Quote:
Originally Posted by ricksonnenberg
I've got a 2010 Sprinter, modified by Sportsmobile, to include propane tank for furnace and stove use. It's filled with an external fixture that propane dealers access. Sportsmobile is unable to provide any device that could facilitate the use of an external propane bottle, allowing for longer use of the appliances. Is such a modification even possible? My local dealer (general RV) looked at my arrangement and said he couldn't do it. I've been told that I need an attachment that connects directly to the place where propane is usually added, that I then attach to the external bottle. Has anyone successfully done this?
Thanks.
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So you want to plug in a different (smaller) bottle somewhere
in the van? If that's the case I can see why SMB won't do it even though it can be done. From what I've been told is there are low and high pressure systems so it depends if the appliances are regulated at the appliance itself or at the main tank. Even little bottles are considered high pressure. I was told SMB regulates the system from the external tank which supplies low pressure throughout the inside of the RV and according to the propane company you can't run HP propane into a regulator and then through another regulator. But they do make high pressure quick disconnects that can be ran into SMB system before the regulator or added with another regulator and cut into the low pressure system... I have that myself. If I turn off the main tank I can use the supplied hose to power my stove from a portable tank. What I don't like about it is I never cut in a valve to kill that inlet. An O-ring is all that keeps it from leaking but it's probably no different then the stock inlet. I'm not exactly sure what keeps propane from running backwards out of the on board tank. An O-ring? Another issue is when plugging into or disconnection the spare tank, some propane is vented.
If I want to use a small Coleman type tank, I have an adapter that can be used but those small tanks are almost useless IMO and only do in a pinch.