LPGas for Boondocking

[greenmachine]

Hello, I have a question for me from Boon Dockers. My Brother has his LP gas set up that he can hook up a grille tank to his system to get by if he runs out on the main tank. Now my question is why do they hook it up on the hi pressure side. The kit comes for hooking up on the high pressure side. Why can't it be on the low pressure and use a regulator like the grille has. There has to be a reason that's to simple. His is pretty handy he can go a few more days or go to store and get another tank without moving Rv. Some Rv resorts do not have LP gas there.
Thanks
Larry Pate
2003 Alpine Coach 350 ISC
Boston Ky

[mel s]

Originally Posted by greenmachine

Hello, I have a question for me from Boon Dockers. My Brother has his LP gas set up that he can hook up a grille tank to his system to get by if he runs out on the main tank. Now my question is why do they hook it up on the hi pressure side. The kit comes for hooking up on the high pressure side. Why can't it be on the low pressure and use a regulator like the grille has. There has to be a reason that's to simple. His is pretty handy he can go a few more days or go to store and get another tank without moving Rv. Some Rv resorts do not have LP gas there.
Thanks
Larry Pate
2003 Alpine Coach 350 ISC
Boston Ky

greenmachine
If I understand your question correctly the answer is:
A BBQ grill CAN be connected to either the high or the low pressure side.

However, the amount of LP used in a given amount of cooking time will be exactly the same whether it is connected to the high pressure side or the low pressure side of the main tank.... (or to a portable tank).

Mel
'96 Safari

[Old Scout]

Think you are asking two separate questions here: Q1--to operate a grill or other appliance off the main RV tank, you have to come off the high pressure side of the tank [next to the service valve]. Reason being you cant operate a grill with the main RV regulator [low pressure side] and the grill's regulator, both in line--one has to be by-passed. Q2--if you want to add a tap so you can use an external tank to supplement the main RV tank, Mr Flame and others make an "extend-a-stay" attachment that can be added to the Rv main tank [high pressure side]--kind of pricy at CW. Challenge in both cases is the logisitics of getting the plumbing to fit in the space next to your RV main tank.
My recent experience was adding a tap to power a camp fire in a can. The "can" needs a high pressure feed so the built-in regulator/ adjustment knob can give you a wide range of flame size [kinda like a catfish fryer--no what I mean?] I also added a secondary shut-off valve at the tank end--"belt and suspenders" when it comes to propane.....

[Dave Fernandez]

Propane BBQ's use two types of propane regulators, one the regulator is attached to the BBQ and you control the flame on the regulator. The other the regulator attaches to the propane tank and you control the BBQ with control's on the BBQ. Use the second one and you can operate the BBQ from the regulated side of the Motorhome propane tank.

[twinboat]

Some regulators don't flow enough gas for multiple appliances.

There may also be the fear, that someone will hook it up without the regulator.

[Old Scout]

Correcto-mundo Dave--I like my Roadtrip grill but couldnt figure away around the combination regulator/ connection pipe. My research on connecting the "campfire in a can" to the main RV tank was that the propane industry has some pretty stiff rules on what combination of connections and hoses can go together. As mentioned, mostly to keep you from hooking up an "unregulated" grill to a high pressure tank, I think.....

[hdossett]

Your grill tank is under high pressure and must be connected to the high pressure side of the RVs propane system. On a portable grill, the low pressure regulator is on the grill, not the tank. The RV has only one regulator for all devices like stove, fridge, and furnace and any propane supply, which is high pressure, must be connect before the regulator.

H

[greenmachine]

Old Scout, you always come though. On my grille the regulator is built on the adaptor to the tank. So if you hooked it up on the low side it would have a high to low regulator. But not all would think like that. I'll hook it up on the high side. I was wondering would be a cheap fix. Thank you again
Thanks
Larry Pate
2003 Alpine Coach 38FDDS 350 ISC
Boston Ky

[greenmachine]

Thank you Dave ,Mel and Old Scout.

[drdarrin]

Originally Posted by Old Scout

Correcto-mundo Dave--I like my Roadtrip grill but couldnt figure away around the combination regulator/ connection pipe. My research on connecting the "campfire in a can" to the main RV tank was that the propane industry has some pretty stiff rules on what combination of connections and hoses can go together. As mentioned, mostly to keep you from hooking up an "unregulated" grill to a high pressure tank, I think.....

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I found an easy solution to connecting a RoadTrip grill to a bulk tank with a regulated hose.

When I got our grill, it didn't have a regulator and the regulators are extremely difficult to find.

The female end of a Watts LFA-176 3/8" FL X 3/8" FIP coupler will screw onto the connector that comes out the back of the grill (what the regulator normally screws onto). enlarge the existing hole in the coupler with a 5/16 drill. That allows the coupler to fit over the pipe and be screwed on. Then counter bore the male end of the connector with a 3/8" bit. This will allow sufficient clearance so there's no gas flow restrictions.

[dennismhamm]

what if you connect an extension hose that has the regulator on it directly to the inlet where they fill the tank? The big black fitting will fit on the tank inlet. will that work?

[twinboat]

The fill connection on a mounted tank is 1 3/4 acme.

The grill tank is 1 5/16 acme thread.

And you say they fit ?

[drdarrin]

Yes, this works.

[twinboat]

I thought we were talking about the fill port of chassis mounted propane tanks.