LP Tanks

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

General consensus-

In a new custom 5th wheel build, what size tanks would you do-

2- 40# tanks?

3- 30# tanks?

4-20# tanks?

 

The 40's are heavy to lift. The 20's can be exchanged just about anywhere but would need 3 transfer valves set up.

LP would primarily be for the water heater, Truma or equal on demand style and possible an LP genset.

[MrSeas]

I like the 20's. I would do two to run the genny and the other two to fuel the water heater and other appliances. The 20's are easier to handle and are available just about anywhere. I will probably do something like this on my "last" rig.

[gg923]

I have 2 40's but I keep them about 1/2 full or less (to reduce pin weight & overall weight) until cold weather hits. The answer to your question would depend on how your rig is setup and what type of Rving you do ( Parks vs Boondocking). We always stay in parks and our rig has a heat pumps, residential fridge, elecric/gas HWH& Convection Microwave so we typically use very little propane --- that is until the really cold weather hits -- then it is nice to have the 40's so I don't have to run get gas every few days. The heatpumps are good down to about 32 or so but have to use the furnace after that.

 

The high today was 31 with 20 at night so we are somewhat forced to run the furnace some to keep the basement heated otherwise we could just use the vornado and fireplace.

[D&J]

I would go with 30s, 20s just don't have the capacity and I think 40s are to heavy. I've never had as problem getting tanks filled.

 

Denny

[I'mdonewiththis forum]

The only 'problem' with the 20's is that any exchange site only has 15 pounds in a twenty pound bottle and they are charging you at a minimum $4.25/gallon closer to $5 a gallon.

[Kevin H]

I would go with 30s, 20s just don't have the capacity and I think 40s are to heavy. I've never had as problem getting tanks filled.

 

Denny

X2 - That's what we have and it works very well for us.

[rynosback]

I would go with the 30 lbs over the 20lbs also.

[Randyretired]

We have used 20, 30 and 40 pound bottles. I prefer the 30's but currently have 40's. I like not having to deal with them as often but the 40's get a bit heavy for my taste. I would go as big as I can reasonably handle and for me that is 30 for now.

[VallAndMo]

Howdy,

 

We aren't into custom building (yet), but noticed that many (most?) 5thWheels we've been seeing have 2x30 LPG tanks. So, if we were spec'ing a custom, that's probably what we would do, too.

 

Cheers,

--

Vall.

[GlennWest]

No propane tank is filled up. They leave room for expansion. Getting tanks filled is a problem when one works. I really like the 4 20 pd bottles. Get them anywhere. 2 20 pd bottles are taller than 1 40 pd. Won't fit in my Teton.

[lappir]

In my old Weekend Warrior there were three 20's , but it was a pain to shuffle them around to remove the empty one. (when it happened). Current trailer has two 40's, but they are not vertical, they lie down and some places have had difficulties filling them. They are heavy when filled but that's not the problem. It's the location of the door for the compartment that makes changing difficult. Thankfully I don't have to use a lot of propane so change one maybe once a year.

 

Rod

[Big Greg]

I like the 30 pound tanks. 40s are just too heavy and 20s too small. We have never had a problem

getting the tanks filled anywhere we travel. We winter on the Gulf coast of AL and I fill on average

3 tanks a year using LP for cooking and the furnace. We use the heat pumps more than the furnace. The tanks are beside each other so I can get either one out without the other tank in the way. Greg

 

It cost $19.10 earlier this month to get a tank filled at a local gas station here

in Gulf Shores, AL. The auto switch over has never failed.

[Kirk W]

Propane tanks are filled to 80% of capacity, when considered to be full. The space in them is left both to allow for temperature expansion and for the liquid to vaporize before it leaves the bottle as a gas.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

No propane tank is filled up. They leave room for expansion. Getting tanks filled is a problem when one works. I really like the 4 20 pd bottles. Get them anywhere. 2 20 pd bottles are taller than 1 40 pd. Won't fit in my Teton.

I can have room for the height if I say what I want from the beginning. Having 4-20# would be more complicated, but easier to manage refills. You can go anywhere and get an exchange. Might not be 4.7 gallons, but convenience costs.

Hot water- Truma, and a furnace would be the main draw for LP. We're thinking about heated floors and an induction cooktop for cooking. Still, haven't decided about a Genset. If the battery bank and solar is built during the build cycle and is sized appropriately, it should take care of all needs minus the heating.

