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...
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joerg68 - thanks for the support, and the funny joke, I can use that!
Today I present to you - Propane, Part Deux. Previously on "Propane" we saw the trunk line come together on the right side of the camper, and across the front. What HAS been happening behind the scenes is the "left side appliance prep"!
Let's see if we can do the appliances first here, and then show the completed left side mainline and branches at the end of today's post.
Okay there are four: fridge/lamp, range, heater, and water heater. I started with the easiest (after getting the trunk in with its Tees and the final fitting which was a 1/2" to 3/8" flare adapter for this water heater branch at the end of the line).
The water heater was already installed, and wired, just no propane yet.
In general, I found making up one end of a branch line, with its flare and nut, then slipping the bending spring on with the widening end against the nut shoulder, made for easy work. (Except I put the spring on first, so I would't have to cut a length and then trim it too - because I'm cheap). Most of the bends were made with the tubing in place and the flare nut connected to the appliance, to keep the flare surfaces angled in correctly. Here's the final piece for the water heater finished up on the bench.
And all installed. The grommet was easy! Sometimes they can be a bugger, but Suburban must know what it's doing.
At the appliance connection.
And connecting to the trunk line.
Next was the fridge. It too, was also already installed and plugged into electricity. This fridge is not a 12 Volt. And if anything, the cabinet was too tight. Man that thing is wedged in there! Still I had four screws to place in the face, and even with a tight cabinet, these had to be angled outward slightly. So that got done the other day.
Here's connected to the appliance.
Around back in the storage compartment where it runs to the under wing.
And underneath, where it first tees off from the mainline, then tees (via 1/4" original fitting) to the lamp, and thence on to the fridge.
Here is the range branch line. It was started on the range, on the bench, then finished on the camper, with the range not in place.
Here it is in place, awaiting the range.
And connection complete underneath.
Now who has noticed the sharp metal edges of their range scratching their cabinet faces and counters? (Dave looks around the room - hmmmm only about half). Well I had noticed, and I didn't like it!
After restoring the range a few weeks back, I found this stuff at the home center. I figured if the metal band can rest on wood, it can rest on rubber. We shall see.
The thinnest they had, with multiple sealing small ridges. I always hated water and sticky liquids flowing under the stove band. Self adhesive to the back sides of the metal all around.
After that picture, I put another run on the back edge.
Then the range went in and was fastened like this.
Like the fridge, the screws were chosen for thinnest possible (to do the job), and 1" didn't work (original holes here) so 1.5" by #7 did just right, angled appropriately of course.
Then the connection went on.
The range edge is slightly lifted, but I think the sealing will be worth it. A dishrag can do well on everyday cleaning, a little tooth brush for deep cleaning.
Is it just me? Or does it feel to you too, like we're getting Lil' Queeny ready for her prom or something?
We also ordered the Campco Wave 3 catalytic heater the other day. We chose the 3 because it is physically smaller than the 6, and because the heat rating seemed MORE than adequate for Lil' Queeny's square footage, especially when considering how tight this little camper has been built. It is right across from your feet at the dinette, and as "out of the way" as I could figure. We simply had "no where" to put a regular furnace. I'm quite certain we will be satisfied. And, like my hunting partner said about catalytic heaters (which he has used in multiple cold-weather hunting rigs and which we had discussed in depth during our initial planning stages), "I've used catalytic heaters for more than two decades, and I've only died twice"! (This was poetic license on his part; he didn't actually die. In fact, he never even had an incident. I know - you have to get used to his humor. Yeah - he's kind of like me.)
The manufacturer installation method is three screws on the wall, most of the way in. Then the heater hangs on those three with key-hole slots on its back. That's all well and good, but my wall is only 1/2" in this spot, so I used machine screws and nuts. And a system of washers and nuts. First I fastened screws with washers and nuts to the heating unit, so it now had three threaded prongs sticking out its backside. Then I placed two flat washers on each prong - just to space it that far from the wall - as I found it easier to pull the cover over the edge with that extra space in there.
Here's looking down at it before pulling it in tight to the wall.
Then on the exterior, nuts and washers and screws cut to length, and all snugged up tight.
And the branch line to the range, and now to the heater.
The swivel fitting arrived just in time! Yes, the tubing and flare nut got polished. Steel wool - wire wheel.
And with the cover off.
So that leaves grommets all around, which I'm making.
Okay here's the bigger pictures now.
Left side trunk line with branches, front and back.
The heater with minimum jut out, and new range in place.
