30 pound propane tanks on the 19 foot Bambi

[bikechuck]

I am considering a 19 foot Bambi which comes with 30 pound propane tanks. I am looking for input from others with 30 pound tanks. I am wondering if two negatives outweigh the benefit of having the larger capacity. 1) You need to get them refilled whereas the more standard 20 pound tanks can be swapped out. 2) They are heavier than the standard 20 pound tanks.

Thanks in advance for your input, I love these forums!

[55AS]

Main drawback to larger cylinders is weight. I would recommended aluminum for that reason.

[AWCHIEF]

If you swap out tanks you will lose out on capacity. Few if any actually come full from the swap locations. Having a tank refueled will get the full amount the tank is rated for and your monies worth.

[mfrez]

swapping 20 lb tanks out compared to filling 30 lb is much more expensive per gallon. finding a filling station isn't hard as long as you plan a bit, and you get much more capacity. Even in colder fall temps in Colorado I can get 5 - 7 days out of one 30 lb tank using the furnace each night. When one is empty, I start looking for a fill station but have an entire tank left so no rush. They aren't much heavier and I like the peace of mind that comes with the extra capacity.

[bikechuck]

Originally Posted by mfrez

swapping 20 lb tanks out compared to filling 30 lb is much more expensive per gallon. finding a filling station isn't hard as long as you plan a bit, and you get much more capacity. Even in colder fall temps in Colorado I can get 5 - 7 days out of one 30 lb tank using the furnace each night. When one is empty, I start looking for a fill station but have an entire tank left so no rush. They aren't much heavier and I like the peace of mind that comes with the extra capacity.

Thanks mfrez and others who took the time to read and reply. The above reply is very helpful because it also gives me a sense of how long the tanks will last in the field.

Based on the replies I now consider the 30 pound tanks a "net positive".

[Wingeezer]

Depends how you camp. If you need t run the furnace a lot it can eat up your propane pretty quickly. Other appliances I believe use far less.

This is the first trailer we have had with 30# bottles, My two previous trailers have had
2 x 20# and frequency of filing was never a concern.

But then most f our camping is summers in Canada, winters in Florida or Arizona, we d also have a heat pump on the AC, and 90% of our camping is with full hookups.

If your situation is at all like ours, and if handling the heavier 30 pounders is an issue for you, then I would have no hesitation at all in doing that.


In fact, our 30# Alum bottles are coming due for retesting. furthermore, they are to US standards and propane suppliers here in Canada are technically not supposed to fill them.

I will likely try to get them re-certified during our US trips, but if that is an issue I may well just replace them with standard 20# steel BBQ size bottles.

Brian

[Spinonedad]

We got our new 19ft last Aug
We have taken her out three or four times since
We spent two weeks of the time boondocking no power

We still haven't emptied the first tank
Tanks seemed to be endless as you don't use that much fuel


Furnace =25,000btu/hr
1 tank=639,000btu=25hrs

[Tom_T]

Hi Chuck,

If they're already on the trailer, then gauge your purchase on the trailer & it's condition & suitability for your needs - not the LP tanks, since you can always downsize at modest cost.

The need for 30# tanks is dependent upon how much you use LP, & they'll last a long time with modest heating/cooking needs (3-way fridge on LP doesn't use much).

We have a vintage 20' Avion (1960 T20) which the PO had put on 30# LPs in their resto in 2007, then they proceeded to camp at several weekends per year until we got it in 2012, & we do about 5 weekends, They never filled the tanks, & I did in 2015 when they were down to 25% because I wanted to paint them in aluminum-silver to better match the Avion, & they're still less than 10-15% used.

BTW - with any LP tank, you can close the valve, unhook the LP lines & dismount them to take to a local place selling LP before or between trips, even if not empty (as I did). So you don't have to wait for them to run out on a trip to refill.

As others have said, the exchange tanks are much more expensive, plus you have no idea how old the replacement tanks are, compared to the known age of the ones on your trailer. So you could get some decrepit POS ones which could be dangerous.

As others also said, you'll need to know your Hitch Wt./Tongue Wt. with the tanks on there & everything else bearing on the hitch. A Sherline HW Scale is a good investment, or rigging up something with another scale, in order to get the actual HW is a good idea, so you're not overloading your TV. Weigh with the trailer loaded for a typical trip & all fluids/LP full, & you should also take the wet & loaded rig to a CAT/Truck Scale somewhere to get it's actual in-use overall weight to make sure it's not over the rated GTW (gross trailer wt. max.).

I'll eventually replace ours LP tanks with either 20# or 30# capacity aluminum ones when necessary due to age/wear, which will save some HW/TW relative to the current steel ones.

You can get the LP & steel vs. aluminum tank wts. + the mounting rack wt. - to add up for the comparison. IIRC LP weighs about 8.3 lbs. per gal, but confirm that.

Good Luck!
Tom
///////

[heitkergm]

I use about 1 30-pound tank a year on my 19' Bambi.

I do a LOT of spring and fall camping, running the furnace quite a bit. So I appreciate the capacity 30 pounds brings. I would LOVE aluminum tanks, but can't justify spending almost $500 for the pair. The steel 30-pounders aren't too heavy EMPTY, but fill one full, and they're heavy.

The hot water heater can also take a bit of propane, but that should only be on when needed (IMHO).

