One of the primary missions of our website is to document RV ownership. We like to help educate newcomers to RV camping. It can all be a little perplexing at first. So why haven’t we talked about liquefied propane (LP)? Well folks, now you know what’s inside those mysterious aluminum canisters resting at the fore of every Airstream. Propane is one of those not terribly sexy expense items in your RV camping budget. It’s kind of like electricity and water — you never fully appreciate it until you don’t have it. In an RV, it works together with electricity to help tame the wild.
Let’s put it this way: if your RV was a baseball team, propane would be the utility player — the guy who plays shortstop, right field, and occasionally pinch hits for the pitcher. It’s the unsung hero of RV camping. So let us gather together, my friends, in praise of gaseous hydrocarbons.
Why do we use propane? It’s an alternative source of fuel, and it powers some of our appliances (the oven, stovetop, and furnace) exclusively. It powers other appliances (refrigerator, water heater) occasionally when electricity is not available.
Wait a minute. Did he say refrigerator?
Yes. Although it seems counter-intuitive, an RV refrigerator is capable of operating on either electricity or propane power. If the refrigerator senses we have no electricity available, it switches to propane. This feature is essential when you’re traveling across the Arizona desert and you want milk that passes the sniff test.
Can a person legally operate RV propane tanks when driving down the highway? State laws vary — I think that some states actually forbid the use of propane when traveling down the road. Those states also boast an excess of spoiled milk.
In truth, the majority of RVers traveling down the highway are powering their refrigerators with propane. This is a classic case of, “Hey, everybody else is doing it!” It’s legal in many states. But bear in mind that it increases the risk of fire if you have an accident. So please, don’t have an accident.
With regard to powering appliances, propane has some unique real world advantages over electricity.
The hot water heater, quite simply, gets hotter faster when we engage propane heat. We have two switches for the hot water heater – one activates electrical heating, the other propane. So one can choose whether or not to engage the propane. If you are already paying for electricity (as in a campground) then perhaps you will prefer to conserve your propane for those times when you really need it.
The heat furnace, since it generates heat from beneath the trailer, warms our Airstream’s pipes as it operates. (The so-called “heat pump” refers to heat generated by our ceiling mounted A/C unit; this works fine for human warmth, but does NOT protect the pipes on a cold winter night.)
Prices vary, but in our area propane seems to costs about a dollar a pound. Of course, as with any fuel tank, you just pay for what you need. In the video I refer to our tanks as “empty,” but in actuality they were about one third full.
Here's a typical receipt after filling ONE 30-pound tank of propane. It costs about $22 for a tank, money I'd really rather put towards a case of Sam Adams.
In the video I reference the notorious unreliability of our propane gauges. The interior gauge is pretty much useless because it ALWAYS reads 100% full. The exterior gauge is more accurate. Yet it now apparently reads “empty” when the tanks still are one-third full. More on this little dilemma in a future episode. Hopefully your digital gauges, if you even have digital gauges, are more accurate.
Our two 30-pound tanks of propane will last quite a while. How long is a while?
During summer, the two tanks probably last the entire season. This is because we don’t do daily oven cooking, and the propane supply is really just tapped for occasional refrigerator and water heater power.
During winter, quite frankly, it all depends on the weather. We live in an area with mild winters. Temperatures rarely dip below freezing. When they do, they rarely stay freezing for long. So we can get along without winterizing our RV, so long as we’re prepared to turn on the heat furnace on those “hard freeze” occasions.
Propane is a gaseous fuel, so there’s at least a slight element of danger associated with it. Our RV cabin is equipped with a carbon dioxide detector. It emits an ear-piercing alarm when it detects too much gas (or Kristy’s perfume!) in the air.
The worst accidents I’ve heard associated with propane have been fires. Remember that refrigerator power I mentioned? Recently the huge RV refrigerator manufacturer Dometic recalled about a trillion refrigerators due to a potential propane fire hazard. Leaks and sparks are not a good combination. If you have an RV with a refrigerator manufactured between April 1997 and September 2006 (this went on for NINE years, guys?), please Google “Dometic recall” and make sure your refrigerator is safe.
Can we camp without propane? Sure! We can camp without anything. Heck, we can lie down on a pile of leaves and call it a night.
