Copper LP gas tubing

[jperryfly]

My '85 Sovereign has the LP gas tubing running beneath the belly panels. I have all the panels off and plan on re-insulating and replacing the panels. Should the gas tubing run inside the panels or outside? I will install new tubing as the old looks pretty corroded.

[InsideOut]

Should the gas tubing run inside the panels...

If inside and you get a leak, LP will fill your belly pan....then KkaaAAABOooOM! Leave them exposed...if you get a leak it'll just empty your tank(s).

Shari

[jperryfly]

I thought that might be the problem.

[Tinsel Loaf]

Originally Posted by InsideOut

If inside and you get a leak, LP will fill your belly pan....then KkaaAAABOooOM! Leave them exposed...if you get a leak it'll just empty your tank(s).

Shari

KkaaAAABOooOM That says it all!

[Silvertwinkie]

I wouldn't worry too much about the way the pipes look. Copper doesn't rust, it just looks funky as it ages and is exposed to the elements.. You could clean it instead unless it's damaged since copper is fairly expensive.

One thing that I have done up front, is place flex looming in areas up front where the pipe is exposed to rocks and debris. Airstream does something similar in the back where the gas line goes past the axles. Only difference seems to be that it's red hose and it's solid and slid over the gas pipe at installation rather than it being added like flex loom as I did.

Oh yea, and I third keeping the pipe outside. Although I love a good fireball, odds are loss of life or severe injury would follow this one.

[jperryfly]

Ok, We'll go the no fireball route. My son and his friends think this is the ultimate clubhouse sitting in the driveway. Now if I can just get them polishing, cleaning up rust or something constructive.

[74Argosy24MH]

Originally Posted by Silvertwinkie

I wouldn't worry too much about the way the pipes look. Copper doesn't rust, it just looks funky as it ages and is exposed to the elements.

I disagree. Copper corrodes and will fail the same as rusted tubing. Darkening is normal, but corrosion will eventually cause a leak. If you have any doubts about the integrity replace it. If nothing else doing it at your convenience beats on the road any day.

John

[silver suz]

We have all the copper lp tubing for a 1970 31' sov. landyacht. We want to sell it for $50 .this was carefully removed and cut only at a place where it would be easy to connect up. There is a small section missing for the lp lantern that Jacko has. The rest is there and in good condition. The Catch??? the catch is you have to pick it up in the DFW area. The stove and dometic lp ref has to go too. silver suz

[05ModPod]

I agree with you John - copper over the years will get brittle - especially the flex type copper used for the lp lines - although ours was 35 years old 15 years newer than your 85 unit jperryfly if you can't bend the pipe fairly easily then I would suggest changing it. For how much it costs to replace it is well worth the peace of mind.

We found small hairline splits in the lines and severe kinking where the line comes up through the floors - and you would not see this unless you replace the lines. You can get the coated LP lines but they are very expensive compared to the uncoated. No rocks split these lines in 35 years so I'm sure we will be fine.

[jperryfly]

I think these have done their duty. They have a lot of corrosion on them. This would be the time to do it with everything apart.

[Stefrobrts]

My Caravel is at the shop having it's axel replaced. They are also replacing the copper lines underneith because they are banged up and crushed from road damage over the years. They will either replace them with iron (I believe he said) which is what the new trailers use to protect them from road damage, or they will replace them with copper and protect them with plastic sleeves. Whichever is less expensive and labor intensive, because he felt either solution was just as safe.

These guys have been very good to me and insist that I make safety upgrades to the Caravel, which have included a new LP regulator, LP, CO, and smoke alarms inside, and now these new LP lines underneith. I can't complain, even I noticed they were looking pretty beat up, and I'm happy for anything that makes the trailer safer since we use it a lot.

[Silvertwinkie]

Not sure that I'd install iron pipe. Iron pipe, if it's the one I'm thinking of does not flex. I think the reason they put copper pipe in is because it does flex and can be shaped very easy.

As for replacing the copper, I'd always err on the safe side, just that I have yet to see any issues on copper that required replacing...I suppose I haven't been doing my "Dukes of Hazzard" moves with any of our coaches throughout the years.

[Stefrobrts]

I wouldn't have noticed how beat up mine were if I hadn't been under there snooping around the axel. Since this trailer went to Alaska every year for five or six years before I bought it, maybe that's where it got so much abuse underneith. Either way, the lines were crimped and crushed pretty good here and there. I feel good about them replacing them. I have a feeling they'll be using copper because it's easier to install, so we'll see how it goes.

[silver suz]

So is my copper tubing worthless? It's in good condition as the trailer was parked for 14 years. I mean my son could always make garden sculptures out of it. Is it worth trying to sell? I was told that copper tubing was expensive. Since it had propane in it I'm not touching it. It has to go. To the scrap yard, then? silver suz

[jperryfly]

Having propane in it didn't hurt it, you can touch it. I haven't priced it lately but I think you could buy all new for something like $50. To get rid of it you could take it to a metal scrap yard, they would give you something for it. Why aren't you going to reuse it?

[Sneakinup]

I am very paranoid about gas appliances and from the very beginning of my relationship with my trailer intended on replacing the major gas appliances. I have since put in a new water heater (with electric feature), removed the old furnace (not a priority right now for me in Florida) and have tested and retested the oven, 4 burner stove, catalytic heater and gas lamp. They are very simple.

As for the gas lines. They are all exposed to the exterior, except for the obvious entry in to the trailer at the various locations. My copper tubing is not dented at all and I will feel confident in reusing it. I have purchased a $39 electronic gas sniffer from CW which did acutally find a leak that the conventional liquid testers missed. I have since fixed that leak and tested the entire run of piping, especially the joints and installed new shut off valves where necessary.

I am now totally confident in the reuse of my copper tubing. Not paranoia free, but kinda close.

[silver suz]

I am SO sensitive to propane- way out there on the end of the bell curve- That the residual smell- molecules of propane that have permeated the copper, means I can't get near it. My reaction are so extreme- anaphylactic shock, seizures, etc. That why it's not worth me using them. I thought someone else could use them for their trailer. Ditto for anything propane/gas/diesel. The frige, gas stove,heaters etc have to go. Yes, my lifestyle is exceedingly difficult to lead, the alternative is being dead.
If it's that cheap, my son will create interesting garden sculptures out of it. He's extremely clever at that sort of thing, and he can sell them, or I can give them to friends. My husband obviously overinflated it's value. He thought all the jointures would be valuable to another Airstreamer. Thanks, silver suz

[silver suz]

Being all electric is reassuring to me, since the day I was a little girl and left the gas on in the oven and my mother had her facial hair blown off in the explosion. :0 Scary! However that has nothing to do with my chemical sensitivities. Just one of the upsides of my illness! Suz

[jperryfly]

Well you have good reasons. If there is someone local that needs new tubing I'm sure it would be a help to them to have yours. Also I haven't bought new yet so I might be off on the price. I took my old belly panels (aluminum) to a scrap yard and it was about $10 worth, I gave it to the workmen. Copper and brass would be worth a little more per pound.

[silver suz]

I think my husband had value added as these have all the Airstream valves etc to attach them to the LP stuff- it's not the tubing so much as the valves, corners and whatevers.
suz