BCM Community

I need to secure my propane tank and the best place I can find is directly above a 75 gallon auxil generator fuel tank inside the rear bay on the passenger side. I need to know if the fuel tank and propane tank should be in the same compartment? I could then place a fire safety system in that compartment along with the engine compartment.

Any thoughts, concerns?

Thanks

Grant

Propane tanks should be in a ventilated location, away from ignition sources, if at all possible. Closed compartments are what make propane leaks dangerous and explosive.

    Propane is heavier than air and therefore part of the ventilation should be in the lowest part of the LP tank compartment. Ventilation should be at least 1 sq. in. per 7 pounds of LP and installed with part at the top and part at the bottom of the compartment.  And, as was mentioned not near any ignition sources.  Jack

AND, I am under the impression that the "vent pipe" must be plumbed to the rear surface of the coach and positioned above 6 feet from the ground.  I would think that using metal tubing would be a requirement but I don't know.  I have read this more than once.  You plug the tube with a plastic cork that will blow off easily and that keeps critters out of the tube forever.

I would be concerned with it breaking free in a mild impact.  I would want its movement restricted and I would have it up against the front bulkhead in the compartment and really well secured with structure(steel).  I would make sure that whatever I mounted it on would support it in the event that I took a trip through the median and got a bounce or whatever caused a severe down force.  I think the severe stop is much more likely that a severe rear impact.  If you rupture a propane tank that is "in" the bus you are pretty much toast and so is everybody else with you.  I lost a friend and her husband to this very accident.  They had their propane mounted external to the coach but the impact split the tanks and drove the tanks INTO the RV.  They never had even the slightest chance of escape.

I would also try to get the propane tank mounted towards the center of the bay in the lateral plane.  I shudder when I see propane tanks that hold 60 or 100 gal snuggled right up against the bay door.  Really scary to me.  The fill and bleed tubes can be run to the side of the bay and mounted at the highest point in the bay and I think that would be the safest.

Happy to hear from any that want to contradict me,

John

You still need the open space on the bottom to vent local fumes