Propane Extend-A-Stay

[chrisandoctavia]

When we launch our trial year of being full time RV'ers next year, we plan to stay at places like National Parks, Forests and other places in nature for upto two months at a time

We know our onboard propane tank isn't going to last that long, and following a little research I have been made aware of Extend-A-Stay rigs that allow you to connect an external regular camping propane tank to your RVs system. This would allow us to still have propane by driving our car to fill the regular camping tank rather than having to drive the whole darn RV to a filling station

My question to any of you that use this is how do you do it?

Do you:

1. connect the full camping propane tank to the main on board one (ours is towards the back on the passenger side) and leave it there connected (so it just feeds into the main tank all the time...)

Or..

2. Do you connect the camping tank and decant what you can into the RV's main propane tank every so often

With option 1 I'd be a tad concerned at someone potential stealing your spare tank and the hazard that might be caused by someone attempting to do it

How do any of you manage this issue

Chris

[bobsallyh]

chrisanddoctavia, you are going the right direction. In our park in Yuma, AZ. most motorhomers have installed the extenda-stay. There reasoning is for the pump truck to fill the motorhome, it is a 1.00 a gallon more delivered than filling their portable tanks at the pump dock. Also, they have to be on location when pump truck fills them. Your better off adding the portable tank and I wouldn't be to concerned about it walking away. Our two 30 pounders on our fiver are just behind a non-lockable bin door and they have never taken off.

[chrisandoctavia]

Many thanks to all of you who have taken time to share your own experiences and ideas on this

They are very much appreciated - thanks

Chrus

[turbojimmy]

gotsmart wrote:
This is the Stay-A-While Deluxe:

That's similar to my Extend-a-Stay. I like the option to hook the grill up to the on-board tank.



The top port is for propane accessories, the plug facing the camera is where you hook up your external propane tank. Note that you can feed your accessories through that port whether your using the external or onboard tank. No need to tee at the external tank.

[gotsmart]

This is the Stay-A-While Deluxe:

[TechWriter]

Instead of the Extend a Stay, I use a Camco #59133 . . . works like a charm.

[enblethen]

What is even better is to get two portable tanks!

[Dutch_12078]

We've never felt the need to secure our external LP cylinder when using our Extend-A-Stay connection. You cannot fill the main tank from the cylinder, or at least not enough to be worth the work involved. As said, keep the main tank off and run on the external tank, getting it refilled as needed. In colder weather, we do switch to the main tank briefly to run the furnaces until the external cylinder is refilled.

[chrisandoctavia]

Larry - our goal is to try to volunteer as Campground Hosts at these places

Chris

[Triker33]

Good Luck on being able to stay longer then 14 days in National Parks, Forests.
For sure not 2 months at a time.
Between moves you will have time to fill the LP tanks up.

[enblethen]

When no tree is available I loop the cable through the front wheel. Back loops through the trailer receiver.

[chrisandoctavia]

Thanks Bud - what on your Motorhome or anything surrounding it do you secure the auxillary tank to?

Chris

[enblethen]

Install the Extend-a-stay. Turn on auxiliary tank and shut off the main tank on the rig. Use the auxiliary tank until it gets low on fuel. Shut it off, take it and get it filled. You should not have to use any fuel from MH.
I use a stainless steel dog leash for securing items that I do not want to walk off.

[pianotuna]

Hi Chris,

I use electricity where ever I can.

That includes:

induction cooker
slow cooker
microwave oven
toaster
small electric oven with rotisserie
water heating
space heating

I get the electricity from the solar system, or from a gasoline generator. Gasoline is a whole bunch easier to acquire than propane.

I planned the solar when I was not full time--now that I am, I could use more panels and greater wattage. It is good to have a pure sine wave hybrid inverter, too.