CleverOwl Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 Hey all, I'm a recent new owner of a beautiful fixer upper, Sophie an '87 Dolphin. With absolutely no experience in anything handy I've got my work cut out for me. Currently trying to get the propane working as I've been living out of my '06 Scion for the past 7 months and would really love to have a working stove. I took her to a propane supplier and it looks like what I thought was the tank is actually the water heater? Any suggestions for a horizontal install for a lady with no experience? Thank you much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 And the propane dealer couldn't find a tank? The most common Dolphin layout (I think) is the '900'. On those, the propane compartment is on the passenger side on the rear corner. 1987 Dolphin Micro Mini.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 (edited) on my 1987 dolphin model 400 propane tank is in that exact spot. these use a removable type tank . AND WARNING YOU DO NOT USE A BBQ TANK LAYING DOWN. it is a tank made fo r horizontal use . Edited February 6, 2019 by 5Toyota Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CleverOwl Posted February 14, 2019 Author Share Posted February 14, 2019 (edited) THANK YOU! This compartment has been stuck and I've been curious if the propane was in there. Crossing my fingers I can have access to hot water by this weekend! Edited February 14, 2019 by CleverOwl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notlostjustwandering Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 On 2/14/2019 at 6:32 AM, CleverOwl said: THANK YOU! This compartment has been stuck and I've been curious if the propane was in there. Crossing my fingers I can have access to hot water by this weekend! I have the exact same one! I am curious if you have any issues with your fridge once you get the propane set up- that is the one area i still have not quite figured out on mine- i have been using my camper without the propane -even though it works! I am a total newbie- it makes me nervous to run the propane while driving... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 42 minutes ago, Notlostjustwandering said: I have the exact same one! I am curious if you have any issues with your fridge once you get the propane set up- that is the one area i still have not quite figured out on mine- i have been using my camper without the propane -even though it works! I am a total newbie- it makes me nervous to run the propane while driving... I do it all the time if I'm heading out it's plugged in the day before put all the stuff in an all ready cool fridge switch to gas and head out. More often than not I don't switch back to electric even if I'm plugged in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notlostjustwandering Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 This is a rookie question, but - how do you plug in? I think mine is propane only. It shows an electric option, but i have looked and don't see anywhere to plug in to external power... I had a friend who is an experienced RVer look for it, too, and she could not find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 Plugging in- somewhere on the drivers side there should be a little door with a power cord that pulls out. If your camper had a generator at some point it might be in a larger door. We don't know what model you have so it's hard to say for sure. How are you even using it with never any power. The only way to charge your house battery now is driving. Maybe someone here lives near you and can give you a quick run down on how to use your camper Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 (edited) as these older refers don't auto switch back and forth between gas and electric . as most of the high end new ones will do . on the very rare times I am pluged in i never run my frige on electric that way if some thing happens with there power . my fridge is not effected. I once had a problem in a storm . there is a plugin on the outside of mine in the fridge door I just un plug to make shure there are no problems. Edited March 5, 2019 by 5Toyota Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 the power cord should be in a small door on the driver side . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notlostjustwandering Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 On 3/4/2019 at 4:51 PM, linda s said: Plugging in- somewhere on the drivers side there should be a little door with a power cord that pulls out. If your camper had a generator at some point it might be in a larger door. We don't know what model you have so it's hard to say for sure. How are you even using it with never any power. The only way to charge your house battery now is driving. Maybe someone here lives near you and can give you a quick run down on how to use your camper Linda S Thank you all! I have an 87 Dolphin, the 900 model. My Toyhome has the setup where the camp battery is charged by my engine battery, and i have an inverter that was wired in by the previous owners. I think they primarily ran on propane and used the inverter for hair dryers and charging cell phones, etc. I have been researching and it looks like i *could* run the fridge off the inverter, but i need to see if that is how they wired things up.. i have some more exploring to do... i will look for the little door....i looked the whole camper over before and after i bought it a few times, and i don't recall seeing that.