A search result on propane tank location was helpful.
Do not install in a bay with batteries
In front of the front axles
In the engine compartment
Any area where a spark may occur
Or on the roof
I can avoid all of that.
Now my question. What are your thoughts on piping? My first thought is black pipe as I have experience with it.
For my application, it will be piped up to a stove and backward to the water heater.
The rigidity of the pipe may be an issue. Don't really know yet.
What are some other options?
My Country Coach is black piping with a flex joint at the cook top, I still do not understand why Country Coach used a propane cook top in a electric coach,the cook top is the only propane in my coach
Use flex stainless steel braided line. Much easier to plumb
I checked out the RVIA it calls for anchored black pipe,cooper or flex hose connections to each appliance
Quote from: luvrbus on January 15, 2022, 06:23:15 AM
My Country Coach is black piping with a flex joint at the cook top, I still do not understand why Country Coach used a propane cook top in a electric coach,the cook top is the only propane in my coach
So you can make coffee in the morning without having to wake anyone turning on the generator or on cloudy days when the solar isn't charging well.
Same reason we carry a small portable propane burner alongside our induction cook top. Redundancy is good.
100% of our water and propane plumbing is soft refrigeration copper with brass flare fittings. Every appliance has a shut off cock and a main shut off cock in the cabin just after the regulator. Never an issue in over 40 years. We have smoke, LP, & CO detectors in the cabin.
Quote from: dtcerrato on January 15, 2022, 06:58:35 AM
100% of our water and propane plumbing is soft refrigeration copper with brass flare fittings. Every appliance has a shut off cock and a main shut off cock in the cabin just after the regulator. Never an issue in over 40 years. We have smoke, LP, & CO detectors in the cabin.
We have a Pre/Tel detector in the CC you turn the propane on through the detector after it runs the test for a leak and turns off automatic when not in use a neat setup
Mine are all copper. Mine go to furnace, stove, and fridge. (electric H/W)
No leaks or issues reported by previous owners. Bus is 42 years old so that is good service, but I'm guessing copper was all there was to use back then? I defer to the wise ones.
Ted
(NOT a mechanic)
Black pipe with yellow flex piping on the ends with shutoffs at easy to get at places for each appliance. Stove, Cook-top,Refrigerator, Furnace, Water heater.
Most chefs and people who like to cook use Gas not electric for more control of heat.
They stopped the use of copper in RV's years ago because copper annealing anyplace it is bent or handled it get hard and brittle that is why your copper lines to a appliance are flexible now days.Times have changed they have a yellow Teflon tape now for propane lol probably the same as the white Teflon tape
Quote from: luvrbus on January 15, 2022, 09:57:16 AM
Times have changed they have a yellow Teflon tape now for propane lol probably the same as the white Teflon tape
Yellow PTFE tape is thicker than white. It's useful when tapered pipe threads are cut too deep, then you can still get a good tight seal by using the yellow instead.
John
Quote from: Iceni John on January 16, 2022, 01:00:08 AM
Yellow PTFE tape is thicker than white. It's useful when tapered pipe threads are cut too deep, then you can still get a good tight seal by using the yellow instead.
John
I thought was mostly for ID ,I see it in pink,red and blue ,I have a roll of the red that is used for gasoline,never paid attention to the thicknesses thanks
Most of what you need to know about Teflon tape.
https://www.seniorcare2share.com/what-is-the-difference-between-white-and-yellow-teflon-tape/
Copper was the standard for RV propane lines for many decades, I hadn't heard that they had changed that. I'm not sure I'd be happy with black pipe unless it was rigidly mounted and secured at multiple points with solid corrugated stainless flex lines (appliance service type) at the terminations. It would make routing pretty much a right pain. Well I'll have to address that before long. Never heard of anyone using braided stainless (teflon) line before for this but I guess it would work. Sounds expensive though and might need a lot more supports. We've seen a lot more of those lines used in automotive the last few decades and they don't seem to be quite the cure-all they had been touted as. Good for some things, not so special for others.
Jim
They make a poly pipe for propane and natural has that you fuse together with a coupling or butt fuse it together @ 500 degrees,the outlets have a 2-inch iron pipe for plastic to thread for all the outlets the stuff is cheap the machine not cheap. I have one that does 4 inch down to 1/2 inch,if the RVIA was looking for less cost that would be the way to go, but mice could play hell with it,I haven't seen copper in Rv's since the 90's
Quote from: chessie4905 on January 15, 2022, 06:26:12 AM
Use flex stainless steel braided line. Much easier to plumb
I also use it (Pro-Flex 1/2" CSST), with continuous uninterrupted lengths between each manifold valve and the appliance. I feel that the fewer the joints and connections, the better. To protect it I run it inside 3/4" EMT conduit or Pro-Flex's spiral-wound reinforcing sheath (similar to what's around armored cable). So far, so good.
John
Copper & brass are gold & at the very least the same color... Including all the dedicated shut off valves...
Great...thanks for all of the input.
I plan to install black steel pipe. I have run miles of it in already lived in houses. Back when I got out of contracting, the flexible stainless piping was starting to get popular. I don't believe it is listed for use in RV's, but I could be wrong. The problem however is with the brand I used, you could bend it maybe two or three times and it would break. It is pretty hard stuff, so only good for so many bending cycles. With my black steel lines, I will install a valve next to each unit and use a stainless flexible connector. Those connectors do not seem to have the issues with limited bending cycles. I definitely would not use the brass (usually yellow coated) flex connectors. They are very soft. Connectors are designed for taking on and off the appliance as it is being serviced, so they are made for that. Flexible piping is made for ease of installation, not being regularly disconnected and being bent around.
I agree with John, CSST is the way to go. Easy install, no buried connections to leak in the future. Be sure to size it appropriately for your load and run of pipe.
I wonder what affect the new Biopropane will have on different pipping ?,they are building a new bio propane plant on a landfill not far from me.LOL propane with a french fry smell what's next
I thought they were going to harvest sea ice from the continental shelf. Plenty of methane there, right?
Jim
shouldn't effect teflon lined