Lance Camper Propane Tanks Recertification and Capacity
No matter what brand your camper is, one of these days you will need to re-certify your propane tanks. This includes if the tanks are mounted horizontally or vertically. This process can be costly depending on where you get the re-certification done.
Horizontally mounted tanks may not be replaceable. Your only options may be re-certification or replacement may be your only options. There does not seem to be an exchange program for this type of propane tank. Your cost will depend on where you go for the re-certification.
To learn more about this brand and the re-certification of its tanks, just continue to read our article. It has the information you want to know about if you own an older Lance Camper. 12 years is a long time and it may be time to do this step.
Lance Camper Propane Tanks Recertification
The process is the same no matter which brand of camper you own. According to the Lance Camper website, you are getting 2 20-pound tanks when you buy a new camper.
You won’t have to worry about re-certification for some time if you have bought new and in recent years. But if you have an older Lance Camper, then you are probably close to the time when re-certification is needed.
The best thing to do is to go to the nearest propane dealer and have them re-certify your propane tanks. The difficulty here comes in when your tanks are permanently installed.
If Lance Camper does this with the propane tanks they attach to your camper, then you do not have to have them re-certified. Only removable tanks need to be certified and re-certified to make sure they are not damaged, etc.
Usually, the permanently installed tanks are labeled ASME, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and are not under DOT regulations. However, you should have the tanks inspected regularly to make sure they are in good shape.
Horizontal Propane Tank Sizes Lance Camper
There is some discussion on how to fill these tanks but not on their sizes. We checked the Lance camper website and their truck campers all came with 2 5-gallon propane tanks. That is their current size.
If you have an older Lance camper model, the size may be a bit different but how you fill them may not. Some campers have propane tanks that say to remove the tanks to fill them vertically.
This can be a hassle depending on how your propane tanks are mounted to your camper. The horizontal models tend to have a different bleeder screw as well as a differently designed OPD valve.
If the tanks are mounted horizontally, but you fill them vertically, you may be losing out on propane. These tanks seem to only receive 3 1/2 gallons of propane when filled vertically. If they are left in place and filled horizontally, they seem to get the full 5 gallons they are designed to hold.
The size of the tanks seems to remain static over the production years. The travel trailers produced by Lance Campers seem to vary in the number of propane tanks, 1 to 3, but the size remains the same- 5-gallon capacities.
2004 Lance 1010 Propane Tank Capacity
In looking at the brochure for this model of Lance camper you would have or would get 2 5-gallon propane tanks attached to the camper. This seems to have been very standard in that model year.
There were 4 models that received larger propane tanks, the Lance slide-out 1121 and 1161 received 2 7-gallon propane tanks. Then the Lance 1030 and 1130 models got the same size.
All the rest of the models for that year only received 1 or 2 5-gallon propane tanks. This seems to be the standard operating procedure for Lance Campers. As we looked at some of their newest models on their website and most of the models they build do not receive larger than 5-gallon propane tanks.
How these tanks are mounted is the biggest question. You should talk to Lance Camper about their mounting position as well as re-certifying those tanks when they are due for that process.
Re-certification will depend on the type of propane tank your camper comes with. The DOT tanks have to be re-certified every 10 years with a visual check lasting 5 years. Permanent horizontally mounted tanks do not need re-certification.
Buying Horizontal Propane Tanks For a Lance Camper
In looking at the Lance Camper website, it seems that they do not sell directly to the public. Their search inventory leads you to a dealer locator page where you input your location to find the nearest dealer to your location.
Then you need to buy the horizontal tanks through the dealer if they offer that part for sale. If this option does not work for you, then you can find horizontal propane tanks at different RV parts and accessories outlets.
One of these locations is selling one for $259 and it is a 30 lb tank. These may be hard to find as we checked a second outlet and their horizontal tanks were either out of stock or not for sale.
That means you may have to go to a propane dealer or buy used at a junkyard. There is another RV parts outlet that will sell you a 20-pound tank but it costs over $300. It is best to do some local searches to find these parts dealers near you so you can replace your tank if need be.
The brand name of your camper will not matter. It is the size of the tank that will matter the most. You can’t fit a 30-pound tank in a spot that holds a 20-pound tank.
Lance 1181 Propane Plumbing Routes
In checking the company’s website, Lance does not make this model of a camper anymore. It was at least a 2007 model but we cannot be sure how long it was in production. Finding a manual for it may be difficult as well.
We have checked the schematics that are available and none are labeled for this model of truck camper. We also checked at least one manual that is available online and there were no images or diagrams to go with.
The images in the manual were of individual parts and did not show the system at all. Not too many people are worried about the plumbing route for this or any Lance Camper model.
You can talk to a Lance Camper dealer or contact the company directly to get this information. That is if they still have it as this model may have been out of production for 12 years now, approx.
Lance Camper Propane Hose
This part is going to be a generic part. The hoses are made to fit the tank and not the brand. You can check with Lance Camper and see what they say but no special propane hoses for this brand are showing up in any search so far.
You can find propane hoses just about anywhere RV parts are sold. They are needed by just about every RV owner no matter if they are horizontal or vertical mounted tanks.
The cost will range and we have seen prices go between $30 and $70 depending on what type and where you buy this hose. Lance Camper’s website may send you directly to one of their dealers when you look on their website for parts.
They seem to be a dealer only manufacturer when it comes to parts. What the cost will be is unknown, it will depend on the age of your Lance Camper and the type of propane tank that is inside.
Reset Lance Propane Regulator
There are about 8 steps involved in this process and most of them have to do with being safe. Make sure to work in a well-ventilated area or you may have some health issues when you are done.
The most important step to know is this one and it comes after disconnecting the regulator from the tank:
“Reset the Regulator Some regulators feature a reset button or switch designed specifically for resetting. Look for a small button or switch labeled "RESET" or consult the manufacturer's instructions for your particular regulator model. Follow the manufacturer's guidelines and press or toggle the reset feature accordingly.” (source)
When you are done with that step reattach the regulator and do a test for leaks. It is not that hard to reset this device.
Some Additional Words
When you have an RV with horizontal and permanently attached propane tanks, re-certification may not apply to you. It is best to check all the regulations first so you know where you stand in this regard.
ASME tanks are not under DOT regulations so make sure you know the type of tank that is on your Lance Camper. You can still get those ASME tanks certified so you do not have trouble refilling them but it is not necessary.
