We have a 16' Scamp that has dual tanks, and occasionally tow it with our Outback, but normally use our Dakota truck. Since the Outback has a 200 lb tongue weight limit, we have to remove one of the propane tanks (takes 38 lbs off the tongue) and fill our fresh water tank (adds 80 lbs to the back) when using the Outback. Since we only use the Subaru for short and light trips, having one propane tank is not a problem, as we are able to find propane easily, even as we crossed Canada and Alaska this year (although your propane tank can't be over 10 years old if you want to fill it in Canada)
Unless you do a lot of winter boon docking where you use a lot of propane and have no place nearby to top the tank up, you might be better off just getting the single tank. If you get the dual tank option, you will then have to find a way to plug the second propane line to the regulator, and figure out a way to hold down the remaining single bottle, since the dual tank setup expects two tanks to be in place for holding down (won't work with just one tank). Not sure I would be comfortable carrying a propane tank inside the passenger compartment.
We actually considered moving our battery to under the rear seat (like Casita does) but never got around to it.That would help by taking weight off the front while avoiding the need to add water in the rear to get to the 200 lb tongue weight.
Thanks John or Marilyn, whomever responded. You've answered my question. I thought that I might get the dual tanks and take one off for a year or two until I trade the 2015 Forester in for a heftier vehicle that can handle the extra weight. So you're saying both tanks must be in the carrier? Also, with the dual tank set up, when one tank is empty, wouldn't you simply switch the line from the empty tank to the full one as you would do when your gas grill runs out? The salesman at Scamp told me that the tongue weight with the dual tanks and larger battery would be about 150 lbs. The vehicle tongue weight is 175 lbs. When I did the math, it seemed that dual tanks and the 27 group battery would exceed 175 lbs, so the single tank option would probably be the safe way to go. Tony
Anthony, If you look at the image of the dual tank carrier on the Scamp website, you will see that the hold-down is designed to rest on two tanks as it is tightened. If only one tank is there, then it will never get tight. You might also notice that the tubing and connector for the other tank would just be hanging looses if not connected to a tank. What we did whenever we switched to the Subaru was to remove the dual tank carrier, then remove the extra hose and plug the opening, and fabricated two hold down rods that went on either side of the single tank to hold it tight.
The dual tank option has a dual regulator and an automatic switching feature and is connected to both tanks. You leave both tanks on and when it senses one is empty, it switches to the other. I'm not real trusting of that setup, so I leave one tank turned off and switch to it when I know for sure that the other tank is really empty.
You can always buy the dual tank hardware ($26 at Scamp) and an extra tank (about $30) later on and add it if you find that one tank is not enough. You could even continue to use the single regulator and switch to the other tank manually, saving the cost of a dual regulator, and which would be cheaper than the $120 dual tank option.
John, thanks for the additional information. I looked at the dual tank hardware. I think I will be changing my order to the single tank to reduce weight and at a future date purchase the double tank hardware. I don't mind using one regulator and switching it between tanks. Keep it simple. Quite a learning curve for me having never owned a camper before. But I'm a wealth of information when it comes to packing for motorcycle travel!! Tony
That's a lot of propane for a 13 trailer. Our 13 with fridge and stove went around 27+ days between fills. If you add in an onboard heater and water heater, if you have the bath it will cut it down some but only on cold weather camping.
I'd just go single, as John stated above it's pretty easy to add the dual carrier and second tank later down the line if you find you want it and can carry it.
Most of the weight of the tank is the propane. If you think you might want the dual tanks at a later time buy the dual tank set-up and leave one of the tanks empty. Or you could get both tanks half filled. Then you would have a backup system incase one tank was emptied.