It was beer-thirty. Time to marvel.
Today I present to you - Propane, Part Deux. Previously on "Propane" we saw the trunk line come together on the right side of the camper, and across the front. What HAS been happening behind the scenes is the "left side appliance prep"!
Let's see if we can do the appliances first here, and then show the completed left side mainline and branches at the end of today's post.
Okay there are four: fridge/lamp, range, heater, and water heater. I started with the easiest (after getting the trunk in with its Tees and the final fitting which was a 1/2" to 3/8" flare adapter for this water heater branch at the end of the line).
The water heater was already installed, and wired, just no propane yet.
In general, I found making up one end of a branch line, with its flare and nut, then slipping the bending spring on with the widening end against the nut shoulder, made for easy work. (Except I put the spring on first, so I would't have to cut a length and then trim it too - because I'm cheap). Most of the bends were made with the tubing in place and the flare nut connected to the appliance, to keep the flare surfaces angled in correctly. Here's the final piece for the water heater finished up on the bench.
And all installed. The grommet was easy! Sometimes they can be a bugger, but Suburban must know what it's doing.
At the appliance connection.
And connecting to the trunk line.
Next was the fridge. It too, was also already installed and plugged into electricity. This fridge is not a 12 Volt. And if anything, the cabinet was too tight. Man that thing is wedged in there! Still I had four screws to place in the face, and even with a tight cabinet, these had to be angled outward slightly. So that got done the other day.
Here's connected to the appliance.
Around back in the storage compartment where it runs to the under wing.
And underneath, where it first tees off from the mainline, then tees (via 1/4" original fitting) to the lamp, and thence on to the fridge.
Here is the range branch line. It was started on the range, on the bench, then finished on the camper, with the range not in place.
Here it is in place, awaiting the range.
And connection complete underneath.
Now who has noticed the sharp metal edges of their range scratching their cabinet faces and counters? (Dave looks around the room - hmmmm only about half). Well I had noticed, and I didn't like it!
After restoring the range a few weeks back, I found this stuff at the home center. I figured if the metal band can rest on wood, it can rest on rubber. We shall see.
The thinnest they had, with multiple sealing small ridges. I always hated water and sticky liquids flowing under the stove band. Self adhesive to the back sides of the metal all around.
After that picture, I put another run on the back edge.
Then the range went in and was fastened like this.
Like the fridge, the screws were chosen for thinnest possible (to do the job), and 1" didn't work (original holes here) so 1.5" by #7 did just right, angled appropriately of course.
Then the connection went on.
The range edge is slightly lifted, but I think the sealing will be worth it. A dishrag can do well on everyday cleaning, a little tooth brush for deep cleaning.
Is it just me? Or does it feel to you too, like we're getting Lil' Queeny ready for her prom or something?
We also ordered the Campco Wave 3 catalytic heater the other day. We chose the 3 because it is physically smaller than the 6, and because the heat rating seemed MORE than adequate for Lil' Queeny's square footage, especially when considering how tight this little camper has been built. It is right across from your feet at the dinette, and as "out of the way" as I could figure. We simply had "no where" to put a regular furnace. I'm quite certain we will be satisfied. And, like my hunting partner said about catalytic heaters (which he has used in multiple cold-weather hunting rigs and which we had discussed in depth during our initial planning stages), "I've used catalytic heaters for more than two decades, and I've only died twice"! (This was poetic license on his part; he didn't actually die. In fact, he never even had an incident. I know - you have to get used to his humor. Yeah - he's kind of like me.)
The manufacturer installation method is three screws on the wall, most of the way in. Then the heater hangs on those three with key-hole slots on its back. That's all well and good, but my wall is only 1/2" in this spot, so I used machine screws and nuts. And a system of washers and nuts. First I fastened screws with washers and nuts to the heating unit, so it now had three threaded prongs sticking out its backside. Then I placed two flat washers on each prong - just to space it that far from the wall - as I found it easier to pull the cover over the edge with that extra space in there.
Here's looking down at it before pulling it in tight to the wall.
Then on the exterior, nuts and washers and screws cut to length, and all snugged up tight.
And the branch line to the range, and now to the heater.
The swivel fitting arrived just in time! Yes, the tubing and flare nut got polished. Steel wool - wire wheel.
And with the cover off.
So that leaves grommets all around, which I'm making.
Okay here's the bigger pictures now.
Left side trunk line with branches, front and back.
The heater with minimum jut out, and new range in place.
It was beer-thirty. Time to marvel.
