1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 5. Propane
This is Part 5. of our 1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod, the subject of which is "Propane". Other parts are linked below. 1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 1. Acquisition & Evaluation 1968 Travel Queen Res...
Forum Discussion
Awww Propane! What - I'm sure - my hero, and yours - Hank Hill, must have referred to more than once in his life as "a man's gas", while bringing to those of his community, that clean-burning, high BTU rating natural gas that was used to civilize the world!
If you go back through this Propane Category, you'll see that first up was re-sizing an aluminum access door frame for the new propane cabinet size. That frame was eventually discarded, as I bought new access doors some time later.
Next was a description and discussion of my two available propane lights, placed - in Travel Queen campers - over the dinette.
Thereafter we built the new propane cabinet on the right-rear of the camper, even though ALL of the appliances live on the left side (of course that's why we had to move the tanks to the right, because there was no more room on the left, and because we wanted to fill the bathroom cabinet with something other than cleaning supplies NORMALLY found under a bathroom sink, which just stink and take up space.
Then we restored the light. Then we restored the stove/oven range.
And through it all, we never discussed actual supply! So let's do that now.
Lil' Queeny started out life with just a light (1350 BTUs) and a range (oven 4900 BTUs - stove 5200 BTUs). From the single horizontal tank was a regulator, I think a 3/8" copper tubing line to a 3/8" tee that sent a 1/4" line to the light and continued 3/8" to the range. Simple, straight forward, short.
The only portion retained of the original design and parts, was the quarter inch line that ran from the street side under-wing, up through the fridge wall and into the overhead cabinet, thence over the ceiling archway and into the other overhead cabinet, where it connects to the lamp fixture.
So what are the new system requirements? I figured that all up some time ago in the distant past, and made my plans, which I then put into play by buying the necessary tubing, parts and tools, all of which has been sitting there on the shelf awaiting this moment, for well over a year now!
We start at the right-rear corner with a dual 20 lb tanks propane cabinet, and dual selector regulator by Cavagna. Included at the cabinet are the two new tank hose connectors of which are one in 24", and a second in 36".
At that time I also bought a fair quality flaring tool and tubing bender set. These are important to prevent kinks while bending.
All of my appliances have 3/8" flare fittings except the lamp which is 1/4". So my branch lines, which all begin from the left side of the camper, are 3/8" with an exception for the lamp. And I calculated I'd be best off with a 1/2" trunk line feeding those branches, especially because my largest BTU requirements were appliances at the end of the line, the water heater and range.
Here is the list, in order of branching off the trunk, which is slightly different now (as the system is being built) than when it was originally planned based solely on appliance position.
Branch 1. Lamp (1350 BTUs) and Fridge (1000 BTUs).
Branch 2. Range (10,100 BTUs) (oven 4900/stove 5200).
Branch 3. Catalytic Heater (3000 BTUs).
Branch 4. Water Heater (12,000 BTUs).
Each of those is a 3/8" branch off the 1/2" mainline.
To the maximum extent possible, I wanted all fitting connections to be on the exterior of the camper, and readily available for leak testing. So I'm running all lines under the wings, except passing through the fresh water cabinet as an unbroken line to get from one side of the camper to the other. Of course, many of the branches connect to the appliance itself in the camper interior. For that reason, we'll install a propane detector.
When I first bought materials, I got a 20' roll of 1/2 copper, and a 20' roll of 3/8" copper. But, you have to watch the inside/outside diameter thing. My 1/2" ID roll was obviously too big (5/8" OD) for my 1/2" fittings, so I had to return the larger roll and get a smaller roll for the branches as the original branch tubing was now the right size for the trunk lines. Now you see how confusing that can be when you don't work with this stuff everyday? The tubing size authorities do that on purpose to keep some of us out of the game. But don't let them call the shots! Use your head. Adapt. Deal with it!
So you might see that in some of the shots, unless I was effective at hiding the sizes.
Much of the stuff.
The mounting bracket for the regulator was for mounting on a tank hold-down. I removed it for my application and made a mounting bracket out of a construction thing I had in my "large brackets" coffee can.
Then I got the adapter on the regulator. I use this stuff for pipe dope. It's for gas as well as potable water. I normally use it on the water heater drain plugs, and have been using this little tube since Fairbanks, AK in 2010 and it's still pretty full.
Then I flared the first end (don't forget your nut).
The last time I did this I used a cheaper tool, and the cone was slightly galled. It was pretty hard to do a good job. The hard, smooth surface cone on this tool worked really well. I also liked the feel of the chrome tool in my hand - no sharp corners and edges. Those things are what make the difference between a cheap and a quality tool.
Then I connected that end to the regulator adapter after fishing it through the prepared cabinet access hole (drilled and edge painted). Note the spring bender tool on the tube where the new bend under the wing needs to be.
Once I got that section bent and supported under the wing, coming to the first connector, an elbow at the right-front of the camper just before it turns the corner and passes through the fresh water tank compartment, I sized and cut. For small tubing like this, I like to use a "tight quarters" palm cutter like this.
But I keep the standard size cutter nearby for de-burring.
Then again, after measuring, I made a 4' 3" length for crossing the camper.
And pushed it though the previously prepped (drilled and edge painted) holes through the fresh water tank cabinet. Because this part needs removal to accomplish tank replacement, I placed elbows on both ends, as opposed to an unbroken run.
