Date: Wed, 11 Apr 2012 06:39:51 -0700
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: "Remote" Propane Tank Usage
In-Reply-To: <CACX23q3JTGZD543hzFu_+sMCNG7ttSmr8CzPt8wqJ6zWhFUx5w@mail.gmail.com>
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I have a normal tank system rather than the Westie-specific one that
goes under the van. I put my(5 gal?) tank inside in the cabinet under the
sink. Now, before everyone tells me I am going to End Civilization or I
could be imprisoned for a billion years for breaking the law by having
propane inside my van....I'll say this....It is MY van and my decision to
take this horrible risk.
I have the tank securely anchored in there, with some vent holes drilled
below, through the floor of the van. Should the tank leak, propane is
heavier than air and it will escape thought the holes.
World-wide, propane is widely used. Most other countries do not treat
it as if it's as potentially lethal as say Nuclear Waste, like we seem to
do here in the US. You should spend an hour in the Gas (that is what they
call it) terminal in any Mexican city, Every town has a very busy propane
outlet,(government subsidized) most homes use bottled "gas" to cook with
and the people usually have to go get their own, most in really ratty
looking dented and rusty welder-sized tanks.....They treat it pretty
casually and don't seem to blow up too many folks over the years.
I find it very bothersome to have to take my vehicle to the propane place
to fill up when the tank gets empty or to top up before I start a trip. I
keep a full tank around and when in doubt, I swap that in and fill the
other at my convenience... Most slide in campers have an external door and
a locker to keep the propane tank in and yet allow you to swap a full for
empty without taking the whole vehicle to the 'hose'. It's probably a law
that you can't access the locker from inside the vehicle, so maybe I am in
violation...maybe I'll blow myself up someday even...I could also blow up
my garage or a parking structure, if I had a standard Westie system and it
leaked in there and the water heater set it off. Or a satellite could drop
on my head. Risky, this living.... One could probably put an external
hatch into the backside (outside) of the sink cab and be legal in the US..
One can also fill their own tanks from a larger tank by siphon. This
was our M.O. when we camped 'remote' in Baja. When ever some camper went
to the city (an all day ordeal) they sometimes took a few big welder
sized tanks and filled them for the whole campsite's use, then people
brought over their smaller tanks and we siphoned them full from the welders
bottles...
(I do not advocate this...I do it, but YOU should always obey and comply
with the laws)
Don Hanson
On Wed, Apr 11, 2012 at 5:34 AM, Chris S <szpejankowski@gmail.com> wrote:
> It seems like propane tanks are widely available in the US. Everyone from
> a grocery store to a gas station has them. Has anyone removed their
> on-board tank and adapted their Westfalia system to work with those tanks?
> I would seem one would mount the regulator, a shut-off valve and a
> connector in the place of the existing Westfalia tank.
>
> --
> Chris S.
> "No solution is too complex to be executed incorrectly"
>
