LP Tank Storage In or Out of the Camper?

[Sportsman Matt]

Howdy all. Still working on reworking the blueprints from the 1955 Popular Mechanics Encyclopedia Truck Camper Plans. Unfortunately I hit a snag, mainly on the LP Cabinet or Storage. A couple things to point out first before I get to the propane.

First, The camper dimensions are 7' Wide, 8' Long, 5'9" High Overall and fit a Pickup Truck bed with a bed Rail height of 20" and 48" between Wheel Wells, and 60" betweeen the Tailgate width. I'm playing with building the floor with the 60" of width after the rear of the wheel wells (ending up with 2 feet by 60" by 21" after the wheel wells, before the rear of the wheel wells the floor is going to be 48" by 72". The Side Walls are going to be made of 4'x8' Waterproof Panels, so internal height is going to be sacrificed a little, depending on the rooftop. Plan is U shaped Dinette bed in the first 4 feet, then the last 4 feet will have cabinets and a 2 way fridge, propane heater, 2 burner propane stove, and sink. Plans are on my blog http://sportsmanmattoutdoors.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html

Problem is when these plans were developed, they called for the old coleman gas stove, no heater, and no fridge, just an Ice Box. So there was no need to store a 20# Propane Tank.

So Now I'm at the point, I know I need to have the propane tank, I know I need to mount it on or in the camper as the camper is going to be removed when camping in one place for more than a day or two, and I've seen older units similar to what I'm planning with the propane tanks mounted outside on the rear up high to prevent them from being damaged when rear ended. I've also seen some mounted inside the camper like my current camper with the vented access door on the outside, which would be a possibility, but getting info on constructing a LP Storage Box hasn't been very forthcoming on the web.

I'm open to ideas, or info on making the propane box, and any ideas or requirements on building such a thing.

Thanks

Matt

 

[BenG]

I would mount LP tank inside, just build box on inside large enough for tank size, with vented door outside, depending on lay out either to rear or side

 

[Sam]

Four Wheel used to and ATC still does use a sheet metal box with vented door to the outside. Ben from All Terrain Camper sent me the specs for the box a while ago and I had it made at a local HVAC shop and I purchased the door from ATC (sorry I no longer have the specs). Four Wheel uses a very nice Poly box with vented door to the outside. Perhaps they could sell you one?

 

[Buzz]

PM DIY Encyclopedia

I don't have a solution to offer. I just wanted to comment on your reference material.

I have the same set of DIY Encyclopedias and enjoy thumbing through them. I got the set from a school librarian who was pitching the whole set because they were old. Frankly, I think she should have kept them.

I always wanted to build the welder. There are so many good ideas to be had in the set.

-Buzz

 

[pods8]

As mentioned the best bet is a sheet metal box fully sealed on the sides and have some flanges at the top to mount on the exterior frame (but inside the siding). Then silicon up any leak paths back into the camper.

However I don't see any issue if you made it out of wood or something if you preferred. Sheet metal would just be lighter, etc.

 

[dsrtrat]

Popane Box Size

My ATC Panther box size is 14"wx14"h x18" long. There is room on the sides and top but you need a little air space. I store a drain hose inside the compartment. Looks to be 20 ga maybe 18 sheet metal with lapped seams and sealed with silicone. Don't forget to use a propane detector in the trailer space.
Drtrat

 

[Sportsman Matt]

Thanks for the input so far. I had a really weird idea about this last night. I'm looking at the floorplan, and the camper is going to be 96" long, and I have truck bed that's 99" long between the inside of the tailgate and the inside of the headboard of the truck. One thought was build the floor with a T shape 60" wide at the rear and have on the left bottom of the wall a 15"x15" square door, horizontal 20 lb tank, and the exterior side of the compartment built with stainless mesh for ventilation. The advantage to having the 96" length is the tailgate will be on the truck so I can close it, hiding the LPG Hatch, and use the tailgate as a small porch when the camper is on the truck. Plus a 15" compartment built in will only pull 10" of Floor Space from the original 48"x96" floor design, which will allow me to utilize the space underneath the cabinet I would have to build for the sink and stove.

As Buzz put it, they are neat plans in these old books. This idea for a backwoods welder came out of The Backwoodsman Magazine this month. Just get some carbon rods from a weld shop, some brazing rod, a 6V or 12V battery, and some heavy jumper cables. Great in a pinch if you need to weld something enough to get home. Just don't forget the welding glasses/goggles (sunglasses will not be sufficient).

