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Old 02-24-2008, 10:46 AM   #1
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The propane tank on my Sightseer is listed as a 18 gallon tank under 'specifications'. When I look up the same tank under 'parts', it's listed as a 60 lb. tank. If I wanted to upgrade to say, a 80 lb. tank (not sure if it fits yet) how many gallons does that tank represent and how does that compare to my OEM 18 gallon tank?

It seems mine is always on empty and would like a larger tank, which Winnebago does use in higher-end models. Not sure if it's possible or practical to upgrade but would like to better understand how propane tanks compare in size...

Thank you,
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Old 02-24-2008, 10:46 AM   #2
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The propane tank on my Sightseer is listed as a 18 gallon tank under 'specifications'. When I look up the same tank under 'parts', it's listed as a 60 lb. tank. If I wanted to upgrade to say, a 80 lb. tank (not sure if it fits yet) how many gallons does that tank represent and how does that compare to my OEM 18 gallon tank?

It seems mine is always on empty and would like a larger tank, which Winnebago does use in higher-end models. Not sure if it's possible or practical to upgrade but would like to better understand how propane tanks compare in size...

Thank you,
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Old 02-24-2008, 10:59 AM   #3
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Richard,

Before you go though all that expense for 20lbs of propane...

I would check, or have someone check your OPD valve on your tank. A good friend of mine had the same problem on his 01 Journey... Tank was always empty.. Well, he found that his OPD was improperly installed and would shut off the fill too soon, and was only filling his tank to about 50% instead of the 80%. He installed a new OPD and was satisfied.

60lb tank is a pretty good size tank, Think it is 2 30lb's. If it were my unit I would look at my cert. tag and find out for sure what it is. It is a tag welded right to the tank.

Next time it is empty, see how many gallons it takes to fill it. Propane is about 4.24 lbs per gallon. This will tell you if your using the entire tank capacity or just part of it.

If you find it low, or not able to fill completely, I would take to a dealer and have the check the OPD to adjust or replace it so it does use the available capacity (Should only allow tank to fill to 80%).

If still not enough capacity, I would put on an extend-a-stay type T and use a 20 or 30 lb external tank to extend your range. To me, a larger tank would just add more weight, and a bigger expense. In normal camping weather 60lbs of propane should last quite a while unless your constantly running your furnace or generator (if that is propane). We normally go through less than 30lbs in a summer season. Granted we only use it for cooking and hot water when we need it.

John
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Old 02-24-2008, 01:34 PM   #4
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1 gallon of propane = 4.2# of propane. As the earlier post stated the tanks OPD valve will only allow the tank to be filled to 80%.
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Old 02-24-2008, 02:57 PM   #5
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Personally I'm irritated that the 36' Meridian/ Journey carries another 10Gal than the 34H with the same storage space..
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Old 02-24-2008, 04:23 PM   #6
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Richard, Your 18.0 gallon tank should never be filled over 80% which is 14.4 gallons of propane. The tank permanently mounted to your coach is an ASME design tank and is rated in w.c. which is water capacity in gallons. When you reference a 60 or 80 pound tank that is a DOT design cylinder. The 60 or 80 # is that amount of propane it will hold. Ie. 60# cylinder will hold 60# of propane or 14.2 gallons. A 60# and an 18 gal. tank are esentially the same container except for their design and allowable uses. An 80# cylinder holds 18.9 gals. or propane.
I think Moder2 has given you some good advice.
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Old 02-24-2008, 04:32 PM   #7
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Moder2:
Richard,

Before you go though all that expense for 20lbs of propane...

I would check, or have someone check your OPD valve on your tank. A good friend of mine had the same problem on his 01 Journey... Tank was always empty.. Well, he found that his OPD was improperly installed and would shut off the fill too soon, and was only filling his tank to about 50% instead of the 80%. He installed a new OPD and was satisfied.

