Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:31:57 -0400
Reply-To: The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Subject: Re: Propane Hose Adapter (Useful Westy Accessory on Closeout)
In-Reply-To: <005f01c88f84$0640e370$02fea8c0@ALDI>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
> A question I have, is the connection the new style or old
> style for connecting the hose to the large gas propane tank?
> In the picture it looks like the old style you cannot use
> anymore.
I checked this with technical support at Marshall Brass, who makes most of
the propane fittings on the market. Since most existing tanks take a POL
fitting, and most new tanks take either POL or QCC1, the included POL
fitting is the most universal. Tech support told me that virtually all new
tanks that take the newer QCC1 fitting are also backwards compatible with
the POL fitting that have long been used on propane tanks. They said some
people overlook that compatibility, but if you look inside the QCC1 fitting
on most new valves you'll also see the smaller inner threads that accept
POL. If you specifically needed a QCC1 fitting, they make a relatively
inexpensive POL-to-QCC1 adapter (which you could get from any RV supply
store or we could order). But they said it should be rare that you would
have any need for that.
> Does the adaptor for the 1lb bottle require the Extend-A-Stay kit,
> or does it work by itself to hook a 1lb bottle up?
The adapter is female-to-female. You'd need a suitable hose to go from the
cylinder to the propane system. The hose is usually about $20 or so, but
you'd still have no way to plumb it to your propane system without
disconnecting your regular tank. The Extend-A-Stay kit includes that hose,
plus the tee and other parts for the complete job, for just slightly more
than the hose alone would have cost.
> That's quite a price break. I know it goes between the tank and
regulator.
> Beyond that, what connector does it have on it? Does it have a valve?
> and what are the 2 hoses for?
It comes with a 4-way tee with female and male POL fittings, an outlet for
external appliances, and an inlet for an external tank. So it goes in line
with your propane system but adds two new fittings. One (with included hose)
goes to an external tank when needed (to power your camper's appliances from
the external tank). This could be another mounted propane tank, a gas grill
tank, or (with the second-chance adapter) a disposable propane cylinder. The
other (also with included hose) goes to external propane appliances such as
a tabletop grill that you might want to power from your Westy's propane
tank.
- Ron Salmon
The Bus Depot, Inc.
www.busdepot.com
(215) 234-VWVW
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