Really frustrating

[collinb]

2000. Bayside Elite
Crawling under the front bed to change tanks. (Besides dealing with the storage area.) Anyone have a convenient work-around for this nuisance design?

 

[RCmom]

Before popping up my camper, I take the tank out of the travel strap. I put it on an upside down milk crate next to the tongue and reattach the hose. A lot easier to switch tanks. I only do this for trips where I know I'll be going through a lot of propane or I know my tank is low.

 

[jmkay1]

I personally added a second tank on mine and when it’s fall, I make sure both are full before I get to camp. That way I’m only switching the hose if the first tank is used. During the spring/summer the single tank is sufficient for me.

 

[collinb]

I would like to find a cutover valve, if such exists.

 

[collinb]

I posted in the middle of searching. There is an auto cutover valve available. Tx all.

 

[jmkay1]

I posted in the middle of searching. There is an auto cutover valve available. Tx all.

. Just be warned I was told if you use the auto changeover valve and it switches over to the second tank you may not be able to use your outside propane hookup until you switch it back to your main tank. I haven't tried it myself as I use my outside hook up all the time. I think it has something to do with the outside hookup being high pressure.

 

[collinb]

. Just be warned I was told if you use the auto changeover valve and it switches over to the second tank you may not be able to use your outside propane hookup until you switch it back to your main tank. I haven't tried it myself as I use my outside hook up all the time. I think it has something to do with the outside hookup being high pressure.

My pop up system is all low pressure.

 

[jmkay1]

My pop up system is all low pressure.

. Interesting, I have a sister unit to the Bayside and my outside hookup is high pressure. Everything else is low I think.

 

[Sjm9911]

My 2000 westlake had a high pressure hook up also. With my TT and with the westlake, i took a seprate 20 lb bottle with me for outside cooking. Less need to change the bottles on the tounge.

 

[neighbormike]

It’s more frustrating at 5 in the morning when it’s 31 degrees outside lol

 

[kitphantom]

Our Coleman Cobalt originally had just one LP tank, so we added a second. I was convinced the first would run out in the middle of a cold night, so we added an auto-changeover too. On that, it was one system, just the (inside) stove and furnace, so no worries about high/low pressure systems. Our TT has an auto-changeover too, and I don't think I'd be without it. (& on the TT there's no crawling around under anything to change LP tanks, if necessary.)

 

[Spridle]

I wish I could find a good low pressure stove to replace the high pressure on the Niagara. In part because the HP stove is pretty tired anyway. The control valves seem to have a ton of slop in them and just touching the knobs causes the flame to jump all over. Nearly impossible to control the flame.

 

[Grandpa Don]

I just have one propane bottle on the tongue of my Viking model 1906. There isn't really any room to add another. With the camper set up I could never get that tank off the tongue when it needs filling. I have an ultrasonic sensor on the bottom of the tank to warn me that it is getting low. What I do is use a longer than usual connecting hose to the tank. I will carry one spare full tank in my TV and have it sitting right by the tongue. When the main tank gets very low, or empty, I just unscrew the hose and attach it to the spare tank. If I am expecting really cold weather, I will bring two extra tanks. I've only had to do this once in the snow early one morning. I'll just leave the spare tank hooked up until I go home. I'll have it filled once back home and the top is down and secured.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C5RQJHS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Grandpa Don]

Damn double post error... again!

 

[Gvtexas36]

I use a 4ft long pigtail propane hose and set the tank on the ground instead of mounting to the tongue.

 

[Eric Webber]

I wish I could find a good low pressure stove to replace the high pressure on the Niagara. In part because the HP stove is pretty tired anyway. The control valves seem to have a ton of slop in them and just touching the knobs causes the flame to jump all over. Nearly impossible to control the flame.

You can get just about anything you want, and then modify it to work with the low pressure tap coming off the trailer (if its threaded, its a high pressure with the same attachment as a 1lb bottle. If it's a "pop in quick connect", its a low pressure and comes pre-regulated by the camper regulator (most have this). In that case, you can get a kit to bypass the regulator on the stove. I got one for my little weber propane grill, and can either pop in the regulator or the low pressure line and connect it to the side of the camper

If you have high pressure, your life is even easier. Get a camp chef mountain series or a Stansport and an extension line for 1lb propane tanks

 

[PaThacker]

I have dual tanks on my Jayco highwall. Easy to flip switch between both tanks. King bed glide bars and bed support bars there too. Add shw PUGS it’s a spiderweb lol.

 

[tfischer]

I've never come close to using a full tank of propane, even in furnace weather. The fridge, stove and grill don't use much, so the furnace is really the only thing that does (in our pup). If it's going to be cold out (early spring or late fall) we'll make sure we head out with a full tank but we've never come close to using one up.

 

[jmkay1]

fall) we'll make sure we head out with a full tank but we've never come close to using one up.

. It entirely depends on what temperature you set the furnace at and how long it stays running. Some may set the furnace at 65F like you would a house thermostat and leave it on all day/night. Unfortunately if it’s 30F degrees or colder outside and camping in a popup without much heat retention that furnace isn’t going to shut off much at all so your going to go through propane mighty fast. Over the years I figured out heat retention system and gas conserving system that’s works for me and my family. Mainly utilizing an electric heater to help support the furnace. Unfortunately the family still are not exactly “happy campers” but it works. On day 4 I may have to switch tanks but we don’t normally camp much beyond that. Unfortunately for my size camper the single electric catalytic heater is no where near enough to keep the popup comfortable on its own so that furnace still gets a work out if it’s freezing. To each their own. Everyone has different tolerance levels.

 

[tfischer]

If we have elec, we bring along a space heater and like you said, the furnace is only backup so doesn't get much use. If we don't have elec, then we're limited by battery as well as propane. Even though we have solar, it's often cloudy in the spring/fall. We tend to have it set just enough to take the edge off of the cold, and then crank it up when we're getting dressed if necessary.