One Propane Tank

[mary and bob]

When I was still working, one of our truck lease customers was Blue Rhino that does the tank swaps. They have a facility where they refurbish tanks and refill them, then deliver to the retailers. The drivers would give us free filled tanks like they were handing out candy. I got two 11 pounders and one 7 pound tank because they don't want them. My local transfer station (dump) always has a pile of empty that people have to pay to get rid of. I always wonder why they just didn't exchange them.

[Iowa Dave]

When I was with municipal park systems we would pick up at least one 20 pound tank
a week.
And a couple helium balloon tanks, a Freon tank, 5 or 6 throwaway one pounders, a couple car gas tanks, in later years igloo coolers used to haul anhydrous ammonia by meth cookers, the contents of a freezer that had shelled out and wasn’t discovered for a few weeks, you name it, people dump it. Only trree bodies in 32 years though. Those took some paperwork I’ll tell you.
Iowa Dave

[TimR]

What are all these tank swaps costing on average? Here above the 49th they were averaging about $30. Then I had the Costco epiphany. I have yet to pay more than $9 for a very empty bottle to be refilled. The exchange is a bit more convenient, but not $20 convenient.

[redbarron55]

I use two screen door type of turnbuckles and some strips of stainless bent to hook on the top of the propane tank.
here is a picture of the setup on the modified front of my Scamp

And a close up of one side. The other is just the same.
I apologize for the sideways picture!

The turnbuckles will adjust for some size differences and are easily adjusted standing on the ground.
Just some straps , S hooks (bent closed) and the turnbuckles.
Of course the mount on the frame is custom welded, but the idea can easily be modified for just about any single tank setup.

[Rzrbrn]

JD,
Your entire set up is interesting. If you don't mind my asking, what is the fan looking thing and the SS looking box located curbside?

[k0wtz]

henry he has a split system a/c I know I have one for a room in my house where I couldn't get central a/c. they are the cat s meow for cooling very efficient but I would like to know his tongue weight? his fan is inside his trailer.

I would rather have one of these for my 13f scamer instead of the clunker on top of my trailer by the way but then tongue weight comes into play.

bob

[redbarron55]

The box with the fan is a 9000BTU heat pump with the inside unit in the rear, inside of course.
The stainless steel box with the lexan cover is a tankless hot water heater and is the only thing to use propane on the trailer.
The tongue weight depends on the state of the various tanks, but is in the neighborhood of 300 lbs.
However the trailer has a modified frame that is about 18" longer than stock and the battery is installed behind the battery on the driver's side and the equipment was installed to keep the weight as near the axle as possible and to account for the heat pump in the front.
The total weight of the Heat Pump is within a few pounds of the roof top units and if I remember correctly the condenser weights about 67 lbs and the blower about 16. There is the weight of the lineset as well or maybe another 5 or so.
What I like is the weight is not on the roof as the 1985 Scamp won't hold it without modifications any you know I would NEVER modify as Scamp.
I think that the link:
https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...11-albums.html
will take you to my photo albums where you can see the kinds of modifications I would NEVER do to a Scamp.

[k0wtz]

jd the p/p told me he didn't have a/c but wanted it so he took it to scamp and had a better bow put in it. I don't have invoices to prove him out but it appears something has been done to the ceiling.

I wish I didn't have that weight up there also I just think its too much and our trailer rides rough I cant imagine what is going on up there when passing over bumps as you know no matter how careful you are you can still smack over them too fast.

when we were at the az-nm border we thought we would take a gravel detour the worst road I have ever been on it shook everything! I finally fount a place and turned back it was so bad!

you have a great idea but our ford edge would not handle that tongue weight oh the p/o did extend our tongue out 2 feet makes it much easier to back and turn!

bob

[k0wtz]

norm yes a bunch cheaper to have them filled I painted mine to sort of match the trailer and I stop at loves costs me a little more but I don't have to unhook the tank!


bob

[redbarron55]

