Hooking up camp stove and BBQ to the quick connect propane outlet.

[prinsron]

I haven't been very active contributing to this forum, but I have been a regular follower. Thanks for all the tips! Now that we'll be taking our 19 out a lot more as we're retired, I have a quick question. You guys seem to be pretty helpful and knowledgeable when it comes to solving problems.!
How do I hook up my camp stove which currently takes the little one lb cylinders to the on board propane system. None of the RV dealers in Lacombe seem to know. Is the pressure the same and what fittings do I need to make the transition from the quick connect? Same thing with the portable BBQ. Does it work or do I need some special regulator/adapters to hook it up?
I'm sure some of you have faced the same issues and resolved it!
Thanks everybody.

[KarenH]

The quick connect will not work with a Coleman-type stove without adaptors. I had my propane guy make fittings to run off the main propane tanks and it works great...

[Jim Bennett]

Like Karen says, you can't hook the Coleman stoves to the low-pressure quick connect.

The pressure at this quick connect is lower than at the tank, or in the 1 lb disposable bottles. If you were to connect your Coleman stove here, you would be effectively using 2 pressure regulators in series, and will end up with too much of a pressure drop, and a very poor performance out of your stove.

I have looked hard for a way to remove the pressure regulator from the Coleman stove, and replace with connections to hook it to the low-pressure connection, but it seems Coleman uses a proprietary style fittings, that you can't find elsewhere. Still trying to figure something out though, as I sure do love the connection for the BBQ.

There are a couple low pressure stoves you can buy that would work. Camp chef makes some.

[Chapitre]

Does anyone have an "Everest" camp chef stove with the quick connect and does it work?

[Brian B-P]

The above posts are correct - you need an appliance (stove or barbecue) set up for low-pressure propane if you want to use that connection. For perspective: the pressure in a tank (of any size) at 60°F / 16°C is 92 PSIG / 637 kPa... and substantially higher on a hotter day. The trailer's regulator takes that down to the industry-standard 11 inches of water column (which is only 2.7 kPa or 0.4 psi). Appliances which connect directly to propane tanks or cylinders include their own regulator... but they don't necessarily regulate down to that standard pressure.

As Jim mentioned, there are some stoves which can work on common low-pressure propane (by not using the regulator which normally comes with them for direct tank use); there are also some barbecues which can be adapted this way. The RVQ is a barbecue which is setup for low-pressure propane as standard equipment, and aimed specifically at RVs. Three factors which get in the way of doing a conversion to an appliance not designed specifically for it:

• regulator and control are sometimes combined - you can't eliminate it because then you would have no way to control the burner
• controls may be designed for use at controlled input pressure which is higher than the common low-pressure supply
• connections between components in the stove can use unusual connection types - it can be difficult to find the parts to safely make new connections

Of course, all the stoves designed for use built-in inside an RV (such as the ones in Escape trailers) are designed to work on standard low-pressure propane supply, so one of them can be mounted in a portable box for outside use. It was (and may still be) common for tent trailers (or pop-ups) to have one of these stoves, set up to be movable and equipped with a connector to plug in outside or inside as desired.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Chapitre

Does anyone have an "Everest" camp chef stove with the quick connect and does it work?

I don't have a Camp Chef stove, but it seems unlikely that an Everest would work on low pressure. From the Q&A on Camp Chef's Everest High Pressure Two-Burner Stove web page (in addition to the name...):

From G. Wilson at 3/11/13 3:24 PM
Can I connect this to my RV?
None of the mountain series can be connected to a RV. All the Mountain Series stoves are considered high pressure stoves, therefore they are not compatible with the low pressure RV system.

The regulator and propane supply tube for this stove look like those used with Coleman stoves.

Camp Chef's "Mountain" series also includes the Ranier and Teton. Their web page for their RV connection hose suggests that any other stove they have that doesn't include "high pressure" in the name of the stove will work on low pressure. I note, however, that Camp Chef stoves (other than the Mountain series) typically weigh 20 pounds or more in single-burner models, and twice that in double burner models... maybe a lot to be carrying in a lightweight travel trailer.

They also suggest that the same hose works for "most BBQ Grills"... presumably on the basis that most grills have a regulator that screws directly into the propane tank and puts out the standard low pressure; replacing the stock hose with regulator with hose like this supplies the same pressure and everything works (this is how most Camp Chefs stoves work). To see if this applies to your grill, see if it has a regulator at the tank end of the hose, check the pressure marked on that regulator, and check the type of connection at the grill end of the hose.

