Making do with what you have

[Ozz]

I hate the small Propane tanks, a real pain to store and use (for me) seems like they always run out of gas in the middle of me cooking something.
I had a Propane tank already, (2 big ones on the Monte) so I was too cheap to buy another smaller tank for the grill.
The rubberized Propane line has adapters on both ends, one end is the same fitting that the small throw-away tanks have. The other end has a fitting that screws into the newer fittings in all the tanks. It has left-handed threads, you will swear it is starting to cross-thread, it looks like it in the photo, but it isn’t.
I could have left the big tank in it’s permanent resting place, the Propane line is that long, but I elected to remove the tank so I could walk around the grill.
There are always many ways of doing something, all can be a good way, this is just the way I chose.

[Phil P]

Hello OZZ

I got one of those at a yard sale some time back. No longer bother with the little propane tanks.

Phil P

[MBeaubien]

Was the propane line already setup with the fittings you used ? If so where did you purchase it ?

[Ozz]

Yes sir, the flex line had fittings on both ends that match up with the tank and grill; any grill that takes the small bottles that screw on. You can get them at Walmart, or any Rv parts location.

[MBeaubien]

Thanks ! I'm going to Wally World today, I'll see if I can get one there. Much better than dealing with the throw away small bottles and cheaper also !

[Art-n-Marge]

I like to think I have it all covered!

I am a big fan of besides all the propane appliances and conveniences of the RV's kitchen, I like to bring along a couple of extra 20# tanks (maybe even a 3rd for a spare) for outdoor setup. In cooler weather, I cook outside so the meal odors don't linger in the trailer and in hotter weather it keeps the interior so much cooler. If needed, I have an 8' x 8' canopy so I stay dry and/or in the shade. This also allows the RV's propane to last longer before refilling for furnace or water heater usage.

Saying this, for the outdoor setup, I have a distribution pole that attaches to the reverse thread of the propane bottle's ACME fitting. There are actually two fittings-in-one on every modern propane bottle. The outer part of the fitting (male) is used for hand tightened nuts and the female part is the reverse thread for the older attachments that requires a wrench to be tightened.

Then I use different length propane extension hoses with appliance fittings. The fittings are like the 1 lb propane bottles I know longer buy for the reasons Ozz mentioned. These all connect to a lantern (on top) and two other devices, like a stove, BBQ, griddle, heater, whatever other device requires propane. I also have a propane extension that connects directly to the male ACME fitting to control one device if I don't want to change out a device from the distribution pole. One of these days I may buy a second propane distribution pole for the second bottle to eliminate any swapping out of devices.

I highly recommend this setup if you can afford the storage room and the weight. I already had most of this from the tent camping days. Not being a full-timer I bring all this extra stuff along because room in the rig is available. When I last weighed my rig with all this extra "camping stuff" I am only left with about 500 lbs until I surpass the GTWR, GVWR and CGVWR, so make sure you have the weight to spare.

I love cooking and living outdoors and DW likes visiting the outdoors and staying in the RV to watch her favorite shows and keep the bugs and varmints away from her. The best of both worlds. Of course she has been known to venture outdoors if the terrain and weather cooperate and I have a few TV shows I like to watch or just want to stay indoors.

Just as well, I also have basins/soap/towels to allow washing dishes indoors or outdoors, too. The point being the options when RVing are the best and we are making do just fine! I envy you fulltimers who have this available 24/7. Cook indoors or cook outdoors, Dine indoors or outdoors and cleanup indoors or outdoors! Gotta love it!

[hookman]

I had that set up but I must have gotten some bad propane and the hose got oil in it and it ruined a the regulator. The RV tech said with the longer hose that also tended to be a problem mostly in the hot weather.

[mhs4771]

OK, Have been using an extension hose on a big tank for years, but would you believe a week ago while at Fairfax Lake Park in Reston, VA. Used the grill for supper, was out most of the next day, when I went to lite the grill the next night, nothing. Knew the tank had fuel, so I go inside an get a liter thinking maybe the igniter isn't working properly. As I'm coming back out I see gas fumes coming from the hose. Darn squirrels had chewed a hole in the hose durning the day, so I was forced to resort to the old 1 Lb disposible bottle.

[Rondo]

Michael if you go to Harbor Freight, you can pick up a set up to refill those disposible bottles. I've got one but haven't used it yet. You just connect it to your 20 or 30 lb bottle and to the dispostble bottle and fill it up! When I get about to using mine I'll let you all know how it works. I also have the longer line like Ozz and will be looking for a 10 lb tank to carry with us for the grill too!

[MBeaubien]

Ozz, thanks for the tip! Got the Propane line with adapters on both ends at Wally World for $15.00. Now thinking of buying an extra 20lb propane tank for the BBQ or a T adapter to put in the line so I won't have to disconnect the propane from the Monty when I decide to BBQ. I also could just leave one tank connected to the BBQ and just use my 2nd Monty tank for the little we use it for the RV this time of the year.

[2 for Him]

Rondo,
I've been using one of the Harbor Freight refill adapters for years, just saw them in a Wally World in OR too.
They work best if the small bottle is cooler than the tank and the tank is upside down to put liquid in the small one. I get new bottles yearly anyway just to have no leaks.
Oh, and it is illegal to transport refilled bottles across state lines, courtesy of Dept of Transportation.
I'm sure someone will relate a tale of a guy who did and blew up his rig, or got caught and fined thousands, or his insurance failed to renew or something.

[Bill-N-Donna]

We have a kit with a splitter valve that fits onto the propane tank right on our camper. All we have to do is connect a longer hose to fit to the grill, which came with it. Ever since we got this we haven’t used the small tanks. To me they are a bit of a nuisance.

[washley1]

We used the long hose with a T fitting from the bottle on our pop up going back 30 years or so. It always worked just fine. Only time it was an issue was when we went backpacking. Hose just wasn't long enough...

[HOOK]

I have both, the refill adapter requires chilling the small bottles in the freezer before filling to make sure get the most possible fuel, but no problem. Ihave managed to collect 6 small bottles. If you watch the small bottles closely you will see a condensation line showing fuel level clearly. Yet I'm considering going back to the 20# cyl. simply because I don't like running out of fuel at inopertune times.