60lb tank is a pretty good size tank, Think it is 2 30lb's. If it were my unit I would look at my cert. tag and find out for sure what it is. It is a tag welded right to the tank.

Next time it is empty, see how many gallons it takes to fill it. Propane is about 4.24 lbs per gallon. This will tell you if your using the entire tank capacity or just part of it.

If you find it low, or not able to fill completely, I would take to a dealer and have the check the OPD to adjust or replace it so it does use the available capacity (Should only allow tank to fill to 80%).

If still not enough capacity, I would put on an extend-a-stay type T and use a 20 or 30 lb external tank to extend your range. To me, a larger tank would just add more weight, and a bigger expense. In normal camping weather 60lbs of propane should last quite a while unless your constantly running your furnace or generator (if that is propane). We normally go through less than 30lbs in a summer season. Granted we only use it for cooking and hot water when we need it.

John </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Moder2;

Thanks for the great reply; if I'm pushing the correct buttons on my calculator, looks like I should be able to get 14.4 gallons (80% of 18 gallons) of propane if my tank is completely empty. My tank has never actually been empty, so maybe the warning panel gauge and the tank gauge are conservative. Of course, you have to assume that it's close to accurate and fill up as necessary or you have no heat.

Will look to see just how much propane goes in on the next fill up and possibly need to have the OPD checked out if I'm not able to take on as much propane as I would think.

Thanks again,
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Old 02-24-2008, 07:00 PM   #8
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Our interior panel goes to ˜Yellow' or 1/3 when the gauge on the tank reads exactly 1/2. From experience with our tank, there is about 5 gallons left when the tank gauge reads plum empty. I haven't looked into adjusting the tank gauge and I never got around to tweaking the inside panel display.
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Old 02-24-2008, 07:45 PM   #9
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by MrTransistor:
Our interior panel goes to ˜Yellow' or 1/3 when the gauge on the tank reads exactly 1/2. From experience with our tank, there is about 5 gallons left when the tank gauge reads plum empty. I haven't looked into adjusting the tank gauge and I never got around to tweaking the inside panel display. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm guessing that's what is happening to me; my panel goes to 'yellow' in a pretty short period. I'll bet I have more propane than what the gauges are telling me... I'll have to get a better feel on how much propane is left based on the tank gauge readings.
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Old 02-25-2008, 02:58 AM   #10
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Those gauges, both on the tank and the inside LED version are inherently very inaccurate. However, the newer version of the OnePlace board does have an adjustment for sensitivity on it. If it is just reading wrong, you can adjust it by removing the one place panel, you will see the small potentiometer on the back of the circuit board near the LED column.

I guess the very first think I would do is run our tank completely empty just so you know where your at...

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Old 02-25-2008, 03:02 AM   #11
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The advice already given is excellent. Last month I whined about the 18 gal tank and got the advice to get the "extend a stay plus" from Camping World. I did and it was an easy install (1/6th of a six pack....after I made sure no leaks etc )

We're just finishing about 3 weeks in cold weather and the x-stay was nice insurance. In fact we ran of the bottle until it got low and then switched to the coach tank. You can exchange the bottles anywhere so it makes it easy. I believe that we can go the whole season without a refill when not using the furnace so that makes it nice not hauling the extra pounds. The x-stay also lets you power external grills etc so that's nice too.
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Old 02-25-2008, 08:53 AM   #12
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The small propane tank is one (of many) reasons we traded off our '05 Sightseer for our '06 Voyage. 18 gallons is not big at all!! That size lasts 2 nights at best here in the Winter!
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Old 02-25-2008, 09:47 AM   #13
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Moder2:
"...the newer version of the OnePlace board does have an adjustment for sensitivity on it..."

John </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Moder2;

When you say 'newer version', how new are you referring to? My MH is a 2005 model-year...
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Old 02-25-2008, 10:05 AM   #14
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It's the trim pot. on the board that I haven't gotten around to setting yet. To set it as accurately as possible, you need to monitor the tank gauge to get it to exactly 2/3 then tweak the trim pot. for the gas so that the 2/3 LED is just winking on or off.

