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Moosewater
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# Posted: 26 Aug 2009 02:50pm
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Hello, I am new to the forum.
I built my camp last year. It is 14x16 with a full second story. Small but very nice.
I am off grid and plan to stay that way for, well forever if I have my way.
I recently bought an old truck camper for $100.00 that has a working four burner cooktop, a stove, a five gallon water heater, and a refrigerator. All propane of course.
Any tips for dismantling the camper and making it all work in the camp.
Moose
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Lawnlocky
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# Posted: 27 Aug 2009 02:44pm
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Most of the campers I have seen have built in stoves so you will need to make some sort of a cabinet, Not a big deal.
Something to watch out for is if your gas supplines are copper disconnect them at each fixture before you start tearing things apart. The reason you do this is the odorizer in the gas breaks down the copper over time and causes flaking. The flakes are back in color and can jam the appliace controls and cause them to fail in an unsafe manner. This is why copper tubing is not approved under the Uniform Plumbing Code. By disconnecting the copper lines at each appliance you minimized the damage when you are tearing the place apart. Just for fun, when you have the line disconnected tap it a few times with your wrench and you will see the flakes fall out.
The water lines in campers are usually a plastic tubing that takes a crimp clamp and crimping tool. The tool is expensive and it can be purchased at RV places along with the crimp rings. A better solution is to abandon the plastic tubing and use type M copper tubing and lead free solider or type L soft copper tubing. If your are in an area that freezes think about having the water lines go on a grade with no traps. This will help drain the system when you leave it in the winter.
Gas lines should really be steel pipe with plastic coated metal flex connectors at each fixture. For a small cabin I would use hose connectors like they sell at Cabela's for camp stoves, etc. That is what I have for my stove. Under no circunstances shold the hose be run in enclose walls or floors. You want to be able to inspect it. Soap test all gas lines by spraying soapy water on them while they are under pressure. An active leak will bubble actively. Always turn off your gas tank when not in use. This is particularly true for small tanks.
If I was going to strip a camper I would start by removing the windows.
Get some tin snips, nut drivers for you cordless drill and some bandaids.
Jocko
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moosewaser
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# Posted: 1 Sep 2009 05:42pm
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Thanks for the advice.
I took the stove and refrig out yesterday and took the water tank as well.
There were black flakes in the copper supply lines for both appliances.
I am in the process of building the cabinets for the stove and fridge.
So should I use black steel pipe for all the gas lines in the camp vs copper tubing.
The tubing would be easier for cutting and bending rather that threading the ends of the steel pipe. I do not have electricity and would have to end up bring the pipe home (it's only 220 miles) to thread. I know that I could use prethreaded for most but there will always be a need for a piece to be threaded.
Moose
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lawnjoky
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# Posted: 1 Sep 2009 10:29pm
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If you are just going to have a stove and a small tank I would just use the plastic supply lines the sell with the fittings already on them. All I have is a two burner stove and that is what I use. However if you are going to have several propane appliances like stove, water heater and fridge you will need to get a little fancier. You could get some Y type fittings to split the hose into two and then do that again.
The right way to do it is with threaded steel pipe properly sized for the BTU demand and run.
Gas is not something you want to get too sloppy with. There are several concerns such as killing yourself by a leak, fire, or by combustion byproducts. The appliances need to be in good working order and properly vented for exhaust and combustion air supply.
In normal home construction it is illegal to have a gas fired appliance in a room where people sleep. There is a reason for this and if you value waking up it shouldn't be ignored.
Please be careful.
Jocko
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moosewaser
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# Posted: 4 Sep 2009 02:46pm
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thanks again. I will be careful. I have done this before but even then things can happen.
I stripped the things I wanted out of the RV and then posted it on line "free for the hauling".
A couple guys got into a bidding war and I ended up selling it to the highest bidder at...get this...$500.00!
Enough to buy everything to hook up the appliances properly.
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lamar5292
Member
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# Posted: 26 Sep 2009 01:18am
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I stripped all my solar cabin appliances from an old camp trailer.
Propane stove, fridge, furnace, water pump, water tank, sink, cabinets, shower , and lights all went into the cabin.
Only thing I had to purchase was OD water heater.
Just take things apart slowly and don't break propane lines.
Great way to build a cabin for cheap!
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