When you drive a vehicle with a large built-in propane tank, carrying around small disposable propane cylinders for your barbecue grill somehow seems, well… wrong. We’ll show you exactly how we set up our RV to allow us to connect our grill to our on-board propane tank.
While small portable grills are often designed to use disposable propane canisters, we have a whole list of reasons we object to doing that.
First, there’s nothing much worse than thinking dinner’s ready, only to discover that the propane ran out right after you put your food on the grill. Since those little canisters are so… little, that seems just about as likely to happen as not.
Second, we’re full-timers, so space is at a premium. Removing disposable propane cylinders from the list of gear we need to keep on board saves space, and of course avoids running out of them, too (the best way to exacerbate objection #1 above: rummage around for a fresh canister to finish cooking dinner, then find that you already used the last one). Even though you could connect the barbecue to one of those larger 20 lb portable tanks typically used for grilling in a sticks & bricks house, those of course take up even more of that precious storage space. And… they run out, too.
Third, there are the dual evils of waste (the type that ends up in landfills) and waste (spending money unnecessarily). Those little canisters cost more and are bad for the planet.
Lastly, a prime directive of a do-it-yourselfer is to identify ways of improving the RVing experience through simple modifications. How great is it to be able to eliminate a redundancy, while improving functionality and reducing costs. So having the grill connected to the RV’s propane system is a triple win. A quadruple win if you do the modification yourself. ;-)
Because we’ve received so many questions about this, we’ve added some additional details. Besides the video above, we’ve diagrammed out every part we used to modify our propane system to make grill connection (and disconnection) quick and easy. You can click on the two images below to view larger versions of the diagrams. We’ve also catalogued the entire parts list, in sequential order from propane tank to grill, with links to each piece on Amazon.
And if you want to download a copy of these images & the parts list, here’s a PDF document that contains both:
Downloadable PDF with Parts Diagrams and Shopping List
Click to view a larger version.
Click to view a larger version.
Of course your system may be a little different, but these details will hopefully make it easy for your to get your grill connected to your RV, and toss those canisters (figuratively, of course).
Featured & Related Products:
- Extend-A-Stay with 12′ Extension Hose
- 1″-20 Female Throwaway Cylinder thread x 1/4″ Male Pipe Thread Adapters – you’ll need two
- 15psi Propane Regulator (provides plenty of pressure for our 24′-long hose, but prevents oil build-up)
- 1/4″ NPT Brass Male-to-Male Nipple
- 1″-20 Male Throwaway Cylinder thread x 1/4″ Female Pipe Thread Adapters – you’ll need two
- 12′ Propane Extension Hose (if you need more than the one that’s already included with the Extend-A-Stay)
- 1.5″ Desk Hole Grommet (you only need this and a 1.5″ hole saw if you’re going to cut through a panel like we did)
- Propane 1/4″ High-Pressure Quick Connect – Female with Shutoff Valve
- Propane 1/4″ High-Pressure Quick Connect – Male
- Yellow Gas/PTFE Tape (YELLOW for propane. Use 4 0r 5 wraps on all threaded connections)
- Weber Q1000 Portable Grill (Manual igniter. Ours is a slight Frankenstein job, with electric ignition)
- Rolling cart for Weber Q1000
- Cover for Weber Q1000
- Table Kit for Weber Q1000
Recent & Related Videos:
- Converting RV Lights to LEDs – Part 9: Basement & Utility Lights
- Does Your RV Have a Water Heater? Wait Till You See THIS!
- Heath Padgett Interview
- How To Replace A&E / Dometic WeatherPro Power Awning Fabric
- Replacing Our RV Mattress – Plus a 10% Discount on YOUR Next RV Mattress
- How To Sanitize An RV Fresh Water System
- Xantrex Interviews The RVgeeks!
Winnebago View Instructions:
The Winnebago View uses 3/8″ flare hose fittings at the propane tank shutoff valve. The following parts are need to adapt the Extend-A-Stay to the propane system:
Thanks, Ron! Big help to the Winnie owners out there!
Hi guys..this is my first comment/question, although I’ve monitored your site for awhile now. I am attempting to plumb the connections for a Weber Q2000 grill to my Coach tank. I’ve purchased the tee adapter, and will be installing that soon, as well as the 15 regulator you recommended. I am confused tho about some of the other connections, specifically at the grill end. Your parts post refers to tejasgrill.com for the high pressure quick connect. I can’t seem to get their web page to open…it says “too many redirects”. On reading the many comments, I now realize that I don’t have to use the high pressure connect, as long as I don’t try to connect a low pressure device to it. Since there seems to be no other source for the high pressure connect, could you possibly recommend the appropriate low pressure quick connect that would work? Believe it or not, I took your list to Lowe’s and spent a lot of time talking to the clerk in the plumbing department. Although he seemed to know a lot about this stuff, he was totally stumped by the parts list…especially almost insisting there was no such thing as a 1”-20 cylinder thread adapter! Actually, he couldn’t supply me with any of the parts you listed. So, I will be ordering them all off Amazon. But just to be sure, since I can’t seem to go with the high pressure quick connect, I wanted to make sure there were no other mods I needed to make in order to use the low pressure quick connect.
