New to 5th Wheel - How to Fill Propane?

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Unlike "bumper pull" trailers, 5th wheel trailers have their tanks mounted in an enclosed compartment. Filling a tank while in that compartment is inherently dangerous as any leakage during the process could find it's way into areas you don't want it.

While the compartment the tanks are in looks closed there is no floor, so it is not an enclosed area at all.

[Foothills]

Kchula-Rrit & others,


I've had a nice young lady fill mine and I just stand out of the way! that's a good way to go-yes someone will always help; and with a little practice, you'll get better at it then you think. Also doesn't have to be totally full-propane goes a long way unless you are running the furnace.

[DouglasReid]

You can also swap out those 7 gallon bottles for two 5 gallon bottles.

They fit,

The bottom holding strap fits and they weigh nearly 1/3 less.

There is no law that says you have to have 2 - 7 gallon bottles.

[jaydubya]

Originally Posted by Halfmast

If possible, swapping out your 30# tanks for the smaller, 20# grill-sized tank might make them more manageable. The diameters appear to be the same but the filled weights are 31# for a twenty pound tank as opposed to 52# for the larger thirty pound tank.

You'd really have to watch your propane levels though.

This also allows you to exchange the tanks almost anywhere instead of having to find someplace to fill them. My buddy’s new $90k 5th wheel came with grill cylinders supposedly for that reason

[SilhouettePenny]

Originally Posted by Halfmast

If possible, swapping out your 30# tanks for the smaller, 20# grill-sized tank might make them more manageable. The diameters appear to be the same but the filled weights are 31# for a twenty pound tank as opposed to 52# for the larger thirty pound tank.

You'd really have to watch your propane levels though.

This is the way to go...build a simple 2x4 wood platform under a pair of 20#, 4.5 gal gas grill tanks so you can more easily handle them AND exchange them almost anywhere along your travels. Store your empty 30#, 7 gal tanks until you sell the rig.

[Kchula-Rrit]

Thanks, everyone, for your responses and advice.

We'll figure on hefting the tanks as long as we can. Several people have suggested swapping the 30-pound tanks for 20-pound tanks, but I'm not sure that would work.

We ran the furnace and it heated the trailer quite nicely. Then we left the furnace on during a cold snap last weekend so that nothing would freeze. The temperature went down to 12 degrees at night and got to the mid twenties for a few days. Even though the furnace was set as low as it could go, the two 30-pound tanks were depleted in about five days, or maybe a week.

Is this normal propane consumption?

Also, we discovered a heating vent in the cargo hold, which we closed.

K-R.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by Kchula-Rrit

Thanks, everyone, for your responses and advice.

We'll figure on hefting the tanks as long as we can. Several people have suggested swapping the 30-pound tanks for 20-pound tanks, but I'm not sure that would work.

We ran the furnace and it heated the trailer quite nicely. Then we left the furnace on during a cold snap last weekend so that nothing would freeze. The temperature went down to 12 degrees at night and got to the mid twenties for a few days. Even though the furnace was set as low as it could go, the two 30-pound tanks were depleted in about five days, or maybe a week.

Is this normal propane consumption?



Also, we discovered a heating vent in the cargo hold, which we closed.

K-R.

Yep sounds about right. You gotta pay to play in the winter. Taking a big chanced not to be winterized at those temps.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Kchula-Rrit

We ran the furnace and it heated the trailer quite nicely. Then we left the furnace on during a cold snap last weekend so that nothing would freeze. The temperature went down to 12 degrees at night and got to the mid twenties for a few days. Even though the furnace was set as low as it could go, the two 30-pound tanks were depleted in about five days, or maybe a week.

Is this normal propane consumption?

Also, we discovered a heating vent in the cargo hold, which we closed.

K-R.

Yep, pretty normal for heating a 5th wheel. Your Sunseeker was a much smaller box to heat. That's why most will use a ceramic or oil-filled heater(if you have shore power)and use the furnace to supplement more heat when needed.
Your 5th wheel is probably only a 3 season RV, at best and not insulated enough for such low temperatures.
But since you haven't posted any info about year, make and model of 5th wheel, can't make any definite statements.