Bob, I originally towed this trailer with a 2.0 Liter VW TDI Jetta Sportwagon with air bags.
At that time I used 1 pound bottles for the water heater and they worked fairly well. One day I might have to get more propane, but the one tank has lasted for the past few years, I forget how many.
When the VW TDIs were recalled we bought the Chrysler T&C with a tongue rating of 350 and 3500 with a WDH.
We were probably in the range of 230 when we towed with the VW.
I haven't really worried about the weight since the T&C.
The trailer is about 2800 lbs gross weight so the 280 - 300 is probably in the ball park.
I use a Reese Mini 350 WDH for the added sway control, but we have never needed it.
Even the VW with no WDH never needed any help, but the T&C hitch calls of WDH over 1800 lbs trailer weight.

[Rzrbrn]

JD,
Thanks for responding. Amazing setup. Did you install the heat pump and tankless water heater yourself?

Did you extend the frame?

[redbarron55]

I can't afford to pay someone else to do my work so yes I did the ugly deed.
As a 45 year maintenance manager (hands on electrical and mechanical) and aircraft mechanic/inspector I am responsible for any mistakes made.
If you look at the pictures I extended the frame to improve the geometry for cracking at the bends and to gain space for adding a bathroom in the front.
I wanted a full width frame all the way to the front of the shell so that I could fit a rectangular bathroom pan there.

[k0wtz]

jd did you pull with a tdi? I had a jetta tdi they bought me out I paid 8k for it and sold it to them for 14000.00 unbelievable deal but even at that I hated to give our jetta up!


congratulations on your ideas you have done well


bob

[Rzrbrn]

JD,
I was hoping a shop did it for you and my next question would have been to ask for the name and contact number. There are a couple of utility trailer mfg's within about a 50 mile radius. I may contact them about extending the frame. Maybe I can find an RV to do the rest...no , probably not. More than likely I will just buy a bigger trailer. Thanks again.

[redbarron55]

The TDI had plenty of pulling power and we averages 25 MPG towing with it.
It would have been perfect if a WDH was available.
Air bags made it work with the heavy tongue weight.
At the time I calculated that the actual towing cost would be the same as a gas TV that got 16 or better MPG due to the higher cost of Diesel fuel.
As far as the extended frame I had a frame that was rusty and had poorly done previous repairs.
In my opinion the stock frame is weakened by the flat carry over that allows a low floor at the door.
This flat horizontal tubing flexes and concentrates the stress on the opposite corner and the flexing there causes the connections where it reattaches to the vertically oriented tubing.
I added a lot of weight to my Scampenstein (or is that FrankenScamp?) with extra bracing to the shell at the sides instead of relying on the floor and sheet metal screws all along the sides.
The bathroom and storage cabinets added more.
We think it works pretty well so far.
This summer we are planning on making a big tour from Northwest Florida through Iowa to Yellowstone and points west and return.

[k0wtz]

good welder can fix it right up for you


bob

[redbarron55]

She Who Must Be Obeyed and I have commented on how small on the outside the FrankenScamp is and how large on the inside it seems.
Of course our Scamp is not like any others I am aware of with two twin bunks, a center dining table/nightstand etc.
The modified frame made the modifications possible since I could fit the front center bathroom in with more headroom and use a stock rectangular shower/bathroom pan. O had no way to fabricate a pan that would fit on the side and you would lose headroom anyway.


This is where the street side tubing will crack and the reinforcements I made.

I also replaced the sheetmetal crossover with rectangular tubing to help transfer the load from the sides to hopefully reduce the bending moment.
Of course my Scamp is a 1985 and saw many many years of service and had the thin walled tubing in the frame.

[David B.]

Looks great. Do you have any pictures of the inside or floorplan?
Dave & Paula

[redbarron55]

Originally Posted by David B.

Looks great. Do you have any pictures of the inside or floorplan?
Dave & Paula

I don't know if yo see can see the pictures but here is a link to my album page.
https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...11-albums.html
Let me know if it doesn't work

[k0wtz]

jd I see what you have done pretty neat. I like your work!

bob