Mike's 1997 GMC 3500 Ambulance

[Ryan Adams]

Joke LOL very cool

[Mike]

I was reading online about not keeping propane inside an enclosed compartment due to explosions and not on the back of a vehicle because of rear end collisions. I mounted an 11 lb cylinder on the front of the box to run a water heater and stove. Still need to do some wiring and pluming before I start putting the inside together.

I also installed a good used air ride compressor to replace the missing one. It was a pain since hey had cut the wires and air line.

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[OutlawImages]

Mike I have thought the same concerns but it was pointed out that the Ambulance is designed to haul high pressure oxygen cylinders in the outside compartment. And most ambos seem to mount their propane in the same location which has louvers or venting of some sort

Is there more reason for concern than I am aware of or thought of? My plan was to mount mine in this location as well


I love your bracket though and need one, Is this the same one?
http://amzn.to/2llXjex
I like the way it locks in

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[coachgeo]

...Is there more reason for concern than I am aware of or thought of? My plan was to mount mine in this location as well

Air rises, propane sinks. Not sure how that affects things beside venting. There is a vent on an LP bottle as well. If bottle gets to hot and pressure rises. It vents out a puff of LP. Saw a huge cooking bottle too near to outdoor stove vent out from cooking heat and sun and the vent got light off from stove..... instant 3 foot long torch.

[OutlawImages]

...Is there more reason for concern than I am aware of or thought of? My plan was to mount mine in this location as well

Air rises, propane sinks. Not sure how that affects things beside venting. There is a vent on an LP bottle as well. If bottle gets to hot and pressure rises. It vents out a puff of LP. Saw a huge cooking bottle too near to outdoor stove vent out from cooking heat and sun and the vent got light off from stove..... instant 3 foot long torch.

Whoa

Good to know

[97 Crestline]

I've also seen what happens to a Sea-Can when a propane Canister got too hot inside it... fortunately no one was inside or nearby. There would surely have been fatalities if anyone was inside the blast radius. I never heard what caused the explosion... but it sure gives reason to take it seriously. I'd mount it tucked up under the body if it were an option.

[zuke]

I'm using the oxygen cabinet for my bottles, and you do need to add a vent at the very bottom of the cabinet, as Coachgeo points out, Propane is just like water, you need to make sure you have a path for it to get out of the cabinet at the lowest point.

@patoz found the RV Propane reg for me, and posted it in my build thread on Expedition Portal.

Here is the link to the .pdf of the regulation;

http://hamyarenergy.com/static/fckimage ... 202005.pdf

If you plan on re-titling your Ambo as an RV, some states (Like Virginia) may require you to meet that regulation for bottles stored in the vehicle. If you aren't going to retitle, you could just go with meeting the common sense portions of the reg (Which is my Plan).

Of course, just mounting the bottle outside like Mike did, resolves all those issues

[Mike]

Mike I have thought the same concerns but it was pointed out that the Ambulance is designed to haul high pressure oxygen cylinders in the outside compartment. And most ambos seem to mount their propane in the same location which has louvers or venting of some sort

Is there more reason for concern than I am aware of or thought of? My plan was to mount mine in this location as well


I love your bracket though and need one, Is this the same one?
http://amzn.to/2llXjex
I like the way it locks in
81GWAWd1CVL._SL1500_.jpg

Yes, that's the one. I really didn't want to risk it since I'm probably going to mount a propane water heater in the same compartment the tank would have gone. Plus it looks kinda industrial mounted outside.

[coachgeo]

You could put the tank and the hot water heater in the same compartment.... and call it.
"THE BOMB " :p

Actually, though you might could. Hot water heater up high and lp tank down low and add shelf between two that does alot to seal the two from one another. Granted an accident with another vehicle smashing into the side does make it more advantages to have the tank up high. Course matters how long, fragile, and where one installs the gas lines. Lot of gas line and how fragile it is might negate some advantages of a tank up high.

[Mike]

Ran the propane line to the inside from the tank today before my daughter begged me to take her somewhere. Ran it thru the red light block off plate I made.

Hope to get some wiring and plumbing done next week.

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