Thanks so much for your help. Can’t wait to see y’all on the new TV series.
Hi Pam! Thanks for bringing the issue with the TejasSmokers.com links to our attention! We’ll have to see if we can get a hold of them to find out if they’re still in business or not (of if they’re just having a technical issue with their website)!
With the system the way we’ve set it up, we can’t recommend that you use the low-pressure quick-connect. They are only rated for the 0.5psi pressure that you have downstream of your RV’s onboard regulator… so the 15psi pressure could be a problem. And with propane, that could be a BIG problem! ????????
So… you’ve got two options:
Sorry if the above is all confusing… but we hope it helps! Let us know if you have any other questions, and we’ll do our best to answer them, Pam!
P.S… we just thought of an Option #3: Call Tejas Smokers at 713-222-0077 and ask if they still sell the “104507 High Pressure Quick Disconnect Ball Valve Female Socket” and the “401HP111 High Pressure Quick Disconnect Male Plug”. Their website may just be down, but they could still be in business.
These folks appear to carry what is needed
https://caloreequipment.com/products/5lpn-ball-valve-quick-connect-x-1-4-fnpt/
This has a shutoff built in but there is more listed on the site.
Just read the specs. NOT what is needed. Please delete previous comments. C
This is the male end. https://caloreequipment.com/products/5lpn-male-plug-x-1-4-mnpt/
Thanks, Casey… links in the post are updated!
I suspect it is just a website issue. One of their other sites is live as is their facbook page. I left them a message on FB advising them of the issue.
Wow. Hard to decipher all this stuff. I need to correct myself. The above website calorequipment.com does have what you need. Same manufacturer, MB Sturgis. I was mislead by the flowrate spec. The info on the collar of the quick connect is the same as the high pressure connector that I have. Rated at “250 psi” is imprinted on the collar. The part numbers correspond to those on the MB Sturgis website. A call to either vendor should verify the correct parts. Sorry about the confusion.
No worries… thanks, Casey! We really appreciate you finding that new source for the high-pressure quick-connect! We’ll check it out and update our links, so others won’t run into the same problem as Pam. Thanks so much for taking the time to chime in!!
Omg! I love your videos and your website. ? Here is my situation- I have a Weber Q 200 that I found out in our shop- my late husband modified with a natural gas hook-up ( I do not recall exactly why-lol). The regulator on the grill is removed and I haven’t been able to find it. If I understand correctly, I can still use your method but I then do not have the option to use the small propane tanks or bottles. Is this correct? I also found what looks to be a propane regulator (silver) with a hose- could I use this to attach to bottles or small tanks? Also, the 15 PSI regulator y’all recommend is on back order- is there another one that would work as well? Thanks!
In order to use the RV Geeks’ method, you need to replace the regulator on the Weber 200. 15 psi is way too much pressure. I used another brand of 15 psi regulator and it works just fine.
Casey- thanks for the reply. I was hoping to not have to have to order the Weber regulator- dang- I guess it will have to break down and order it. Good to know about the 15 psi regulator ??
Lisa… you don’t HAVE to order a 15psi regulator OR the replacement Weber regulator… see our reply to you (crossing in the mail, so to speak). ?
Hi Lisa! Thanks! So glad you like them (it’s ALWAYS nice to hear)! And Casey is correct… to use our exact method, you’d need to replace your Weber Q regulator (here’s a link to one on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2uGfrn2). But if you want to leave the regulator off, you’d would want to connect your grill to an already-regulated source of propane… most likely down to the 11″ water column (or 0.5psi) that is used by all of the other appliances in your RV (stovetop, furnace, water heater, etc). So if you leave the grill as is, and use the appropriate connectors/adapters to connect it into the RV, you’ll want to connect it AFTER (i.e. downstream of) the onboard regulator… NOT before (like in our situation). So you won’t need the 15psi regulator at all!
Of course, leaving the regulator off altogether will definitely mean that you won’t be able to connect it to the small, portable tanks… or even a larger 5/10/20 pound tank like you’d use for a “normal” BBQ grill… without making sure that you regulate THEM down to the correct pressure that the grill would have received after it’s own, onboard regulator. Otherwise, you’ll risk damaging the grill or, worse yet, starting a fire or causing an explosion.
The hose-with-regulator attachment that you mentioned MIGHT work… but you’d have to confirm that the regulator on that hose is regulating the pressure down to the same pressure the grill’s regulator would or, again, you’d be risking a fire/explosion.
Hope this all helps! Let us know if you have any follow-up questions!
Wow! Y’all are so very helpful! I do believe I understand it now- I appreciate your responses so much. ??
Y’all rock!
