exterior propane hookup

[PGDriver]

Originally Posted by jerryandmaria

So, let me get this straight- The QC has it's own regulator? So I can't run my Honda propane generator off it?
Jerry

Hi Jerry

Yes the QC utilizes the trailer regulator which reduces the pressure to 10 - 12 inches of water column pressure.

Cheers
Doug

[LeonW]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

I don't have the quick connect. I prefer a 10 lb. tank. Allows me to position the trailer and the BBQ where I want.
I haven't settled on a BBQ yet. I have a Weber baby Q which worked pretty well but doesn't deliver high heat. Got a Dickinson Spitfire which toasted my chicken, even on super low. Dickinson sent me a new regulator under warranty, but I still wasn't happy.
Got a Napoleon now. It has two burners so you can cook indirect. Downside and upside is that it is quite large for a portable. Lid is deep enough for a whole chicken.
Pic 1 is whole chicken on Napoleon, cooked with indirect heat. Pic 2 is charred chicken on Dickinson ( even though I tried to get it off the grill ). Pic 3 is "The Only" salmon on the Weber. Pic 4 is ribs on Weber.

salmon recipe, please?? pretty please??

[gbaglo]

See post #4 http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f1...ipes-4596.html

[John David]

Originally Posted by dbailey

We have the quick connect. We use it for a Camp Chef stove with griddle and grill box additions.

If I were to start over, I'd likely skip the quick-connect, though. You get the same functionality by adding a T-connector to your tank, and then you aren't restricted to finding appliances that work with the low pressure.

We are considering a camp chef , they bundle an explorer two burner with a grill box and griddle and call it a tailgator model. I would like to know:
- if you can use the unit without legs on a table.
-how is the performance, are you happy?
-the unit looks like its pretty large, can the components fit thru the hatch on a 19?

John

[Dave Walter]

Originally Posted by dbailey

We have the quick connect. We use it for a Camp Chef stove with griddle and grill box additions.

If I were to start over, I'd likely skip the quick-connect, though. You get the same functionality by adding a T-connector to your tank, and then you aren't restricted to finding appliances that work with the low pressure.

Funny sometimes how everyone's opinion of things is different. We have the quick connect and I recognized almost immediately after we bought the trailer that it was one of the most useful options we have. Don't think we have ever gone anywhere with the trailer where we have not used the propane quick connect for the gas BBQ or the fire-bowl. On our next Escape trailer, the quick connect will definitely be one of the repeat options that we choose.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by ice-breaker

Funny sometimes how everyone's opinion of things is different. We have the quick connect and I recognized almost immediately after we bought the trailer that it was one of the most useful options we have. Don't think we have ever gone anywhere with the trailer where we have not used the propane quick connect for the gas BBQ or the fire-bowl. On our next Escape trailer, the quick connect will definitely be one of the repeat options that we choose.

My thoughts too. While others seem to not want or like it, it is something we embraced, and enjoy the convenience of. I have used the high pressure connection at the tanks lots in the past, still more than I ever had the low pressure, but even though it does the job it is more of a bother to set up and use. I never got the low pressure connection on my 5.0TA, but I did pick up all the parts needed from Escape, and will be installing my own soon. The mod will be documented and posted.

[Tom W]

We were not sure about the quick connect due to the limited availability of appliances that have matching connectors. We finally decided to get it and have used it every day!

We got the Camp Chef Ranger 2 burner stove and their Sequoia fire pit. They both came with connectors/regulators to hook up with the typical BBQ propane tank. But, ETI supplied a hose (15 ft. I think) with the quick connect option that connected directly to the stove and fire pit. Works very wel!

The only down side is the hose is not long enough. When we back into a camp site, it was often difficult to get close enough to the picnic table to place the stove on it. You have to have the quick connect outlet within ten feet of the table so you can run the hose along the ground and then up to the table height. Even if you get close enough, if you have the awning extended it gets a bit cramped. Also, the short hose limited where to place the fire pit. We are getting a "Y" connector and 2 more fifteen foot hoses so we can have both connected at the same time and more length to give flexibility on placing the appliances. Some people get a portable table for the stove and place it closer to the trailer for ease of access to the food storage and sink.

[flatpick]

Originally Posted by curru

Decisions, decision......
I was wondering how many of you have that exterior propane quick connect, and how much of your cooking do you do outside, and on what kind of appliance (BBQ, extra burner unit, others I don't yet know about). Glad you got it, use it a lot or don't use it much?

1. Outside grill/ griddle/ stove
2. Portable fireplace

We use it ALOT!

steve

[curru]

It is on my build sheet! Looking forward to using it later this spring!!!

[Nrgtic4]

Have a question. Those of you who carry a spare 10 lb propane tank with you for grilling and portable fire pit purposes, -where and how do you transport it ? Would it be safe to put it in our truck bed (in a secured cushioned milk crate?) Our bed is enclosed with a Peragon tonneau cover (mostly but not completely air/waterproof) and I have read that propane shouldn't be transported without good ventilation. I'm thinking about the quick connect but not sure...

[curru]

I attended a seminar on propane safety at the Escapee Rally this summer in VT and asked the presenter if it would be safe to carry a spare 10 Gal tank in the back of the truck with a cap. He said it was fine, since those caps are not air tight. I imaging the same would go for your tonneau cover.
In the end I decided to go with the quick connect after I read that ferry regulations allow only two cylinders per vehicle.

[gbaglo]

My 10 lb propane cylinder is carried inside the trailer, in a crate set on a rug in the aisle. If I had a pickup, it would be in the bed. Also inside the trailer are a couple 1lb. propane cylinders and about a dozen butane containers.
I once had a 5lb. cylinder in the back of my Subaru wagon. Got to high altitude on a hot day and it vented, which was a bit of a scare for a moment.
I'd rather not carry my tank in the trailer, but I prefer being able to put the BBQ where I want, not being restricted by a hose.

