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| Tank Rust - February 3, 2017 |
Preventative maintenance of the Propane Tank
In 2016 I slid under the Roadtrek and did an underside inspection, I noticed some dings in the propane tanks, flaking of the enamel and some rust. When at the Southwestern Lily Pad I cleaned the tank exterior, wire brushed the rusty areas and then brushed on a coat of Rust-Oleum white enamel. The location of the tank is such that it can be struck by rocks and stuff kicked up while driving.
The paint stopped the rust and based upon a recent visual inspection it is in good condition, 5 years later.
Note: It is my understanding that the tank on my Roadtrek is double-walled. I've been a member of the FMCA Roadtrek International Chapter since 2013/2014 and a recent discussion about propane tanks included this comment by a member: “I toured the Roadtrek plant in Kitchener, Ontario a year ago last October. Our plant guide said the propane tank is double lined and any deterioration to the outside is cosmetic and the tank itself should never have to be replaced. " I can't say that is accurate. Nevertheless, I think preventative maintenance of the exterior is worth it.
I recommend the Roadtrek Chapter and it purports to be "about one of the TOP THREE FMCA Chapters in membership."
Specifications, my 210P:
Roadtrek propane tank size: 10 gallons.
Weight of 1 gallon of propane: 4.2 pounds
My tank 80% full = 33.6 pounds of propane.
For reference: a small "green" disposable bottle holds 1 pound of propane.
Photos of Roadtrek tank, before and after cleaning and painting:
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| Cleaned and wire-brushed |
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| After painting with Rust-Oleum white enamel |
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| Condition of the propane tank - July 26, 2021 |
Propane Tank Outage "Bleed" Valve
Some of the Roadtrek manuals include a propane system diagram and a diagram of the propane tank. The tank diagram identifies the location of the fill, shutoff, outage valve and tank level gauge. If you don't have a manual go to the official Roadtrek website and download one. They are in pdf format. Hint: Roadtrek made substantial improvements to later manuals. Check them on the website and you may find a lot of useful information. Roadtrek website:
Here's a diagram of an RV style tank made by Manchester Tank Co. It is marked to show the "outage valve". Next is a photo of one style of outage valve made by Manchester tank, and the third is a photo of the tank on my 2013 210P. This was taken with the rear access cover removed. The arrow points to the "outage" valve. This valve is to be opened by the attendant when filling the tank. When the tank level reaches 80% liquid will come out of the hole in the center, signifying a full tank. In my experience, not all attendants do this and so at times the tank is not properly filled. Usually the tank is underfilled because the attendant shuts off the propane fill at an arbitrary number of gallons. I prefer to avoid gas stations because the attendants have been trained to fill propane bottles, and are not familiar with on-board propane tanks:
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| Manchester Tank Co - Illustration of propane tank showing location of outage valve This is not a Roadtrek propane tank! |
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| One style of "Outage" or "Bleed Valve" - Manchester Tank Co . |
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| 2013 Roadtrek 210P Propane Tank Bleed Valve - also called an "outage" valve |
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1 = Coach Propane Shutoff Valve 2 = Propane Fill Connection 3 = "Outage" valve 4 = Propane fill indicator and sensor for remote indication Note: I removed the BBQ 10 PSI regulator & hose on my 210P. |
Original Material: Roadtrek210.blogspot.com (c) 2021
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