I'm still working on this camper propane idea, I can't thank you enough for the info so far, but I'm still open to more ideas, as on paper it just isn't adding up yet.

 

[Buzz]

Flatbed?

Don't know how this might strike you, but, have you considered removing the truck bed and starting from the frame-up? That opens up many more possibilities.

-Buzz

 

[ScottBailey]

I was checking out a westy the other day. Propane tank below and outside the "frame rails", for lack of the correct terminology.

 

[Sportsman Matt]

Another Snag... This is getting even better

Hi Gang. I was looking at the drawings, and realized that I can't do the t-shaped floor because in 10-20 years I'll have to replace my truck and the new bed dimensions will change, but the 48" between the wheelwells won't. So I'm going to have to mount the tank in the verticle box. I have a lead on one, a used one from a 1960's camper that will be trashed next year due to the roof leaked and rotted the whole framework out. I'll just have to pull the cover and all the screws holding the tank in, along with the copper line from the regulator to the bulkhead connector. It measures 14x14x18 and has the cover also. So I may be in business after all.

And I have a lead on some wide hardwood boards which I can use at the roof and overlap them over the waterproof panels, so I can get the 6' interior height I was looking at.

Going to try and call FWC this week and inquire about the plastic/fiberglass comartment, maybe I'll out that in inplace of the old metal one I'm getting.

Biggest thing is once I build this camper, that's it for me as far as purchasing or renovating. This one is going to be built to last me the next 30 to 40 years or more, hopefully by that time I'll still be up to going camping (I'll be in my late 70's by then)

Also can't go flatbed or frame up, as my current truck sees quite a bit of service hauling stuff (lumber, concrete blocks, building materials, bikes, furniture, etc) and the flatbed wouldn't be practical in my situation. Thanks for the ideas, I'm leaning towards the FWC comparment more and more, but keeping myself open to other options also.

 

[Sam]

How about some photos of your project?

 

[Sportsman Matt]

Pics coming

I'll have some pics as soon as I start building. So far everything is on paper, so I can bend, twist, stretch, and modify everything possible on it. If you check out my blog listed in the start of this thread, you'll see pics of what inspired me to start this little project, and further in my blog you'll see the truck and camper setup along with a bunch of fishing stuff.

So far the projected start of this is going to be probably around April or May of next year at the earliest, unless I get snowbound and feel like making sub assemblies to bolt together in the springtime.

 

[Barko1]

Love the picture of the guys pushing the camper into the truck.

I'd think about ditching the truck bed and going with a flat bed if the bed isn't needed the rest of the time.

 

[Sportsman Matt]

Well, so far this is getting interesting. I made the mistake of stopping at the Camping World in Amsterdam NY this past Monday on the way back from my 3 day camping trip with my girlfriend to the Herkimer Diamond Mines in Herkimer NY. Trip went well, until we went into the RV showroom with her. She's fallen in love with a 26 foot trailer, so I may have to bite the bullet next year and trade the Sunline in for a Summerdale Travel Trailer. Not that I don't mind the trailering, it's the idea of having to fight to park the thing when stopping to see the attractions on the way. But then again, I'm absolutely not planning on giving up on the truck camper just yet. I'm planning on starting construction in November by making sub assemblies and in the spring, move them out of the workshop and bolt them together.

Biggest thing is that I'll have to find another fellow to join me in loading it on the truck like the photos Just until I get the 4 corner jacks installed.

I was talking to one fellow at work about the propane issue, and one thought was to go with a 110 rooftop air conditioner with the heat strip and use a 2 burner coleman stove with the 1 lb tanks for cooking. Keep a small Mr. Buddy Heater for the really cold weather, and use a Engel 12V refrigerator.

Once again, more thoughts and more drawing. By the time I'm done, I'll probably have used up 1/4 of the forest in drawing paper.

 

[Sportsman Matt]

Update...

PM'd Stan@FWC about the Plastic LP Comparment Box, and He got me in touch with his parts guy.

Long story short I have a Plastic 20# Horizontal LP Tank Box and Compartment Door on the way.

As for the PM build, that's changing into a modified Glen L Acapulco Camper, and pics should be coming soon.

Once construction starts, I'll be posting more info in a new thread.

Thanks for the help and input.

Matt