Glad to help out, Lisa! Hope you get it all hooked up and working!
I’ve done so much research on this topic and I’ve gotten 2 solid opinions…you will need to remove the regulator on the grill or smoker as your gas is already regulated on your travel trailer…no, you don’t need to remove it, you can connect to the grill or smoker via a throwaway thread where the 5lb tank would connect that goes into the regulator. That makes this so much easier as you don’t lose your gas control valve/knob on the end of you were to bypass the regulator on your grill/smoker, but I’m told I’ll either lose the ability to adjust to a high temperature because I’ve dropped the gas pressure so low via 2 regulators or it will be so low the flame will be like a candle and I’ll be able to blow it out. Then I’m told none of that is true. I see in your video your connection includes 2 regulators.
Hi David! We know how you feel… it’s confusing, since each time you read something on this topic, it seems to contradict that LAST thing you read! LOL! But you are correct… we are operating our Weber Q grill off of our onboard propane supply, and there are TWO regulators: one at the tank side and the other built into the grill. The difference is that we tapped into our propane supply before/upstream of the RV’s onboard regulator using the Extend-a-Stay Tee. So that means we are tapped into full-pressure-from-the-tank propane. Then, we inserted a 15-psi regulator on the new feed formed by the “T”… because when high-pressure propane travels too far (or stays in the line for too long), it tends to produce an oily substance that clogs up the grill’s regulator. So the 15psi regulator is dropping the pressure low enough to stop that oil, but leaves it high enough to avoid the double-regulation issue so often discussed.
If we had tapped in after/downstream of the RV’s onboard regulator, THEN we’d have had an issue with double regulation. That’s because the RV’s onboard regulator drops the tank pressure down to 11″ Water Column (which is 0.5 psi) for all of the onboard propane appliances. That 11” WC pressure is TOO LOW to trigger a propane grill’s regulator to open up, since it’s expecting much higher pressure from a standard propane tank/bottle. So you get no flow and your grill blows out. But the 15 psi pressure from the regulator we installed is enough to allow the grill’s regulator to open up… and we haven’t had any problems as a result.
Hope this helps clear things up!
I have a quick connect tee off the water heater line toward the middle of my camper that I would like to use for a grill or stove. I’ve made all the connections, but obviously I’m suffering from the double-regulator issue. Wondering if I can modify the disposable tank connector on the Coleman stove for example to remove the regulator or if the only real option is as you all describe here.
Hi Dave. We’re not sure if you can modify your Coleman grill like that. Your best bet would be too Google to see if anyone has any info on your specific Coleman grill. We know the Weber Q grills can be modified that way… you can remove the regulator from the grill, allowing it to be connected to the low-pressure propane supply and operate correctly off the RV. Of course, doing that, will mean that you can’t use the grill with a portable tank without re-installing the regulator (or using some other connection that has a regulator built in).
If it’s not possible to remove the regulator from the Coleman grill (which we’d be surprised if that was true), you would have to do what we did and Tee in BEFORE the RV’s onboard regulator, so you can supply higher-pressure propane to the grill.
Hope this helps!
I did return and found stove would indeed light. I tried at different days and burned off the gas on different days and could always lite the stove and burn off the gas. It would take long to burn off. Winnebago is sending me valve even though one year warranty over. It’s been 1 1/2 years. What appalling to me that I mentioned this to Winnebago Aspect group on Facebook and no one cared. Said they always keep their valve open anyway. Did not matter even when I said if you smelled gas in your Motorhome then it’s too late if your valve will not close. I said why take a chance just check, it’s simple.
Thanks for the update, Gene. And glad to hear that Winnebago is replacing that valve, even though you’re out of warranty. It’s nice to know that companies are willing to stand behind their owners… especially in a situation like this that’s a safety issue. Can’t believe that other owners are so complacent about this. Propane’s not the kind of thing you want to fool around with… and we’d think more people would be concerned!
Hope the new valve solves the problem for you so you can rest easy knowing your propane is off when you want it to be!
I can’t return the Mr Heater quick release that I ordered through RVGEEKS from Amazon as returned expired on Feb 5th. I have reorders through RVGEEKS from Jejas Smokers the high pressure quick release. I attached the 15 PSI in front of the regulator per RVGEEKS and therefore a high pressure quick release is now required. An unfortunate costly mistake by earlier adaptors.
If you have a high pressure female quick connect then you need the high pressure male to mate with it. I have several sets of low pressure connectors as well. Will put then up at the next park yard sale. There are lots of RVs out there with low pressure connectors that can use them. The only reason I went with the high pressure connectors is because I am obsessive about these things and decided to eat the cost of the low pressure connectors I got from Amazon even though I knew low pressure connectors would work perfectly well. However once you decide to go with the high pressure connectors you are committed to them and they are not that easy to find. I did a lot of research and the only source was Jejas Smokers. Again, as near as I can tell, you can stay with the low pressure type as long as you are aware of the issue of not using a low pressure appliance with the mod.
hello again,
I have been using the hose set up for several months and it works great. But I have a question about the grill. I have a Weber Q100 grill, I have noticed that the flame height is barely different on the high and low setting on the regulator. It still gets hot enough to grill a thin steak or burgers. I do not remember if this was the case with the 1lb propane bottles or not. Checking on the web, I see there can be an issue if using a unregulated 20lb tank and converter hose. Is this an issues with grill regulator? Or is there something wrong with my setup? Thanks again for all the great tips and help.