Okay smart ass, does it make sense to RV camp without propane? In our case, it does not make sense. Our oven and stove would be useless without propane. And then there’s the refrigerator. We spend so much time on the road, we need to fuel our well stocked refrigerator at all times. It’s crucial to EVERYONE’S morale that my beer is maintained at proper temperature.
So that, in a nutshell, is propane – your silent but deadly camping friend.
One thing that I do with our tank cover is lock it to the trailer. Someone told me it is not cheap to replace that large squarish cover over both tanks. I don’t feel like finding out what ‘not cheap’ is. I use a simple bike cable with a padlock. I used to also lock the tanks with the cover. However in the case of an emergency where I might want to get the tanks off quickly it would be easier to get the cable off of one item vs. three.
I had all of them locked when we went to the International in Salem. They made me leave it entirely unlocked while we were there. Either for safety reasons or some obscure WBCCI rule…
Hmmm, that’s an interesting point. I never thought about locking down the cover to the trailer, but I suppose it couldn’t hurt. It would take a pretty lousy person to steal someone’s Airstream propane cover, but I guess they are out there! Heck, I’ve heard of people stealing Ford pickup truck tailgates, not to mention entire Airstream trailers, so anything’s possible.
I suspect the unlocking rule would be related to safety, but either way it’s pretty obscure…
ahhhhh…. well.. first off how many dents do you think you get with them tanks flopping around in the back of the PU truck… should be in a container so that they can’t roll around… We found a neat way to insure that was to use a couple of water jug holders (plastic) and are about the same size as the tanks. You sure don’t want to dent ’em or else you can crack the alu and thats bad JU JU …
and in some states you have to have the main shutoff.. off.. and yes the nice HP guy stopped us and first thing he did was head for the tanks… to see… but, we never travel with them open.. sooo we passed… and kept the wolf away from the door kinda thing…
As to the gauges.. well.. yep we found that out a long time ago… as the float piece inside if left to rattle around will get upset and never read right again when you put them on their sides…
We took the alu cover off and left it at home… best way to see how much propane is left is very easy.. if its cold outside … you will see frost on the area where their is propane… otherwise you can take some hot boiling water off the stove and let it dribble down the side of the tank… then feel where the cold is .. that is the level of the propane…
they used to sell some little thermal tapes that you could stick on the sides of the tanks too that basically did the same thing as a indicator.. but… you had to go outside to see it… cold… cold… besides dog won’t go out when its cold so lets out the walking dog syndrome.
As to leaks… you shoud also check the connections using either kids soap bubbles.. or some water and kitchen soap mix… keep it in the spray bottle and when done.. spray wetting the conncection.. bubbles .. you got leak… kinda thing 😀
Some of the new technologolyyyy is now going away from the refrig running on propane and back to all elect…
One would be smart to have a elect service run over to where you storing the trailer… by going to that you can save the propane and use good old elect heaters… run the refrig, water heater etc off of elect also… big savings in time and effort… besides keeping it dry and warm inside… to fight off the raveges of mold and mil-doooo.
but…. If your going to winter down as a campground.. a lot of places have service where they will bring a 100 lb pig (big bottle) of propane out and will change it as you need it… sending you the bill once a month… much more econimical to do it that way than to unhook the bottles and tote them off to the fuel farm.
Oh and next time you get to the hardware store… might want to pick up some of that 3-1 oil.. to keep the squeeks and all down… otherwise.. grab the dip stick from the auto trans and let a drop or two of the oil (auto trans oil) do the bidding for you… helps to also keep things from rusting and corroding.. as the trans oil will protect both steel and alu parts without becoming corrosive.
Just my two cents worth on the topic…
as to the trailer… interesting effects and audio.. getting better all the time… even with the mistakes.. grin
Merry Christmas……
On a bitterly cold winter’s day several years ago in northern British
Columbia , a RCMP constable on patrol, came across a motorcyclist, who was
swathed in protective clothing and helmet, stalled by the roadside.
“What’s the matter?” asked the constable.
“Carburetor’s frozen,” was the terse reply.
“Pee on it. That’ll thaw it out,” said the constable.
“I can’t,” replied the motorcyclist.
“OK, . . . Watch me and I will show you.”
