Introduction

My propane system is pretty straightforward but is essential to my simple, off-grid lifestyle. I have a 5-gallon, onboard propane tank which I need to fill about every two months. I find that campgrounds and U-Haul stores are usually the easiest places to top up as they’re used to dealing with RV tanks with U-Haul tending to have lower prices. Here are the different elements of my propane system:

Propane Detector

Probably the single most important part of my propane system is the one that keeps me safe. If you have an older van like I do, this is probably one of the parts you should replace as replacement is recommended after about 10 years. I replaced mine with a combination propane and carbon monoxide detector. It’s placed near my heater which is the location most likely to leak without me knowing it.

Stove

I love my propane stove. I know a lot of the vanlifers these days use an electric stove in their build and avoid propane altogether, but I’m perfectly happy and content with propane and wouldn’t trade it. Just like I prefer a gas stove in my house, I prefer it in my RV as well. It’s easier to adjust the level quickly and when I turn it off, it’s off. My two-burner Wedgewood stove is great for everything from boiling water for my morning coffee to cooking up a full meal. I do also carry a small Coleman one-burner canister-top stove as well in case I want to cook outside on a beautiful day or if I’m cooking something like bacon that spatters everywhere. My stove also has an electric hood fan which vents to the outside although I don’t use it very often and wouldn’t install one in a new build.

Refrigerator

My fridge is a Dometic 3-way refrigerator meaning it works off of AC electric (a home or campground hookup), 12-volt (my onboard batteries) and propane. Refrigeration is a huge power-suck and will drain your batteries quickly so if I’m not plugged in somewhere (and I rarely am), I mainly rely on propane. I don’t, however, run it 24/7 as that would definitely raise my propane bill. The system I’ve come up with is this: I generally run the fridge off of propane during the night when I’m sleeping. It does a great job of keeping things cool and my freezer will completely freeze solid the blue ice-packs that I keep in there. In the morning, I turn off the propane and move the freezer packs to the fridge where it works like a cooler all day. I’m not keeping ice cream in my freezer with this system, but it keeps the things I do put in there cold enough and this has worked really well for me over the years.

Heater

I have a Suburban RV Furnace in the rear compartment under my main cabinet. I don’t use it often, but it’s great to have to take the chill off on a cold night. I generally will run it in the evening to warm up my sleeping area and turn it off before I go to bed from an abundance of caution. The furnace is hooked up to a thermostat over the bed which is very convenient, and the ignitor and blower run off of my 12-volt electrical system. The only problem with the propane furnace is that it won’t work when temperatures dip into the teens and single digits, a situation I try and avoid at all costs! Thankfully, I have an old wool army blanket which works phenomenally in those situations.

Hot Water Heater

I do have an onboard propane hot water heater, but to be honest I’ve never used it. I can just as easily throw a kettle on the stove and get water warm enough to do my dishes in a couple of minutes. The hot water heater is a pain to drain when I winterize the van, so I have a bypass which is bypassing the heater 24/7/365.

Propane Grill

I also carry a small Coleman propane grill with me on the road which is great if I want to grill up a steak. This little grill also runs off of a propane canister and really comes in handy sometimes. It’s sadly just a little bit off in how it was manufactured, which is disappointing from Coleman, and doesn’t fit together as well as it could and should. The propane cooking element, however, is great and it definitely does the job. Best of all, it’s compact and fits nicely in the rear compartment of my van.

As you can see, I’m a big fan of the propane system in my van and use it every day. I can understand why people who are doing a DIY van build might shy away from propane, especially if they’re unfamiliar with it, but I love my gas cooktop and especially my fridge. If I’m out for a full year I might spend $75 on propane to keep all of these things running, plus a few canisters for my grill and outdoor stove. Is propane right for you? I can’t answer that, but I sure love having it in Shadow Catcher. If you have any questions, please contact me at the link below or in the comment section. Be sure you subscribe to my blog for all of our latest vanlife adventures.

While my van and many of its features are 20+ years old, here are some products currently available on Amazon that I would recommend. The Propane/Carbon Monoxide Detector and the Coleman Grill are the exact ones mentioned in this post. I earn a small commission from Amazon for all purchases you make after clicking these links, so thank you for your help supporting my project.