Propane Tanks Direction

[Omrod]

Just got a new Imagine 3250BH and the dealer has the connection and propane tanks facing the back of the unit. It doesn't make it very user friendly to see which tank is on or reach. They gave me a reason, but I can't remember what it was. Any problem with switching them around?

[Hannibal]

I simply turned mine around to face forward. Not that big of a deal but easy to make it easier.

[TomG2]

aftermath wrote:
....snip... With the cover in place, I can't see the little green/red glass any more. Solution? I now pack a small hand mirror that works really well. .....snip......

Some folks might think the mirror reverses the colors on the indicator? Just kidding, this is another "Don't raise the bridge, lower the river" conversation. Mirrors are cheap, they work, and don't change the colors. Simple is good.

[aftermath]

Whew, just read through this thread again. Frontward or backward? Is that really an issue? I think what you want is the ability to see the indicator on your crossover switch. My tanks face forward and they are covered. It was easy for me to read the indicator until I had to replace it. Got a new one, that works great by the way, and installed it. With the cover in place, I can't see the little green/red glass any more. Solution? I now pack a small hand mirror that works really well. Give that a try before you spend money on new hoses and such. There are some real issues out their with our trailers. I don't think this is one of them.

[CavemanCharlie]

deltabravo wrote:
Mine face forward as shown here, when I put a lock on the tanks

I've never seen them face the other way in all my years of RVing.

3 of the 4 TT I've had have them faceing backwards. The 4th one only had one tank.

[deltabravo]

Mine face forward as shown here, when I put a lock on the tanks

I've never seen them face the other way in all my years of RVing.

[capacitor]

Is the hose from the trailer to the regulator long enough to flip the tanks with valves facing forward? Mine isn’t and neither of my sons are.

[CavemanCharlie]

BarabooBob wrote:
My automatic switchover regulator is mounted on the front of the TT with the tank outlet facing the TT also. It allows for a shorter hose and I can see which tank the regulator is drawing gas from and when a tank is empty. My tanks are both on because that is why I bought the auto switch regulator. Why have the regulator is the second tank is turned off.
Before pulling out EVERY DAY we do a pre-trip inspection of the TT. We BOTH check the hitch, safety chains, electrical hook-ups, LP tanks, awning, access doors, tires, entry door locks, 120 volt cord, sewage drains. refrigerator, etc. It takes us about 5 minutes but it gets done every morning. We have over the years, we have found something that could cause problems while on the way. We also pick up every scrap of litter from our campsite before we pull away. My kids also follow the same routine.

And taillights. I always check them to make sure they work. If I didn't with my luck one would be out and the minute I pull out a cop would get behind me, notice one of the lights out, and give me a ticket.

[mobeewan]

Seon wrote:

I have 40lb tanks without cover because there aren't any made if they are made, somebody plz provide a link.

I had thought of going from 30 to 40 lb cylinders and looked, but never found any hard covers, only soft covers. I wound up buying 2 more 30 lb cylinders instead.

I have seen where someone made one out of 2 separate covers. They trimmed the bottom portion off of one and cut the top portion off the other and pop riveted them together where they left an area that overlapped. You just have to make sure you pop rivet from the inside around the area that touches the cylinders. Maybe add a piece of eternabond on each rivit head so it doesn't rub on the cylinders.

40 lb cylinders soft covers

[Boomerweps]

It seems single tanks are rarely covered. Dual 20s & 30s usually are. Hard covers are made for single 20, dual 20, and dual 30. Soft covers can had for most all. I swapped out my single 20 for a single 30 to avoid the hassle & cost of mounting a new dual mount and gas hardware. Searched and searched for a single 30 hard cover, no joy.

[BarabooBob]

My automatic switchover regulator is mounted on the front of the TT with the tank outlet facing the TT also. It allows for a shorter hose and I can see which tank the regulator is drawing gas from and when a tank is empty. My tanks are both on because that is why I bought the auto switch regulator. Why have the regulator is the second tank is turned off.
Before pulling out EVERY DAY we do a pre-trip inspection of the TT. We BOTH check the hitch, safety chains, electrical hook-ups, LP tanks, awning, access doors, tires, entry door locks, 120 volt cord, sewage drains. refrigerator, etc. It takes us about 5 minutes but it gets done every morning. We have over the years, we have found something that could cause problems while on the way. We also pick up every scrap of litter from our campsite before we pull away. My kids also follow the same routine.

[wing_zealot]

I switched mine around. What good is an auto changeover if I can't see what is going on.

[K_and_I]

My cylinders face forward, but the cover comes off hard as I have added batteries and the battery boxes come too close to the propane cover. I like to check which cylinder is being used without having to take the cover off, so I keep a small camping mirror in the front pass through so I can see the regulator through the top lid. Might work for back facing cylinders, too.

[NRALIFR]

Well that’s interesting. Honestly, since so many trailer propane cylinders seem to be covered these days, I wouldn’t know which direction most of them face anymore. Back when they were uncovered, I don’t think I ever saw any not facing forwards.

As far as the cover being required, I thought I remembered reading that somewhere. Maybe a NFPA or NPGA publication.

If it’s common now to face the cylinders so that the regulator is close to the trailer, that might explain why there seems to be so much pushback to using the auto-switch regulators with both valves open. If you make checking the indicator difficult, it’s probably not going to be checked very often.

:):)

[Omrod]

Yes, I have a tank cover. When I take it (the cover) off and the regulator is facing the rear, it is very difficult to see the red/green indicator. I was planning on flipping it around when I refill one of the tanks. I just wanted to know the reason they were facing the rear in the first place.
Thanks for your replies.