As regards cooking and fridge, I run my grill outside on a 20 lb tank that I bought in 2004 and have never refilled. Its about half full after 13 years. Cooking gas usage is minimal. I agree that the fridge (it's a 2 way in the Bambi, FYI) won't use much propane gas either; the flame is quite small.

YMMV...

[Portiemobile]

May want to check out the Viking Cylinders. Slightly smaller and much lighter than either steel or aluminum. The 22 lb. model has same capacity as a 30 lb. standard tank, but weighs 50% less

http://vikingcylinders.com/shop/lifestyle/22-lb-vapor/

[Silver.Sanctuary]

Originally Posted by bikechuck

I am considering a 19 foot Bambi which comes with 30 pound propane tanks. I am looking for input from others with 30 pound tanks. I am wondering if two negatives outweigh the benefit of having the larger capacity. 1) You need to get them refilled whereas the more standard 20 pound tanks can be swapped out. 2) They are heavier than the standard 20 pound tanks.

Thanks in advance for your input, I love these forums!

I don't know if you know it or not, but operations like "Blue Rhino" who "swap out tanks make money not only on the propane they give you , but they do NOT fill the tank full. So whereas you take the tank to a KOA or other propane vendor and they fill it and charge you for the weight of the propane they dispense, the "trade" guys short the tanks but charge more than you would pay for a fill at most places. They actually state this on their cages, etc. but nobody seems to read the fine print any more. So I would say disadvantage number one is not valid.

The weight is another matter, perhaps a disadvantage...

[xrvr]

The weight is a nonissue. If they are too heavy then don't fill them all the way.

[Adventure.AS]

Originally Posted by bikechuck

...They are heavier than the standard 20 pound tanks.

Although the 30 pound tank is heavier, if you take it to a refill station you don't have to put in lbs of propane, you can put in only 20 lbs of propane if you want to save weight - in effect saving 20 pounds for the pair. This way you will still have the capacity to fill to 30 lbs if you are going for an extended dry camping outing.

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by Tom_T

Hi Chuck,



BTW - with any LP tank, you can close the valve, unhook the LP lines & dismount them to take to a local place selling LP before or between trips, even if not empty (as I did). So you don't have to wait for them to run out on a trip to refill.


///////

I'm sure some places will do that, but I have encountered others whose policy is to only charge for a complete fill - irrespective of how much it takes!

I don't even trust the gauges on my bottles - in fact I know they are quite a bit off being empty when the gauge is "E"

I tend not to rely on the auto changeover valve either. It's probably ok, but anyway, just to be sure, I usually only leave one bottle open at a time and switch over when it completely runs out!


Brian.

[slowmover]

No such thing as too much fuel.

Without propane there is no trailer. It's the fundamental concept.

Aluminum tanks last forever.

I can't see any downside to "more".

But I can to running close on power.

[Ziggy2]

I use 20lb tanks on my 22ft International. I carry an extra tank. When one tank gets used, I change it out and that way I never have two empty tanks at 3AM on a freezing night. The swap out tanks say right on the tank, "15Lbs". They charge like it's 20Lbs but that's better than nothing in far away places without filling stations. I've been in lots of places where it was a long way to a filling station but the 7/11 had swap out tanks. Doing the 20Lb tanks has saved me on many occasions.

[dkottum]

Yes, the concept is a propane-powered Airstream designed for travel.

We travel extensively for six months during the cool months. I have wished we had 40 lb tanks many times, we have to monitor usage with the 30 lb tanks closely when out on the road, which is mostly late fall and early spring.

With a good hitch weight distribution system the weight difference is negligible, but I don't want to begin handling full 40 lb steel tanks at this point in life.

Low priority upgrade.

[MelGoddard]

Originally Posted by Adventure.AS

Although the 30 pound tank is heavier, if you take it to a refill station you don't have to put in lbs of propane, you can put in only 20 lbs of propane if you want to save weight - in effect saving 20 pounds for the pair. This way you will still have the capacity to fill to 30 lbs if you are going for an extended dry camping outing.

In Aviation, there are three most useless items for a pilot to be on the lookout for:
"Runway behind, sky above, and fuel in the 'Bowser" (Fuel truck)
That's why I always try to maintain full tanks, or at least keep a full second tank handy.

So far, I have never run out.

Trailer Trash waiting for Spring

[MelGoddard]

Originally Posted by bikechuck

I am considering a 19 foot Bambi which comes with 30 pound propane tanks. I am looking for input from others with 30 pound tanks. I am wondering if two negatives outweigh the benefit of having the larger capacity. 1) You need to get them refilled whereas the more standard 20 pound tanks can be swapped out. 2) They are heavier than the standard 20 pound tanks.

Thanks in advance for your input, I love these forums!

I would never "swap out" a propane tank. Why?
Because I don't know the history of the tank, and I feel that's it's like buying "A pig in a Poke".

Trailer Trash: 'C'mon spring'!

[MelGoddard]

Originally Posted by Wingeezer

I'm sure some places will do that, but I have encountered others whose policy is to only charge for a complete fill - irrespective of how much it takes!

I don't even trust the gauges on my bottles - in fact I know they are quite a bit off being empty when the gauge is "E"

I tend not to rely on the auto changeover valve either. It's probably ok, but anyway, just to be sure, I usually only leave one bottle open at a time and switch over when it completely runs out!


Brian.

They charge for a full tank, because it pays for the attendant's time and the overhead. The actual amount of gas is a small factor.

Trailer Trash.................."