I didn't weigh in on the issue of the Extend a Stay last month because I didn't have any intention of getting one. My son uses a similar set-up in Pennsylvania but I can't see paying around $30.00 for a 5 gallon container of propane. I can buy the stuff here at the park for $2.99 a gallon or drive to our wholesaler and pay $2.30. On the coldest days of winter, we go through as much as 2 gallons a day as well as around 60 kWh or electricity per day. The park is now charging (no charge in 2007) 10c per kWh for electric over 6.66 kWh per day. At $2.30 per gallon that's as high as $9.93 per day. At $6.00 a gallon it's as high as $17.33 per day.

Granted, we could buy three or four 10 gallon tanks and have them filled at Ortegas' but then I'd have to pro-rate the cost of the tanks over time and have to store them somewhere in the coach in summer. We just don't have that kind of room.
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Old 02-25-2008, 10:10 AM   #15
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Hi FrontRangeRVer,
Ouchhhhhhh....... 7 gallons per day? Are you in Aspen? That's cold!
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Old 02-25-2008, 02:25 PM   #16
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MrTransistor, keep in mind the information on the OnePlace panel is a relatively crude indication of what's available in the tank.

With indicators for Full, 2/3, 1/3, and Empty the indicator going from 2/3 to 1/3 only means there isn't enough propane in the tank to trigger the 2/3 sensor. You could have as much as 5/8 of a tank when the 2/3 indicator light goes out.

We've found in our coach neither the OnePlace or the tank mounted indicator can be used for anything more than a rough guideline. Both indicate less in the tank than is actually present. Recently the OnePlace monitor read Empty and the on tank gauge read less than 1/4 of a tank. When the tank was filled it would only take 12 gallons which is only a little more than 1/2 the capacity since it holds 80% of 28 gallons or 22.4 gallons

We regularly use the coach for winter camping and in all the years we've owned it we've never run out of propane or even come close. A tank will easily last a week in temps of 10* to 15*F. I'll probably adjust the pots at some point, but since we've not had a problem it's fairly low on the priority list.
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Old 02-26-2008, 03:48 AM   #17
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Richard,

on my One Place, the OEM board did not have an adjustment pot for the propane sender. I had to replace this board due to a bad charging section for the solar panel last year (I replaced the LED and the Transistors 3 times and the trace on the board became un serviceable). When I got the new one, I noticed that they not only changed the charging section of the board, but also added an adjustment pot for the Propane sender.

I do not know when this new board was available, I got it last summer.

John
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Old 02-26-2008, 03:32 PM   #18
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Another way to help make the LP last longer.

I use a curtain at night that hangs just behind the front D/P chairs. I was amazed how much heat was lost in the dash, windshield and floor. In testing this out I could get 7 days with avg temps 35 Day/18 Night. Drawing the curtain at bedtime I got 2 extra days on the LP.

Another cold weather solution was some thermal curtains my wife made for the windows. I attached Velcro strips along the frame using the existing screws and she sewed the opposite into the curtains. They take up very little space rolled up, but make a big difference in the window heat lose. They worked good in summer too for cooling.

Although a bigger tank would be nice too..
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Old 02-26-2008, 05:27 PM   #19
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This is one of four thermal blankets I made to insulate this coach. They are made from two thicknesses of a material called Warm Window. I think the R value is somewhere between 10 and 13. It is amazing how much heat is lost through the safety front glass and what a decrease can be felt when the panel is installed. I had similar panels for the Adventurer that were held in with Velcro but the sticky-back Velcro wasn't very permanent and had to be stuck back down periodically. The snaps work like a charm. Propane use dropped by 25% to 30% after these went in.
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Old 02-27-2008, 03:55 AM   #20
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Mr Transitor: Great fix, where did you get the "Warm Window" fabric?
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