Portable Propane

[Barbara Gardin]

On a recent trip to Michigan, we purchased a 2 burner propane stove to use outside, from Wal-Mart. After we got home and read the instructons we were surprised to see that it said to only use the small disposable propane bottles. We are not fond of these bottles and wondered if anyone knows why and if it would be safe to buy fittings and hook it up to our regular tank?

[Booker B.]

Hi Barbara,

I started a thread on this a few months back that contains a lot of information that may help you.
<a href="http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/index.php?showtopic=30901&hl=" target="_blank">
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/index.ph...c=30901&hl=</a>

[Doug Mager]

I'm no expert at this by any means, but I think its a warning label (to help cover their keisters) meant to diswade you from connecting it up to a larger propane system which might have more pressure/volume than the stove 'could' safely handle??? Anyone else know the actual reason???

[Pat B Ohio]

Pardon me for asking, but is your Boler violet?
I am in awe, love it.

[Kurt & Ann K.]

Barbara,

the concept is good, but the cost may be a little prohibitive.
First, check your Yellow Pages for a local propane delivery service. Ask if they will evaluate the stove and your TT.
Your stove/disposable bottle set-up probably has a pressure regulator where the bottle attaches. The TT also has another pressure regulator between the tank(s) and the TT gas plumbing. You would have to install a Tee between the tank(s) and the regulator to obtain high pressure fuel.
Some of the RV regulators do not have replaceable hose fittings, which would require replacing the existing regulator and hoses. An additional hose, 2 pairs of quick-disconnects (preferable for each end of the hose), a Tee and correct fittings, and an adapter for the stove regulator. The propane dealer may have all the fittings, or you may have to hunt for them at an RV store or good old-time hardware/plumbing store.
The cost will add up fast for this idea, but eventually there should be pay-back if you camp quite a bit.
Keep us posted on progress and prices if you decide to proceed with this mod.
Kurt Ann K.

[Gina D.]

FWIW, all summer I had a single canister that I used for my coleman BBQ, which is basically a one burner cook stove with a fancy grill on it.

I never ran out. I didn't BBQ every nite, but I did quite a bit. I personally didn't find the canister annoying.

I also came from a tent camping background and had a coleman two burner I used exclusively.. also, I did not find them annoying.

[Alf S.]

Hi: All... In Ontario Provincial Parks the green disposable cylinders are considered "hazardous waste". They ask campers to take them home as the cost of proper disposal is quite high!!! I would also like to convert our portable BBQ to a refillable bottle set up. I wonder if the small burner/ regulator could stand the pressure of a larger tank???
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Al V]

I have had the regulator on my coleman 2 burner camp stove catch on fire when connected to a large bottle, the flame was quite large and most unsettling. My brother who is active in scouting has also run across the the same problem. Now was it the big bottle or was it the age of the regulator that i don't know.

[Morgan]

Two containers of LPG side by side will have the same pressure regardless of the size of the containers.

If there is liquid in the containers, the gas pressure will be the same if the temperature is the same.

[Morgan]

There are two kinds of propane appliance: ones using high pressure gas and ones using low pressure gas. The portable stove using the 15 oz. throw-away bottles is an example of the first kind (it has its own built-in regulator). The built in appliances in your trailer are examples of the second kind (they use the low pressure output from the regulator by your tanks).

You can buy an adapter hose to connect from a large tank to a portable appliance.

[Pat C]

There are two kinds of propane appliance: ones using high pressure gas and ones using low pressure gas. The portable stove using the 15 oz. throw-away bottles is an example of the first kind (it has its own built-in regulator). The built in appliances in your trailer are examples of the second kind (they use the low pressure output from the regulator by your tanks).

You can buy an adapter hose to connect from a large tank to a portable appliance.

We use the adapter hose to connect a 5# propane tank to our colman BBQ/stove combo.Works great and sure saves on purchase and disposal of those small throw away bottles.

[Kurt & Ann K.]

Barbara,

Another possibility has occurred to me, if your TT has 2 tanks, would be to exclusively dedicate one of the tanks to the new stove (the TT regulator would no longer be connected to this tank). This method would allow deleting some of the plumbing and using the adapter hose which Morgan suggests. For safety's sake, if possible, the extra hose could be removed from the TT regulator and a pipe plug inserted in it's place.

Two regulators in the same propane line will not work because the second one close to the appliance is further reducing the pressure and there is simply not enough left.

Hope all this helps, you are getting a good response from your query,
Kurt & Ann K.

[Loren G. Hedahl]

I certainly wouldn't like running high pressure hose inside my Scamp!

I have an inexpensive propane camp stove from Wal-Mart also. To me it looks like the built-in regulator is nothing but a small orifice. I have half a notion to cut the tubing down-stream of the built-in regulator and hook it to the regulated propane from the tank.

Anyone have opinions?

[james kent]

I certainly wouldn't like running high pressure hose inside my Scamp!
I have half a notion to cut the tubing down-stream of the built-in regulator and hook it to the regulated propane from the tank.

Anyone have opinions?

I have heard of some people taking the end of the hose that comes with the stove apart and taking the restrictor valve out. I personally think it's safer to buy the proper fittings.
At $5-7 for those little green tanks, that propane gets expensive. I've switched to a 10 lb tank and a 6 ft hose. After a couple of seasons on one tank I think that I have already re-couped my initial outlay.

[Scott S.]

the Coleman extension hose hose works fine. the even sell a pole that goes on a regular tank and gives you 3 take offs. stove, bbq and a lantern on the top. there is also an adaptor made for refilling the small bottles but there likely a reason they're not sold in Canada.

[Roy in TO]

Barbara,

The make/model of the stove might be of some help.

FWIW we use a 20# tank with a tree putting a lantern on the top and a hose for our Coleman Stove/Grill/BBQ. Both were designed for the 1# tanks. Never had a problem.

The only thing I can think of is there might be an issue with the regulator on your stove. If that is the case a replacement regulator might be all you need. Have you tried contacting the manufacturer?

Roy

[Barbara Gardin]

Thanks for all of the help. We took the stove fitting and our current extra hose we use off a tee on our main 20# tank for our small BBQ to a nearby trailer dealer. He said we were good to go. The stove has a built in regulator and no other fittings were needed. Now what to do with the one the fellow in WalMart told us we needed.

[April Wilcox]

We have a coleman 2 burner stove, the thin bodied one, are you saying that these have a built in regulator? I seem to remember using one off a 20lb that just had a hose between, no regulator years ago with no issues... that was a long time ago.

[Booker B.]

That's correct April.

Essentially everything inside your trailer is protected by the regulator that is fitted on the outside of your trailer. For small appliances they all require an internal regulator to handle the high pressure of the mini tanks. So in my case I run my Coleman 2 burner stove, Coleman lantern and Weber Baby Q220 from my 20lb tank via a couple of adapters and 3 hoses. However, as I mention in my thread it's not the cheapest option to use.

I think the cheapest solution is probably a single T adapter with one T end running to the trailer regulator and the upper T end holding a propane tree. Coleman sells both of those products. For me, however, I wanted the flexability to run our kitchen the way we have it.