[Kchula-Rrit]

Sorry, the fifth wheel was not made by Forest River so I was trying to keep quiet about it. It's a 2006 NuWa Hitch-Hiker II 26.5 with two slides. I figured my question was general enough that it could go here.

You are certainly right about the cabin volume; that's what sold the Better Half (along with the actual table and chairs). It makes sense that keeping all that space heated, even to 55 degrees or whatever the absolute lowest temp on the thermostat is would take more fuel.

My area has had an abnormally warm winter this year and shortly after we picked up the trailer came the cold snap. There was some water in the tanks and lines, and we didn't want anything to freeze, so we figured we'd put the heater on for the few days it was forecast to be cold.

When we noticed the gas was going quickly we picked up an oil heater and set it up (should have done that in the beginning) and ran a fan to circulate the air. We've done that in the SunSeeker for the three years we've been here and haven't had any problems so far.

Anyway, this is getting off the topic of propane tanks.

Thanks, everyone!

K-R.

[bikendan]

Knowing the brand and model number gives us an idea of the size of your 5th wheel, therefore a general idea of how much space you're have to heat.

[Larry-NC]

Almost all the RVs use Suburban SF-series furnaces. As a consequence of making them as small as they are, they are not very efficient. When the furnace is operating, go outside and CAUTIOUSLY feel how much heat goes out in the exhaust.

[Kchula-Rrit]

We already did this, and there is a LOT of heat coming out that exhaust port. Too bad we could not do something about it.

K-R.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by Kchula-Rrit

We already did this, and there is a LOT of heat coming out that exhaust port. Too bad we could not do something about it.

K-R.

The heat exchanger is small and compact--and inefficient. You would have to make it much bigger to transfer more of the combustion heat.

[Eric H.]

Ive never seen a scale used to fill a tank in California. Every place I've been in 20 years has an old school mechanical gauge on the pump that rotates as the fuel is delivered like an old gas pump that you have to reset before each use.


The distributor we use at work uses the same method when filling our 15-20 tanks for forklifts and space heaters.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by Eric H.

Ive never seen a scale used to fill a tank in California. Every place I've been in 20 years has an old school mechanical gauge on the pump that rotates as the fuel is delivered like an old gas pump that you have to reset before each use.


The distributor we use at work uses the same method when filling our 15-20 tanks for forklifts and space heaters.

At Costco, they use a system with electronics--looks like the newest gas pumps.

At the local filling station and at our campground they use a balance scale.

[SlowrideHD]

Originally Posted by Kchula-Rrit

We already did this, and there is a LOT of heat coming out that exhaust port. Too bad we could not do something about it.

K-R.

My thermostat can be set to 40 F on furnace and that is where I leave it if it is here at home through our very mild winters. I usually use one 30 lb tank each winter. Note that an advantage of having air circulate through your heating ductwork is keeping your underbelly compartments above freezing (generally). Helps prevent any water trapped around the water pump or other lines from freezing. I've never winterized my unit although I do blow the lines out with air pressure and sometimes pour a little pink stuff in the drains for the p-traps.

[Lighting546]

Originally Posted by DouglasReid

While the compartment the tanks are in looks closed there is no floor, so it is not an enclosed area at all.

Above the compartment that the LPG tanks are in on a 5th wheel is usually the bedroom, so if you have a leak the first place it's going to go is into the bedroom, hopefully you're not sleeping when/if it happens.

Most RV dealers now a days will only do a pre-delivery orientation/inspection (PDI) if you pay them $799 for that option.

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by Lighting546

Above the compartment that the LPG tanks are in on a 5th wheel is usually the bedroom, so if you have a leak the first place it's going to go is into the bedroom, hopefully you're not sleeping when/if it happens.

Most RV dealers now a days will only do a pre-delivery orientation/inspection (PDI) if you pay them $799 for that option.

Propane is heavier than air, natural gas is lighter than air.

[meatguy]

Don’t think you mean 100# tank? Maybe 10#?

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by meatguy

Don’t think you mean 100# tank? Maybe 10#?

Assuming you are replying to post #20?
We have several 100# propane tanks to use during the winter boondocking. They are about 4' tall and a a little larger in diameter than 30# tanks.