Plumbing for propane... Thoughs on quick connects...

[dbhosttexas]

For the camper build, I intend on the following propane appliances.

#1. Coleman 2 burner propane stove in the galley / kitchen.
#2. Camplux 5L water heater / shower attach to the side of the camper in use, removable for storage in transit.
#3. Mr. Heater Portable Buddy heater for keeping our toes from freezing off in the winter. Removable for summer use. No need for heat in Texas from say May through October.

My camper build will be similar to RJ Howells overland foamie build, assuming my wife stays onboard with the flatbed conversion. WIth the exception of where his water carriers are, I am planning on having a pass through for a 5K BTU Window unit AC. And I want the stove on the other side away from the propane tank And propane tank lower on the compartment, and propbalby a 20lb tank just so I can stay with exchanges if need be...

I have a Joolca Gasknect on the water heater as of today, and it looks like a good, albeing somewhat costly solution.

My thoughts are...

#1. Some what of splitting the tank output into 3 outputs.
#2. Propane hose for each apliance stowed behind an access door that will allow me to pull the hose to where the appliance will be.
#3. Quick connects to each appliance. This would mean I believe, that the Buddy Heater, and Coleman Stove would require a 3/8" Flare x 1" - 20 throwaway cylinder thread adapter. Now I could use the Gasknect, they appear to be good products, but I would need a 3/8" gas flare x 1" - 20 throwaway canister male thread fitting such as https://amzn.to/3xKHXSb. The combined cost of the fittings at current pricing would put the cost of adapters to get quick connects to $39.99 for each appliance, plus the cost of hoses to get there... Not a huge problem, just something to note for budgetary reasons...

This leads my thought process over to wondering if there is such a thing as a quick connect that seals like the Gasknect does for 1" -20 connections? I already have plenty of long enough hoses for them... Anyway, the idea would be to be able to disconnect and leak free stop the flow of gas at the QD when the appliance is not to be used. Again example being say heater not being used in summer, Rain so horrible stove gets taken inside and used with a 1lb bottle etc...

Just trying to design in some flexiblity to the system...

[TimC]

This may not be much help but will throw it out there. I don't know anything about these but the hose has a 3/8 flare on one end and a quick disconnect with a valve on the other end. The other is a frame mount with flare on the inside and QD and valve on the other.

Pulled these off a salvage pop up. I don't have any use for these two fittings. Offering them on my wife's Marketplace. They may be able to be made at an RV joint.



Tim

[tony.latham]

I know the Camplux needs an 11 WC regulator. Will that regulator run the other two? My two appliances, the heater and the stove needed two different pressures. My Propex heater needs 11 WC (or about .4 PSI) and the Partner stove needs 26 PSI.



Thus the two regulators.

I know you don't want 150-200 PSI in your lines, eh?



Tony

[dbhosttexas]

In tenting use I have the following setup that works successfully.

#20 propane BBQ tank.

GasOne QCC Propane Y fitting.

Camplux OE gas hose on one leg of the Y to Joolca Quick disconnect to 5L. The plan is to have the heater connect within easy reach of the tank via this hose. So relying on Camplux OE regulator that is in their line and after the output of the tank.

Century Tri outlet safety post. This one clamps to the safety ring on the tank and has a hose that screws into the QCC fitting on the second leg of the Y.

12' feeder hose 1" -20 M / F, from post to Portable Buddy heater using Mr. Heater inline fuel filter. This configuration has been verified by Mr. Heater. They make no mention of external regulators, and years of use going straight hose from tank, to filter and into heater shows this works no problem.

12' feeder hose 1" -20 M / F, from post to Coleman stove using Coleman original regulator. Again since Coleman themselves recommend using an appliance hose from tank to the OE regulator, I figure this should be good. Used it this way for decades... I know there are other stoves that use different regulator styles, but this one uses the metal pipe intended for the 1lb bottles with a regulator on the bottle screw in end, just go from tank via hose to here with no other regulator inline. I honestly sold my old Brinkmann stainless steel 2 burner and went with a basic Coleman 2 burner propane hose due to replacement regulator availability. The brinkmanns regulator was failure prone, and replacements that fit it were impossible to find. Sad actually, aside from this one issue, I REALLY liked that little stove.

The big issue I am working on is addressing making this all quick connectable. And I would like to QD at the appliance throwaway fitting. Or a QD adapter for the throwaway fitting entirely so I can use my existing hoses...

[Tube999]

Did the Gasknect (from Joolca) work out alright on the Camplux? It is expensive (as you said) but I cannot find anything that works directly with the 1/2" BPS . I have the Camplux 6L.

[dbhosttexas]

Did the Gasknect (from Joolca) work out alright on the Camplux? It is expensive (as you said) but I cannot find anything that works directly with the 1/2" BPS . I have the Camplux 6L.

My Camplux came with a 1/2 BPS Female x 3/8" US flare adapter. The Gasknect was a direct clean fit on that.

