Looking for a LP quick connect extension hose

We have a factory installed LP quick connect on the side of our 3124KB. We purchased a Weber Q200 for grilling, but we would prefer to not carry an additional LP tank for this. I have searched all over the place for an extension hose that has an LP quick connect male end on one end, and a male throwaway cylinder adapter on the other end, with no luck. Has anyone found one of these, or do I need to get the pieces to build my own.

It's not that easy, but that shouldn't come as a surprise. The Weber grill has a regulator built in. The propane that is in the TM system is regulated at the propane bottles. Not good. I gave up trying to figure it out and bought a small (5 lb) propane cylinder and a readily available hose to connect it to the Weber. Works like a charm, and an added benefit is not having a extension hose stretched from the TM to the BBQ to trip over.

Thank you for the insight, I am fairly prone to trip over the hose and dump a grill full of steaks on the ground. It might be kind of nice to have the mobility that a separate canister would provide, but I was hoping to avoid that. I guess I kind of figured that was the purpose of the LP quick connect on the outside of the TM. I don't necessarily want to modify the Weber, but I wonder if I have any other options to leverage my TM LP tanks?

[ShrimpBurrito]

I struggled over finding a good grill setup for awhile, first trying to do what you want in not carrying an extra tank. I have a Weber Baby Q. I did not want to carry a zillion disposable propane bottles, not only for safety sake, but also because they are pricey and not environmentally friendly.

Next I investigated tying into the house propane line. As Scott pointed out, you need high pressure LP at the grill, and there is only low pressure on the TM after the regulator. So here, the options were:

1) remove the regulator from the Weber, and hope the low pressure from the TM was a good match for the grill without the regulator. Maybe it would work, maybe not. And then I would permanently loose the ability to use a disposable cylinder on the grill, which I might do if we did a day trip to a park, beach, etc.

2) tie into the TM propane line BEFORE the regulator. This requires a tee-adapter: 2 sides of the tee on male Acme threads, and 1 side has a female nut. You will not find such a beast commercially, so you have to make one yourself, and the parts are not cheap at $75. Using this method, I still have to use a long hose to get to the grill AND even then, I still will be relatively close to the TM.

I did neither of those options. Didn't want to mess with #1, and didn't do #2 because a) I didn't want to trip over a propane line, which might ruin dinner AND start a fire; and b) I didn't want to be forced to cook near the TM. Lots of times, like last weekend, the picnic table and fire ring was a good 100 feet from the TM, and that's where I wanted to be. Wouldn't have been possible.

Ultimately, I bought a 4.25 lb portable propane tank, and stainless carrier for it, and had 2 bars of steel welded under the TM tongue to hold the tank. Works like a charm, and I could not be happier.

I also made the Acme nut tee I described above, so I can now use my portable propane stove and grill at the same time. Perfect setup, and I wouldn't do it any differently if I did it all over.

Pics are attached.

You can read more about carrying a portable propane tank here:
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=7935

Dave

Thanks Dave, that was a fantastic response. I may just have to opt for carrying another bottle. Based on some of the other posts I have seen of yours, you seem like you are pretty crafty, and if you didn't find a good way to make that work, there may not be one. I wonder what people use the LP quick connect for on the outside of the TM? I have quite a bit of room left in my rear storage area under the king bed, would it be legal for my to carry the small LP bottle in there, or do I have to mount it to the exterior of my trailer? BTW - Dave and Scott, How much grilling time do you get out of the smaller LP bottle?

Jeffrey

The low pressure quick connect on the TM is there to connect a low pressure grill or stove top made specifically for Low pressure. Personally, I am not a big fan of running a grill right next to the TM. If you cook steaks or hamburgers you get grease on the TM or awning. You can Tee off the TM system next to the tanks (High Press side) as Dave mentioned, but then you are stuck cooking up by the hitch. I use and prefer the same system as Dave. A small tank with Tee's. I can run the stove top, grill and a lantern if necessary and have them at my picnic table no matter where on the site it is. Depending on use, a 2.5 gall tank lasts me about 8-10 days of normal use.

