Installing my propane stuff now

[rv_safetyman]

Someone mentioned rubber hose.  Propane requires a special hose - at least on the high pressure side.  It has been a long time since I was involved with the hose, but I remember the so-called "pricking" process.  After the hose was cured, a pricking wheel with very sharp pins was run over the hose so that the cover material had a large number of very small holes.  This was done to prevent the very slight permeation that penetrates the tube material from bubbling the hose cover and making a big release of propane.  I plumbed my heater in the shop with this type of hose on the low pressure side just to be safe.

My point on the hose is that if you walk into a "hose house" to have an assembly made, be sure they use the proper hose.

The second thing I would like to emphasize is to use a propane detector that has a signal for a solenoid valve.  The valve is mounted right after the regulator.  Here is one:

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/lp-gas/lp-co-detector-with-valve.htm

You must have a propane detector.  It makes no sense to me to have a detector that just makes noise.  This is especially true if you have a leak when you are away from the coach.  I used to install a CCI 7719 unit which includes the valve when I installed one of my system.  I wired it such that any detection of a fire (OR propane leak) would shut off the propane.  CCI was the industry leader and provided most of the detection systems for the RV industry.  The high end vehicles had the 7719 system with the valve.  CCI went out of business a few years ago.  I think I still have one or two systems left.

Jim

[Oregonconversion]

Hmm... never heard of the "pricking" process. On one side it makes sense... but on the other it does not at all LOL.

I just remembered I know this guy that can do copper fittings and has sone some RV propane experience. I think I am going to have him do it.

Sounds like a good idea to have some type of case or shell over the copper pipe incase something hits it??

Also... if I build the cylinder container out of wood or metal, how do I vent the top? Anyone have an idea about how to make a door with a good seal? I need to be able to get the tanks out to fill them.

[Oregonconversion]

Also, do I need copper from the tank to the regulator? Or is rubber ok?

[Oonrahnjay]

(snip) I could find nothing in the California Vehicle Code further restricting RV LP systems, so perhaps Bruce can cite a code section for this. 

     Nope.  Don't have a citation or any dog in that fight (I live closer to where my bus was made in England than to CA) but, as I said, I've seen several posters here say that CA regs don't allow copper.  There seemed to be some implication that it was a requirement that applies to "fixed building" use that's been also crossed over to RV's.  So far as I know, it might not be true, it might be true only in places with "over-zealous" inspectors, it might have applied at one time but not now, or it may be a valid requirement.  But with as many times as I've seen it posted here, if i was in CA, I'd at least check carefully.  (My own guess is that it is *NOT* a valid requirement, but I was just raising a flag that it seems to me to be worth checking out.)

[Lin]

I do not know for sure that CA does or does not allow copper for propane.  I do remember some 40 years ago that CA did not allow copper for natural gas.  At that time, CA did allow it for propane though.  I mention this because I was wondering if the poster was quoting a natural gas regulation for propane.  However, I know that I have seen copper used on both numerous times.

[desi arnaz]

at $3.30 a pound why would you use copper       anyway?                     

[chev49]

beleive it or not, when i was getting some groceries last week at the store, they had some barbecues out that had a hose that i could bend completely in half. They were most likely unreinforced plastic, like the cheap clear hose at lowes, only they were much thinner sidewall.. so i dont know how they can sell those things. the point is that the low side after the regulator is extremely low pressure. Personally i use the 300 test triple wall reinforced hose on the low side, but that is way overkill.

[Lin]

By the way, high pressure propane pigtails are available online cheaply.  I bought a 7 foot one last years and think they probably come even longer.

[robertglines1]

If you read my post just picked up on item out of my install book that in line there should be a non conductive hose between tank and  my gen set.  Also any steel pipe should not be run in same run as electrical wiring.  FWIW   Bob