LP Grill Connection

[Sox_Fan]

I have reviewed a number of threads but don't seem to find what I am looking for, though I didn't go back years and years.

I have a Class C with a 60 lb propane tank permanently mounted. It is regulated for use with the appliances (fridge, water heater and stove) as well as the generator (Onan 3.6kW MicroLite). It actually appears to have 2 regulators (I haven't removed the protective covers to verify) but I suspect one is for the appliances and the other is for the generator, both are mounted near the tank.

I would like to run a connection for my grill that currently uses the 1 lb cylinders. I understand that the regulated pressure to the grill (after the regulator using the regulator it came with) is slightly higher than the appliance regulator so a simple connection to the regulated side of the internal low pressure line won't work well (understanding that removal of the grill regulator is required). Is there a quick disconnect connector/hose that would connect to the grill fitting if an additional regulator was installed near the tank for this specific purpose?

Bottom line is I want to connect my existing grill to my RV's propane tank to avoid carrying the 1 lb cylinders and I want to do it right so it is safe and doesn't sacrifice the grill performance.

Thanks in advance...

Bob

[myredracer]

Funny, our regulator wouldn't come apart for anything. Even the machine shop had trouble.

dewey02 wrote:

myredracer wrote:
I've also done this conversion. Couple of things I can add.

When taking the brass end fitting off the chrome pipe that goes into the regulator, you may find it is on extremely tight. I had to take ours into a machine shop to get taken apart.
Two pairs of vise grips did the job for me. There is a flat spot on one end of the fixture where you can get a solid grip.

If you are using a longer hose like a 20 footer, go with the 3/8" dia. size instead of the 1/4" one to minimize pressure drop. I would get the type of hose that has the more flexible rubber jacket as it's much easier to coil up or lay on the ground.

You may end up having to go to several stores to get all the fittings you need - I did. I found the best local place for fittings to be a hardware store that has an excellent stock of fittings for BBQs. A plumbing wholesaler would also be good.
I actually had problems finding the needed fixtures at local hardware and BBQ stores. Amazon is your friend.

Link to Amazon 10 foot quick connect hose $25

Link to quick connect male fitting $10:

Link to Amazon 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch brass fitting $6

Link to Amazon 90 brass elbow $5

Total cost is about $40 of which $25 is for the 10 foot quick connect hose.
.

If you're not familiar with gas fittings, I'd put some soapy water on them to check for leaks.

There is also this Youtube vid Roadtrip grill conversion

[dewey02]

myredracer wrote:
I've also done this conversion. Couple of things I can add.

When taking the brass end fitting off the chrome pipe that goes into the regulator, you may find it is on extremely tight. I had to take ours into a machine shop to get taken apart.
Two pairs of vise grips did the job for me. There is a flat spot on one end of the fixture where you can get a solid grip.

If you are using a longer hose like a 20 footer, go with the 3/8" dia. size instead of the 1/4" one to minimize pressure drop. I would get the type of hose that has the more flexible rubber jacket as it's much easier to coil up or lay on the ground.

You may end up having to go to several stores to get all the fittings you need - I did. I found the best local place for fittings to be a hardware store that has an excellent stock of fittings for BBQs. A plumbing wholesaler would also be good.
I actually had problems finding the needed fixtures at local hardware and BBQ stores. Amazon is your friend.

Link to Amazon 10 foot quick connect hose $25

Link to quick connect male fitting $10:

Link to Amazon 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch brass fitting $6

Link to Amazon 90 brass elbow $5

Total cost is about $40 of which $25 is for the 10 foot quick connect hose.
.

If you're not familiar with gas fittings, I'd put some soapy water on them to check for leaks.

There is also this Youtube vid Roadtrip grill conversion

[myredracer]

I've also done this conversion. Couple of things I can add.

When taking the brass end fitting off the chrome pipe that goes into the regulator, you may find it is on extremely tight. I had to take ours into a machine shop to get taken apart.

When removing the brass fitting, do not let the little spring inside go flying out because you may never find it again. This is for the check valve and you MUST re-install it.

If you are using a longer hose like a 20 footer, go with the 3/8" dia. size instead of the 1/4" one to minimize pressure drop. I would get the type of hose that has the more flexible rubber jacket as it's much easier to coil up or lay on the ground.

You may end up having to go to several stores to get all the fittings you need - I did. I found the best local place for fittings to be a hardware store that has an excellent stock of fittings for BBQs. A plumbing wholesaler would also be good.

If you're not familiar with gas fittings, I'd put some soapy water on them to check for leaks.

There is also this Youtube vid Roadtrip grill conversion

[Sox_Fan]

Thanks all...

