Propane gas used in truck campers is also known as LPG or LP gas. The gas is a non-toxic, colorless, clean-burning, odorless mixture of flammable hydrocarbon gases used for heating, cooking, and cooling in refrigerators.
Thus, to overcome the odorless features, Ethanethiol is added to LPG so you can easily detect leaks. Should there be an LPG leak, the gas being heavier than air will flow along the floor of the truck camper. For this reason, truck camper manufacturers install LPG detectors close to the floor.
the Lpg container
The most common LPG container used in TCs is the 20- or 30-pound cylinder. Cylinders are mounted horizontally or vertically. They are not interchanged.
For safety and protection, by regulations, ten-year after manufacture, cylinders must be inspected and recertified every five years.
As a TC owner, you must know this inspection interval requirement.
Manufacturers stamp the cylinder’s date on the protective collar, also called the neck ring.
For example, a cylinder manufactured in July 2012 must be recertified before July 2022 and then every five years. Also stamped on the collar is the empty weight of the cylinder in pounds known at TW (tare weight).
TW for a vertical cylinder is about 24 pounds and is generally called a “20 pounders,” while horizontal cylinders have a TW of 27 pounds.
A “20 pounder,” when filled to the legal capacity of 80%, will weigh about 38 pounds.
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