We have a 16' Scamp that has dual tanks, and occasionally tow it with our Outback, but normally use our Dakota truck. Since the Outback has a 200 lb tongue weight limit, we have to remove one of the propane tanks (takes 38 lbs off the tongue) and fill our fresh water tank (adds 80 lbs to the back) when using the Outback. Since we only use the Subaru for short and light trips, having one propane tank is not a problem, as we are able to find propane easily, even as we crossed Canada and Alaska this year (although your propane tank can't be over 10 years old if you want to fill it in Canada)
Unless you do a lot of winter boon docking where you use a lot of propane and have no place nearby to top the tank up, you might be better off just getting the single tank. If you get the dual tank option, you will then have to find a way to plug the second propane line to the regulator, and figure out a way to hold down the remaining single bottle, since the dual tank setup expects two tanks to be in place for holding down (won't work with just one tank). Not sure I would be comfortable carrying a propane tank inside the passenger compartment.
We actually considered moving our battery to under the rear seat (like Casita does) but never got around to it.That would help by taking weight off the front while avoiding the need to add water in the rear to get to the 200 lb tongue weight.
John/Dave and Marilyn Haggerty
2005 Scamp 16 standard side dinette
04 Dodge Dakota Quad cab 4.7
17 Dodge Durango 3.6
19 Ford Ranger Supercrew Ecoboost
Thanks John or Marilyn, whomever responded. You've answered my question. I thought that I might get the dual tanks and take one off for a year or two until I trade the 2015 Forester in for a heftier vehicle that can handle the extra weight. So you're saying both tanks must be in the carrier? Also, with the dual tank set up, when one tank is empty, wouldn't you simply switch the line from the empty tank to the full one as you would do when your gas grill runs out? The salesman at Scamp told me that the tongue weight with the dual tanks and larger battery would be about 150 lbs. The vehicle tongue weight is 175 lbs. When I did the math, it seemed that dual tanks and the 27 group battery would exceed 175 lbs, so the single tank option would probably be the safe way to go. Tony
Anthony Memoli
Anthony, If you look at the image of the dual tank carrier on the Scamp website, you will see that the hold-down is designed to rest on two tanks as it is tightened. If only one tank is there, then it will never get tight. You might also notice that the tubing and connector for the other tank would just be hanging looses if not connected to a tank. What we did whenever we switched to the Subaru was to remove the dual tank carrier, then remove the extra hose and plug the opening, and fabricated two hold down rods that went on either side of the single tank to hold it tight.
The dual tank option has a dual regulator and an automatic switching feature and is connected to both tanks. You leave both tanks on and when it senses one is empty, it switches to the other. I'm not real trusting of that setup, so I leave one tank turned off and switch to it when I know for sure that the other tank is really empty.
You can always buy the dual tank hardware ($26 at Scamp) and an extra tank (about $30) later on and add it if you find that one tank is not enough. You could even continue to use the single regulator and switch to the other tank manually, saving the cost of a dual regulator, and which would be cheaper than the $120 dual tank option.
John
John/Dave and Marilyn Haggerty
2005 Scamp 16 standard side dinette
04 Dodge Dakota Quad cab 4.7
17 Dodge Durango 3.6
19 Ford Ranger Supercrew Ecoboost
John, thanks for the additional information. I looked at the dual tank hardware. I think I will be changing my order to the single tank to reduce weight and at a future date purchase the double tank hardware. I don't mind using one regulator and switching it between tanks. Keep it simple. Quite a learning curve for me having never owned a camper before. But I'm a wealth of information when it comes to packing for motorcycle travel!! Tony
Anthony Memoli
Anthony,
That's a lot of propane for a 13 trailer. Our 13 with fridge and stove went around 27+ days between fills. If you add in an onboard heater and water heater, if you have the bath it will cut it down some but only on cold weather camping.
I'd just go single, as John stated above it's pretty easy to add the dual carrier and second tank later down the line if you find you want it and can carry it.
Our Trailers:
2015 19 Escape
Buying or Selling Molded FG Trailers:
Fiberglass-RV-4Sale
Thanks Greg, 27 days? That was on one tank? I ordered the furnace, hot water heater, stove standard, no bath. Bunks. Tony
Anthony Memoli
Most of the weight of the tank is the propane. If you think you might want the dual tanks at a later time buy the dual tank set-up and leave one of the tanks empty. Or you could get both tanks half filled. Then you would have a backup system incase one tank was emptied.
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