Capping propane lines

[Peggy]

We are off on a trip tomorrow, with only the stove working. So the propane lines for the furnace and the fridge are unhooked and just out in space. What do we do with them when they are not hooked up to anything. They are slightly flared at the end. Thanks!

[Brian B-P]

If they each have a shutoff valve, I would cover the end with anything just to keep dust, water, etc. out, and tape over the valve so it is not accidentally opened. Without a shutoff valve... well, I'd install a shutoff valve, but there probably are shutoff valves already, if the stove has been in use...

[Greg A]

Peggy,

I don't think most folks here, in the 13's at least, have ever even used their stoves. Most cook outside on portable propane stoves or grills. The stove in a 13 will heat you out in under one minute which could be nice in Winter. We've never turned ours on yet. Personally, I'd take the propane bottle off the tongue and leave it until you finish getting all the systems hooked up and tested.

[Peggy]

Nope, no shut off valves, just a copper pipe with a flared end. Are the shut off valves availabl at a Canadian tire, or more specialty stores, I guess you have to cut the pipe. Will they be compression fittings? We'll add them in, anyway.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Inserting shut off valves, if there are none would probably be a good idea.

As for cooking inside the trailer, over 90% of our cooking is done inside. One of the reasons for getting the trailer was to reduce the amount of set up and tear down. Since we have perfectly good cook top inside and all the cookware is inside why lug all the stuff outside so you lug it all back in?

[Gerry]

They are slightly flared at the end. Thanks!
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With the slightly flared end still on the copper tubing it still must have the flared nut on the tube itself.
At any hardware store you can by a cap to fit this flared nut to cap off the gas line. AND DO A BUBBLE TEST WITH GAS ON.
A so called RV repair man who couldn't find the problem with my furnace did this and all it needed was an new Thermostate so I hooked it up myself.
Gerry the canoebuilder

[Joe Z]

Peggy....
I like to do the simple and least expensive things first so I'm what some would call a "backyard mechanic" you say your stove is working....... while the fridge and furnace are unhooked?...... sounds like they (the furnace and fridge)are shut-off somewhere already! if your not sure just do a small test by temporarily for this test putting a childs balloon over those open fittings and see if they blow up the balloon and if they do then just get the appropriate cap like someone else mentioned in an earlier post and install with a little teflon tape just to be sure and do the bubble test....... if they don't leak then just cover them with something to keep the dirt out.
joe

[Gerry]

Peggy....
I like to do the simple and least expensive things first so I'm what some would call a "backyard mechanic" you say your stove is working....... while the fridge and furnace are unhooked?...... sounds like they (the furnace and fridge)are shut-off somewhere already! if your not sure just do a small test by temporarily for this test putting a childs balloon over those open fittings and see if they blow up the balloon and if they do then just get the appropriate cap like someone else mentioned in an earlier post and install with a little teflon tape just to be sure and do the bubble test....... if they don't leak then just cover them with something to keep the dirt out.

I am also a "Backyard mechanic" but also hold a licence for Mechanical Engeniering, (Fancy name for a Plumber and done a bit of gas pipeing also.
Even if I knew that these lines had a shut off valve stareing me in the eye if I wasn't going to hook them up to the proper gas valves I would cap with a brass cap cost maybe $1.
Better to be safe then blown up!
I know that in my Boler the valve, going to the fridge, is a spring type valve and now these are illeagal to even install on gas lines, in homes, let alone a trailer, vibrated going down a road.
Gerry the canoebuilder

[Joe Z]

Gerry...
Have to agree with you ...... put a cap on it to be sure. I had a momentary brain freeze LOL
Joe