[ShrimpBurrito]

Glad to help, Jeffrey. I think you will find lots of crafty people on this forum, and everyone is very helpful.

You could also just buy a low pressure grill. The one TM sells with their "anniversary edition" is presumably low pressure, and can be used with your low pressure tee. Here's an example of a different one sold retail:

http://www.rvqgrill.com/

But I seriously doubt it will be Weber Q quality.

I personally would not store any significant amount (say more than a 1-lb disposable) in the TM. Even that is a bit risky, as the valves on the disposables are cheap. I have had them leak before. And while the valve on a 5-lb tank is way more robust, you still have a heat problem: in my experience, temps inside the TM are routinely at least 10-15 degrees higher than ambient temp when folded in my driveway, and it only gets sun in the morning. That means when it's 85 outside, it's 100 inside. But imagine a 90 degree day when you park your TM in a parking lot where it gets and entire day in full sun. When any gas gets warmer, it expands, and when it runs out of room in the tank, the relief valve will open. Not a good scene.

Plus, you MUST store a portable 5-lb tank in the upright position. If it lays on its side, the liquid phase of the propane blocks the relief valve, preventing its function. So instead of a release of propane when it gets too hot, your TM AND you TV blow to bits. So you'd have to secure it somehow to prevent it from falling over. Not a big deal, I suppose, but still a consideration.

This is why I spent about $150 on a solution to mount the tank outside.

Note that there are 2 major propane tank manufacturers in the U.S.: Worthington and Manchester. Manchester makes a 5-lb version that is simply a mini-version of the all popular 20-lb BBQ tank, which is what is on the front of the TM. Worthington makes a 4.25 lb tank, which is what I have, that has a uniform circumference top to bottom. Unlike the Manchester tank, which has a bottom narrower than the mid-section, the Worthington tank is much less easy to tip over. It is very stable. And with the tank holder I have, more of the tank is gripped as well. The Worthington tanks are much more difficult to find.

Here's a picture that compares the two tanks. Worthington on the left, Manchester on the right.



The fat disposable cylinders are 1-lb, and the portable tanks we are discussing hold 4x-5x that (depending on which one you buy). Obviously, YMMV, but on any given weekend, we use the stove on that tank maybe for 3 meals and the grill for 3 meals, and I am guessing I can go probably 4-5 weekends between fills. Point being: it lasts awhile, and it only costs me about $5 to fill.

Dave

[Wavery]

I have the same small propane bottle that Dave has. I just keep it in a box, in the back of the truck. That way we can put it on the picnic table or anywhere else we want it. We have a 10' extension hose and have never found a need for a tee.

I hate those 1# throw-aways with a passion.

****EDIT****

I just went and checked. Mine is the Manchester, which is supposed to be 5#........ I looked at the receipt from the initial fill-up and they charged me for 1.5G.......HMMMMMMM!!!

[ShrimpBurrito]

Originally Posted by harveyrv

I just went and checked. Mine is the Manchester, which is supposed to be 5#........ I looked at the receipt from the initial fill-up and they charged me for 1.5G.......HMMMMMMM!!!

Propane weighs about 4.25 lbs/gallon, so my tank is exactly 1 gallon. Your 5 lb tank holds ~1.2 gallons. But for an initial fill, all the air must be purged from the tank, and they do that by opening the relief valve and pump propane in until propane exits the relief valve. That's where your extra gas went.

Next time, it shouldn't be more than 1.2 gallons.

Dave

Originally Posted by jwarrensite

BTW - Dave and Scott, How much grilling time do you get out of the smaller LP bottle?

Jeffrey

Interesting question...the first time I used the small bottle it was single use. I forgot to turn it off and it heated until it ran out. The grill was very clean however! At that point I went out and got the larger tank. Haven't forgotten to turn that one off yet!!! My real issues with the disposable tanks is cost and being wasteful, which have been mentioned previously.