Which brought my trunk line to the left front of the camper. Here's how it lines out at this stage.
I've already got most of the remaining trunk line completed, but didn't get pictures yet. I'll complete it, and get branches on, then see you back here for Part 2 in a day or so.
If you go back through this Propane Category, you'll see that first up was re-sizing an aluminum access door frame for the new propane cabinet size. That frame was eventually discarded, as I bought new access doors some time later.
Next was a description and discussion of my two available propane lights, placed - in Travel Queen campers - over the dinette.
Thereafter we built the new propane cabinet on the right-rear of the camper, even though ALL of the appliances live on the left side (of course that's why we had to move the tanks to the right, because there was no more room on the left, and because we wanted to fill the bathroom cabinet with something other than cleaning supplies NORMALLY found under a bathroom sink, which just stink and take up space.
Then we restored the light. Then we restored the stove/oven range.
And through it all, we never discussed actual supply! So let's do that now.
Lil' Queeny started out life with just a light (1350 BTUs) and a range (oven 4900 BTUs - stove 5200 BTUs). From the single horizontal tank was a regulator, I think a 3/8" copper tubing line to a 3/8" tee that sent a 1/4" line to the light and continued 3/8" to the range. Simple, straight forward, short.
The only portion retained of the original design and parts, was the quarter inch line that ran from the street side under-wing, up through the fridge wall and into the overhead cabinet, thence over the ceiling archway and into the other overhead cabinet, where it connects to the lamp fixture.
So what are the new system requirements? I figured that all up some time ago in the distant past, and made my plans, which I then put into play by buying the necessary tubing, parts and tools, all of which has been sitting there on the shelf awaiting this moment, for well over a year now!
We start at the right-rear corner with a dual 20 lb tanks propane cabinet, and dual selector regulator by Cavagna. Included at the cabinet are the two new tank hose connectors of which are one in 24", and a second in 36".
At that time I also bought a fair quality flaring tool and tubing bender set. These are important to prevent kinks while bending.
All of my appliances have 3/8" flare fittings except the lamp which is 1/4". So my branch lines, which all begin from the left side of the camper, are 3/8" with an exception for the lamp. And I calculated I'd be best off with a 1/2" trunk line feeding those branches, especially because my largest BTU requirements were appliances at the end of the line, the water heater and range.
Here is the list, in order of branching off the trunk, which is slightly different now (as the system is being built) than when it was originally planned based solely on appliance position.
Branch 1. Lamp (1350 BTUs) and Fridge (1000 BTUs).
Branch 2. Range (10,100 BTUs) (oven 4900/stove 5200).
Branch 3. Catalytic Heater (3000 BTUs).
Branch 4. Water Heater (12,000 BTUs).
Each of those is a 3/8" branch off the 1/2" mainline.
To the maximum extent possible, I wanted all fitting connections to be on the exterior of the camper, and readily available for leak testing. So I'm running all lines under the wings, except passing through the fresh water cabinet as an unbroken line to get from one side of the camper to the other. Of course, many of the branches connect to the appliance itself in the camper interior. For that reason, we'll install a propane detector.
When I first bought materials, I got a 20' roll of 1/2 copper, and a 20' roll of 3/8" copper. But, you have to watch the inside/outside diameter thing. My 1/2" ID roll was obviously too big (5/8" OD) for my 1/2" fittings, so I had to return the larger roll and get a smaller roll for the branches as the original branch tubing was now the right size for the trunk lines. Now you see how confusing that can be when you don't work with this stuff everyday? The tubing size authorities do that on purpose to keep some of us out of the game. But don't let them call the shots! Use your head. Adapt. Deal with it!
So you might see that in some of the shots, unless I was effective at hiding the sizes.
Much of the stuff.
The mounting bracket for the regulator was for mounting on a tank hold-down. I removed it for my application and made a mounting bracket out of a construction thing I had in my "large brackets" coffee can.
Then I got the adapter on the regulator. I use this stuff for pipe dope. It's for gas as well as potable water. I normally use it on the water heater drain plugs, and have been using this little tube since Fairbanks, AK in 2010 and it's still pretty full.
Then I flared the first end (don't forget your nut).
The last time I did this I used a cheaper tool, and the cone was slightly galled. It was pretty hard to do a good job. The hard, smooth surface cone on this tool worked really well. I also liked the feel of the chrome tool in my hand - no sharp corners and edges. Those things are what make the difference between a cheap and a quality tool.
Then I connected that end to the regulator adapter after fishing it through the prepared cabinet access hole (drilled and edge painted). Note the spring bender tool on the tube where the new bend under the wing needs to be.
Once I got that section bent and supported under the wing, coming to the first connector, an elbow at the right-front of the camper just before it turns the corner and passes through the fresh water tank compartment, I sized and cut. For small tubing like this, I like to use a "tight quarters" palm cutter like this.
But I keep the standard size cutter nearby for de-burring.
Then again, after measuring, I made a 4' 3" length for crossing the camper.
And pushed it though the previously prepped (drilled and edge painted) holes through the fresh water tank cabinet. Because this part needs removal to accomplish tank replacement, I placed elbows on both ends, as opposed to an unbroken run.
Which brought my trunk line to the left front of the camper. Here's how it lines out at this stage.
I've already got most of the remaining trunk line completed, but didn't get pictures yet. I'll complete it, and get branches on, then see you back here for Part 2 in a day or so.
