Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 07, 2025 ...

Filling Propane tank from portable bottled tanks?

October 15, 2021, 11:00:30 pm

The propane tank on my Foretravel is empty and I can't drive the coach right now to a propane refill station.
I have not touched the propane fittings since I bought the coach.
It appears that the previous owner installed, or the factory installed, a hose outlet for a grill or other propane source.
Can the main tank be filled or just propane added through this outlet?

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Re: Filling Propane tank from portable bottled tanks?

Reply #1 – October 15, 2021, 11:11:27 pm

I don't know the answer to your question, but I have an alternate solution to your empty tank.  I am sure you have companies in your area with propane trucks that service household propane tanks.  Lots of people have a propane tank outside their house or shop that supplies gas for heating and cooking.  Try calling around and see if you can get a truck to come by and fill your tank.

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Re: Filling Propane tank from portable bottled tanks?

Reply #2 – October 15, 2021, 11:23:17 pm

Thanks Chuck, There are no homes in Chicago powered by propane. I tried this a few years ago and could find no propane dealers that would deliver in Chicago at a home address.

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Re: Filling Propane tank from portable bottled tanks?

Reply #3 – October 15, 2021, 11:26:25 pm

I've seen people using portable tanks. I think one guy had the portable tank upside down and was transferring the propane to his coach's tank. I've heard of others adding a fitting to enable the use a portable tank.
 

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Reply #4 – October 15, 2021, 11:28:19 pm

You need to pump the propane to fill your tank. If done right you can use propane
tanks to run your system.

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Re: Filling Propane tank from portable bottled tanks?

Reply #5 – October 15, 2021, 11:29:03 pm

Well, that's just really strange.  I would think the further north you go, the more common this would be.  Several of our neighbors in Midland, TX have domestic propane tanks.  I see a delivery truck go by our house at least once a week.  Perhaps it gets too cold (in the winter) where you are to use propane?

Sorry!  Perhaps another member will answer your original question.

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Re: Filling Propane tank from portable bottled tanks?

Reply #6 – October 15, 2021, 11:41:57 pm

Try these people
AmeriGas Propane Refill & Tank Exchange Location Near You

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Reply #7 – October 16, 2021, 02:29:32 am

Those are locations to get a portable tank exchanged. Some offer to sell you a tank or refill your portable tank.
For a propane company to send a truck you would need a large tank to refill and there would need to be other customers in the route area of the truck.
Chicago is Natural Gas almost exclusively.

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Re: Filling Propane tank from portable bottled tanks?

Reply #8 – October 16, 2021, 07:57:20 am

You can run you motor home from an external tank connected to the fitting you speak of with the proper hose. Do not turn the tank upside down as this fitting is for vapor not liquid. Close the valve on your big tank as well. Propane will not gravity fill. Due to the small fitting size I doubt you will be able to run both heaters. You will need the correct fittings to connect the small tank to your hose.

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Re: Filling Propane tank from portable bottled tanks?

Reply #9 – October 16, 2021, 08:29:35 am

Turn off the main tank. Turn on a 5 gallon jug hooked up to the hose connection. You can run 10 to 14 days. It is much easier to run a jug to town than the RV. That's what I do when parked. The fitting is BEFORE the big regulator so do NOT put a regulator on the jug. It will take the pressure way down.

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Re: Filling Propane tank from portable bottled tanks?

Reply #10 – October 16, 2021, 07:03:26 pm

Thanks for those tips, I will give that a try.
I have the Primus heating system in my coach that uses Propane to fuel the 2 boilers, It is very efficient on the use of propane. I want to remove each boiler and clean them.
I ran the tank down because I smell a whiff of propane when ever I opened the propane access door. I want to reseal or replace all the propane tank fittings. With your suggestions I can go ahead and remove the boilers and fittings, then be able to test them.
Thanks!

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