Propane routing 102DL3 (96)

[Jim Blackwood]

I need to run my propane lines 4 places including a furnace under the rear bed platform. That's the longest run, from there to the front cargo bay where the tank is. The other 3 are pretty basic and simple but that one has to go past the fuel tank, battery bay, HVAC, and into the rear wheelwell.

There is a sort of trapezoidal shaped bulkhead at the front of the wheelwell that has air lines and such entering it through grommets, apparently into the center raceway that runs up the center of the bus through the top of the bays. One such grommet is open and has nothing in it.

Would it make any sense to be thinking about running the propane line in there and snaking it up to the second bay or maybe even all the way to the front bay? The copper line is coated in a fairly thick yellow plastic.

Ordinarily I'm disinclined to consider any routing where I can't verify proper hanging and no contact with other things that could potentially wear a hole in the line so my first reaction is 'bad idea'. But I thought I'd run it past the experts here and see if it gets any traction.

Jim

[Jim Blackwood]

I found a couple of plastic plugs where I could snake a rod through over the condenser bay, the cavity is full of fiberglass insulation and there is some sort of a divider midway but with a long 3/8" rod I found an opening and was able to snake a length of 1/2" Pex tubing through from the 2nd bay to the wet bay. But getting from there to the rear wheelwell is going to be a huge pain so I'm re-thinking my routing.

Might as well run the line underneath. I've got those two long runners that go the length of the belly pan and it'd be fairly simple to clamp the line into the top inside corner with rubber lined clamps. That leaves routing it up into the center of the rear wheelwell but that looks easy enough and then I have to go through the duct and the floor. But there is a hole towards the back where something was removed, maybe part of the lavatory plumbing I'd guess. I will shove the fiberglass out of the way and see if I have a clear shot at the floor. I think it'll be in about the right place.

At the front, that line needs to 'T' and go up to the water heater. It can also 'T' off that line and go to the range. Further forward it can come up through the floor and connect to the tank. The fridge is on the other side so I can either run that up from underneath as well using a cross tube or route it through the bay. Then there will be a flexible line to the genny. That will conclude the propane plumbing I think.

Good. Plan is in place and now I just need to do it. The pex tube will undoubtedly come in handy at some point as a wire race.

Jim

[Dave5Cs]

I also put a gas shutoff at each appliance where I could reach it in the open or cabinet etc.

[Jim Blackwood]

Bought 5 gas shutoffs for $25 off the web, they look fine. Good idea Dave.

I ended up going with the plan for routing the line under the belly. Easier, and if a line does leak, safer. Means some crawling under but once it's done it's done. I put the description of routing the line over the axles and into the engine bay on my projects thread, no point in repeating it here, but it was something of a chore for one person and I was glad for the plastic coating on the tubing. It mitigated what could have been a lot of damage. So now I'm waiting on an industrial grade holesaw to cut the vent and exhaust holes for the furnace before I can hook up that end and then go back and install support clamps. More is better. Once I get back up to the water heater I can look at whether I will need more line, probably for the fridge since it is on the other side. That line can be routed through the bay with no problems and that leaves the flex line or hose to the genny, since it's installed to be rolled out for maintenance. I will need probably about 4 ft of slack in that line. 3 at the least I expect though I might get by with less by attaching the flex line overhead at the travel mid point. Probably still needs to be at least a 3 ft line or more, what do you guys think of using this stainless corrugated stuff in a bus? Would you do it or not?

Jim

[Iceni John]

what do you guys think of using this stainless corrugated stuff in a bus? Would you do it or not?

Jim

I use 1/2" ProFlex CSST throughout my bus.   I like it!   It installs easily, and with continuous unbroken runs I need no intermediate fittings or connections between the manifold and each appliance;  the fewer the connections and joints, the less chance of leaks.   I can't understand why NFPA 1192 seems so averse to it.   To protect it in exposed areas I run it inside 3/4" EMT conduit, and where the line to the emergency generator runs through the front wheelwell I also put the EMT there inside some thick-wall stainless pipe for added protection.   So far, so good.

John

[luvrbus]

I just wonder how long the PEX is going to last on Propane, I never used the PEX for gas supply yet,I always use the polyurethane CSST with the heat fusion coupling and fittings with the adapter from polyurethane to iron pipe for connections. I have the heating tool and adapters for the fusion, all the fitting were fused on to the pipe no clamps, the CSST is thick it would take alot of rubbing to make a hole in the pipe,I did use tabs that fused to the pipe with pre drilled holes for a safe guard

[Jim Blackwood]

I don't think I'd use PEX for propane either, only tubing rated for gas lines. I've always distrusted the plastic lines, even though the gas companies use them.

Jim

[Dave5Cs]

True that. My partner and I were walking the plates and building a roof when the gas company installed the new plastic lines in a trench next to the house we were on. My partner back then in the 70'S still smoked and tossed his finished almost cig down and it landed on the gas plastic pip the skin color type you still see today and then we kept working when all of a sudden we heard hissing and smelled gas, looked down and saw the cig had melted the pipe. Call the crew over and they turned it off and fixed it, LOL

[luvrbus]

True that. My partner and I were walking the plates and building a roof when the gas company installed the new plastic lines in a trench next to the house we were on. My partner back then in the 70'S still smoked and tossed his finished almost cig down and it landed on the gas plastic pip the skin color type you still see today and then we kept working when all of a sudden we heard hissing and smelled gas, looked down and saw the cig had melted the pipe. Call the crew over and they turned it off and fixed it, LOL

I don't know what kind of poly pipe that was unless it was polybutylene it is thin ,my heating iron is set at 375 to 400 degrees to fuse the pipe or fitting together, I have been using the polyurethane gas pipe since the late 70's it's thick almost a 1/4 inch   

[Dave5Cs]

 Cliff it was the thinner kind kind of pinkish skin color and it is on a big roll on a trailer they carry it on and roll it out into the trench. You see it all over the place in new building areas. It was a well light cigarette and he just tossed it and it landed right on the middle of the pipe and melted a small hole but big enough to let gas out.