Propane tank won't fill

[eubank]

BikerBill is right: Fixed-mount horizontal cylinders as found on motorhomes are completely different from the removable cylinders found on towables, just starting with the valves, which are wholly different from one another and require different connectors at the propane filler's side as well.

As far as the government is concerned, there is no federal rule on the valves for these RV cylinders. The valves are from recommended designs from either the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) or the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The latter organization is the one that first recommended the use of OPD valves on the vertical cylinders; it was the manufacturers of new cylinders as well as the individual states -- and not the federal government -- that adopted this recommendation (or not).


Lynn

Originally Posted by HowieE

The convenience of access does not change the characteristics of the valve in question. The government had this great idea that we should all have a valve that failed more often then the older valve. That is progress.

[eubank]

Last summer, I'd posted a link on our FB page to a site with a nice cut-out view of a propane cylinder on a RoadTrek. Took me a while to go back through and locate the link! Anyway, I assume these are pretty much like the tanks on Interstates. (It's not as if Airstream designs, builds and installs its own special tanks.)

The Innards of your RV Propane Tank | Roadtreking


Lynn

[xrvr]

Great link. When we had our interstate there were places that couldn't or wouldn't fill the propane. Our AS dealer said that was because these places used improperly trained workers. There was some kind of valve behind the tank that had to be used to properly fill. One particular KOA in New Mexico told me the tank couldn't be filled because the design was flawed and dangerous. What an idiot. Got it filled when I got home with no problem at the AS dealer. Never had a problem except when we were on the road somewhere. Even the local gas stations here in Fl could fill it with an adapter with no problems. Get out west and it seemed no one had a clue. This was just one other minor thing amongst many that caused me to sell my interstate. The vehicle was fine, just that one except AS or a large RV dealer could do anything with it. Mine was an 06 I believe. I understand now that since b vans are more common that a lot of the problems we had no longer exist. Jim

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by eubank

Last summer, I'd posted a link on our FB page to a site with a nice cut-out view of a propane cylinder on a RoadTrek. Took me a while to go back through and locate the link! Anyway, I assume these are pretty much like the tanks on Interstates. (It's not as if Airstream designs, builds and installs its own special tanks.)

The Innards of your RV Propane Tank | Roadtreking


Lynn

Thanks for posting that Roadtrek link. The main difference on the Interstate is the main fill connector and bleed valve are mounted remotely for the tank by long hoses. The tank is on the drivers side between the wheels and the fill panel is on the passenger side right behind the rear tires. In my view this is a terrible location and many owners on this forum, including myself, have ripped off the fittings on this panel during normal driving around potholes or curbs. I intend to file a complaint on this design to NTHSA.


- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

[eubank]

I've seen that kind of remote location on a good number of motorhomes, mostly on upper-end units of varying lengths. It's a little unusual, but not unique at all.

Lynn

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

Thanks for posting that Roadtrek link. The main difference on the Interstate is the main fill connector and bleed valve are mounted remotely for the tank by long hoses. The tank is on the drivers side between the wheels and the fill panel is on the passenger side right behind the rear tires. In my view this is a terrible location and many owners on this forum, including myself, have ripped off the fittings on this panel during normal driving around potholes or curbs. I intend to file a complaint on this design to NTHSA.


- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

The tank is on the drivers side between the wheels and the fill panel is on the passenger side right behind the rear tires. In my view this is a terrible location and many owners on this forum, including myself, have ripped off the fittings on this panel during normal driving around potholes or curbs.

New Orleans is the pothole capital of the free world, but I've never had a problem with damaging the propane fill port or even the black plastic cover, except once when I almost backed it into a curb that was about a quarter-inch too tall for the unit. Fortunately I remembered at the last moment and got out to check the clearance before I backed the rest of the way in.

Mounting it in a body cutout right below the floor level would probably be better than putting it underneath the edge of the body. Only thing is, the door to the cutout couldn't have a keyed lock; by regulation, the solenoid has to be readily accessible to firefighters. Airstream is unlikely to offer a retrofit package to move the fill ports; they best anyone could hope for is that they would relocate them for new models.

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by eubank

I've seen that kind of remote location on a good number of motorhomes, mostly on upper-end units of varying lengths. It's a little unusual, but not unique at all.

Lynn

Sure it's not unique. But I doubt any of the motorhomes you are talking about have the propane fill panel located right behind the rear wheel only 6 inches from the ground. It's the lowest point on my van. See attached diagram, item 4, for location on the Interstates.

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

....

Mounting it in a body cutout right below the floor level would probably be better than putting it underneath the edge of the body. Only thing is, the door to the cutout couldn't have a keyed lock; by regulation, the solenoid has to be readily accessible to firefighters. Airstream is unlikely to offer a retrofit package to move the fill ports; they best anyone could hope for is that they would relocate them for new models.

No need for a body cut-out. They could just raise it about 4 inches into the plastic lower trim molding and make a cover out of the existing molding. I'd like to make this mod myself but I have not looked at what it would take to disconnect the fill hose and not get propane leaking all over -- nasty! Maybe I could have the tank emptied. The mounting panel is just riveted to the Sprinter inside body panel behind the wheel.

It may have needed to be as low as it is on early Interstates that had the vertically stacked battery box right above it.

[eubank]

Hard to say! My experience to date with these has been on larger motorhomes (40' and above). All of them had the apparatus in a compartment air-open from below (required by code) at the right rear behind the rear wheels, but higher off the ground. (Understandably in these rigs because everything is higher off the ground. The wheels alone are humongous.)

Rigs with propane fill valves low to the ground have been smaller motorhomes, but those were all somewhat older units, not having remote fill apparatus. (I don't have great memories of these because the lowness of the fill valves meant crawling around on the ground to get the hose connected to them, sometimes with use of a length adapter. Usually cold, snowy, or rainy, of course.)


Lynn

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

Sure it's not unique. But I doubt any of the motorhomes you are talking about have the propane fill panel located right behind the rear wheel only 6 inches from the ground. It's the lowest point on my van. See attached diagram, item 4, for location on the Interstates.