guide
Helping You Make the Right Connection!! ®
1-800-251-0001

Or if you can shoot me a e-mail addy (in private message), I can forward a copy to you, its a PDF file...
Actually it's a document/catalog anybody contemplation propane connections should have....

Dale

I ran 3/8" soft copper from the front of my TD. I put it inside a piece of conduit attached to the frame. At the point where it entered the floor of the galley I put a connector and ran a hose from there. Got the parts at Home Depot.

A typical LPG system will have a regulator on the propane bottle, the regulator is usually connected to a rubber hose, suitable for carrying lpg. If the burner/ appliance is more than 3' away from the gas bottle, I would recommend you run a small bore copper pipe to the appliance.
There's no need to use a fitting where the pipe enters the floor, but all fittings should be accessable. You need to check they don't leak.

In the UK a propane regulator will deliver gas at around 38 mbar.A butane regulator delivers at 27mbar. So most of the caravans are fitted with 6mm (1/4") diameter pipe. It's plenty big enough to run a small over, a hob, a fridge and a fire(furnace) .

It's standard practice to use compression fittings (with nuts and olives) on
caravan gas systems. When you have it all piped up, you should check all the joints on the system with a soapy solution . Any slight leak should show itself by bubbling. If you don't feel comfortable with the procedure, you should get a professional to either do the job for you or at least check over your work, and give it the thumbs up.

In the uk all gas fitters have to be corgi registered, and under go testing and retraining every five years. I've just passed my re assesments, so I'm covered for the next five years

If in doubt , get someone to do it for you.

Dave

Hi,

If the only gas appliance you have is a three burner stove, a small disposable bottle will work fine.

They don't last as long as a big 20 pound tank, but certainly longer than 5 minutes...

I set up a trailer a while back with a disposable bottle mounted under the counter in the galley.
It ran our stove for a couple days before running out.

Lot less work than running all that tubing, and taking the big tank on and off to get refilled for a few weekends a year.

Rob

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A few years back, I had a 23' Yellowstone that was 20+ years of age when I bought it. At one time or another while I owned it it, I replaced several of the propane appliances and had to run new copper feed lines as well. It's a personal choice; but I don't like compression fittings. Using a flaring tool is not that complicated, just takes common sense. My only suggestion, if you choose to run copper lines, is wherever the line passes through the floor, frame rail or bulkhead, if you don't use some type of fitting, definitely insulate from vibration with some type of rubber grommet.

tinksdad wrote:A few years back, I had a 23' Yellowstone that was 20+ years of age when I bought it. At one time or another while I owned it it, I replaced several of the propane appliances and had to run new copper feed lines as well. It's a personal choice; but I don't like compression fittings. Using a flaring tool is not that complicated, just takes common sense. My only suggestion, if you choose to run copper lines, is wherever the line passes through the floor, frame rail or bulkhead, if you don't use some type of fitting, definitely insulate from vibration with some type of rubber grommet.

We have regulation requiring oil fire heating systems using Kerosene,to have flared joints, it a relatively new directive, and in time I'm sure our gas industry will go the same way.
Grommets or some form of protection makes perfect sense.


Just out of curiosity, are 10lbs refillable bottles an option ? Are they common place in the US ?
We have an exchange system over here. I have two bottles on the tongue, so we should hopefully never run out in the middle of cooking breakfast . Always carry a spare

My pop-up had a single 6'0 1/2 black pipe running from the tongue back . Both ends had rubber hose with crimped fittings. The end connected to tongue mounted tank had a regulator. The other end was merely a whip with a quick connect lp fitting on the other end. Copper and black pipe are suitable; never use galvanized. You can get copper and black pipe @ Home depot, etc. The rubber hoses w/ fittings could be made for you at a gas/lp dealer. They have a special tool to crimp the fittings onto the hose- called an oniker,(sp), fitting. It would probably cost about $40.

I went by Home Depot in San Luis Obispo, CA yesterday. They had coils of copper pipe in 1/2", 3/8" and 1/4" sizes. There were no fittings for the 3/8" or 1/4" pipe. Where would you get the fittings for hooking up the smaller sized pipe?

In the future I'd like to have a LP tank on the tongue and a gas line running from it to the galley to supply a Camp Chef Camp Oven. My trailer frame has 2" x 2" L angle cross supports that I've drilled 3/4" holes through to run a gas line. Bought nylon grommets from DelCity.net to fit in the holes to support and protect the (future) gas line.

Would appreciate seeing photos, or plans, about how to do this. Something similar to the electrical plans in Electrical Secrets.

Plumbing supply stores carry them, as well as propane dealers.

Rob

Esteban wrote:I went by Home Depot in San Luis Obispo, CA yesterday. They had coils of copper pipe in 1/2", 3/8" and 1/4" sizes. There were no fittings for the 3/8" or 1/4" pipe. Where would you get the fittings for hooking up the smaller sized pipe?

In the future I'd like to have a LP tank on the tongue and a gas line running from it to the galley to supply a Camp Chef Camp Oven. My trailer frame has 2" x 2" L angle cross supports that I've drilled 3/4" holes through to run a gas line. Bought nylon grommets from DelCity.net to fit in the holes to support and protect the (future) gas line.

Would appreciate seeing photos, or plans, about how to do this. Something similar to the electrical plans in Electrical Secrets.

Got a OSH (Orchard Supply Hardware) or a ACE hardware near you....

HD sucks because the they only have 37% of anything you need to complete a project.....

Dale

can i put a small 2.5 gal. tank in the galley under the counter top? is there a law that says you cant do that, or is that dangerous?

I don't see a problem. Just make it so the bottle can't move around. As far as laws go- dunno. Seems to me it would be safer to have it in a seperated galley than in the sleeping compartment .

Hi

The only thing I can add to all the other good suggestions already supplied is that if you intend fitting the tank in the galley make sure there is ventilation to allow any possible leakage to get out, bearing in mind that propane is heavier than air the vent should be in the floor or as low down on the wall as possible.

Regards

IanJ

wingnutt111 you are correct about codes that prohibit mounting of the larger LP gas containers inside. the reason is because LP gas AKA propane expands as the temp rises.
As per NFPA 58
Placing a 20# tank on the tougue sounds like the best option.
I would not recommend running the hose in pvc pipe, because it would be difficult to inspect. But I don't see a problem of using a pre made LP Gas rated, rubber hose. But I do agree with Dale, DO NOT run any propane line(s) through cabin area. PERIOD.... And run above the axle.
One last suggestion is to check with your local LP Gas Company for suggestions.