 

I had a 40# tank filled Saturday here at the park we're in instead of going out and finding a Tractor Supply or other fill station. Convenience cost me $38 flat rate per bottle. No weighing... bottle was filled until it started venting.

[Lou Schneider]

No propane tank is filled up. They leave room for expansion. Getting tanks filled is a problem when one works. I really like the 4 20 pd bottles. Get them anywhere. 2 20 pd bottles are taller than 1 40 pd. Won't fit in my Teton.

 

But note that a 40 lb. bottle holds 40 lbs. of propane at the 80% full point that allows for expansion. A 20 lb. tank holds 20 lbs., etc.

 

The exchange places are selling the tanks less than full - 15 lbs. of propane in a 20 lb. bottle is common. You're getting 3.5 gallons of propane, not the 4.7 gallons in a properly filled bottle.

[Pat & Pete]

 

But note that a 40 lb. bottle holds 40 lbs. of propane at the 80% full point that allows for expansion. A 20 lb. tank holds 20 lbs., etc.

 

The exchange places are selling the tanks less than full - 15 lbs. of propane in a 20 lb. bottle is common. You're getting 3.5 gallons of propane, not the 4.7 gallons in a properly filled bottle.

 

Been that way for a long , long time . Should be common knowledge by now .

[Dennis M]

I would go with 30s, 20s just don't have the capacity and I think 40s are to heavy. I've never had as problem getting tanks filled.

 

Denny

 

 

X 3 or 4 (lost count). Actually at my age the 30's are getting a bit heavy!

 

We spent close to a week in sub-zero temps a couple of years ago in Denver. Ran both furnaces (we have a cold weather package) at 65 degrees 24 hours a day (too hot at night, but wanted to keep the belly warm). We have 2 30's and I was filling one every 2nd or 3rd day, fortunately not to far from Cherry Creek.

[gjhunter01]

I carry 4-30# bottles, 2 in the camper and 2 in the dually bed. The 2 in the dually bed fit nicely wedged between the fender well and fifth wheel hitch and I use straps to pin them down to the rails. A bottle will last me 10 months, so I can go 3 years between fill ups, which I realize is way over kill. I thought about getting rid of the 2 extra bottles, but they fit so nice there and I'm not sure what else I could use the space for.

We use elec for everything except the stove which is gas.

 

Greg

[Grawe]

Definitely depends on your need and possibly by the season. We run the 2 factory 40s all summer and keep a 20 in the basement for an emergency/unplanned exchange. Then in the winter, being in the northern tier, we run two 100 pounders. Filling that quantity it is benificial for me to drive in town to an LP dealer as opposed to Loves or Flying J. Our summer configuration runs for months without refill (even though we grill alot) but in the winter, we can go through 200 pounds in as quick as a few weeks, temp dependent.

[TXiceman]

I would go with the four 20# tanks. Put two in parallel and then use a transfer valve for the other two in parallel. When you empty two, the 20# tanks are easier to remove and replace.

 

Ken

[nana25k]

Our 5th wheel had 2 30lb and it was fine. With auto switch we would just run the empty to be filled at a reasonable cost.

The MH has 1 40lb

 

We have camped in cold weather with both units. Never an issue

[GlennWest]

Two 40# is all I have ever had. They are heavy and hated them in the drv. Hard to get to rear bottle. They just plain heavy and troublesome for one that works during the day

[richfaa]

Both our 5th wheels came OEM with 2 30 lb propane tanks ( 7.25 gallons of propane) we stay in warm/ mild climate year round and under normal conditions might use 4 or 5 tanks a year there have been exceptions. We are on our 3rd tank for 2016 as it has been unusually warm here in Central Florida thus far this winter.

 

Of course the A/C's run on electric and we use the A/C a lot. We run the hot water tank, fridge on Electric most of the time. Our total utility bill Electric and water for November was 130.00 and the A/C's ran most of every day.. We did not fill a propane tank in November.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Our current Carrilite has 2 40# tanks, that while heavy are easy to change out. But if we're going to change rigs to another brand that could be built to accommodate what I would like, then I'm going to try and build my last home.

4-20's sounds like it's easy and some manufacturers already do this.

[oscarvan]

Have had 2x30's in the last two RV's, 20's before that. Never went to the arctic, so 60 pounds lasts a long time. Wouldn't want to lift a 40 up there on a regular basis.

 

New MH has 80 built in..... So far so good. Lasts a long(er) time and I don't have to lift it.