[Chapitre]

We currently hook it up to a larger 10 lb tank with an adapter- if it works on that would it necessarily mean it would work on the quick connect?

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Chapitre

We currently hook it up to a larger 10 lb tank with an adapter- if it works on that would it necessarily mean it would work on the quick connect?

I've used this too with my Coleman stove, but the tank didn't have a regulator. I ran the hose to the regulator on the stove. Guess that makes a difference.... no regulator on the tank....

[gbaglo]

Using the quick connect there is a regulator at the source. Then you have another regulator at the appliance. That's too many regulators. So, no, the appliance will not work properly.
Might as well keep using the 10 lb. tank, as I do.

[gbaglo]

Jim Bennett bought the Dickinson Spitfire 180 and I followed his lead. One of the accessories is a low pressure regulator.

Web site is: DickinsonMarine.com - Marine Propane Barbeques

[Jrn56]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Using the quick connect there is a regulator at the source. Then you have another regulator at the appliance. That's too many regulators. So, no, the appliance will not work properly.
Might as well keep using the 10 lb. tank, as I do.

Glenn, where do you store the 10lb tank when traveling.

[gbaglo]

It's in a milk crate in the aisle of the trailer. Not optimum, but better than in the tow vehicle. I had one vent on me once on a hot day on the Coquihalla summit. It was in the back of the Subaru wagon. And, I was a smoker at the time. But, I guess all the windows were open.
Anyway, I'm not concerned since it doesn't get hot in the trailer and I usually travel with the Maxxfan locked open.
BTW, you are only allowed two propane cylinders on BC Ferries. May be restrictions where you are or where you travel.
I should add that I've never had the propane detector sound the alarm except when disconnecting the battery.

[gbaglo]

Which all gets me to thinking.
The propane detector is powered by electricity. So, when it sounds the alarm, how does it not ignite the gas that it is detecting?

[hotfishtacos]

I've seen this question come up several times on the forum so I took a few pictures of my setup connected to my Everest Stove. In fact, I am camping now near June Lake, CA and took these pics yesterday. A high pressure stove will not work on the quick-connect low pressure connection but it will work directly off one of your main trailer propane tanks if you purchase some off the shelf fittings and hoses. Here are two pictures of my setup. I purchased 2 high pressure hoses and connected them together to give myself a long reach to the stove.





Steve

Originally Posted by Chapitre

Does anyone have an "Everest" camp chef stove with the quick connect and does it work?

[Brian B-P]

Steve's setup supplies high-pressure propane to the point where a one-pound cylinder is normally screwed on to the stove, with a comatible connector. Although Camp Chef sells this hose, it is a routinely available part, not specific to Camp Chef. This works for any appliance which uses the one-pound cylinders.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Chapitre

We currently hook it up to a larger 10 lb tank with an adapter- if it works on that would it necessarily mean it would work on the quick connect?

No, it means the opposite: it runs on high-pressure propane, so it will probably not run on the low-pressure propane supplied through the Escape's quick-connect outlet without modification... and the modification may not be practical.

The tank size doesn't matter - the propane from any size of tank is at the same high pressure until it goes through a regulator or other control valve.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

The propane detector is powered by electricity. So, when it sounds the alarm, how does it not ignite the gas that it is detecting?

The trick is to not produce a spark with sufficient energy. Lots of equipment for hazardous environments is designed with this in mind.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Jim Bennett bought the Dickinson Spitfire 180 and I followed his lead. One of the accessories is a low pressure regulator.

Web site is: DickinsonMarine.com - Marine Propane Barbeques

Although it's called a regulator, it is also a flow (flame height) control. It appears that this Dickson stove combines the regulator and control (preventing easy conversion) and they fux this by selling a replacement which is just the control. That's nice of them - no such help from Coleman or others.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Anyway, I'm not concerned since it doesn't get hot in the trailer and I usually travel with the Maxxfan locked open.

Too bad the MaxxFan is on the roof and leaked propane collects at the floor.

I assume the tank is only in the trailer while driving, not for days at a time.

[gbaglo]

Only for driving, and since I can see daylight at the bottom corner of the door seal, I figure propane has an escape route.