Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
It was one of those unfortunate incidents: Somehow the male of the species had let both of the LP cylinders run out--on a cold night--after the LP supplier was closed. The one gallon barbeque tank was about empty--no hope there. Finally, by stretching his imagination (and finding a suitable "height adjuster") the miscreant male managed a house-warming thought: Steal one of the horizontal tanks off the camper and buy time.
After building up to proper height and stretching the LP "pigtail" hose that runs from the regulator down to the tank, it seemed a good idea to "sniff" for an LP leak, since that old pigtail really had to stretch to reach. "BEEEEEEP!" chided the LP leak detector. Sho 'nuf, those old, age-hardened pig tails were both a bit on the leaky side.
What's to do? Pig tails are by nature, time sensitive. Think of it in terms of tires: They may still "look good" but not hold the pressure. Has it been a while since you replaced your LP pig tails? It's an inexpensive and not-too-difficult a fix. A trip down to your RV supplier will fix you up for parts in short order. But what do you want on the "tank" end of the pig tail? With those new "OPD" gas valves, many think that the new "Acme" fittings that spin on the outside thread of the tank valve are just what the doctor ordered. Use your gas sniffer (we think that's best) or soap n dish soap solution to check out the leak-free-ness of your tails. If in doubt, toss the old ones out.
Well, a lot of LP suppliers are having second thoughts. Those new Acme fittings may not be all they're cracked up to be. As we reported last January, some dealers say the Acmes just don't seem to last too long. Our new pig tails came equipped with the "old school" POL fitting (screws into the valve, counter-clockwise) and a quick "handwheel" that allows us to stick it on the tank and tighten it up without a wrench.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.The actual changeout is easy: An appropriate size end-wrench will quickly remove the pigtail from the regulator--it threads in the conventional way. Thread on the new fitting and torque it down snug (use a backup wrench on the regulator side to ensure fitness). A pair of 16" pigtails with fittings set us back less than $20. At the price of LP these days, even a little leak can run up a bill in a hurry, not to mention endangering safety if the gas goes where it shouldn't.
Pictured is a new "capped" POL fitting with the dealer supplied hand-wheel.
Clik here to view.
It was one of those unfortunate incidents: Somehow the male of the species had let both of the LP cylinders run out--on a cold night--after the LP supplier was closed. The one gallon barbeque tank was about empty--no hope there. Finally, by stretching his imagination (and finding a suitable "height adjuster") the miscreant male managed a house-warming thought: Steal one of the horizontal tanks off the camper and buy time.After building up to proper height and stretching the LP "pigtail" hose that runs from the regulator down to the tank, it seemed a good idea to "sniff" for an LP leak, since that old pigtail really had to stretch to reach. "BEEEEEEP!" chided the LP leak detector. Sho 'nuf, those old, age-hardened pig tails were both a bit on the leaky side.
What's to do? Pig tails are by nature, time sensitive. Think of it in terms of tires: They may still "look good" but not hold the pressure. Has it been a while since you replaced your LP pig tails? It's an inexpensive and not-too-difficult a fix. A trip down to your RV supplier will fix you up for parts in short order. But what do you want on the "tank" end of the pig tail? With those new "OPD" gas valves, many think that the new "Acme" fittings that spin on the outside thread of the tank valve are just what the doctor ordered. Use your gas sniffer (we think that's best) or soap n dish soap solution to check out the leak-free-ness of your tails. If in doubt, toss the old ones out.
Well, a lot of LP suppliers are having second thoughts. Those new Acme fittings may not be all they're cracked up to be. As we reported last January, some dealers say the Acmes just don't seem to last too long. Our new pig tails came equipped with the "old school" POL fitting (screws into the valve, counter-clockwise) and a quick "handwheel" that allows us to stick it on the tank and tighten it up without a wrench.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The actual changeout is easy: An appropriate size end-wrench will quickly remove the pigtail from the regulator--it threads in the conventional way. Thread on the new fitting and torque it down snug (use a backup wrench on the regulator side to ensure fitness). A pair of 16" pigtails with fittings set us back less than $20. At the price of LP these days, even a little leak can run up a bill in a hurry, not to mention endangering safety if the gas goes where it shouldn't.Pictured is a new "capped" POL fitting with the dealer supplied hand-wheel.
