Carrying larger 10 and 20 lb propane tanks in Class C

[DAS26miles]

Mynewer Class C MH only has a 12 gallon propane tank compared to my 03 Minnie Winnie that had an 18 gallon tank. I am having to fill it much more often since tapping off it for my Little Red Campfire and Blackstone Griddle. I installed an Extend-a-Stay so I can either tap off or supplement the main 12 gallon tank. I'd rather use a separate tank for the Campfire and Blackstone and leave the main tank for the fridge and furnace.
So my question is the storing of a larger 11 lb or 20 lb tank. Do you store it while traveling in an outside compartment and is it safe and legal? My outside compartments aren't really vented.

[DAS26miles]

No toad. But I could cut holes in the plastic cargo bin extending across the rear of the MH and place vent covers over them. Not sure how accessible they would be to mount the vent covers.

[BFL13]

Our class C does not have a generator in the side compartment for that, but has a metal door screen across the middle of the door. It has a solid sheet metal piece behind the metal screen.

Because of this thread reminding me about venting where you carry a propane bottle, I just drilled some holes in that sheet metal behind the door screen. Thanks!

In the 5er we had an RVQ with a quick connect to the 5er's propane. Didn't get the adapter gizmo for the big propane tank in the MH, but instead we carry a 20 lb propane bottle in that gen compartment, upright. The RVQ still works as before with its hanger now on the side of the MH, and the hose adapted to go with the 20 lb bottle and its regulator.

I could go with the extend a stay and BBQ adapter for the big tank, which I looked into, but so far no need. The gen compartment can take the 20 lb bottle upright, but not a 30.

Good point about filling the bottles when you don't have a toad. We go to a gas station that has the big tank filler pump in with the gas pumps way over from where the bottle filler is. One or the other unless you like carrying a full bottle for some distance over to where the MH is at the pumps. Oh well, the RVQ steaks make it worth it! 🙂

[Rick_Jay]

Do you tow a vehicle with you? We put our 20 lb. propane cylinder in the back of our towed minivan with the grill when we travel. If we're travelling in VERY HOT weather, I'll leave the vent windows open in the back of the minivan. No problems yet! 🙂

~Rick

[bobndot]

Here is a mount if a more secure bracket is needed. propane tank mount

They make a truck camper tank that might fit inside a cabinet where a vertical one won't fit.

horizontal propane tank

[time2roll]

While outside venting is good I believe the important part is that the compartment is sealed from the interior. In the rare case of venting the propane needs to go outdoors not in the RV.

[klutchdust]

DAS26miles wrote:
Really, what good is an Extend-A Stay if you can't use a 5 gallon bottle because you have no way to transport it in a Class C?

There are, just not in an enclosed area. Have the DW hold onto it and let it hang out the window.

[IAMICHABOD]

Mine are all 375,so I am safe.If it gets over 130 I wont be around.:B

[DAS26miles]

If I just keep it in the compartment during travel and place outside upon arrival, do you think that would work?

[Old-Biscuit]

Propane Relief Valve
Pressure set point can be from 250# to 375# depending on whether it is for a ASME Tank or DOT Cylinder
Relief Valve PSI setting S/B stamped on valve
I've seen 250 PSI settings and 312# settings


At 130*F the Propane Vapor Pressure would be 257 PSIG
At 110*F the Propane Vapor Pressure would be 197 PSIG

Store/transport cylinders UPRIGHT (milk crates work great)
IF laid on their sides the Relief Valve tube can be submerged in liquid and if it pops open would spew liquid propane which is very cool (instant frostbite) and then would turn to a very large vapor cloud (expands 270 times it's volume)

Propane is HEAVIER then air and will sink/pool in low areas.

[DAS26miles]

Really, what good is an Extend-A Stay if you can't use a 5 gallon bottle because you have no way to transport it in a Class C?

[pnichols]

An old secret for nicely supporting the common 20 lb. (5 gallon) propane tanks during transportaion is to put each one in one of these rugged baskets that last for years so that the tanks cannot tip over or scrape anything - a 5 gallon propane tank perfectly fits inside these: https://www.homedepot.com/p/GSC-Technologies-11-in-x-13-in-x-13-in-Black-Milk-Crate-MC131311-002/204...

We store our extra 10 lb. and 20 lb. RV propane tanks in unvented exterior storage cabinets. Just in case the valve on these tanks should ever tend to leak a little with age, there are available brass sealing knobs that screw right onto where you normally attach tank hoses to the 10 lb. and 20 lb. tanks. These brass sealing knobs are a second line of defense against tank leakage during storage and transportaion.

[turbojimmy]

IAMICHABOD wrote:

klutchdust wrote:
They need to be carried in an open environment. They have pressure relief valves that will go off should they become overheated .

I often wondered just how hot it has to be in that compartment for the pressure relief valve to go off,does anyone know?

I have no idea but when my brother's trailer caught on fire he had a couple of them vent. No explosions. The explosion in the video was actually the fridge popping. The fire started in the fridge area. It was one of the recalled Dometics but the recall had been done on it. Not really sure what happened.

https://youtu.be/5HohnRP0Vy0

So the answer to the question is they vent somewhere between ambient temp and when immersed in flames 🙂

[IAMICHABOD]

klutchdust wrote:
They need to be carried in an open environment. They have pressure relief valves that will go off should they become overheated .

I often wondered just how hot it has to be in that compartment for the pressure relief valve to go off,does anyone know?

[turbojimmy]

Around here it's a pain to find someone to fill my onboard tank so I have an extend-a-stay as well. I put a 20 lb. cylinder on a towel (so it doesn't scratch up the floor) in the shower and crack the roof vent open a bit. So far so good.