teeing into propane gas line

[Ken I Blair]

We've been spending the last 3 years living in our motorhome in an RV park in Oregon on the coast for 6 months then go back to home in New Mexico for the winter for the remainder of the year.

As all motorhome owners know propane companies will not fill your rig at the park........you  take your rig into town and have the tank filled at a certified stations.

I would like to buy a 5 pound gas bottle, this is one that I can put into the back of my toad vehicle, go to town, fill the bottle, and return the park where I can hook up the bottle, much like I used to do when I had a travel trailer.  My question is:

where can I find instructiions to do this.

Ken

 

[blsmith25]

I was wondering the same type of thing about those little propane appliances and such. Instead of buying the little disposable bottles, is there a way to tap into the existing supply much like you can tap into natural gas for your house and have a bbq permanently attached.

Is something like this allowed/recommended?

 

[John From Detroit]

Propane Ts

The link above is to the Marshall Brass web page (one of them, the RV page)

If you scroll down slightly you will see two products,  The one on the left allows you to run a grill or other propane accessory designed to run off disposable bottles off the RV's main tank

The one on the right does as well, however it also allows you to use a free standing tank to fuel the RV's system

I installed the "Extend-a-Stay" (right hand one) on my rig and have used it both ways.

Most RV dealers, Camping World, and the like carry Marshall Brass products.

The Extend-a-stay also features an excessive flow cut-off to all down-line lines.  This can cause issues with some larger motor homes when the furnance kicks in however it's not caused me any grief.. Supposed to shut off the propane should a line go burst.

 

[Tom]

If I read Ken's question correctly, he wants to run his motorhome from a portable gas bottle via a T, not run appliances from his motorhome propane tank via a T. I don't know the answer and sure wouldn't attempt to offer any advice. But it seems that it would require some kind of valve to isolate the main tank in order to feed the coach from the portable bottle. Not something I'd recommend.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

There is a  similar propane "tee" called the Extend-A-Stay that has an inlet as well as an outlet - it's on the same page that John posted.  With that - and an appropriate hose (which is included in the kit) - you can feed the motorhome's system from any size portable propane tank.  I have one on my rig, though I have never used it in that fashion.  Nice to know I could, if I ever ran out of propane though.

Here's a page shwoing the Extend-A-Stay in use.  Extend-A-Stay

 

[Ned]

It's not true that you can't get propane refills in the parks.  Some parks do not allow it, but many do, and the propane companies have regular routes where they visit a park once or twice a week just for that purpose.  You put a sign in the windshield and they stop and fill your tank on your site.