Don
Hi Don. Glad the propane hookup is working for you! But sorry to hear you think there could be a problem with the Weber Q. To be honest, it’s been so long since we’ve run the Q on a 1-pound propane tank, we can’t recall whether there is a difference running it off the onboard one. We’ve seen that thread regarding the issue with the OPD on 20# tanks resulting in too low of flow from the tank to properly power the grill. But we’d doubt that was the problem in this situation, since the 15psi regulator installed near the grill should prevent the flow from being large enough to cause that specific problem with the onboard tank.
We’d suggest that if you think there’s a problem, the easiest solution might be to pick up one of the 1-pound propane canisters (if you don’t already have one on hand) and hook it up to the grill to see how it behaves. If you’re having the same problem with the canister as you do with the onboard propane, then you likely have a problem with the grill’s regulator or flow-control valve. You could try removing them (can be a challenge on the Qs) to clean them out with something like denatured alcohol… in case they’ve gotten gummed up from oil in the propane. If you DON’T have the problem (i.e. notice a difference in flame height or the grill gets hotter), then it’s something wrong with the flow from the onboard tank and would need some further troubleshooting to try to isolate the part(s) causing the trouble.
Hope this helps… and let us know what you determine if you go ahead and test with a propane canister.
I have noticed a reduce flame height as well but I can still achieve temperatures plenty hot for grilling. Depending on weather I can easily see temps close to 500 in my Weber Q 200. I attributed it to almost 30 feet of 1/4 inch inside diameter hose that the propane has to flow through. Although my mods are attached to a 40 pound upright cylinder, the cylinder configuration should have no effect. So far the mod has worked flawlessly, except for a failed regulator which was replaced. If you do this mod, be sure to use high pressure couplings, not the low pressure ones normally seen on RV OEM installations. At 15 psi this mod is considered high pressure to supply devices with built in regulators to reduce 15 psi to .5 psi. Using high pressure quick connects prevents a low pressure appliance from being used on a high pressure line in case you sell the RV with the mod installed. An disconnect mismatch will NOT flow propane. Anything over a half psi (0.5) would be considered high pressure.
After reading Casey comments ie low and high pressure connectors, I now see RVGEEKS have changed the connectors parts list to high pressure connections. Does this mean I need to change my connectors?
No. Probably not. Since you are the sole user of the mod you know that your mod can only be used with appliances that have regulators built into them. However if you decide to sell the RV or allow others to use it without your oversite, I would remove the mod prior to sale. If the new owners want the mod, then one needs to change the quick disconnects to high pressure models and explain the difference to the new owner. The quick disconnects look identical (except for the pressure rating engraved into the connector and are probably built with the same parts. There is a slight variation in the connectors that prevents the flow of propane if a low pressure male is used with a high pressure female or visa versa. Obviously this was done as a safey measure.
I like the RV Geek solution as it allows any high pressure appliance (those with regulators) to be used with the on board propane supply, where as the low pressure connections supplied by the RV manufacturers can only be used with low pressure appliances which typically don’t have regulators or have the regulators removed. Pretty well any propane appliance one can buy at any hardware or department store are high pressure devices with regulators and can be used with the mod. However trying to use a high pressure appliance with a typical factory RV low pressure quick connect (.5 psi) will result in little of no propane flow as the high pressure regulator requires much higher pressures to operate.
My attached BBQ does have a regulator so I do need to replace with high pressure quick disconnect?
Hi Gene,
As Casey said: No, you don’t NEED to replace it with the high pressure disconnect (our Weber Q is the same as yours and has been operating fine for the past 5 years with the exact low-pressure disconnect setup we outlined in our original post… we still have it in place and it hasn’t leaked, the grill operates fine, etc). We updated the parts we linked to after Casey pointed out that the quick disconnect we were using (and the one you have) is, technically, a low-pressure unit. The primary difference between the two disconnects is the shape of the male side of the pair. They are designed so that you cannot plug a low-pressure device (one without a regulator that was expecting to be supplied with 11″ water column (0.5psi) propane pressure) into a high-pressure supply, which could damage the low-pressure device. As long as you are aware of that, as Casey mentioned, you should be good to go. Your Weber Q IS a high-pressure device… it’s expecting high propane pressure right from a tank and has its own, built-in regulator designed to handle that.