Gasman... I would have to trace the lines out to be sure but I suspect the LP generator is the reason for the second regulator or as gmelton suggessts the water heater and furnace (or all three).

If I could put in a tee on the line to the generator that would be prefect as it is right where I want to put the quick disconnect for the grill(s). I do plan to add a cutoff valve (thanks gmelton).

dewey, you are correct the second one is for a Coleman (an LX, not LXE - different color and different stand but the same otherwise). The other is a Primus Profile. Thanks for the video, I had no idea the Coleman was propritaty connection. I hadn't tried it but I just assumed that the connection to the actual grill was the same for both of my grills. Knowing it isn't is helpful. I'll just plan on setting up the Coleman as the video shows and leave the other one at home.

Now I just have to find out the pressure going to the Onan Microlite 3.6 generator and then figure out if that is appropriate for the grill.

[dewey02]

Sox Fan wrote:
I have reviewed a number of threads but don't seem to find what I am looking for, though I didn't go back years and years.

I have a Class C with a 60 lb propane tank permanently mounted. It is regulated for use with the appliances (fridge, water heater and stove) as well as the generator (Onan 3.6kW MicroLite). It actually appears to have 2 regulators (I haven't removed the protective covers to verify) but I suspect one is for the appliances and the other is for the generator, both are mounted near the tank.

I would like to run a connection for my grill that currently uses the 1 lb cylinders. I understand that the regulated pressure to the grill (after the regulator using the regulator it came with) is slightly higher than the appliance regulator so a simple connection to the regulated side of the internal low pressure line won't work well (understanding that removal of the grill regulator is required). Is there a quick disconnect connector/hose that would connect to the grill fitting if an additional regulator was installed near the tank for this specific purpose?

Bottom line is I want to connect my existing grill to my RV's propane tank to avoid carrying the 1 lb cylinders and I want to do it right so it is safe and doesn't sacrifice the grill performance.

Thanks in advance...

Bob

Sox Fan - that second grill fitting/regulator is for a Coleman LXE, is it not?
If so, you can hook right up to your outside low pressure quick connect (if you have one) or by teeing into your already regulated low pressure line by making the few simple mods shown in this video:
http://youtu.be/cq9yZ6y-H2s

[gmelton2]

Typically, there is a high pressure and a low pressure regulator on your RV. The high pressure regulator feeds the water heater and furnace and the low pressure regulator feeds the stove/oven. If you can add a tee downstream of the existing high pressure regulator, you can supply your outdoor grill. This is what I did and chose to use a quick disconnect. Likewise, I placed a quick disconnect on my grill and it is a simple matter to setup the grill. I also included a valve upstream of the quick disconnect as a safety measure.

[GASMAN6674]

Sox fan you may be able to remove the second pictured regulator from the discharge pipe and then go directly to it with low pressure, I am assuming that grill has flame control valve as there isn't any thing on the regulator. On the piping you can use standard sch 40 pipe on propane vapor if you want 80 will hold up better thought. Why do you have two regulators?

[ChooChooMan74]

You may be able to buy the above TEE I posted, removed the POL connections, and with some tight nipples, install it.

[Sox_Fan]

This is the hose/regulator for one of the grills


And here is the other...

[Sox_Fan]

Here is the setup I am dealing with... What I thought I might have to do is get a couple of small sections of scheudle 80 pipe and put a tee in the verticle pipe and then add another regulator to bring the pressure to the correct level for the 1 lb bottle appliances. Then run a low pressure hose to the other side of the RV with a quick disconnect fitting and a hose to attach the grill to the quick disconenct.

[ChooChooMan74]

GASMAN6674 wrote:
ChooChoo man is correct unless the manufacturer of you grill offers a low press conversion kit it will not work. Some have removed the disposable bottle regulator/hook up an ran low pressure into there grills and it works for them. But most of the time if you remove the regulator/hook up you lose your control valve. Your grill needs to be similar to a full size one but smaller of course.
I have my eye on a stainless steel master forge at Lowes just waiting on clearance.

The hose above connects to where a 1lb bottle will connect to, and the other end will connect to the TEE.

[GASMAN6674]

ChooChoo man is correct unless the manufacturer of you grill offers a low press conversion kit it will not work. Some have removed the disposable bottle regulator/hook up an ran low pressure into there grills and it works for them. But most of the time if you remove the regulator/hook up you lose your control valve. Your grill needs to be similar to a full size one but smaller of course.
I have my eye on a stainless steel master forge at Lowes just waiting on clearance.

[ChooChooMan74]

I may be wrong, but you need to try and install one of these between the tank and the regulator.

extend a tee



Then get the appropriate sized hose to your grill.



And it should look something like this.