Let the “Vikings” Heat Your Small Travel Trailer
We were cooking lunch at a State park on a recent trip up to Oregon and the flames on our Scamp 13’ stove went out all of a sudden. I immediately checked the gauge on our propane tank and it still showed GREEN. Just to make sure it wasn’t an empty propane tank with a faulty gauge reading, I switched over to our 2nd tank and, viola, we were able to light our stove again! Hmmm. What was going on with the gauge? After a bit of research, I discovered that propane gauges are notoriously unreliable. Maybe in our situation the gauge was stuck. In any case though, it seems that relying on a gauge to determine when the propane tank is near empty may not be a good idea. We were very fortunate we had a 2nd propane tank on our Scamp 13’. At some of the locations on that recent trip, the temperatures dipped down into the teens at night and we would have been very uncomfortable had our propane powered furnace stopped working.
After investigating several possible solutions (including different types of pressure gauges) to help solve the problem of having an unexpected empty propane tank at perhaps a very undesirable time, I discovered Viking Cylinders (made in Norway). These are tanks made from composite materials (3 layers – seamless blow-molded liner, fiberglass-wrapped plastic casing, and a durable outer case) which offer several advantages over steel and aluminum tanks:
- Translucent – you can actually see the liquid propane in the tank if you wiggle the tank a little (although you have to look very carefully).
- Lightweight – Viking claims their tanks weigh “more than 50% less than steel propane tanks”.
- Safer than metal – the cylinder is not supposed to explode in a fire (but melt and allowing the gas to safely escape).
- Non corrosive – since it’s not metal, it won’t rust or corrode or leave rust marks on surfaces.
- Stable – the base of each cylinder is very stable, making it harder to fall over.
- Attractive – a really superb looking cylinder!
- Easy to handle – it’s easy to pick up and move around with great handles and light weight.
When I saw Viking was having a 25% off sale ($80 in total savings), I purchased two of their 17# tanks to replace the 20# tanks on our Scamp 13’ along with their custom double RV mount (since the Scamp mount wouldn’t accommodate these tanks). The first thing I noticed when unboxing them is how great they look and how light they feel! I had read online that some service stations have refused to fill these types of composite tanks, so it was nice to see that each tank had a DOT (Department of Transportation) Certification Certificate attached (meaning the tank is certified to travel on highways and roads). Putting the tanks in the back of my SUV was a breeze and the service station down the street had no problem filling them! Installing the new mount was easy and the new mount looks much nicer than the old one, appearing to have a nice thick white powder coating. All the stock Scamp parts (regulator, hoses, and switch) worked fine on the new mount.
After filling the new Viking composite tanks at the service station (the tanks came purged and ready to fill), I weighed them. Each filled Viking tank (holding about 3.8 gallons of propane per tank) weighed around 26.6 lbs. The Scamp’s original 20# steel tanks (holding about 4.5 gallons of propane) each weighed around 37 lbs. when filled. So, in my testing, the filled 17# Viking Cylinders weigh about 40% less than the stock 20# steel propane tanks that came with the Scamp (albeit with slightly less propane). The weight difference is even more striking when comparing empty tank weights (tare weights). An empty 17# Viking Cylinder only weighs around 10 lbs. (compared to around 17lbs. for an empty steel 20# propane tank)! That’s a 70% difference in weight when empty! This weight difference between the composite and steels tanks is very noticeable when removing each tank and moving it into your vehicle. Additionally, it can make a big difference on hitch weight (especially when considering a 2 propane tank setup).
The main reason I purchased the Viking tanks wasn’t for weight reasons though – it was for the ability to see the liquid propane inside the tank. The Viking tanks have cut out patterns which allow visibility into the liner holding the liquid propane. I was a little disappointed when I first had the tanks filled because I couldn’t see the liquid. However, I later figured this was because the liquid was at such a high level that it was above the viewing cutouts. After one camping trip using the Viking tanks, the liquid propane level in the tank dropped such that I was able to see the liquid moving around when slightly shifting the top one of the tanks. Even so though, you do have to look very carefully to see the liquid. In the end, despite the liquid propane being a bit difficult to see in the tank, I still think the Viking tanks are much better than the steel tanks in determining how much propane is left.
I’m very satisfied with the Viking Cylinders. They look great, are super light, won’t rust, are safer than steel tanks, are easy to handle, and offer the ability to see the liquid propane inside the tank (mostly eliminating the guessing of when the propane is likely to run out). They are much more expensive than regular steel tanks ($140 for a 17# Viking cylinder vs. around $35 for a 20# tank as of this writing), so I wouldn’t call them a necessity. They also do need to be requalified every 5 years (from the manufacturing date on the tank) through a visual inspection by an approved requalifier. Viking has a searchable list of requalifiers on their website. If the extra cost isn’t a factor, then the added benefits of the Viking Cylinders are well worth switching out your steel tanks for these composite ones!
Disclaimer: You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale. These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences. However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer. It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly.
