Where to mount propane tank?

[silversport]

You're probably correct about the tank itself not getting damaged easily. The plumbing going to the tank - that's a different story.

Wouldn't take much to sheer off a propane line or to pull one enough to cause a leak. Proper precautions do need to be made to have things securely mounted and properly shielded. Not that difficult, but it's amazing the amount of installations we see in buses where the propane tanks are pretty much an afterthought.

My opinion is to have the tank(s) off when on the move.

[dtcerrato]

My opinion is to have the tank(s) off when on the move.

Most tunnels have caution signs about having pilot lights out while traveling through the tunnels. The newer style LP valves & hoses which we just upgraded to prevent the flow of LP weather the breech is at the valve or at the end of a hose "before the regulator". That's where the high pressure is but there is no flow prevention after the regulator. FWIW

[Jim Blackwood]

I'm of the opinion that the water heater should have a pilot light, and is the only thing on the RV that needs it. The rest can run sparkers, but the hot water is best with the pilot. This is because that way you will always have pretty warm water at the hot water tap without very much expense at all. I'm not really willing to give up that convenience.

You may say, why not go electric? There are reasons. Cost of course but disregarding that, as it's true that campground hookups are unmetered, there is the whole issue of sizing your water heater to your shower time. Yes you can install a bigger unit, or two of them but why do that if you don't have to? A typical RV shower will work acceptably well with a 5 gallon heater, but if you want to extend your shower time you can do that by adding an electric element to the propane burner and firing up both before your shower. Now here is where the pilot control helps. Say you've been out all day with just the pilot lit. You want a shower so you flick on the switch for the electric element and turn the gas control from pilot to on. You already have pretty warm water so by the time you can finish a beer the main burner has shut off and your shower is ready. Shortly after starting your shower the main burner will come back on, Meanwhile the electric element is also heating water. So you now have maybe 50% more shower time than before, with the same 5 gallon water heater.

I like that. I especially like always having warm water for washing hands or doing dishes and only having to turn the hot water tap to get it. Or if you are boondocking you can use only the propane to cut back on water usage by taking shorter showers and there is no drain on the batteries.

Jim

[dtcerrato]

Two of our favorite & always dependable conversion appliances is our vintage water heater & furnace. Great for boon-docking, they are basic pilot light units, no electronics of any kind including the radiant heat furnace. Sure we have a second 19 gal. electric water heater & a primary Atwood Excalibur forced air ducted furnace too but when you get right down to basics & want to sit still & static those two vintage appliances will maintain our comfort zone just fine...

[richard5933]

Gotta agree on the low-tech vintage propane furnace. Ours is a 30,000 BTU forced air furnace, but there are no electronics and it has a standing pilot. Pretty much fool proof if the fan keeps working and the thermocouple doesn't burn out.

[oltrunt]

I'll go your bid and drop it one degree of simplicity.  I'm still using the Dup-Therm gravity flow heater I riffled from an 80" 5 th wheeler.  It has a pilot light that must be lit before initial usage but then stays on.  It produces 12,000 BTU and absolutely turns my little bus into an oven.  The only modification I've made to it was to install a house style thermostat so I don't have to get on hands and knees to adjust it.  That did require replacing the original gas regulator but it was an easy task.  I've considered adding a couple of computer fans but just haven't gotten desperate enough for something to do to do it yet.

I should add that while under way I never leave my propane tank on and the tank is mounted securely to the frame rails mid way between the axles on the driver's side--though the passenger side is less likely to be "T-Boned".  Jack