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 Just remember that propane has a higher energy density than a battery. Extended camping will require a solar setup or a generator. Running your truck engine 3 or 4 hr a day to keep your battery up to run the refer isn't really cost effective when you figure in wear and tear and gas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 You're looking for something like this:- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 4 hours ago, Notlostjustwandering said: Thank you all! I have an 87 Dolphin, the 900 model. My Toyhome has the setup where the camp battery is charged by my engine battery, and i have an inverter that was wired in by the previous owners. I think they primarily ran on propane and used the inverter for hair dryers and charging cell phones, etc. I have been researching and it looks like i *could* run the fridge off the inverter, but i need to see if that is how they wired things up.. i have some more exploring to do... i will look for the little door....i looked the whole camper over before and after i bought it a few times, and i don't recall seeing that.. Run it on propane it's much more efficient. You can run the fridge off the inverter but not for very long! The simplest way to run things from an inverter is plug the camper power cord into the inverter. Everything you plug into an inverter is a factor of ten in use from the battery so a 60 watt bulb will take 600 watts from you battery. The MH came with a converter it makes 12 volts when you are plugged in to power things such as lights, water pump and in some cases the fridge and charge the battery. An add on inverter makes household voltage for things like cell phone chargers, TV's normal things you use at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 the flame is very small it uses very little propane . I don't run on the road with mine lit . if it is good and cold frost in the freezer top pack it full of frozen stuff and cold stuff . I can drive 100 miles it will stay fine then camp and fire it up on gas . on eletric it would drain a battery fast . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notlostjustwandering Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 22 hours ago, Maineah said: Run it on propane it's much more efficient. You can run the fridge off the inverter but not for very long! The simplest way to run things from an inverter is plug the camper power cord into the inverter. Everything you plug into an inverter is a factor of ten in use from the battery so a 60 watt bulb will take 600 watts from you battery. The MH came with a converter it makes 12 volts when you are plugged in to power things such as lights, water pump and in some cases the fridge and charge the battery. An add on inverter makes household voltage for things like cell phone chargers, TV's normal things you use at home. Thank you! I don't have a tv or microwave, or any hair appliances...and i can run my phone charger off the car engine, so i would likely use the inverter for powering up lights/fridge occasionally, but i need to battle the beast and make friends with propane... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notlostjustwandering Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 On 3/6/2019 at 2:18 PM, WME said: Just remember that propane has a higher energy density than a battery. Extended camping will require a solar setup or a generator. Running your truck engine 3 or 4 hr a day to keep your battery up to run the refer isn't really cost effective when you figure in wear and tear and gas. thank you! 20 hours ago, 5Toyota said: the flame is very small it uses very little propane . I don't run on the road with mine lit . if it is good and cold frost in the freezer top pack it full of frozen stuff and cold stuff . I can drive 100 miles it will stay fine then camp and fire it up on gas . on eletric it would drain a battery fast . thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 2 hours ago, Notlostjustwandering said: Thank you! I don't have a tv or microwave, or any hair appliances...and i can run my phone charger off the car engine, so i would likely use the inverter for powering up lights/fridge occasionally, but i need to battle the beast and make friends with propane... You can also run it off the lighter plug inside of the camper they usually had an outlet that also powered the TV antenna a cell charger draws very little current. An inverter will not power your interior lights a converter will (a converter is and RV device all of them have one) as long as you are plugged but they also run off the camper battery when you are not. The gas fridge will run from plug in power, DC, or gas. The dc (battery) is generally used while you are driving or plugged in it is a power hog running on DC or an inverter. Mine drew 175 of plugged in power watts so connected to an inverter it will take 1,750 watts from your battery. Gas appliances are pretty dang safe in general they have a lot of what if devices. A good size inverter is 2000 watts so you can see why running a fridge is not a good plan. Frankly in your case I see no need of a inverter. I have an inverter in my camper on extremely rare occasions (raining or boredom) I may watch a little TV in the woods but it draws little current from the batteries and is short term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notlostjustwandering Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 Thank you everyone! I am learning so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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