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Subject:Re: Propane Heresy - Can you retrofit Westy for alternate use of Coleman fuel?
From:developtrust
Date:Thu, 9 May 2002 01:17:17 -0700

I'm glad you caught that. The authorized valve installer did NOT say to put
a TEE under the cabinet, but outside the van at the valves. Have a
professional advise you.

Sorry for the goof everyone. It's 1 AM after we just reinstalled our whole
system after that hacker incident last week.

William

> At 11:11 PM 5/8/2002, Chris Earl wrote:
> >It's very inconvenient where we live to refuel my '87 Westfalia's propane
> >tanks. It occured to me that the propane lines might be retrofitted with
a
> >T-joint in the cabinet that would allow alternate attachment of a Coleman
> >propane fuel cylinder. For the usual weekend jaunt this would be plenty
of
> >fuel.
> >
> >Has anyone ever tried this?
> >Is Coleman fuel compatible with the Westfalia's burners?
>
> Yes -- and no.  Doing it as you describe would almost certainly lead to an
> explosion, so don't!  The propane has to pass through the two-stage
> regulator which brings its pressure down from say 100 psi to about 1/3 psi
> -- actually specified as a water column 11 inches high.
>
> There are kits available which will allow you to attach a BBQ tank in
> parallel with the main tank -- unfortunately they add a few inches of
> length between the supply valve and the regulator, which would mean some
> noticeable rearrangement of the lines going up into the cabin.   An
> alternative might be to plumb in an additional regulator.
>
> david
>
>
> --
> David Beierl - Providence, RI
>   http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
> '84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
> '85 GL "Poor Relation"