RVers Stay Warmer While Staying Put

RV-One is on it’s way to Quartzsite, Arizona today so I’ve posted this for your reading pleasure. Whether your RV is a travel trailer, 5th wheel or motorhome it’s a pain to move it when you’re set up to stay a while. You’ve got the awnings deployed and secured, patio mats nailed down complete with flower pots and lights. Your patio furniture is set up, the ladder out, your bikes off the mount, windshield covers on, the blue-boy under the coach and, well you get the picture. Now, you discover you’ve run out of propane. If you have reasonable access to the propane cylinders you can easily remove them and take them in for refill without dragging along the RV. Most motorhomes don't have removable LP cylinders so they either have to drive to the propane or have it delivered to their site. Many RV parks allow propane dealers to bring their trucks through their parks to service motorhomes. If, however you are out of reach of this kind of service, you’ll need an extended stay propane kit. This kit costs about $75 dollars and comes with a tee and a five foot length of extension hose. (Google “RV extended stay LP kit” and you’ll find many vendors). Bill Cook from Waupaca, Wisconsin was my RV neighbor this past week. He uses this extended stay setup and reports that when temperatures have been hovering around 30 degrees at night, he gets about 13 days of propane use out of his extra seven gallon LP tank. Bill mounted the extended stay tee between the regulator and the motorhome LP tank. He rigged a long bolt to lift and brace the regulator to line up with the tee and the motorhome LP tank valve fitting. You can also add additional tanks using extra LP pigtails. The tee has screw-in plugs to secure the openings for travel. This tee will also allow you to hook up additional LP devices. For instance you can purchase an additional hose with fittings to operate a BBQ, lantern or stove. Just connect it to the tee and you’re ready to go. With this system you can also use an external large capacity tank. Propane distributors will sell or rent these if you need one for a longer stay. Often State Parks and RV Parks offer the use of these tanks to their work-campers as part of their contract. Helping you expand your gas capacity - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing