"RT BBQ hoses/connectors/experiences" type question.

[Mike]

Hi everyone,
I originally posted this in Marco's Coleman Stove thread, but thought I'd put it out here for all to see, comment on, make suggestions, etc. - since we just got back from our first long distance trip and decided it'd be nice to cook our own food once in a while. We like everything from burgers to steaks, so any ideas or help or experiences with different hardware or makes and models is always appreciated. We're not sure if we'll buy up here (now that one U.S. dollar costs us $1.20 of our petro-money) since our prices are usually higher and we pay an extra 13% in GST/PST. It may or may not be cheaper to pay a lower initial price in the States, and then add the exchange. We're heading (we hope) to FLA next week to watch the Endeavour launch, so we'll be near all kinds of Walmarts/Bass Pros/Kmarts/Targets/etc.......

Mike wrote:
I'm thinking of getting at least a small Weber BBQ that I could do 2 steaks or 4 burgers etc. on at the back of the RT. I went to my local "RV experts" the other day and they couldn't figure out what kind of single hose would connect the quick connect female on my RT propane tank inside the rear bumper, to a regulator like the one on the little black table top BBQ in your picture. The regulator on it looks pretty standard, or so I thought.
They tried and failed. Do these little portable BBQs need a special adapter to allow them to work off your RV propane? I would have thought (probably in error) that the small (1 lb.?) propane bottles that they're supposed to use would have the same size threaded spout/fitting as the single hose in your first set of pics. I'm probably wrong, although I read some reviews on the Weber Q 100 (which is the one I'm thinking of getting) and some of them mention an adapter of some sort. So maybe it's not that simple, after all?

Any help will be gratefully accepted, including any recommendations of other makes and models of BBQs and hose combinations which I can easily acquire myself. I don't have to get Weber, if it's going to be a hassle to set up.
Thanks,
Mike.

[markopolo]

That quick connect fitting on Roadtrek's propane tank is handy. If the Weber BBQ that you are looking at can run off of a 1lb disposable propane tank then it should work with a hose made for the Roadtrek type fitting.

You can purchase the hose through a Roadtrek dealer. One end of the hose looks like this:



and the other looks like this:



It has the same thread as a 1lb disposable propane bottle.

The very helpful folks at M.B. Sturgis informed me that their hose assemblies will work with the Roadtrek fitting.

Contact them to make sure:
http://www.mbsturgis.com/Contact.htm



Link to the parts noted above:

http://mbsturgis.com/products/mb/rv-...onnection.html

This message from Peter Lange of Roadtrek Motorhomes was posted on the Yahoo Group:

We have limited the length of our hose that we supply to 8 feet. This was done for a reason, not "just 'cuz". There is already a 4 foot length of hose from the tank valve to the quick-connect. With an additional 8 feet, that makes 12 feet. If the extension is longer than this the volume of propane released from the tank when opening it after connecting the extension hose can, because it is under higher pressure than the regular appliances, cause the excess-flow valve in the tank valve system to engage, stopping the flow of propane to anything. Once this happens it can be a lengthy and frustrating experience if the user is not aware of this check valve and how to "uncork" it and they will expend much energy cursing us out. I'm sure the 6 foot hose would be fine, but adding a 12 foot hose to the existing 4 footer is almost guaranteed to trigger the check valve.

I don't know if I've explained this right, so if you need more info on this let me know.

Cheers,
Peter Lange
Network Administrator, (etc.),
Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc.

Based on that I'd suggest the 100476-60 5' hose from M.B. Sturgis. Find out what their return policy is before you buy.

Check with a local Roadtrek dealer first though. See what price they can give you for a factory authorized part.

[markopolo]

I think it was Bill Diel, Jr. from M. B. Sturgis that I exchanged emails with. I contacted them because their company name was on some of the paperwork included with my Roadtrek. I think it was instructions on how to operate the valve.

At the time, Bill informed me that they used to supply the part that Roadtrek used but they were not doing so anymore. The part on my Roadtrek was made overseas, not by M. B. Sturgis. Neither of us could figure out how the instructions from M. B. Sturgis got in with all my other Roadtrek related documents. We surmised that Roadtrek must have included it even though I didn't actually have a part made by M. B. Sturgis.

[yvonjovi]

After doing some reseach and asking around, this is what we found out: Vehicle mounted propane tanks have a build-in regulator on the tank, all gas suppy from that tank is therefore regulated before going into any gas appliances, including any gas BBQ that you wish to connect. Most portables, have an integrated gas control knob/regulator on the BBQ and therefore don't work properly with a pre regulator gas supply. If you want to connect the gas BBQ, you need to have a gas BBQ that does not have a regulator built in, such as Broil-King porta-chef (has a removeable regulator so you can take it off) . They are out there but are not always easy to find especially that are small enough to find stowage space. We have not gone to a propane dealer to see if the BBQ mounted regulator can be replaced.

[Mike]

"We have limited the length of our hose that we supply to 8 feet. This was done for a reason, not "just 'cuz". There is already a 4 foot length of hose from the tank valve to the quick-connect. With an additional 8 feet, that makes 12 feet. If the extension is longer than this the volume of propane released from the tank when opening it after connecting the extension hose can, because it is under higher pressure than the regular appliances, cause the excess-flow valve in the tank valve system to engage, stopping the flow of propane to anything. Once this happens it can be a lengthy and frustrating experience if the user is not aware of this check valve and how to "uncork" it and they will expend much energy cursing us out. I'm sure the 6 foot hose would be fine, but adding a 12 foot hose to the existing 4 footer is almost guaranteed to trigger the check valve.

I don't know if I've explained this right, so if you need more info on this let me know.

Cheers,
Peter Lange
Network Administrator, (etc.),
Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc. "

My Roadtrek has a Manchester propane tank. Not sure what other van conversions might have,
but if they use the same manufacturer, doesn't the highlighted in red part of the quote imply that there isn't a regulating device on the external tank to the fitting? Maybe it's a date specific thing with newer or older
tanks having a built in regulator. I''m still looking at adding a small BBQ this spring.
I suspect I'll have to take my van to my nearest RT service centre to get the right parts and grill.

Thanks for the additional info, food for thought,
Mike.

[scragle]

I'm a newbie to this forum and to RVing in general, so I'm probably re-inventing the wheel, but here goes: we bought a 2002 Roadtrek 190P (and LOVE it), but I don't care to cook inside on the rather small 2-burner when I could be tailgaiting in the sun and flipping burgers on a grill like I'm used to doing at home.

We've become regulars at our local Camping World store, and they sold us an Olympian 5500 stainless steel grill [http://www.campingworld.com/shopping.../37764]--looks great, works even better. It has a short hose with a quick connect on both ends: the male end connects to the female quick connect coming from the Roadtrek propane tank, and the female end attaches to the flow regulator on the grill. I was psyched.

Trouble is, when I got everything connected and opened the propane tank valve, I heard a loud and ominous hissing from the burner unit, so I closed the valve and just cracked it a little so the flow wasn't excessive. Still, with the valve barely cracked, flames shot up from the burner unit about 3 or 4 inches above the grilling surface. Clearly the system was lacking a regulator, so I went shopping.

I didn't want to extend the length of the hose (for reasons cited earlier in this thread), so I went to Menards and bought a quick connect kit (Mr. Heater F276181) which has a male and female both having 1/4" pipe thread) and a propane regulator (Mr. Heater F273767) which has a 1/4" female inlet and a 3/8" female outlet. With a little teflon tape, the male quick connect was soon attached to the 1/4" female inlet of the regulator. Here's the tricky part, though: the outlet of the regulator is 3/8" female, and the female quick connect has a 1/4" female pipe thread. This necessitated a trip to our local specialty hardware store where we located a fitting with a male 1/4" to male 3/8" pipe thread. More teflon tape, and voila! The grill works to perfection.

I attach the regulator to the quick connect coming from the propane tank. You could attach it between the grill and its supplied hose, but when it is attached between the two hoses, it rests very safely on the bumper rather than hanging rather clumsily off the side of the grill.

Here is the grill:


Here is the quick connect hose supplied with the grill, and my home-made quick connect regulator:

Here's a close up of the regulator with attached male and female quick connects:

And finally, here's another close up of the female side showing the 1/4" to 3/8" male to male fitting to connect the female quick connect to the female regulator outlet:

Total cost: $200 for the grill (on sale at Camping World) and roughly $20 for the regulator, quick connect kit, and fitting. The Olympian 5500 makes a mean burger, and has more surface area than most camping grills. I really am psyched.

Now, if I could just figure out how to securely attach the grill mounting bracket to my class IV hitch...

[Mike]

WOW!
That's a story and a half.
I plan to visit a Camping World next trip south (I don't think they exist in Canada yet)
and see what's available. We've seen the odd one while on the freeways, but usually can't find
the exit to get to them easily, so we haven't been to any yet.
I just happen to have the same rig as you, so the parts and numbers will be a help.

Thanks for posting up your "project".

[Photog]

If you pull out the R/T hose, through the hole in the bumper, you will find a tag wrapped around the hose. This tag has some very useful information on it.

It says that the pressure from the tank is regulated down to about 10 psi. This is not low enough for a normal BBQ, and the built in rergulators on a BBQ need to be used. If your BBQ does not have a low pressure regulator, you will need to install one.

The Stainless BBQ shown in the earlier post has no regulator, and needed one. The BBQs that use the 1 lb bottles, have a built in regulator, and will work right of the end of the hose.

[Photog]

I have a 12' hose, but have not tried it yet. I picked this length, so I could cook under the awning, out of the rain.

The little note from R/T listed above, did not suggest a how to reset the shut-off valve, for a longer hose on the propane tank.

Anyone know how to do this?

[Mike]

Good question. I'll send a note to RT Service and ask, as I'm curious about "uncorking"
the excess-flow valve now myself. Sounds to me like your 12' hose may engage it, based
on Peter Lange's reply below. He suggests a max length of 8 additional feet from the quick
connect.

[Mike]

From Roadtrek Service....

