Transfer propane

Gas-man · 11-07-2018, 05:33 PM

What do y'all do if your parked or can't get to a propane shop to fill your tank?
It does not look like there is enough room for an extend a stay.
Thanks

Brewhedd · 11-07-2018, 05:40 PM

Last time I needed propane I removed the tank and brought it to Costco to have it filled. Other than that I guess one could carry a spare tank.

**wmtire** · 11-07-2018, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gas-man

What do y'all do if your parked or can't get to a propane shop to fill your tank?
It does not look like there is enough room for an extend a stay.
Thanks

Being in a motorhome, it is different. I assume that is what you have being you posted in the Dynamax subforum.

Oaklevel · 11-07-2018, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gas-man

What do y'all do if your parked or can't get to a propane shop to fill your tank?
It does not look like there is enough room for an extend a stay.
Thanks

The campground we go to has a propane company truck come in and fill campers that need filling almost daily........ I am sure that there is an extra cost though.....

I know that it depends on where you are but delivery is possible.

Gas-man · 11-07-2018, 07:38 PM

I have a 2017 37bh Force HD.
The tank looks like its mounted pretty soloid.
I called a propane shop and they need 100 gals min to deliver.
I would lime to grt a 30lb rv tank and a transfer hose to let them equalize at 15lbs, but I guess that is not PC.
Thanks for the ideas.

aceinspp · 11-07-2018, 07:40 PM

Lot of cg have filling for propane tanks. Drive right to them. Later RJD

GoneSouth10 · 11-07-2018, 08:02 PM

I had the exact same set up on my coach and I was able to add an extend-a-flo with the extend-a-stay feature (and at first glance I didn't think I had room either).
Pop that regulator cover off and my guess is that you've got (from left to right) the tank valve, the two regulators, a short 2" to 4" length of 3/8" nipple/pipe, and then your shut off/solenoid.
The extend-a-stay I got (Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1) needed about 4 1/2" between the tank valve and the regulators. That would have pushed my shut off/solenoid all the way to the right hand wall if I used the original 4" nipple/pipe between the regulator and the shut off/solenoid. So I just swapped out the 4" pipe for a 1" pipe and voila, propane magic! Remember, that shut off/solenoid is just "floating" there at the end of the pipe coming out of the regulators, so you can use a 1", 2" or 3" pipe between it and the regulators to give yourself clearance on the right hand side.
You may have to adjust how you regulator cover fits on, but my snapped on pretty snug, so I have not yet re-drilled the holed to use the little plastic snap fasteners.
Just make sure you use the proper yellow pipe tape/dope for gas fittings when you swap out the short pipe (the other connections are all precision fittings).

GoneSouth10 · 11-07-2018, 08:09 PM

Gas-Man - I apologize, I just double clicked on your photo to get a better look and I realized that it looks like you are hard plumbed on both sides of your shut off/solenoid. Not sure what's on the right side of the photo, so not sure if your shut off will shift over enough. You may need to put in a couple of 90 degree elbows . . .
I will say that the extend-a-flo is awesome and, for your situation, the extend a stay would be perfect. I tested mine out using a 20 lb tank just to make sure everything worked and it was perfect. With a couple of 30 lb tanks at the ready, you could be parked for a month!

GoneSouth10 · 11-07-2018, 08:31 PM

Here was my original setup with the regulator cover on, the "floating" shut off/solenoid and then with the cover off from above . . .

ETF · 11-08-2018, 01:24 AM

Yea, that was a problem I ran into. That furnace just ate up propane. I had to unhook and drive to the supplier to get the tank filled. At one campground in Colorado the supplier actually had a truck on the road running round campgrounds filling tanks. That was nice. When we got home I had an extend-a-stay installed. When I looked at it I didn't think that there was enough space to get one in but the dealership managed it. I only used it once when I had to drive to Walmart and get a couple of 20# bottles. It worked great.

GoneSouth10 · 11-08-2018, 12:17 PM

FWIW, here's my setup post modification (I realized I didn't provide a photo of this, so I took one this morning) . . .
As you can see, the Extend-a-Flo/Stay fits in between the tank valve and the regulators. The connection on the top is the Extend-A-Flo - the kit I linked to in an earlier post comes with a 12' hose, which basically takes it under the coach to the other side where I added a "T" to run a grill and a propane firepit.
The Extend-a-Stay is the smaller connection pointing out horizontally. The kit comes with a 5' hose used to connect to a portable propane tank sitting next to your rig - doesn't matter if its a 1, 5, 20 or 30 lbs tank, it will provide propane to your entire system if/when your on board tank runs out.
BTW, I tested the Extend-a-Flo system with both the grill and fire pit on full, while the furnace and hot water heater were running, just to make sure it ran everything - worked like a charm!

Gas-man · 11-08-2018, 08:18 PM

Thanks for the pics and the help. Ill pull my cover Sat and see if I have the room. They look very similar to me.

GoneSouth10 · 11-08-2018, 08:33 PM

As long as you have some flexibility (most likely a short bit of flexible hose) to the right of your shut off, then you should be good to go!
BTW, I highly recommend that kit I linked to on Amazon. I can vouch that it is idiot proof . . . after all, I was able to install it!! (the hardest part of the whole process was getting the existing 4" pipe unstuck as it had rusted together a bit - thank you, Liquid Wrench!!)
Good Luck!

Silver Arrow · 11-08-2018, 08:50 PM

I installed a locking valve & a std RV 1/4" quick disconnect on my DX3 so I can easily connect a external propane tank (5, 11, 20, 30 or 40lb) vs using the onboard tank because it's so much easier than trying to find a place where I can drive the camper to for a refill. Normally I have the extra tank sitting upright outside on the ground & slip the hose under the rear cover & up to the connection. It takes 2 minutes & I'm up and running. I installed a low pressure gauge so I can check the propane pressure after the regulators. I also installed a switch to turn off the onboard propane solenoid valve because it would get quite warm whenever power was on, even when I wasn't using using/needing any propane.

Gas-man · 11-10-2018, 02:47 PM

I dont have the pipe like yours, but I think if I take the soft hose behind the brace and back under, it should work.

GoneSouth10 · 11-10-2018, 03:17 PM

Yes, if you have a flex hose to the right of your shut off (which the more I thought about it, you should have as there is most likely a requirement that there be some "flexibility" between the tank valve and the hard plumbing of the coach in order to absorb the torqueing of the vehicle), you should be able to work the Extend-a-Flo/Stay in there between the tank valve and the regulators.
Feel free to let me know if you have any questions on my set up . . .

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