But for re-sale purposes, he’s right… you’d want to remove that low-pressure quick connect and replace it with the proper high-pressure version so another owner wouldn’t accidentally plug in a device that couldn’t handle the (15psi) pressure and would be damaged by it. Keep in mind that pressure and flow aren’t the same thing… the low-pressure quick connect still has plenty of flow to supply the grill.
Sorry for any confusion.
Thanks to both you and Casey for the explanations. I was not aware of any of this and now I am.
Hi Gene,
In reading all this over, we want to clarify our understanding of the connections just a bit further. There are two types of propane-powered devices that get connected to RVs:
1) Low Pressure Devices, which means they do not have a built-in regulator, and therefore are not designed to receive a high-pressure supply from the RV. These can only be connected to the RV’s propane system downstream of the RV’s main regulator, which brings propane pressure all the way down to 11″ water column, which is about 0.5 PSI.
2) High Pressure Devices, which are designed to be connected directly to a propane tank. All propane tanks, whether they’re those little portable canisters, a 20-lb portable tank (think Blue Rhino) or the RV’s on board tank are “high pressure” putting out far more than 11″ water column.
If you were to connect a high-pressure device (one with its own regulator) to a low-pressure line (one already regulated to 11″ WC / 0.5 PSI), it would not get enough pressure to function properly, due to double regulation (not to be confused with our step-down 15 PSI regulator, which is still considered “high-pressure” and only exists to prevent oil build-up in the long hose).
If you were to connect a LOW-pressure device to HIGH-pressure propane (NO regulators), that could damage the device or cause it to burn too high, and therefore be a fire hazard.
The reason we switched the spec sheet on our post to include a high-pressure quick connect is for the reason Casey mentioned…. if you sell the rig to someone who owns a barbecue WITHOUT a regulator on it (a “low pressure” device), that already has a quick-connect on it, they could then connect their grill to our high-pressure line.
As far as we know and in our experience, the reason the quick-connects are labeled “high-pressure” or “low pressure” is to keep them incompatible with each other (via different-shaped ends), and not (again in our experience and as far as we know) because one is able to handle higher pressure than the other). We have been using the “low pressure” connection for years, and no leaks have ever occurred, and it works flawlessly with our Weber grill, which is of course a high-pressure device, since it has a regulator on it.
Despite the fact that we’ve been using our low-pressure quick-connects all this time with no problem, is it possible that they are built less robustly than high-pressure quick connects? (In other words, do they not only have different shaped ends to prevent them from being connected to a high-pressure connect, but are they also built to lower standards)? We’re not 100% sure, which is the other reason we switched the post to high-pressure connects… just as an added safety, just in case that’s true.
Keeping all this in mind, FLOW and PRESSURE are not the same thing. Both quick-connects (high and low pressure) should carry the same flow, and should have no effect on your ability to get proper heat from your grill.
Hope this all helps a bit.
Your reply makes perfect sense and I now feel like an erudite regarding propane low and high pressure quick connects and when and where to use them.
When I opened the connection just above the 15 psi regulator wouldn’t the regulator release all propane at once since not connected to BBQ?
Yes, it should, but we’re not sure exactly how the regulator works, and wondering if it might take a little time for it to release all of the high pressure that’s held behind it on the tank side, even after the tank is shut off. We’re probably just being over-cautious by recommending that you turn the valve off and wait a bit.
I have turned on RV stove and burned off the gas in the line. I will return in a few weeks and see if I can ignite the stove. If not then we will know the red 15 psi regulator take awhile to dissipate the propane and I don’t have a bad propane tank valve.
Perfect! Please let know how you make out, Gene.
The 15 psi regulator has propane gas in it at 15 psi. Since the appliance uses propane at a half psi, that is a fair amount of gas. I have found it takes several seconds to bleed all of the propane out of the regulator. Mine has a gauge on it and it the appliance can run a fair amount of time until the gauge hits zero. I suspect that the gas internal in the regulator is where the propane is coming from. Not saying the main valve isn’t leaking but this is one thing to consider.
If you close off the main valve, and run your stove until it goes out, there really shouldn’t be any more pressure in the system. If you do that, and a month, or a week, later you’re able to light the stove again at all, we’d get the valve checked by a professional propane person. Once that pressure is all off the system, a properly sealed-off tank shouldn’t let any more propane or pressure into the lines. Keep an eye on it. You’re way ahead of the game by being aware and vigilant.
I have everything connected and ready to go. There are no external gas leaks. I turned off the main propane valve and came back a month later and noticed there was gas in the line to the BBQ. I checked again after another month with the main valve still shut off and again a small amount of propane in the line. I have not turned on the propane for two month. Do I have a main propane valve problem?
Hi Gene! When you say they was gas in the line, do you mean you can turn on the grill and get it to run without turning on the main valve on the RV? Or when you turn the grill to the “on” position without first turning on the RV’s main valve, you smell some propane? Unless you’re actually getting enough to fire up the grill for more than a second or two, we’re not thinking you have a problem, since leaving everything hooked up would leave some propane in the line while you’re away. If there’s more to this that we’re understanding, please let us know.
