Fixing Finally's Propane connection

[birol]

Ok, let me get this right .....

I cut like 6" from the PU on that copper line with my hacksaw or do it nicely and buy a pipe cutter ?

The I get a Presuure regulator from an RV store with a hose long enough to reach that 6" of exposed bare naked cut end of the copper pipe (Gotta have some fun guys). I get the cut pipe and the hose and go to home depot. I buy a compression fitting which will fit the copper wire, and also has the suitable end to fit what/however way the hose coming from the pressure regulator ends.

Then presto ! Put the pressure fitting in its place, pressurize it and connect the hose ! Seems simple enough, I sure hope that I will be able to find a compression fitting or adapters to fit the end of the hose.

Now it sounds easy .... I am hoping that I will get that out of the way soon ....

Birol, Cut the copper line about 4" from the frame. Now keep that old piece safe for now. Measure the distance from your new tank to that fitting (giving it some room for slack) Now take the new hose you have bought (rubber hose long enough to reach that 4" stub sticking out) and bring it and the cut off line to a hardware store. You then can match up a compression fitting that will fit the cut end of the copper pipe and the correct end to fit yournew rubber hose. For the connections they make a special teflon tape for gas lines, it is yellow.. Make sure you get that. You will not need it on the compression end for a seal, but one wrap will make the brass fitting spin better. I would also try to flush the line before you do this (days in advance, you can flush with a strong stream of water. Just make sure to let it dry. I will not hurt anything, but dry is best.

__________________

~Why yes, That is a pancake on his head.. Why do you ask?~

[topcat7736]

B,
Maybe there should be an index to your posts somewhere. LOL

What, exactly, is the problem with the trailers' propane system? Messing around with the stuff isn't something a novice should be doing.

Here's some stuff I've learned about it:

1) LP gas is highly volatile. It runs a close second to gasoline on the blow me up quickly scale.
2) As it has no odor, the companies put some stuff in it to give it an odor.
3) It is heavier than air and will drop quickly to the ground where it begins spreading (just looking for a spark to light up its day).
4) Unfortunately, since we aren't lying on the ground, we may not "smell" the stuff they put into it until it is too late.
5) The tanks and cannisters are under very HIGH pressure.
6) Valves on small 1# cannisters, when disconnected from stoves, lanterns, etc., DO NOT always shut and the gas pours out of them very quickly.
7) LP gas will freeze the skin off your body in a very short time.
The guy at the Elizabeth Gas Company filling station may have heard the explosion of the tank (and maybe not) and may have felt the flames (and maybe not) as he was incinerated by a gigantic fireball in only a few seconds. I heard & saw both.

If something is amiss with the LP system, then it's time to take the trailer to an authorized dealer and have it done professionally. The life they save may be your own!

[birol]

The pipe which goes from the range to the propane bottle has a kink. I need to cut it off and connect it to the bottle. I am pretty  confident that I can manage that with the directions I received here. I will check for the leaks at the connection point with soapy water and make sure that it doesn't leak. It will be only one compression fitting and the two connectors being attached to each other.

I spoke to the RV repair place and their answer was that they would have to re-pipe the whole thing. And how ill they connect it to the propane bottle ? The same way I am going to, compression fitting at the end. If I find that it is leaking or can not get a good match on connectors, sure I will still take it to an RV place.  But not for something can fix myself .....

[Firefyter-Emt]

Yep, as long as you test it for leaks.. No problem (soapy water, look for trail of bubbles) I always get a kick out of the "ya gotta bring it to the dealer, they know what they are doing" Blahhh.. They are the worst at times.. Dealers like to replace untill they get lucky. They will not fix anything (even if it is a good & proper repair) for example, I just put new bushings in the sway bar on my Jeep. I could not buy the links or rubber bushings except at the dealer. $90 a side.. Now, the only thing bad was the rubber bushings. Or, I can but some ploy-bushings for $13.00 and install them in the links. Would a dealer ever give you the option of the $13.00 repair? Would they even think of it as a viable solution? No, are they just as good as the stock rubber bushings? No, they are much better than the rubber the factory uses.. IMHO, this is akin to saying that it is too dangerous to change your own fuel filter on your car and bringing it to the dealer..

 
Back to topic.. Briol, you may be able to get a "end repair kit" for the copper line from the dealer too. What you will probably end up with is a 3/8" (I am pretty sure that is what the line is, it could be 5/16" though) compression fitting to male pipe thread and a double femal adaptor to go from the compression fitting to the rubber hose.

[Gone-Camping]

Having worked for a dealer for a couple of weeks, I can echo the above sentiments...they can be the absolute worst sometimes, the best on other times. The big difference here is, when it comes to something like gas lines, I'd prefer to work on it myself, as I know that I can be very picky and extremely methodical, especially when it comes to an item that can be as dangerous as a pressurized gas line!

