External LP hookup

clev · 05-27-2018, 04:04 PM

I just bought a free standing LP BBQ grill with cabling and nipple adapter. Hooked it up and...nothing. Tried the grill hooked to a bbq cylinder and it works fine. Back to the hookup. I depressed the inside valve with a screw driver, which should have released gas, but again nothing. I’ve never had one of these hookups before, are they plug and play?

**wingnut60** · 05-27-2018, 06:44 PM

Are you trying to use the line under the trailer?

Buckshot · 05-27-2018, 08:00 PM

There should be a lever to turn the gas off and on. It should be inline with the gas line to be open.

clev · 05-27-2018, 09:34 PM

Hi guys; wing, yes, it’s the metal gas line from the ‘T’ under the gas bottles, that comes over to a nipple connection on the door side, under the belly door. Buck, I looked and don’t see a lever. It’s directly “T’d” into the gas line that feeds the other gas appliances.

clev · 05-27-2018, 09:35 PM

Buck, would the lever be in the gas bottle compartment?

**wingnut60** · 05-27-2018, 09:41 PM

clev,
I believe the propane line with the quik-coupling under the trailer is downstream of the regulator at the propane tanks. If your grill has its own regulator, that is why it won't work. Is this the setup you have?

clev · 05-27-2018, 10:20 PM

Yes, wing, the grill has its own regulator. It’s adapter will allow it to use the small green propane bottles, or screw into an LP tank. The regulator is built into the main fittings at the grill. How can I get past this?

**wingnut60** · 05-28-2018, 12:41 AM

You can't have 2 regulators on the same line--too much drawdown of gas pressure.
Several have rigged the grills to bypass/remove the regulator, that is the only way I know to make use of the propane tap. You won't get into any trouble if you get rid of the reg on the grille, it is still regulated by the fiver, but would be awkward to keep removing/replacing the grille reg if you want use it away from the fiver. I think it has been mentioned elsewhere that to take the guts out of the grill reg, but that will mess it up for use later away from the trailer.
Don't know what else to do, other then tap the propane line before the main reg.
Joe

Notanlines · 05-28-2018, 06:40 AM

Clev, "I depressed the inside valve with a screw driver, which should have released gas, but again nothing" Which valve did you try this on? First, use that screwdriver (safer to use a Phillips) on the female connector that is on your RV. If you have LP then plug in your new hose and try the connection at the end of the hose. If you have LP then you're in business. If not then don't mess with the grill yet, fix the supply problem. If you have LP at the end of the hose then you have to bypass that regulator in the grill as was explained.

clev · 05-28-2018, 07:56 AM

Thanks wing, Jim. I used the screwdriver in the female nipple port under the belly door on the door side of the coach. Also, the grill works with small green LP bottle and connected directly to a bbq tank. So, the grill is working fine, I just don’t have gas coming out of the nipple connection. Yes, there is gas in the bottles and the valves are open.

**wingnut60** · 05-28-2018, 08:27 AM

clev,
Sorry that I did not quite understand that you can't get gas out of the hookup point at all...if that is the case, I would shut off all propane and disassemble the quik-coupling at the hookup point. Then, have wife slowly open propane tank and see if you get anything out--no gas then, some blockage or not even hooked to propane system. If you get some gas, quik-coupling may be bad. No matter what, you can't operate the small propane items with 2 regulators on the same line.

clev · 05-28-2018, 08:43 AM

Good morning, wing. I know the feeder pipe to the nipple connection is connected, because it is connected with a metal ‘T’ in the pipe that feeds the furnace, w/heater, and fridge. I’ll pull the nipple valve as you suggested and check there.

porthole · 05-28-2018, 10:28 AM

Terry,

As above, you can't use the RV connection to a grill with a regulator, unless the line is plumbed in before the RV's installed regulator.

I do not recall the exact pressure, but I think it is between 1/2 to 1 PSI.
So if the RV feed is regulated down to 1/2 - 1 PSI, there is not enough pressure to open the grill's attached regulator at the same reduction.

You may not have gas flow poking the pin. The Propane quick connects use a special nipple that opens the internal seal. Look closely to a propane hose and an air hose you you should be able to see the difference. Some propane nipples have a secondary restrictor in them which will limit the flow even more.

Work around - remove the regulator form your grill.

On my Weber Q200 I got tired of replacing the regulator (3 times).

I removed it, added the necessary fittings, added a propane nipple, bought a 12' propane hose, adjustable regulator and some quick connects. I added a tap right at the onboard propane tank.

This also allows me to adjust the pressure to get that grill heated up.

I can't get you any pictures right know - everything is stripped off the trailer and stuffed into my motorcycle trailer and garage - getting ready to go get our new rig in a few hours.

And - one last thing, although today we honor our Veterans that have passed, I'm offering a shout out to you to for your service, thank-you !!!

Cummins12V98 · 05-28-2018, 10:42 AM

Remove the regulator from your grill. Add a quick connect fitting, DONE.

Second pic shows the shutoff valve. I made the "T" so I could run the BBQ and camp Fire pit at the same time.

**wingnut60** · 05-28-2018, 10:49 AM

porthole addressed the problem more clearly than I did; Cummins, that is a great setup and very clear what to do.
Thanks to both of you.
Joe

clev · 05-28-2018, 11:03 AM

That is a great setup, cummins; thank you for the information. I still have to pull the nipple attachment at the end of the feeder pipe to make sure it’s not faulty. I bought the Coleman Roadtrip and will duplicate your setup for it’s attachment.

Cummins12V98 · 05-28-2018, 11:08 AM

Happy to help. I bought all my hoses and fittings from AMAZON, NOT cheap! 15' for BBQ and 25 or 30' for Camp Pit.

Chad Heiser · 05-28-2018, 12:04 PM

I have the same set up that Cummins does, but I went one step further. I put some quick connect couplers on either side of the (removed) regulator from my Webber Q200. This way, If I want to run the Weber Q200 away from the trailer, I just put the regulator back in the system and run a hose directly to a propane tank.

Cummins12V98 · 05-28-2018, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad Heiser

I have the same set up that Cummins does, but I went one step further. I put some quick connect couplers on either side of the (removed) regulator from my Webber Q200. This way, If I want to run the Weber Q200 away from the trailer, I just put the regulator back in the system and run a hose directly to a propane tank.

Good idea!

clev · 05-28-2018, 02:12 PM

Well, I have some more work to do, and probably some more fittings to buy. I also purchased from Amazon and didn't realize that I had purchased the wrong hose until it was too late to return it, so I started looking for adapters. The first picture is the hose, the second is the adapter, and the third is the connector which joins the nipple to the adapter, and the adapter screws onto the big, male POL.