Propane is a crucial component of any recreation vehicle, whether Class A motorhomes or travel trailers. Without propane, the trailer doesn’t work when unplugged. You won’t be able to use your stove, heat your trailer, or do many other things in the trailer.
If you are looking for a four season trailer for sale, you should probably investigate every facet of the trailer. This includes the propane capabilities – you should see a potential trailer’s propane capabilities before buying it.
The Oliver Legacy Elite is a great travel trailer – it has several different floor plans available and can sleep up to four people. With a few other size options and multiple customizations, it’s an excellent option for those looking for a vacation travel trailer. However, how is the propane capability on an Oliver?
Oliver’s Propane Capabilities
Oliver’s propane capabilities are excellent for a trailer of its size. They consist of the propane tanks, which come prefilled with every Oliver purchase. There is also a built-in propane easy access port on every trailer. You can customize the port with a Quick Connect extension if you choose.
Propane Tanks
Oliver propane tanks are standard 20-pound liquid propane (LP) gas tanks. These two tanks can be refilled or replaced when they are empty. Users switch between them when they are empty to keep the propane supply uninterrupted.
Usually, propane tanks are kept at the front of a trailer to keep them above ground and safe from accidental combustion. When a propane tank is empty, you can switch to the other one until you’re able to replace your propane tank. Bring your old tank into the gas station or convenience store to reduce the price of a new propane tank and help recycle.
Propane Easy Access
On the Oliver, the propane tanks are placed near the front of the trailer. However, Oliver has an easy access port installed in each trailer instead of a standard cover and access route. This makes it extremely easy to access the propane safely without worrying about it getting stolen.
Propane is easily accessible through Oliver’s access port. You can connect it to other propane sources but also don’t have to worry about cutting off propane to your stove or heater. When you need to switch tanks or replace a propane tank, it’s simple to do so.
Propane Quick Connect
Although the easy access port is standard and built into every Oliver trailer, some trailers have the option of the Propane Quick Connect. This is a small piece of hardware that, if connected, makes it extremely easy to connect outside appliances to your propane source. You won’t have to worry about switching the source back to this hardware.
To include propane quick connect in your trailer, you’ll need to pay for the extra when you customize your small travel trailer. You can also add these connects on a used trailer – you’ll simply need to bring it to an Oliver mechanic and purchase the necessary parts.
What Does Propane Do in a Trailer?
In addition to all of these capabilities, the Oliver trailers offer all of the usual propane abilities of any travel trailer. Propane is crucial for the day-to-day functioning of travel trailers and RVs and provides a source of fuel outside of the battery.
If you plug your RV in when it’s parked, your electricity and air conditioning likely come from the electricity at your plugin. However, the gas that lights up your stove, heats your water, and provides heat in the winter might come from propane.
Ideally, propane and electricity work together to prevent your battery from being overworked. If you boondock (park your trailer where there’s no electricity), propane does even more to keep your trailer warm and running while you are away from home.
Good propane capabilities will help your trailer run more smoothly and efficiently. This is why trailers come with two propane tanks – you will be able to switch them out if you need to prevent your stovetop or oven from turning off randomly. In your quest for a four season trailer for sale, make sure to confirm if the trailer in question has appropriate propane capabilities.
How To Increase the Propane Life in a Travel Trailer
Of course, nothing is free, and propane has environmental and financial impacts. If you own a travel trailer, you likely want to reduce your carbon footprint and the amount of money you are spending on gasoline. Here are some tips for reducing your propane usage and extending the propane life of your trailer.
Know What Your Propane Is Doing
The first step to saving money on propane is knowing what your propane is powering. Check the manual on your Oliver trailer to see whether the heat is powered by propane or not, and make sure you know exactly what is powered by propane versus electricity.
When you know what is powered by propane, you can start reducing your propane usage. Turning off lights will not help you save propane if the battery or the electrical source powers your ceiling lights!
Use Electricity as Much as Possible
While electricity adds to your carbon footprint, it’s a much better option for your wallet and the environment. If you can switch your water heater, fridge, or other appliances to an electric source, you’ll be able to save money in the long run. This is a great way to take care of your rv trailer in general.
Another simple way to save your propane is to not use your heater. Heaters almost always use propane, but you can purchase a small plugin heater and use it during the warmer winter months. Tricks like this will save you money.
Replace Your Propane Tanks on Time
Of course, recycling your propane tanks is crucial once they run out of gas. When this happens, whatever you are using with propane will stop working, and you’ll have to replace your tanks.
As long as you take your empty tanks to a grocery store or gas station with propane, you can give them the old tanks and recycle them for full ones. This is the cheapest way to replace your tanks, but it will also benefit the environment.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a four season trailer for sale, the Oliver could be a good choice, with its excellent propane capabilities. The Oliver is a lightweight camping trailer with multiple additional propane capabilities on top of the basic tanks and access ports. And with the propane-saving tips that we mentioned, that capacity will even be extended further.