I am checking at the cap just above the red 15 psi regulator. When I took off the cap it popped. I am assuming that cleared out the propane? I received my new propane lines and took the cap off again to install the line and again a pop.
Hmmm…. if it popped, and you re-capped it, and it popped again a little later, you may indeed have a leak. Are you also able to get the stove to light for several seconds without opening the valve on the main tank? Because if it’s leaking, some propane would also be going up into the main house system and potentially pressurizing it enough to light the stove. If you can actually light the stove with the main valve closed, then shut the stove off, then get the stove to light again a couple of hours later, you almost certainly have a leak. Here’s another way to check. Firmly shut off the propane. Then remove the hose just above the 15 PSI regulator, and cap it again… loosely… so that if any propane is flowing it will be able to squeeze past the loose-fitting cap. There should of course be no propane coming out around the cap, since the valve is closed. Mix a small amount of dish soap into a cup full of water, and very slowly pour that soapy water over the cap, being sure it runs down all sides. If there’s any propane leaking out from the main valve, it should blow clearly visible bubbles around the edge of the cap. One note…. since the 15 PSI regulator holds back much higher pressure propane, it’s POSSIBLE that it could bubble for a while even if there is no leak, as the last little bit of high-pressure propane moves through the regulator. But if you have the main shut-off closed for any period of time (like overnight) and the bubbles appear, it must be leaking.
Thank you, I will check per your suggestions. Without installing your connection, I would have never known.
Somehow my response ended up as a separate post.
Thanks so much for creating this video and providing links to the parts you used. I really appreciate the content and detail you provide in all of your videos as I am brand new to the RV world and have so much to learn. I plan to add this modification to my motor home within the next few weeks. I noticed that at 4:14 in the video you rotated the shut-off valve on the extended hose end to enable you to insert it through the hole just under your slide-out. Did you first shut off all flow from the propane tank or does the shut-off valve not open, regardless of the valve arm position, when not connected?
Hi Steve! Great to have you here with us as you begin your RVing adventure. One real beauty of those quick releases is that they shut off the flow of propane upon disconnection from the other side, which makes turning off the propane at the tank unnecessary. It’s a double shut-off… one with the valve that you can turn to 90 degrees, and one built inside the connection that prevents propane from flowing unless the two sides are connected together. It’s nice to have both, since we like to keep the grill connected for days or weeks at a time when we’re set up at a campsite, but don’t want to depend 100% on the grill’s on/off valve to stop the flow of propane. Whenever we’re done using the grill, we turn that valve 90 degrees as an additional safety for preventing accidentally having propane flow when we’re not using it (which can happen by accidentally rotating the grill’s control knob partially while putting the grill cover back on after dinner). We’ve done that more than once, and are glad we’re in the habit of flipping that additional valve, too. :)
I have ordered all the parts except the propane extension hose as I have those from a prior RV. Now I am wondering if I should buy new extension hoses as well has I noticed oily residue extruding from the ends. Any thoughts?
Hi Gene. Good question! We had this exact issue when we upgraded our propane system with the 15psi regulator at the tank end… our existing hoses still had oily residue in them. So we installed a propane fuel filter (like this one on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2DXEQfs) inline at the end of the hoses (between the hose and the quick release/shut-off valve at the grill end). Since the regulator was ensuring that no NEW oil was being created, the fuel filter caught any remaining oil from the hose. After about a year, we removed it and haven’t had any problems since.
We had contemplated using denatured alcohol to clean the residue out of the hoses… but because the openings in them are so small, we figured it would end up being a mess and wouldn’t guarantee that we’d gotten it all out. Plus, we were concerned that the alcohol might cause a problem with the hoses… resulting in them cracking/leaking… or could even be a fire hazard if we didn’t get it removed/evaporated out. So we went with the filter route since it was easier (and cheaper than new hoses).
Hope this helps!
Thank you for the excellent fix. Do you think the barbecue regulator is ok since I will be using the same one again? Is there a way to clean it?
If it’s working, we’d leave it alone. Before we installed the 15 PSI regulator at the tank, our grill regulator was once so clogged up that it wouldn’t work. So we removed it and thoroughly cleaned it with isopropyl alcohol, and then let it dry out for a while (alcohol evaporates quickly). If your grill works, we wouldn’t do a thing. Except make burgers that is. ;-)
Thanks for the advice and will leave alone.
Went back to one of your earlier posts regarding running the BBQ from the onboard propane tank…and am planning to do this conversion this week or so…we have a lot of propane capacity…our 2015 Newmar has a 35 gal tank that only supplies the cook top!? three years out and the propane tank is still 1/2 full!? Coach heat and hot water is all via the Oasis system…one question I have after looking at your detailed instructions is this…can I also use this setup to provide propane to a portable gas fire pit…is 15 psi adequate for that function?? Thanks for your insight!