The constable demonstrated by warming the carburetor, as promised.
The bike then started and the rider drove off, waving.
A few days later, the RCMP detachment office received a note of thanks from
the father of the motorbike rider.
It began: “On behalf of my daughter, who recently was stranded . . . .
LOL GMAs, yeah this one is a little rough around the edges, but hey — who else gives ya fresh steaming hot video on a platter. It is sort of a work in progress. I have done a couple of minor revisional edits to it already.
Glad you like the picture-in-picture stuff. I think it’s useful occasionally to mix things up.
Good point about the propane tanks potentially getting banged up in the pickup bed. We only went a short distance, but I must confess they slid just a bit. 😉 I’ll probably bungee ’em down next time.
We do keep our Airstream plugged in to electricity all the time, which is really nice. We don’t run the heat pump though…and just use the furnace on sub-freezing nights.
We are traveling today so my response has to be brief — more later! 🙂
Sean, Nice video, i liked the picture in picture BTW. Not sure about your home state but in IL IIRC you are required to transport the tanks standing up. It might have something to do with the overflow protection device (OPD) built in to the tank valve.
Thanks, and nice tip about tank transportation! I may try to work that tip into a future edit of the video.
If anyone has any other tips about propano, please let me know! We will make better videos through community collaboration… 🙂
When I was flying over in VN… they had a porpane truck tank wired to drop out the back of another 130… we watched with excitement when they got it all hooked up… filled with propane.. we took off after them.. and wanted to see the effect of the tank blowing up…
The idea was to have the tank dropped out the back of the pane…some 5,000 gallons I think… with three drag chutes like the space cap… we were told to stay at least 20 miles away from it… as they would drop it… then about 1500 ft from the ground blow the back cover causing the propane to blow out of the tank… and hit the ground… (it being heaver than air… sinked into the tunnel rats holes… ) then as the tank hit the ground… it ignited…
Man you never have seen a shock wave like that one… it was like a spider web opening up the ground… and knocking trees and anything else over 3 ft tall down flat from the blast area… even at 20 miles away.. it rocked the plane… as you could see it coming…
Later in some of the movies the pro’s use propane for blowing things up… and it blew the AS into little pieces about 3 to 4 ft or so…
What I am getting at is… its a bomb… and if not treated with respect it can and does go off with a bang in the right conditons… as one of the pryo guys said .. its about equiv to 4 sticks of TNT per gallon…
Now you want to have that tank unchecked in the back of the PU… hit a bump and launch it out the back.. may just take your breath away when it hits and ruptures on the ground… SO… I wouldn’t just bungee it down next time… think of it this way… even empty its a 30 lb explosive device that if not protected… will and can take the back of the truck off… or go flying into the oncoming traffic and become a flying bomb… hmmmm….
Now you know why most of the new tech people are going to all elect RV’s… much safer…
By the way.. don’t keep the AS plugged in full time.. the univolt will boil the battery to death…as it will stay on charge all the time… not good… we replaced our univolt with a astron power unit… that has a built in regulation.. and then also a battery de-sulfinator… works great.. and no more .. go check the water in the battery to see if its gone… We did this 3 years ago and still using the same batteries… a product of high tech I guess….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPtpnZFBS38
but, if you don’t think the tanks can explode… watch this guy who had a loose one rupture in the back of his pickup truck…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7RNYw11XHM&NR=1
first you see the tank rupture.. then explode… it was the shock wave that knocked him down… the rest is history… as the tank then contenues to burn and take the truck with it… by the way it looks to be a ford like yours Sean…
serious stuff this propane and tanks…
Might want to go into checking for leaks also… not only at the tank but after you travel … as the fittings come lose also… and boom… etc…
Thanks, GMAs, for vividly illustrating your point! Wow… Amazing stories (I remember you telling me about blowing up the Airstream). I like your descriptive language — those two tanks are basically bombs. I will definitely stress the safety issues in a future edit of the video.
