Products Used to Hold Down Propane Tanks on a Pop-Up Camper

There are about as many ways to camp as there are places to camp. Depending on how far away you want to get from civilization you have the option to live in comfort in the wild or to completely live off the earth. One convenient way to take some of life's creature comforts with you is the popup camper, which often comes with a removable propane tank.

  1. Popup Campers

    • Popup campers are somewhere between a tent and a full-blown mobile home. The unit attaches to a hitch at the back of your truck, car or SUV in order to be portable. The top half of the camper is collapsed during transportation in order to allow the user increased visibility. Once the camper is secured you can raise or "pop up" the top and gain access to the unit. Some campers are equipped with amenities such as a bathroom, stereo system and cable hookups. Other campers are limited and simply provide a space to sleep and eat. Nearly every camper has a space to store propane.

    Propane Uses

    • Propane will cook your food, but it is not its only use on a popup camper. In addition to aiding in food preparation, the propane tank serves as a source of power for the unit, much like natural gas in a home would. The refrigerator, stove, and heat will all run off the propane tank if the popup tanker does not utilize electricity. If it does have an electrical hookup, these functions will likely run off electric power rather than gas.

    Propane Rack

    • The most common way to hold down a propane tank on a popup camper is with a rack. The rack is an external device that secures to the side of the popup camper. It has space for either one or two propane tanks, depending on the model. If you own a camper that runs the majority of its amenities with propane then you will likely want to invest in rack that holds multiple propane tanks. In addition, since these are sold as separate units you are not limited on the amount of racks that you attach to your popup camper. The rack will also include a locking mechanism that secures the tank so that it will not slip out during travel.

    Propane Foot

    • A rack will secure your propane tanks to the side of popup camper, but there may be a need to either store additional tanks inside the camper or inside the vehicle that you are using to pull the camper. These tanks will need to be secured as well. Having multiple tanks rolling around freely in either vehicle is hazardous. There is a product called a propane tank foot. It is a thin rubber strip with a bottom that is shaped like a shallow cap. The tank fits directly into the rubber cap and because the bottom of the foot is wider than that of the propane tank, it provides stability during travel.