Happy New Year…have a GR8 2018!!
LOL, Harold! 3 years on half a tank of propane? That’s awesome! What a hardy resource propane is! ;) And it’s always nice to hear from fellow Newmar owners!
As far as the portable gas fire pit, the 15psi SHOULD be enough pressure, but we’d recommend that you check with the manufacturer first to be sure that the fire pit’s regulator doesn’t require a higher input pressure to activate it (if it does, you won’t get any flow). But the other thing to consider is what the BTU output of the fire pit is… if it’s high enough, it may require more FLOW of propane than this setup can provide (it’s not just the 15PSI regulator that would be at issue here, but the size of the openings through all of the connections, since they could restrict the flow to being lower than what the fire pit needs). Of course, if it can’t provide enough flow… the fire put would just have smaller flame (and less heat) than it normally would. So if you never run it full-blast, you may be OK.
Hope this helps!
Hi, intresting video and write up. This is about what I want for my pop up. Im so tired of those 1lb bottles, the cost and waste. I want to do something like this to run my portable grill off my camper’s 20lb tank. I think your set up can be changed some to make that work.
Hi Michael! Thanks for the comment. Nice to hear that this might help you brainstorm a similar setup for your rig. :)
I am planning on doing the propane line mod for my Weber Q to run off one of my 10 Gallon removeble propane tanks on our 2008 Kountry Aire fifth wheel. Just gives me one less thing to carry. You mentioned that the 15 psi regulator will prevent that oily buildup in the hoses that one sees from time to time. Since you did this mod a year ago, have you found the additional regulator has in fact prevented the oil from forming in the lines? Really like your videos by the way. And thanks for the parts list on this project. Made it really easy.
Thanks so much for the nice comments and great follow-up question, Casey. We have not had a single repeat of the oil-in-the-propane-line situation since we installed the 15 PSI regulator about 18 months ago.
I put the extend a stay T fitting in place and it had several leaks. I took it out and put it back together like the factory had it and no leaks. So I tried yellow tape (in the correct direction) on both ends, still leaks. Tried again without tape, still leaks. Made the connections super tight on each end, still leaks. I ran the stove until the flame went out on each try to ensure there still wasn’t pressure in the line between tests. I am using a combustable gas sniffer, pretty reliable. Is there some kind of secret to getting this T adapter to not leak?
Hi Chris. We installed our tee years ago without a problem, and have been using it ever since with no issues. So we can’t speak to any “secret” since ours just worked and has never leaked. We’re only guessing, but it sounds like it’s possible you got a bad one, as no special steps should be needed to prevent it from leaking. Might try exchanging it to see if a replacement solves the problem.
Thanks for the reply.
I went to Camping World today and bought the Mr. Heater version of the T Valve. Will try that and see how it works out.
Your videos have been a indispensable resource for fixing, improving, and maintaining my RV.
The video’s regarding generator maintenance are particularly valuable.
One painful part of full time RV’ing is finding trustworthy and reliable mechanics to handle the big jobs.
Since you folks have been doing this a while, maybe you could create some content around specific shops (mobile or otherwise) that you have done business with and had favorable results. Or perhaps, without naming names, a general guide to choosing the right shop and how to avoid bad ones. Lot’s of folks including myself have gotten ripped off, swindled, and/or burned by not seeing some warning signs experienced RV’ers have learned to identify.
Thank you.
Hope you make out okay with the Mr. Heater version of the tee, Chris. Glad to hear our videos have been helpful. Thanks for letting us know.
As far as expertise regarding how to find a good shop, we might be the wrong ones to ask about that, since we do so much of our own repairs and maintenance. The primary thing we use shops for is chassis stuff, and we only have a few places we’ve used, the primary one being Cummins Coach Care. They’re diesel shops that can handle both our engine & chassis, and also our generator (only needed them for a genset no-start problem once…. as we have done EVERY routine maintenance on our own Onan since day one).
If you’re a mostly-west-coaster, like us, (and have a diesel) we’ve had a lot of great work done over the years at Massey Diesel in Phoenix. We also had one very good experience at Brazzles RV Performance in Centralia, Oregon, which was recommended by friends… who also recommend Redlands Truck & RV Performance Center in Redlands, Calif, although we’ve never been there ourselves. Our friends have a Class A gas rig, so both Brazzles & Redlands are obviously more than diesel shops.
One other resource that can be of some use is http://www.rvservicereviews.com which we’ve referred to a few times. It’s not the be-all-end-all of finding a shop, but it can help.
Most excellent. Thank you.
Oops……I just read through some posts from last year on this subject. Looks like I may be ok without removing the regulator on the grill. I’ll try it and see if it works.
Thanks….
Randy
You should be, Randy. Did you receive our reply to your earlier comment? Should be okay.
