WX2G wrote: I spoke to a gentleman who tried carrying a tank inside the "Caravan" on a trip through Australia. He said he just happened to look back as a sudden white mist enveloped the camper, followed by a huge BOOM, which blew out all the windows and loosened the walls to the point that they had to be tied in place to haul the unit back several huindred miles to the rental site. What obviously happened is that the tank was full, expanded in the heat, blew the safety and filled the unit with gas.Something ignited it, and away it went.
Sorry I gotta call BS on this. There are several things that don't add up.
First, if the tank was inside the camper when it vented where did the white mist that enveloped the outside of the camper come from? Sounds more like one of the tanks mounted to the a-frame at the front vented. Or even possibly had the LP line rupture. Neither of those much more likely possibilities are pertinent to the OP's question.
Second, it is extremely rare for any appliance to cause a spark "inside" the camper. ALL the spark generating pieces are on the outside. The ONLY spark generation that takes place inside a camper is the stove and that has, to be MANUALLY operated by a person. Again if it was the exterior tank that vented it would be possible for a spark from the fridge or water heater to have ignited it but then the incident still wouldn't be germane to the discussion at hand.
Third and most importantly, if the camper was in fact filled with LP vapor, the resultant explosion would have done a HE11 of a lot more damage then was described. In fact the camper would have been blown into tiny little pieces that would have needed to be picked up, put into bags and placed on the now flat-bed trailer before being towed back to the rental place. Also, it would have most likely blown out the rear window (at a minimum) of the tow vehicle. Once again the described damage is much more in line with an un-contained vapor explosion from something exterior to the camper then to a large quantity of LP gas exploding inside an enclosed space.
Quote: I have seen tanks suddenly vent in the summer sun when outside, it is never safe to carry them inside a car, camper, trunk, etc., especially when full.
This statement is basically true. Yes a tank can vent if it has been overfilled and/or is exposed to intense heat. So leaving one inside a closed car or in its trunk on a sunny day is a big no-no. However with the greater interior volume and insulated walls, the temps inside a camper wouldn't get high enough to cause this unless the camper was on fire. It "might" happen if the tank was sitting exposed in an unshaded window that had a constant stream of sunshine on it while you were traveling through the desert but even that would be really stretching the possibilities. I live in the Mojave Desert and my BBQ tanks are routinely exposed to ambient temps over 100 degrees (for months at a time) while in direct sunlight and I have never had one vent on me.
To the OP, it is safe to carry a spare inside the camper. Simply ensure the valve is fully closed and also use the plastic transport plug (your local LP dealer should give you one for free if it is missing). I strap my spare tank to the table leg to keep it from moving. I also use a plastic base, available from Camping World, that provides more stability as well.
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DualCam wrote: Just make sure to secure it so it doesn't move around and you'll be fine....no need to make this more complicated than need be.
I put mine in the back seat with a seat belt holding it. I have also bunged it in the TC. I have used a rachet strap, and fastened it to the ladder. Safety issues can be argued with any of these methods.
I have heard of vehicles going down the road, and all of a sudden the engine just catch fire. I might add, I have never heard of this with a diesel, just gasoline engines. No matter what we do, there are risk, and we can usually decide which we are willing to take.
I would prefer to have a purpose-built storage cabinet or other dedicated area for my spare 20 lb propane tank in my camper, however, there is just no room for this. We tried carrying it in a number of places inside the camper, but didn't like the lines, bungie cords, and/or towels needed to keep it secured while underway. We now carry the spare tank in a Rubbermaid tote in the rear of our quad cab Dodge truck and so far that has worked out well.
Keep in mind that where ever you decide to carry it, the tank needs to be kept in an upright position to avoid liquid LP from getting into the pick up tube.
Steve_in_29 wrote: Keep in mind that where ever you decide to carry it, the tank needs to be kept in an upright position to avoid liquid LP from getting into the pick up tube.
Can you expand on this some more. When I refill my BBQ tank (which is an upright) I usually put it flat in a milk crate to transport home.
When returned to an upright position, does the liquid LP then drain back out?
I have never heard any warnings from the folks who refill the containers.
Is there a danger of liquid LP in the pick up tube?
Steve_in_29 wrote: Keep in mind that where ever you decide to carry it, the tank needs to be kept in an upright position to avoid liquid LP from getting into the pick up tube.
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