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Connecting 1lb propane tank to Westy stove
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MarkWard
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 4:19 pm    Post subject: Connecting 1lb propane tank to Westy stove Reply with quote

I did a search and came across this link. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=204063

I don't see where someone completely answered the question. So I will ask again. My stock propane tank is off for refurbish. I am planning a trip in the next two weeks and would like to connect the small propane bottle to my stove. I would need a small tank regulator, some hose and a way to tie in to the stove. Not sure of the threads, but there is a copper tube with a flare that connects to the stove. I'd like to disconnect it for now and connect my portable bottle.

I have checked northern and camping world. Nothing I can find. Some actual pictures and where to buy the parts would be appreciated. I did a search it came back with 1500 plus hits. Most were not even related to connecting a stove. Thank you
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nathan@el
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 5:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am wanting to do the exact same thing, but am also slightly confused as to how to do this effectively and safely (don't want to blow anyone up). If anyone has done this before, I agree that a parts list and photos of the entire setup would be extremely valuable for whole Westy community here.
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Victoiagon
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 7:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

have a look at this thread
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=166046&highlight=
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izzydog
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 1:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm assuming that a small propane bottle would have to be plumbed in front of the regulator. There's only about 3 lbs of pressure after the regulator so the small bottles must require a regulator. Why bother with a separate regulator when you can use the one you've got? The rest of the fittings can be gotten from any propane place. I would have a short hose made up so the small bottle can lie on the ground next to the van.

Jeff
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bucko
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 4:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I did it (converted the stove to the 1 lb. containers). I went to one of those huge recreational stores (Bass Pro Shop or Cabellas) and went to their camping section. They have an upright floor display with dozens of brass adaptors, along with low pressure regulators (the one I got is intended to run a BBQ grill off of a small 1 lb. container when the large tank is empty). I bought this and the required small adaptors and tapped into my gas line. I can even run the stove on it, and so far I've been able to run the stove for 3 days with propane still in the small bottle. If the stock tank held around 3 lbs. of propane and lasts a several weeks, the 1 lb. deals should also go for at least a week or so.

Since my Vanagon was originally being used in Germany, a previous owner had removed the under frame propane tank, and left the copper line basically dangling under the sink cabinet (I was told the German inspections are very tight on rusty propane tanks under a vehicles frame!). Easy to buy the fittings, so you only need the low pressure regulator (built into the 1 lb. screw on adaptor).
The 1 lb. containers are easy to buy, and can even be refilled (I bought an adaptor that lets them get refilled from the large propane tanks I use for the gas BBQ grill at the same place I bought the other adaptors).

No worries about the stock unit rusting out, buying an expensive replacement, or getting it filled at a place that may not have the fitting to do so.
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MarkWard
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the replies. My intention was to have the small bottle in the cabinet under the sink not under the van. I could tie in my 20lb bbq tank, but did not want to lug it with me. A camp stove regulator for the 1lb cans would be fine. I just can't seem to find camp stove parts and don't know the actual threads etc. I will look at bass pro to see what they have.
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nathan@el
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 11:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the helpful reply bucko. I have the exact same set-up as rsxsr. I don't have the large tank under the van, and both of my propane lines are cut off under the sink. I will have to check out the shops you mentioned. Sounds like it's pretty easy to do.
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nathan@el
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 11:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

okay, I have one more question for you bucko. How to you attach the adaptor to the gas lines in the van? Do you use a rubber hose or something, or is there a way to screw the adaptor right into the van's propane line. I was looking at some of the adaptors online that you mentioned, and I can't understand how exactly it would attach solidly to the propane lines.
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bucko
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 12:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

nathan@el wrote:
okay, I have one more question for you bucko. How to you attach the adaptor to the gas lines in the van? Do you use a rubber hose or something, or is there a way to screw the adaptor right into the van's propane line. I was looking at some of the adaptors online that you mentioned, and I can't understand how exactly it would attach solidly to the propane lines.


My first attempt was to use a rubber hose and clamps that I had attached to a "replacement Colman stove" regulator for the one pound cylinders. This worked, but I was not happy with it; I'm a perfectionist, and I wanted it to look perfect. This is when I found the one pound cylinder regulator adaptor that was designed to be used to connect to a large BBQ grill at the Cabellas (I've also seen them at Bass pro Shops). This setup allows you to connect a one pound cylinder to a large BBQ grill if you ran out of propane in the large cylinder normally used for the BBQ grill. I studied it at this store for several minutes; it attracted the attention of an older employee, who must have thought I was going to shoplift the part. I explained what I was intending to do, and he told me to head over (with the part) to a local ACE hardware store.
At the ACE store, they removed the threaded piece that was to attach to the large BBQ grill gas connector, and they added a brass connector that allowed the pice to connect to the brass gas lines under the sink of the Westy (using a typical brass sleave that slides over the gas line, and a compression fitting).

I promise to post a picture of it here just as soon as I pick up the vanagon from VW; they told me it will be ready by Thursday afternoon.
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MarkWard
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 12:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Your are lucky. Home Depot and Lowes have driven the mom and pop hardware stores out of business here. I can order the adapter you mention from Northern, but I still need some sort of regulator to reduce the pressure down. You'd think with the internet I could find replacement camp stove regulators. I'll keep checking back.
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 4:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the great, detailed description bucko. This is starting to make more sense to me. You're lucky that you have a helpful hardware store. I have an Ace hardware only a few blocks from me, but all the employees seem to be very unknowledgable and not very helpful either. If I tried to get them to do what you got done to your fitting, they would probably just stare at me like I was crazy. Also, you would think that living in the LA area with only, gee, around 9 million people here, there would be a Bass Pro or a Cabalas around. Of course, there isn't! I'll have to figure out where to buy the regulator, probably online.
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Lanval
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 4:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nathan@el,

You might give a call to Praxair - they're one the way back from Nyscoe, on Edinger. They're a BIG gas place, but I'll bet they can either help us, or direct us.

