|
04-11-2012, 09:09 PM
|
#1
|
Senior Member
Name: Lil
Trailer: '84 13' Scamp & '14 homebuilt Benroy Teardrop
Minnesota
Posts: 347
|
Propane Upgrade
Hi all,
My '84 Scamp came with old style propane tanks which are no longer legally refillable, and I've acquired a new-to-me refillable propane tank. I would like your advice/knowledge on if I need to replace the OEM regulator as well to bring my system all the way into the 21st century.
I bought the camper last fall and used the stove with the old tank and regulator, and things seem to work just fine. I wasn't able to try out the propane on the fridge because, it too is the older Dometic 2201. There's a metal label with instructions permanently attached to the works under the outside hatch where you change the mode on the fridge. Unfortunately, my old eyes and brain weren't able to read the label, then memorize the information long enough to perform the various steps in the task, so I still don't know whether the fridge works with propane.
Once I run out of gas in the old tank, can I simply unscrew the old tank and use the old regulator with the new tank? If not, how expensive is it to replace the regulator? I currently have two tanks (don't know if there's even gas in the other tank), but think I will eliminate one and mount a battery in its place, but that's a whole other set of questions.
Thanks so much for your help/advice/expertise.
__________________
Lil M.
Updates and improvements to LilScamper here
“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” ― John Muir
|
|
|
04-11-2012, 10:01 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Name: bob
Trailer: 1996 Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe; 1946 Modernistic teardrop
New York
Posts: 5,416
|
It's OK to use the old regulator. The new style tanks just have a different valve which has a triangle shape handle. Is there a place near you that does tank exchange, Blue Rhino or Amerigas are a couple of companies that do that. I'm not sure of their exchange policy now, but Blue Rhino was a lease customer where I worked, and they took the old tanks and refitted them with the new valves, updated the inspection dates, and painted them. I've heard that some of their tanks have a valve that makes it so only they can fill them
|
|
|
04-11-2012, 10:27 PM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Name: Daniel A.
Trailer: Bigfoot 17.0 1991 dlx
British Columbia
Posts: 741
|
Regulators are cheap if it works no need to change it and they can be bought just about anywhere.
|
|
|
04-11-2012, 10:28 PM
|
#4
|
Commercial Member
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 803
|
Propane upgrade
The old regulator should be ok but look at the hoses and replace them if you see any cracking. Look at the hose from the regulator to the trailer it may need replacing. When sealing the lines use yellow pipe thread tape. Yellow is for propane.
Chuck
|
|
|
04-11-2012, 10:46 PM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Trailer: 2005 13 ft Scamp / 2004 Honda Odyssey
Posts: 1,079
|
Lil,
Does this mean you no longer want a fiberglass tank?
You should be able to tell about how much gas is in the tank by weighing it. Silly me. I had Fred take in a practically full tank to get filled up. Propane guy said, "you want this filled?"
I think it says on the tank the weight of the empty tank.
Nancy
|
|
|
04-12-2012, 06:14 AM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Name: Lil
Trailer: '84 13' Scamp & '14 homebuilt Benroy Teardrop
Minnesota
Posts: 347
|
Thanks all for your help!
Nancy, I still want a fiberglass tank. Just got a new style tank in exchange for my neighbor taking a very rusted out old trailer off my hands. And besides, I just went out to the garage and lifted the Group 27 battery that I'm going to put on the tongue. That bu**ar is HEAVY! So light tank is good!
__________________
Lil M.
Updates and improvements to LilScamper here
“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” ― John Muir
|
|
|
04-12-2012, 07:50 AM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Name: jim
Trailer: 2022 Escape19 pulled by 2014 Dodge Ram Hemi Sport
Pennsylvania
Posts: 6,710
|
since you are upgrading, why not get the automatic switch over regulator for dual tanks?
|
|
|
04-12-2012, 10:59 AM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Name: john
Trailer: scamp 13
Michigan
Posts: 1,318
|
yup,,,different fitting on the new tank. so at least the hose from the regulator to the tank has to be replaced.
then when you snap off the fitting on the regulator because its been on there so long,,, replace that too.
lol unless you get lucky and it stays in one piece.
|
|
|
04-12-2012, 05:41 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Name: Al
Trailer: 1982 13 foot Scamp
Wisconsin
Posts: 123
|
The 20 lb. tank on my 82 Scamp is slightly taller than the new exchange tanks,so there may be a need to change the hold down hardware.
|
|
|
04-13-2012, 12:15 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Name: Harvey
Trailer: '84 Scamp 13' & 2001 Casita 17' Spirit Deluxe
Arkansas
Posts: 322
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by john warren
yup,,,different fitting on the new tank. so at least the hose from the regulator to the tank has to be replaced.
then when you snap off the fitting on the regulator because its been on there so long,,, replace that too.
lol unless you get lucky and it stays in one piece.
|
Not necessarily so; unless the fittings/regulator are damaged, or hoses/lines are cracked, any old style P.O.L. fitting will work with the new style 'Quck Connect' valves. All of the new style valves with the large right-hand outside threads also still have the inner 'left-hand' threads, & the old P.O.L. connectors work just fine. It's easy to tell which tanks have the new style OPD (Overfill Protection Device)valves, they have a triangular shut off knob on top; The old style may have different shaped knobs but none should be triangular (at least in the USA).