"The excess flow valve should reset itself if you open the tank valve very slowly, i.e. turn it a little from fully closed, leave it for a minute or two, crack it a bit more, repeat several times and then open it all the way. If, as can occasionally happen, the ball (the EFV is a little spring-loaded ball) gets stuck, sometimes it can become necessary to whack the tank with a lead-filled plastic "dead blow" hammer to shake it out or, worst case, drop the tank out and "drop" it, literally, on some wood planks to shake it loose. This last came from Manchester themselves.

In response to the rest of the thread there, the manchester ASME tanks do not have a built-in regulator. When we install them they get two regulators, one for the RV appliances, which is set to 0.5 p.s.i. (11 inches of water column), and the other for external grills that is set to 15 p.s.i. If you attach an RV appliance rated at (11" WC) to the 15 p.s.i. supply, you will get the 5 inch flames as described, and could possibly damage any internal regulators that are designed for an input of only 11" WC. The BBQ quick connect supply has the same output as the small green 16.4 oz. propane bottles used for camping gear like Coleman stoves (see picture attached), and thus the same thread pattern and fitting.

In reference to the 12' hose, as long as the tank valve is closed before hooking it up, and then opened slowly as described, the excess flow valve should not engage. If the valve were left open and the 12' extension hooked up, it very well might trip the EFV. They do not always get stuck, and should reset if the valve is closed and then opened again slowly."

So that's it folks.

[Photog]

That information is very helpful.

Thank you so much.

[Mike]

My pleasure.
(I always learn something whenever I ask Peter at RT a question)

[scroller]

Thanks Mark ,for all the info.i have a six foot hose will try and find out tomorrow where I can get a quick connect end installed on my hose. It appears my fears were unfounded about the second regulator making the system inoperable.

[booster]

We have found that there are lots of lp stuff, that are designed for bottles, that won't run off the 10 psi from the Roadtrek. Most of the Coleman items are among the ones that don't like the pressure that low. They seem to have a flash arrestor in them that drops the flow too much.

It is a tough deal because the pressure is too high for low pressure appliances (stove, furnace pressure) and too low to run many of the high pressure ones.

[markopolo]

That's what RT service dept told Mike.
I don't know I can't remember if I ever used it as it was a while ago now. I use the 1lb bottles because we set up the Coleman or BBQ on the campsite picnic table.

RT owners might offer some more info on this.

Edit: I see Booster already posted. I knew there was a reason I was confused about this

[Mike]

Saw the Coleman NXT and 2 Olympian models at Camping World in Florida that stated they could run off low pressure RV propane systems. The Coleman came with a 10 foot hose with the quick connect male fitting. One of the Olympian models is a hybrid. Will run off propane or 110-120V AC. If it would fit where I planned to store it I would have bought it. The 5500 model was a better fit but had no legs for use on a table top. I need to source a stand of some sort before I go with that one. The Coleman didn't have the BTU specs i was looking for. I wasn't sure you could even boil water on it, let alone cook burgers and so on.

[mlts22]

I've been looking at an Extend-A-Stay device (which adds not just a port for the BBQ stove, but a place to use an extra propane cylinder.) Wonder if this might help things.

[Mike]

Have been continuing to research the need (or not) for a BBQ grill with it's own built in regulator when using the on board propane system on my Roadtrek. As far as I know, there is only a hose with a shut off valve lever, and a quick connector coming off the main tank at the rear of the van. No regulator on that source of propane. Some BBQ grills say they will work off the RV low pressure propane system without modification, but the Olympian 5500 which I'm considering, did require additional plumbing for scragle (2009 posting) to make his work. So, the question is still/again, will a BBQ grill without a built in regulator, work directly off the main propane tank, or do I need to look at grills that have their own attached regulator?
Am feeling just a bit "propane challenged" today. It's confusing depending on what and who you read.

[booster]

This one comes up a lot with Roadtreks. As I mentioned in another post, they use a 10 psi regulator on the propane BBQ hose, so it is neither low pressure or high pressure, just "sort of high".

A low pressure grill setup up for low pressure RV lines won't work, as the pressure is too high.

Many high pressure grills, with regulators, have too much internal resistance (probably flash arrestors) and won't work because the pressure is too low.

Some high pressure grills with regulators work fine, although you might have to adjust the base setting of the regulator (usually a little setscrew under the cover).

Our Magma grill worked fine out of the box, but I did tweak the regulator range a little bit (it was actually too hot for chicken, great for beef).

Our Coleman Fold-N-Go stove had just a tiny flame that wouldn't cook anything. I had to drill a very small hole in the flame arrestor to get it to work (know what you are doing before modifying any gas thingy, though-and test outdoors away from anything that will burn )

I have read lots of complaints that Coleman stuff won't run on the Roadtreks.

We have found that with the grill and stove setup for the 10 psi, if we do run them on a small bottle, they will run quite a bit hotter than we like. They do still work though.

We use our grill nearly every day while traveling, the stove rarely. We do also carry a small propane torch head to screw on the hose which is great for starting campfires We never cook indoors, except to use the microwave to heat up a brat or something like popcorn.