Propane Tank Heater Blankets?

[ReluctantTraveler]

Our entry-level travel trailer is 3-season, but we sometimes find ourselves winter camping in it.

I've rerouted the entire water system inside the rig, and all of the external tanks and waste valves have 12v heating pads on them that I can turn on in freezing temperatures.

The one thing I'm curious about: should I drop $180 on a propane tank heater blanket?

We have two 20 lbs tanks currently. This week, we camped in NH and it dropped down to 9 degrees at night. The tanks were brand new and full, so we had no issues, but I've heard stories about them not being able to vaporize from liquid to gas fast enough as the temperature drops (I know the freezing temp is absurdly low for propane, that's not the issue).

Is this a real concern? Is it worth investing in the heater? We have an inverter and a relatively large LiFePo4 batter bank, so power isn't the main concern here. Or is this just a "buy more gear" gimmick that I can skip?

 

[Alloy]

How many BTU you are drawing from the tank(s).



Manifolding the tanks together provides X2 the BTU.

Using 30lb tanks will increase the BTU x 40%

Keep the tanks out of the wind

The barley adequate RV regulators freezing is another issue

 

[ReluctantTraveler]

How many BTU you are drawing from the tank(s).

View attachment 821368

Manifolding the tanks together provides X2 the BTU.

Using 30lb tanks will increase the BTU x 40%

Keep the tanks out of the wind

The barley adequate RV regulators freezing is another issue

I don't have a proper gauge to measure, but I do have one of those cheap ones that displays "how full is the tank" but actually ends up measuring tank pressure.

With full 20lb tanks, it dropped in half just from the temperature change (40 when we left home, 12 the last time I checked it).

The heater ran all night, but I get concerned that if the tanks weren't completely full to start they'd have cut off in the middle of the night. We have a 20k BTU furnace.

Those numbers across the top of your chart... are those temperatures in F, C, or something different entirely?

 

[ReluctantTraveler]

How many BTU you are drawing from the tank(s).

View attachment 821368

Manifolding the tanks together provides X2 the BTU.

Using 30lb tanks will increase the BTU x 40%

Keep the tanks out of the wind

The barley adequate RV regulators freezing is another issue

Oh, and I'd considered going with 30 lbs tanks, but the weight tolerances are so slim as it is, I can't really afford the extra tongue weight

 

[Alloy]

I don't have a proper gauge to measure, but I do have one of those cheap ones that displays "how full is the tank" but actually ends up measuring tank pressure.

With full 20lb tanks, it dropped in half just from the temperature change (40 when we left home, 12 the last time I checked it).

The heater ran all night, but I get concerned that if the tanks weren't completely full to start they'd have cut off in the middle of the night. We have a 20k BTU furnace.

Those numbers across the top of your chart... are those temperatures in F, C, or something different entirely?

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The chart temp is Fahrenheit

 

[Alloy]

Oh, and I'd considered going with 30 lbs tanks, but the weight tolerances are so slim as it is, I can't really afford the extra tongue weight

Manifold 2 - 20lb tanks together.

 

[Pntyrmvr]

Use 2 stage regulators. The pressure drop inside the tank is much lower leading to less cooling effect on the liquid propane which limits the amount of vapor produced above the liquid. Propane actually gets kind of gelled as it cools.

 

[crazysccrmd]

I’ve had no issues down to -20°F with no tank heater and 30lb tanks. I live in my trailer full time and have no hookups 70% of the time.

 

[Alloy]

Use 2 stage regulators. The pressure drop inside the tank is much lower leading to less cooling effect on the liquid propane which limits the amount of vapor produced above the liquid. Propane actually gets kind of gelled as it cools.

RVs have 2 stage regs since the appliance use inches of water column.

 

[Pntyrmvr]

I own two modern trailers and they use single stage regulators. Their tanks will frost.

My expedition truck uses a 2 stage regulator and I've never seen frosting on its tank. The regulator does cool considerably, but the total output of vapor stays constant.

2 stages will help reduce the temperature drop inside the tank and increase the amount of vapor available.

Joule-Thomson effect.

 

[69XS29L]

I am guessing you made your decision.
My 30lb tanks die at about -30+F using them for a 50kBTU heater to start equipment up here. 40lb tanks are better, not much. I just gently heat them as I use them with a weed burner.
100lb tanks tucked up next to the house do not like -40+F, but still keep the fridge going.
Unless you are contemplating serous below zero living, don't worry. If you have a small space, a backpacking beeswax candle lantern puts out enough heat to just knock the edge off, nice night glow.
FWIW, your tanks will never likely be all the way full at all times anyhow, 20lbs is the same as zero on the hitch. Throw your beer cooler on the floor behind the axle for a little counterbalance. Get a couple 40's or at least 30s and sleep soundly, ignoring the cries of internet parrots telling you to worry.

 

[IdaSHO]

The one compartment in our camper that is sealed but not insulated from the interior is the propane tank compartment.
This sheds some heat from the interior into the compartment. Not a whole lot, but when you are talking about -20 degree outside temps, 5 degrees makes a difference.

As others have suggested, go for a 30# cylinder, or at least build the compartment large enough to fit one, if you find a 20# cylinder doesnt cut it.

You can also try an adjustable regulator. Ive considered it, but even at -20 degrees (F) we dont have any real issues.
At that temp, and high elevation we have some LP sooting, meaning the burn is running rich. But in 10+ years, this minor sooting has yet to prove a legit concern.
Either way, adjustable regulator or not (sooting) at low temps and high elevations, the BTU output WILL be reduced. So keep this in mind.

 

[Joe917]

It is more an issue in places that use butane.

 

[rlrenz]

Our entry-level travel trailer is 3-season, but we sometimes find ourselves winter camping in it.

I've rerouted the entire water system inside the rig, and all of the external tanks and waste valves have 12v heating pads on them that I can turn on in freezing temperatures.

The one thing I'm curious about: should I drop $180 on a propane tank heater blanket?

We have two 20 lbs tanks currently. This week, we camped in NH and it dropped down to 9 degrees at night. The tanks were brand new and full, so we had no issues, but I've heard stories about them not being able to vaporize from liquid to gas fast enough as the temperature drops (I know the freezing temp is absurdly low for propane, that's not the issue).

Is this a real concern? Is it worth investing in the heater? We have an inverter and a relatively large LiFePo4 batter bank, so power isn't the main concern here. Or is this just a "buy more gear" gimmick that I can skip?

Years ago, we had some winter projects in an unheatedbuilding. We had an approx 250,000 BTU jet heater fed from a full 100# bottle. At 10F, we couldn't keep it running until we moved the bottle to about 10 ft in front of the heater so it caught some of the heat. That was all it took -- just a little heat made the difference. Granted, a heat blanket isn't free, but as you use propane, you might wish you had one. Call it peace of mind, but when you need it, you need it -- kind of like a fire extinguisher