My portable grill has the on/off valve built into the pressure regulator. Doesn’t the regulator need to be removed since the tanks on my RV are already regulated? If I remove this piece does the quick connector with shutoff valve replace the old assembly and allow me to regulate my heat/flame?
Thanks……
Randy
Hi Randy! Our portable grill has the same set-up yours does, with the on/off control and the regulator being one unit. But it doesn’t need to be removed because we’re teeing off our on-board propane tank upstream of the RV’s regulator (which is high-pressure right from the tank). The red 15 PSI regulator we added to the line is still much higher pressure than the grill uses, so therefore plenty of pressure to get over to the other side of the RV, and still in need of being regulated down to grill pressure. It of course does that, since it’s got it’s own regulator built in. It works great.
Now we did originally try adding a different regulator in the line before we settled on the 15 PSI unit. That first attempt used the same type of 11″ water column unit that’s built onto the grill (which, as we mentioned, equals about 0.4 PSI). That unit, when combined with the one already in place on the grill was too low for the grill to operate (double regulation). The trick is to not use two 11″ water column regulators in the same line, but rather to step down to 15 PSI for the long run across to the other side of the RV (to prevent oily build-up), and then to step the rest of the way down to the final pressure with the grill’s own regulator. Hope this is all clear!
Hi. I just received all my parts. One question, I did buy the yellow tape but wondering the best way to check for leaks with all those connections.
I only ordered the 12 ft hose and just realized I may be grilling very close to the coach. I’ll have to order another hose. Thanks for putting this article together
Hey Don! The way we check for leaks is to mix up a small amount of dish soap into a plastic cup full of water, then pour the soapy water slowly over each and every connection, of course while the propane is turned on and the line under pressure. If there’s even the slightest leak, it will blow bubbles! You don’t need much solution to do the job, but if you run out, you can just mix up another cup. If you find a spot that you think is blowing bubbles, pour some more over to check. A couple of bubbles on the surface that just sit there isn’t a leak. If it’s leaking, you’ll know it! It either blows one or two big bubbles, or a bunch of little ones that foam up.
Hello, I needed to make a couple of mods, after hooking up the regulator, I couldn’t leave the 20′ extension hose connected because it ran in to the slide out gears. I added a 90 degree elbow I found at Lowes, and then I bought Mr. Heater part# F273755, which is a 1/4″ male to the 1-20 throw away threads. This part has the check valve, so now I can leave the regulator and fittings connected to the main propane tank and just screw on the hose. The female to male 1-20 in your article didn’t have a check valve, so I could not
leave it attached. Some day, I will make a more permanent situation like yours and run the hose through the coach. We have a gas coach, so a bit harder to run the propane hose over the driveshaft and exhaust.
Once again thank you for all your articles and help. We will be full timing it next year, and will have plenty of propane for the grill.
Don
Hey Don! Glad to hear that you pieced together a system that works for you! There’s no ONE way to do this, as each RV likely has a different setup (as evidenced by the fact that your gas coach is much harder to route the hose across the driveline & exhaust than our diesel pusher). One thing you may want to consider is putting a shutoff valve after the 15psi regulator (you could use the same one we used all the way at the far end of our setup, or something like it: High Pressure Female Quick Connect w/Shutoff and the High Pressure Male Quick Connect ). While the Mr. Heater valve you show does, indeed, have a check valve… we’re not sure we’d want to rely on that as your means of shutting off the propane when the grill’s not connected. Just an extra safety check, that’s all.
Good luck in your preparations for going full-time! It’s an exciting part of the journey!
Do you keep the propane line connected to the extend – a – stay all the time?
Hi Gene. We’ve had the propane line leading from the Extend-a-Stay to the grill connected for years…. 24/7/365 with no problem. The incoming propane line from an external tank we only connect if we’re spending a long period in one spot during the winter in a northern climate. Of course the Extend-a-Stay itself is permanently installed in the system, and stays in place at all times.
Can you verify this is the correct item as I we directed to Amazon from your listing. It appears this is terminator from the picture.
1″-20 Male Throwaway Cylinder thread x 1/4″ Female Pipe Thread Fitting
Hi Gene,
Yes… all those links are to Amazon (we are affiliates… using those links helps support our channel, but doesn’t cost you any extra), so if you clicked on the 1″-20 Male Throwaway Cylinder thread link in the post, that’s the correct item (here’s the link again, if you need it: http://amzn.to/2GJ8lCP ).
I was curious on the Male adaptor as the picture shows it closed at the end. The female adaptor looks fine.
Hi Gene. All of the parts listed are exactly what we used… so if a picture looks wrong, the part should still be correct. Not sure which “Male adapter” you mean… as this whole setup is a conglomeration of adapters! LOL!
Ok, thanks!
For your information it was the Throwaway Propane Cylinder Adapter, 1-In. -20 Male x 1/4-In.
You guys are unbelievable! Resonding on Sunday.
Thanks, I’ll do what you suggest. If it doesn’t work I’ll let you know