I'd feel much more comfortable having fixed it myself and know for an an abosolute fact that it's been fixed correctly and know without any doubts that is does not leak, than take the word from a dealer. All my respect to the professional RV techs, but not all of them are all that professional, and some of them are just summer help working under the instructions of those that do know!!!
 
In God we trust, as for everyone else....not me!

[birol]

Lee, Cliff, thanks for the encouragement .... I will attack the propane system Monday ! Canvas is almost done ....just a few patches and it will be good to go ! Now I have to deceive wifey to sew the cushion  covers hehehe

[birol]

Got the low pressure regulator with the hose  from an RV store (My favorite dealer, which is also a starcraft dealer) Got 10% discount too.

Now I have to take the regulator and the cut pipe to Home Depot and get the proper compression fitting which will fir the pipe and the regulator ! Sounds like piece of cake !

RV place did not have the special propane teflon thingie magicie and told me to use the white water one, which I will ahve to if I have to.  I will ask around before I do so of course, it should be possible to find the special one ....

[bearbait]

(My favorite dealer
 
 
 
RV place did not have the special propane teflon thingie magicie and told me to use the white water one, which I will ahve to if I have to. I will ask around before I do so of course, it should be possible to find the special one ....

This should not be your favorite RV dealer at all,  these people just suggested to you to take a shortcut and put your families lives in jeapordy!  
 
Propane explodes,  it doesn't mean you should be afraid of it,  but you better respect it!  That tape is a special tape for a reason and its just a few bucks at Home Depot,  DON'T use water line tape,  the petroleum based propane will eat away at it and in time it will leak,  when it leaks, all it takes is a spark and everything goes up in a ball of fire with no warning.  If you can't find it at Home Depot,  ask for it specifically,  if they are out of stock,  drive all over town until you find it if that's what it takes.  Propane is nothing to be screwing around with.
 
When you get this together,  get a spray bottle bottle of soapy water and spray that whole connection extensivley and do a thourough leak check,  your family will thank you for it.

[birol]

Well, to be honest I also did not like it that they recomended to use the white water teflon. That is why I have friends at PUT to help me with this kind of stuff. When they mentioned it (That was the parts guy) I cringed inside and said, YIKESSSS!!! but let it go. They will still be my favorite dealer, but I do not think I will believe their recomendation without having it verified anymore ....They lost their chance.

Thanks for iterating the importance of using gthe proper tape BB, I will make sure I will use only that tape.

By the way, they were hitching up a windstar to a 25' or 26' award trailer !!!!!WD hitch .... Windstar was almost touching the ground with no passengers or load in yet ..... Poor owner

[birol]

Went to Home Depot and found the part I need and the Propane rated teflon tapes ! One orange and one yellow ! And they were 5 bucks !!!!! the guy said they are both the same (Different manufacturers) so I grabbed the orange one, looked cool

My question is, how am I going to attach the regulator to the PU ? There is nothing but skin in the front ! What a dilemma this is turning out to be ! I need to take a picture and get opinions I guess ...... Also I will have to bend the copper cable little bit more I guess. need  bender or something as well, Had to purchase a pipe cutter 9 bucks ! Ouch !!!!!! It is all adding up but much better than paying 5K for a reasonable one we saw at the dealership ....We are almost there now ...

[mike4947]

Birol, I'd stop over to a local dealer and look at how they mount the propane.
My single tank setups had the acme valve screwed directly into the regulator and then the hose went to the copper line. That way the tank supported the regulator.

[birol]

I checked all the starcrafts, the plastic hose goes from the tank to the front center of the PU, where the regulator is attached to the PU and the copper line goes from the lower end of the regulator to inside the PU !

If I had a lace to install it there, I would have no problems. They told me that the regulator has to be installed with the vent facing down ! That negates having it go directly to the Cylinder .....

Birol, I'd stop over to a local dealer and look at how they mount the propane.
My single tank setups had the acme valve screwed directly into the regulator and then the hose went to the copper line. That way the tank supported the regulator.

[mike4947]

Birol, The problem is you've got the wrong setup. Your regulator has that 90 degree fitting on it's input side. The normal single tank regulator has the acme nut that connects to the tank there and the regulator sticks straight out with the vent down. The the output side has the hose connected and that goes to the copper tubing with a fitting.

Your present setup just about has to have a bracket made to mount the regulator to the PU and then the hose with acme nut goes to the tank.

[birol]

Mike, you are right ! I found the brackets though ! Could not find that stupid thingie to put the regulator directly onto the tank ! In any case, it would not work because the regulators here have the went going out in the same direction with the outlet area ....

Birol, The problem is you've got the wrong setup. Your regulator has that 90 degree fitting on it's input side. The normal single tank regulator has the acme nut that connects to the tank there and the regulator sticks straight out with the vent down. The the output side has the hose connected and that goes to the copper tubing with a fitting.

Your present setup just about has to have a bracket made to mount the regulator to the PU and then the hose with acme nut goes to the tank.