[flatpick]

Originally Posted by Nrgtic4

Have a question. Those of you who carry a spare 10 lb propane tank with you for grilling and portable fire pit purposes, -where and how do you transport it ? Would it be safe to put it in our truck bed (in a secured cushioned milk crate?) Our bed is enclosed with a Peragon tonneau cover (mostly but not completely air/waterproof) and I have read that propane shouldn't be transported without good ventilation. I'm thinking about the quick connect but not sure...

THAT is the 6 Million dollar question. Legally it's suppose to be outside or properly vented. Not sure if a topper is considered 'legal'? plus it's a PITA to move around and store when you use it. tho, it is portable and will go places the QR won't. But... the QR answers the storage issue 100%. No mess, nor fuss, just clean propane when you need it!

steve

[rbryan4]

Mine is in the truck bed, in a crate, and the truck bed has a cover. The covers are certainly not airtight, so venting isn't an issue.

[gbaglo]

I don't think the door on my trailer seals tight enough to contain any propane, if for some reason the tank was to leak.

[StarvingHyena]

Originally Posted by John David

We are considering a camp chef , they bundle an explorer two burner with a grill box and griddle and call it a tailgator model. I would like to know:
- if you can use the unit without legs on a table.
-how is the performance, are you happy?
-the unit looks like its pretty large, can the components fit thru the hatch on a 19?

John

Hi John,
Last summer I was struggling with which outdoor stove to buy. I bought Pro 30 One burner which I like very much but the burner is a nuclear reactor @ 30,000 BTU's output. The Explorer that you are interested in seems to be the same burner but doubled. I also bought the Deluxe Grill Box 30. They work together beautifully. If you really wanted to cook on a picnic table, probably you would want to get an extra set of legs and cut them to length.... but I would be concerned with the amount of heat coming out below and adequate airflow from underneath. I haven't tried this as I find the legs are a good height for cooking. When using the Grill box to BBQ, I have the burner turned down to about as low as it can go and it does a great job on salmon fillets and chicken breasts. Buy the carrying bags to keep it all organized.

I now leave all the above at home .... its (in my opinion) too heavy. I use my burner for crab feeds with a giant stock pot. While the crabs are cooling, I like to make fresh potato French fries ... deep fried and very healthy ...
Speaking of heavy, the griddle in your combo weighs about 30 lbs by itself. Which probably makes it a pretty good griddle. I'm trying to trim as much weight as I can from my camp outfit.

Now I have a Camp Chief Everest High Pressure 2 burner and so far like it. It will fit through the exterior hatches. I found that my Grill Box 30 is too large to fit on the Everest stove and won't work. Currently, I'm using a Char Broil Infrared table top BBQ which I like very much. That said, I'm interested in gbaglo's Napoleon BBQ. It would be nice to be able to cook with indirect heat!

I also carry an extra 10 lb. propane tank for outdoor cooking and a portable folding table. No fire ring as of yet. At first I thought they were rather silly ..... that is until I got around them at the Rally ... now I'm a believer. Funny how that happens.

Hope this gives you some ideas. Cooking is even more of an individual pursuit than picking out which trailer to buy.

[gbaglo]

There are two "portable" Napoleon grills. One has a much shallower lid. I bought the other.
I got a longer hose made so the tank can sit on the ground and the Q on a picnic table

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Tom W

Some people get a portable table for the stove and place it closer to the trailer for ease of access to the food storage and sink.

This is what I have been doing some of the time with the 15' hose supplied. So far I have only hooked it to the BBQ. I will still do this lots into the future, as we like to keep the cooking handy to the trailer, sometimes with the picnic table brought under the awning.

Into the future, we will also be using our Camp Chef Ranger II stove on low pressure, and a future consideration of a fire pit. I already have the splitter, and plan to get one more 10-20' hose, and one short 39" one. This way the stove and BBQ can be used side by each with the short hose, and if distance is needed, just add the second longer hose in.

Originally Posted by StarvingHyena

I now leave all the above at home .... its (in my opinion) too heavy. I use my burner for crab feeds with a giant stock pot. While the crabs are cooling, I like to make fresh potato French fries ... deep fried and very healthy ...

It would be nice to be able to cook with indirect heat!
.

I hear you on heavy, it sure is easy to get loaded up with good gear. This is one of the reasons I don't want to bring an extra propane bottle along, that an have to stow it somewhere.

A solution I use on my single burner BBQ is I cut a 1/2" thick travertine tile to fit, leaving about 1" around all sides. This can be placed on the burner plates below, or directly on the grill. This provides really nice even heat for baking, and there is no flame directly below. A tile supplier of mine just gave me a 18"x18" one. It also works great as a heat sink helping keep temps even.

[Donna D.]

The one and only reason I got the exterior propane hookup was so I could use a propane fire bowl. Until this year, a lot of the west was in fire-bans a lot of the summer, but propane could often be used. I know summer and fire is almost an oxymoron for some of you. But I've camped in Southern Oregon at the beach in July and froze! It's nice to have an instant fire and warmth while sitting outside... and no smoke!

[padlin]

Just started using the quick connect fitting on the trailer for a Weber Q grill, I like it. As for the hose length, I've been looking for a 5' extension while we're traveling, I seem to come up a couple feet short all the time. In the mean time, I've been using the tailgate on the truck or a portable table, not very sturdy, but it works when I can't get the truck close enough.

The trailer propane works fine for the fire pit, again a bit longer hose would be better. Only issue is it sucks propane pretty quick and it smells like propane till the rocks heat up.