Here's pix of an old style tank using an old P.O.L. fitting; then a tank with new style valve showing the inner left-hand threads & the outer right-hand threads; then a new style valve using an old style P.O.L. connector; and finally a new style 'quick connect' on the new style valve - note the triangular knob on the new type valves
|
|
|
04-13-2012, 12:30 PM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Trailer: 2005 13 ft Scamp / 2004 Honda Odyssey
Posts: 1,079
|
To further complicate things I'm not sure how the hardware attaches to (through) the the top of fiberglass tanks. I want to use one of the bypass things so I can use hose to BBQ. Read somewhere where the fiberglass was modified (trimmed) to accept hardware.
Lil, The weather gods are not helping me get to TN.
Nancy
|
|
|
04-13-2012, 05:14 PM
|
#12
|
Senior Member
Name: Lil
Trailer: '84 13' Scamp & '14 homebuilt Benroy Teardrop
Minnesota
Posts: 347
|
Nancy, I'll start praying.
Well, I know the local lumber yard fills propane tanks. They filled my little 5# tank for me. If I haven't figured this out, I'll take it over there in ten days (I have an eight-day event at my shop and then a wrap-up meeting) and see if they can help figure out what I need to do convert the system...safely.
Things are always more complicated than I think they'll be.
Thank you all for your help.
__________________
Lil M.
Updates and improvements to LilScamper here
“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” ― John Muir
|
|
|
04-13-2012, 09:28 PM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Trailer: 2005 13 ft Scamp / 2004 Honda Odyssey
Posts: 1,079
|
Lil,
I just went back to the web site and they now have a new molded top that has the open area. If I get down there I will call before I go out of my way to confirm price. Would hate to get there and then.....
Here we are looking at cold and maybe snow. And down there it will be pushing 80. I don't do heat. Can't scoot down the west side of this stormy stuff as we have to go to Duluth and then down WI.
We heat home with propane. Cenex tops off our 20 lb tank. I'll find out our cost for 20 lb if I get these things up here.
Nancy
|
|
|
04-14-2012, 12:35 AM
|
#14
|
Senior Member
Trailer: 92 16 ft Scamp
Posts: 11,756
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lil M.
I wasn't able to try out the propane on the fridge because, it too is the older Dometic 2201. There's a metal label with instructions permanently attached to the works under the outside hatch where you change the mode on the fridge. Unfortunately, my old eyes and brain weren't able to read the label, then memorize the information long enough to perform the various steps in the task, so I still don't know whether the fridge works with propane.
|
On the home page here there is a Document center where you will find a manual for the Dometic 2201 fridge.
|
|
|
04-14-2012, 05:31 AM
|
#15
|
Senior Member
Name: Lil
Trailer: '84 13' Scamp & '14 homebuilt Benroy Teardrop
Minnesota
Posts: 347
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carol H
On the home page here there is a Document center where you will find a manual for the Dometic 2201 fridge.
|
Oooh, thanks Carol! Directions for lighting all on one page that I can place at an easy-to-read angle!
__________________
Lil M.
Updates and improvements to LilScamper here
“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” ― John Muir
|
|
|
04-14-2012, 05:45 AM
|
#16
|
Senior Member
Name: Lil
Trailer: '84 13' Scamp & '14 homebuilt Benroy Teardrop
Minnesota
Posts: 347
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P
It appears in the photo that there is no hose between the regulator and tank in the current setup: just a fitting on the regulator to directly connect it to the tank. This is somewhat common for single-tank installations.
Perhaps that fitting would need to be replaced, but that is not likely. Modern tank valves typically have both the new QCC-1 external threads, and the old POL internal threads, so new-style hoses and old-style hoses both work.
Brian
|
Thanks for your message, Brian. I haven't even tried to disconnect the old tank yet. I'm assuming there's a way that the regulator rotates out of its connection. Once I lose the second tank, I think I'll get the steel plate removed so I can fit my large heavy battery in the original Scamp location, then put the single tank back in its original location. That way, the weight on the tongue will be better balanced than putting the battery side by side with the tank on the steel plate.
A PO butchered the outside wiring that goes to battery and TV, so that will be the next thing on my to-do list.
__________________
Lil M.
Updates and improvements to LilScamper here
“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” ― John Muir
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
Similar Threads
|
Thread |
Thread Starter |
Forum |
Replies |
Last Post |
Software Upgrade
|
Bigfoot Mike |
General Chat |
79 |
02-12-2008 05:11 PM |
tv upgrade
|
Legacy Posts |
Modifications, Alterations and Updates |
8 |
04-18-2003 08:25 PM |
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
» Upcoming Events |
No events scheduled in the next 465 days.
|
|