Auxiliary Propane Installation

[Dachs522hund]

I have a 2018 Minnie Winnie 22m with the propane tank on the drivers side. Now that I am using a propane grill and fire pit it would much more convenient to run these off the main propane tank instead of portable propane tanks. What is the best way to run a connection between the main tank and the back passenger corner of the MW to give me a gas connection there. Would like to know what material to use for safety and is it a job that should be done by a professional. Also who does this kind of work?

[DavidM]

What you are asking is how do you hook up an external BBQ propane tank connection to your RV. Many RVs have these standard.

Fairly easy to do but requires a bit of skill. Find a good place to cut the existing propane tubing somewhere near the back of your RV. Splice a tee in using flare fittings and a flare tool. The tool isn't that hard to use, just position the tubing in the right place, make sure the flare nut is in back and slowly turn the handle on the tool to form the flare.

Then run a new piece of tubing, typically 3/8" to the back bumper from the tee and hook it up to a female quick connect fitting at the bumper.

Then to use it you have to remove any regulator at your grill because the propane in your RV is low pressure, ie after the regulator. You use a propane hose with a male quick connect fitting on one end and a 3/8" female flare fitting on the other which you connect directly to your grill.

David

[Morich]

First step is to decide what the end result needs to be. There are tons of online videos that get really into lots of changes and some of them are done by folks who are just making it up as they go and not really knowing what they need to do, so they make it way hard for themselves.
So do you want just a simple way to connect a grill at the passenger side or do you want to go more complex and have the option to run the RV furnace, etc. off portable tanks to avoid moving to fill up?
Basic question is if you are full time/ long term campers or just for convenience of not lugging 20 pound tanks?
For long term, tie in at the mounted tank but if only for a grill, you are much better off to forget going all the way back to the tank as it is likely you have access to low pressure gas lines underneath the RV which may go to almost where you want the grill!
Some looking underneath may tell the story but what you need to find for adding a new line is called a manifold. If it is near where you want the grill connection, great as it is already low pressure and reasonably simple to do.
My propane like stove, water heater, etc. are on the passenger side so the manifold is just underneath the RV at that the point where I want to use my grill outside.
If you have a manifold and want simple, the steps are these:
1. Turn off the main gas valve on the tank, go inside and light the stove to burn off as much of the gas in the line as practical before unscrewing the line.
Of course use all the normal safety thinking!!!
2. Unscrew at red 1, also red 2
3. Add new fittings to the manifold like green 1 a tee, green 2 a short pipe nipple, and green 3 a reducing fitting to match your new hose.
4. Put red 1 back on the new fitting, move red two to the new pipe end and add your new hose to run to outside where you want to use it!
Just adding new tap like adding a new hose to a set of garden hoses?
Use the correct hose with the correct fitting ends to match the connection on your grill but keep in mind that there can only be one regulator for any grill, so no reg at the grill as there is one at the tank!
Don't forget to turn the valve back on when testing!!