Yes, it is expensive for what it is, however, from the product description page, it appears the 5L and 6L come with the same fittings packets, so you should have that fitting, and a 1/2 BPS x 3/4 GHT male, and same as female adapters for the water in / out fittings...

Camplux shows the same part # for the LP gas hose for both heaters, and at least on my 5L the flare adapter was already installed. I am honestly assuming since the specs say it is, that the thread on the other side of that adapter is 1/2 BPS.

So if you can screw the hose directly onto a flare fitting on the heater, then you have the standard 3/8" gas flare and yes the Joolca Gasknect fits great... however...

If you are lacking the flare fitting, call Camplux...

Looking at the differences is specs. Trying to figure out the 6L product placement. The heat display is pretty nice, but not really necessary for our usage. I am wondering though, it looks like the 6L can be fented with a pipe on the top is that right? If so that would make a great unit to mount in an obviously flame resistant cabinet...

[Tube999]

My apologies, but to clarify/validate: The way I read your response is that the Gasknect attaches to the adapter (3/8" flare) and not directly to a 1/2" BPS. I am hoping I read it wrong. If the female end of the Gasknet is 3/8" flare then can you tell me the total length of the Gasknect? Explanation follows.

On the Camplux all 3 connections are 1/2" BPS (Gas and 2 water). I was hoping that the Joolca was set up the same way (kinda of a standard). If the Joolca was set up with all 3 connections being 1/2" BPS (including the gas) and (as it appears in the pictures) if the Gasknect attaches directly to the Joolca unit (no adapter or bushing), then the Gasknect short piece (female with a nipple) would have a 1/2" BPS fitting and could connect to the Camplux without any other connector. I would not need the adapter (1/2" BPS to 3/8" flare) that came with the Camplux unit.

The reason I am hoping for this is fairly simple. I was able to obtain a used 1600 Pelican box off of craiglist and I am using it to mount the Camplux on the side of my teardrop (like many have done). To avoid clearance issues I have mounted the Camplux on the door side of the interior. It hangs on the door. By adding two 1.5 inch thick mounting boards between the door and the heater it created a space for hose storage behind the heater and gave the vent plenty of room to spew it's hot gas without shielding, diverters, etc. The water quick connects are fine as well They clear the lip of the box open (with attached hoses) and closed (nipples within in the edge).

The gas connection will be OK with clearance as well so long as I don't have to add too many connectors/adapters. I am concerned about the total length reaching the bottom edge of the lid. If I only have the Gasknect attached I should be good. 2 pieces may be too much.

I can post a picture tomorrow if it helps. BTW - the 1600 Pelican gives me plenty of space to mount the 12 volt water pump inside of the box but to the side so it does not hit the heater with the box is closed. BTW2 - I bought the 6L because it was very little extra $$ but had more capacity.

[dbhosttexas]

IF I understand you correctly, and yes photos might help, but here is my situation.

I have the 1/2 x 3/4 GHT adapters on, and then GHT quick disconnects for the water side. My Gasknect disconnected does not extend any lower than the garden hose quick connects. I have, am still considering using the Monoprice version of that same said Pelican box, and with the dimensions I see online, I see no issues, but again, I have the 5L not the 6L and heater dimensions may be somethat different.

Door side mount seems to be the way to go to get clearance for the fittings for sure. The problem is of course the British fittings that seem to be an obligatory standard on these heaters. In order to actually work with anything available in the United States, you need to adapt, this takes space. Funny thing is, I have relatives in Mexico that are having fits adapting the British fittings to Metric, but no trouble getting American sizes they can use there...

Long story short, we need to get off our duffs and all get on one common measurement system.

Back to the subject at hand. If your plan is to clear the door closing on a Pelican case, AND you are currently clearing GHT Quick connect nipples, THEN you should have no problem I just looked at mine, and honestly IF it is longer at all, it is less than 1mm. A staight edge across the fittings seems fairly level considering the tubes coming out of the heater are not all perfectly straight.

[twisted lines]

I bought a Weber bbq 25 years ago that had them on the tank / line was nice never leaked but needed a adapter to fill.
If you fourgot it

[Tube999]

Thanks. Sounds like I should be OK. I appreciate it! I looked at it again this morning and even with the 2 pieces I should be OK. Good luck on your setup.

[dbhosttexas]

Not having any luck with 1" - 20 throwaway thread quick disconnects.

I find no shortage of throwaway M to flare M fittings which is bass ackwards. I would need throwaway M to flare F fittings in order to make a Gasknect or similar quick connect work...

Still digging.

[Tom&Shelly]

As long as you can find the right adapter, this quick connect hose can be used for other appliances too. A friend of ours has a propane firepit with the adapter for a quick connect, and we plugged that in one evening by using XXX services - it worked great!

That is wrong, and very dangerous advice. Quick connects are rated for the gas pressure, and while camping stoves generally use something like 15-25 psi, firepits use a much lower pressure. They are not interchangable.

But I'm pretty sure Clark doesn't care if you hurt yourself and family, or spend money on the wrong quick connect,as long as he gets to post his spam.

EDIT: Thank you to the moderator who took down that dangerous advice!

Tom