outwestbound
Member
Greetings.
I'm considering changing the existing LP system to reduce vehicle weight.
I'm heavily modifying a 2006 Itaska Navion 23J (Sprinter 3500) to use in South America and Europe. Weight is becoming increasingly important as I've added numerous systems, like B2B and shore chargers, solar, etc. I implemented mods to reduce its LP consumption, including changing the LP furnace to diesel, LP referigerator to DC power, and generator to gasoline (Honda 2000 set up to burn either LP or gasoline). The remaining LP use is a 6 gallon atwood water heater, outside grill and an inside cooktop (3 burner). I have a digital T-stat on the water heater and turn it on just to use it. I estimate my consumption to be about 1 gallon per month.
As is, the motorhome has an 18 gallon (14 usable) fixed tank (ACME 1 3/4"),(2) 2-stage regulators (house and generator. It had an Onan 3.6Kw LP generator that I removed), and about 30 feet of 1/2" steel piping bracketed to the underside of the vehicles 5" flooring. Steel pipe turns to copper under the floor near the floor penetrations.
I'm thinking about substituting a 20# bottle for the fixed tank, perhaps even an aluminum bottle, and using only 1, 2 stage regulator at the bottle. Also, a bottle has major practical advantages in terms of getting gas in foreign countries. Having a fixed tank, in comparison, can be a PITA, but doable.
Question: Can I eliminate the existing steel piping and replace it with typical copper tubing? It's inconceivable to me that the copper line could be damaged, because the underside of the floor system (where the copper pipe would be installed generally) is behind so much other structure. The floor system rests on aluminum I beams. Obviously, using steel is a US code requirement. I'm just wondering if violating that could make sense, given that I'd save weight.
This is just an idea. I'm still assessing, but it might have a net weight reduction of 60 pounds.
Thoughts? Thanks
I'm considering changing the existing LP system to reduce vehicle weight.
I'm heavily modifying a 2006 Itaska Navion 23J (Sprinter 3500) to use in South America and Europe. Weight is becoming increasingly important as I've added numerous systems, like B2B and shore chargers, solar, etc. I implemented mods to reduce its LP consumption, including changing the LP furnace to diesel, LP referigerator to DC power, and generator to gasoline (Honda 2000 set up to burn either LP or gasoline). The remaining LP use is a 6 gallon atwood water heater, outside grill and an inside cooktop (3 burner). I have a digital T-stat on the water heater and turn it on just to use it. I estimate my consumption to be about 1 gallon per month.
As is, the motorhome has an 18 gallon (14 usable) fixed tank (ACME 1 3/4"),(2) 2-stage regulators (house and generator. It had an Onan 3.6Kw LP generator that I removed), and about 30 feet of 1/2" steel piping bracketed to the underside of the vehicles 5" flooring. Steel pipe turns to copper under the floor near the floor penetrations.
I'm thinking about substituting a 20# bottle for the fixed tank, perhaps even an aluminum bottle, and using only 1, 2 stage regulator at the bottle. Also, a bottle has major practical advantages in terms of getting gas in foreign countries. Having a fixed tank, in comparison, can be a PITA, but doable.
Question: Can I eliminate the existing steel piping and replace it with typical copper tubing? It's inconceivable to me that the copper line could be damaged, because the underside of the floor system (where the copper pipe would be installed generally) is behind so much other structure. The floor system rests on aluminum I beams. Obviously, using steel is a US code requirement. I'm just wondering if violating that could make sense, given that I'd save weight.
This is just an idea. I'm still assessing, but it might have a net weight reduction of 60 pounds.
Thoughts? Thanks
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