One other thing… besides the potent of propane… by the way the pryo guys that did the AS exp… used ONE (1) 16 oz… propane bottle… for each explosion that sent the top half of the trailer into orbit… amazing that it doesn’t take much. Almost a pound of propane blew the trailer to kingdom come… 😀
Now one also needs to remember to vent the trailer when using the stove etc… I would recommend not only a gas detector.. which you can get … that send out a shrill voice before you get to the explosive limit… (too little propane for the air and .. no boom… too much propane for the air and .. no boom but get to where its one part per 11-15 of air.. and its SHOW TIME… if it ignites… )
Also one should look.. and you should install a CO detector… so as not to have some problems … and not wake up in the middle of the night if the heater/waterheater or refrig… leaks to the interior of the trailer…
I know some people who use the stove top to help heat the trailer… ahhh bad JU JU… as its a whopping big amount of CO …
So three detectors that you should put on your NICE list… the Co detector, the Gas detector and the Smoke detector.. and exactly where you mount them is different places for the best alert…
I don’t think AS has found out that they really should put them in the trailers… might want to do a TRAILER about install and why.. and send it to ’em with a note saying… ahhhh… guys… here is a improvement you should put in every new trailer…
if you get out to Pasadena for the rose parade, new year, You can camp right along the route with your AS. may I suggest that you go up on ser madre blvd… towards the end of the route.. as the best for camping out.. its a hoot and something you never will forget… but the floats are soooo great this year…
however, we won’t be their… going to be heading North again for some more magic making .. if it ever snows…
oh and I have to root for texas… as my niece is going to school their… why she didn’t like USC is beyond me… but… oh well… she picked it.. and likes it.. sooooo… go texas… 😀
Hey Merry Christmas … remember to pass it on.. it drives the whiners nuts… 😀
Hi Sean & Kristy!
Merry Christmas and all that from your side of the pond, that is to say, we’re back in Canada for the holidays.
I would have tried waving to you from the air on the way from Vienna, had I only known you were crossing over….
Hope you have a fine time in the UK. Turns out it’s been a tad cold here as well. Down to minus double digits most nights. Glad I packed my toque for the trip home from the airport. Was in Toronto yesterday, and even guys in suits and overcoats are wearing toques on their heads, so it’s not like anyone is going to stop and stare I suppose.
It’s more about keeping warm than making a fashion statement apparently.
Best to you and safe travels.
Bob.
Hi Bob! I’ve been wondering whether we might see you here on the Continent. We could conduct our first Euro meetup. But I’m sure you’re enjoying Christmas in Canada. Maybe we will come back next year with an Airstream in tow.
At the moment we are in Germany and we’ll spend the next several days here. We’ll definitely do some excursions into the Netherlands and Belgium, and maybe France too.
Anyway, thanks for your note. Merry Christmas to you from the other side of the pond!
If you tank gauges ever go kaput, there is a great way to find out how full your propane tanks are.
1) Fill a vessel (like a drinking glass) with hot tap water
2) Pour the water on the “hip” of the tank so that it runs all the way down the side of your tank
3) Right away, run your bare hand down the side of the tank (from top to bottom) where you poured the hot water
4) Where you feel the change from warm to cold that is the level of the propane in your tank.
Easy (if you can remember how to get the cover on your tank protector open), cheap, and reliable.
Thanks Alice! That’s an excellent tip. We may work that one into a future version of the video, too. 🙂
Hi,
Glad it might be of use! With your big tanks, if it doesn’t work with a drinking glass full, try a little more water – a small cooking pot full, maybe, especially if it is cold out. Always worked for me, and you gotta love those MacGyver solutions!
Alice
Sean, Don’t let this go to your head, LOL, but you two make the BEST RV videos of all the web. This one is particularly good. Your ‘How to’s’ use the camera to show details that others ‘dance’ around. You show things the way real folks do it boo boos and all. I always learn something new. Also, it’s great to see Kristy’s participation as a equal partner.
I have your RSS feed. Keep up the great work and keep them coming.
MJB
MJB, thanks for taking the time to stop and post some positive energy — it has been in short supply lately! 😉
I’m glad to hear that our “how to” videos are being well received. Kristy and I are in a somewhat unique position…although we are now very experienced RV’ers, we clearly remember how it felt to be newbies!
So with the education videos I’ll try to tell people what I wish we’d known when we first got started. The process of learning the RV ropes can be intimidating, so hopefully our website will help. And yes, we’ll do our best to “keep it real!”