I'm going to ask Brad if he recommends a gas place, but if he doesn't, I'll hit Praxair on the way back, and see what they say about the gas setup. Like I said, either they'll work on it, or likely know who will.

Best,

Lanval
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airkooledchris
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 9:43 am    Post subject: would this work? Reply with quote

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.



Wouldn't this work to connect to both your existing propane hookup on the back of the stove unit, and then to the small propane bottles?

It is described as this:

"Low Pressure Regulator Assembly consists of a POL fitting, low pressure PRESET regulator (which reduces the tank pressure to about 6 ounces, 10.5 " WC), and a five foot, 3/8" ID UL approved AGA hose with swivel connection."
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bucko
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 10:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The low pressure regulator may work, but you'll still need a trip to the Cabelas or Bass pro Shop store to get the adaptor that allows the 1 pound cylinders to work. As you may know, the one pound "disposable" cylinders sold at the camp or sporting good stores screw into the devices that use them. I found an adaptor that allows these one pound cylinders to be used on a BBQ grill (in the event you run out of propane, these 1 pound cylinders can be used to provide gas to an outdoor BBQ grill).

I found this adaptor at the camping section of a Cabelas store. You can also get an adaptor that allows you to REFILL the 1 pound cylinders from the large propane tanks that you'd use for your outdoor grill. I have this too, and it works great.

So, my fridge and stove work off of the one pound cylinders, eliminating the 3 pound under frame tank.
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airkooledchris
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 11:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cabela's has the 1 lb refiller connection:
refiller
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.



as well as the Disposable Propane Adapter:
adapter
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


then get a Low Pressure Regulator Assembly and your all set.
does this sound about right?

btw, the link for the above low pressure regulator I posted above is:
http://www.tejassmokers.com/gasregulators.htm

If we can get a parts list together with links to where these things can be had, we can finally sticky one of these posts instead of directing everyone to search through dozens of half-answered posts in the past on the subject.
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bucko
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 5:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tadaaaaa. That's it! Thanks for posting the pics, as I was not going to be able to do until the end of the month (I'm away on a business trip).

I also installed a simple "manifold" setup that is attached to the above pictured setup. The one pound cylinders hose is connected to the manifold input. There are 4 threaded output holes; two I blocked off with brass threaded bolts, and the other two I used to connect the fride and stove gas line to. Any decent hardware store will have the copper line couplers needed to do this, along with a simple manifold. The manifold I have even has a red twist valve for each of the outputs, so I can turn off gas flow to either the stove or fridge (or both).
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 9:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK, if you want to run your Westfalia stove off of 1lb propane bottles, you will need:

1. Propane babecue grill hose, with a 3/8'' Female Flare on one end to connect to the Westfalia grill, a standard pipe thread won't connect properly.
The other end of the grill hose would likely be just a standard 3/8'' pipe thread.

2. Disposable bottle connector

3. Low Pressure regulator. You can buy a new one, or just pull the stock one of of your existing tank, if its working, it works fine with this setup.


The hose connects to the westy stove, which connects to the low pressure regulator which connects to the disposable bottle connection which of course connects to the disposable bottle itself.

It cost be about $20 in parts since I was able to re-use my own low pressure regulator and all the parts can be gotten at any basic hardware store, including Ace small town style stores.
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 9:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was able to that for about the same cost, INCLUDING the manifold setup I have, which allows the 1 pound propane cylinder to fuel both the stove AND the fridge.

I'll post this picture when I get home (28th of September).
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 2:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nathan@el (and others interested),

I noted today at the local Ace hardware that they sell everything you need to do this ~ low pressure regulators were around $15, high pressure, $30. They had various fittings, and hoses for LP gas, etc. Cutting tools available, didn't see flare tools, but I'll bet they have them.

I'm going to take my system to El Toro RV (Sand Canyon and I-5) where they also have everything (for more money) but do work on propane systems. Not being a propane guy, I'm willing to pay a little extra to have someone who (probably) knows what they're doing, and who (almost certainly) has insurance should anything go wrong.

I'll check back in afterwards for pix and update.

Best,

Lanval
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 3:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So, over the past couple of days I was accumulating parts in order to attach 1lb propane bottles to my stove and fridge. I got the low pressure regulator with a hose and female flare, and 1lb bottle adaptor, and finally yesterday some female to female connection pieces at my local ACE hardware in order to connect everything to the gas lines. I also had to buy a pipe cutter and a flare tool in order to get everything set up, which was a little pricy, but definitely worth it in the end. Lanval came along with me to ACE and helped me out with the setup as well.

Everything came out really well in the end, and I'm impressed with the look of the whole setup. It looks pretty professional and not like something that was jury-rigged together, which is nice. The stove works perfectly, although I haven't been able to get the fridge to light yet. I know it's getting gas though because I will get a flame once in a while for about 1 second.

The only problem I've been having so far is when disconnecting the 1lb propane bottle from the adapter, some amount of propane seems to explode out of the system for a second, which is disconcerting. Is this a normal occurance when disconnecting these bottles from a system like this? I imagine that the low pressure regulator might have something to do with it, but I'm not sure. I was hoping someone else might have some insight here.

I'm going to get some pictures up of the whole thing later this afternoon...
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