Propane and your Airstream

The LPG (Propane) System

Take a look at the big cover over the propane bottles on your Airstream. Open it up and you'll see two painted steel or Aluminum bottles connected to hoses, and a device that regulates the flow of LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas), also known as propane. Each bottle has its own shutoff valve. When the trailer is stored, they should be closed. When the trailer is in use, they should both be open.

The reason for this is because you have an "automatic changeover regulator." The changeover regulator has a switch that points to one bottle. Try switching it from one bottle to the other. Propane gas will flow first from the bottle that the black switch is pointing to. We'll call that the "primary" bottle.

Here's the automatic part: if the primary bottle runs dry, the regulator starts to draw gas from the secondary bottle, giving the trailer an uninterrupted flow of gas. This means that you don't have to get up in the middle of the night to switch bottles—and believe me, that's the time propane bottles tend to run dry the most!

To be extra helpful, a small red indicator will appear on the regulator when the primary bottle is empty. It's a good idea to check the indicator on the regulator every day while you are camping. If it is red, move the black switch to point at the secondary tank, and you'll see the indicator become green again. Make a note to get the empty tank refilled at your next opportunity.

Take a moment to get down on the ground and see where those gas lines go. You'll find that they go underneath the belly pan, and disappear up into the body of the Airstream trailer at various points. The idea is that the propane gas is kept outside the living space until the last possible moment, when the lines go straight up to the refrigerator, stove, furnace, and water heater.

You may also see small valves mounted on the gas lines beneath the trailer or inside the appliance compartments. These are placed so you can shut off gas to part of the system, for example, when an appliance has to be removed for service.

In an emergency, during storage, or when traveling, always shut off the gas valves at the propane bottles. This can keep a small problem from becoming a big one!

Batteries on your Airstream

Batteries

Our next stop is the battery compartment. Usually the house batteries are stored in a big steel box that hangs between the main frame rails of the A-frame and behind the propane bottles. On some Airstreams, particularly Classics, the house batteries are inside little doors built into the front of the trailer body. For now, just be sure you know where the batteries live.

With Proper Maintenance your Batteries can keep your Airstream alive and functioning.

Lets talk about Maintaining the Batteries:

Always keep your batteries clean,charged and full of water.

1. Cleaning your batteries, There are products at many retail outlets that and made for keeping the batteries on your Airstream clean and also products that keep the Batteries on your Airstream protected this is a great start.

2. Keeping your batteries charged is probably the most important part of your Airstream electrical system if your Airstream Batteries are dead you will not be able to run most items in your Airstream so keep them charged the easiest way to keep your Airstream charged is keep it plugged in to 110 volt power and the system will keep them charged but remember the more charging and use the more the water in the batteries will deplete we will talk about the water next. Many problems in your Airstream are due to low 12 volt power most items need 12 volt power to operate even your AC system must have 12 volt power to activate the thermostat now that doesn’t mean that the AC doesn’t need 110 volts because it does. We will talk more on 110 volt system later in another article.

3. Keeping the water in your batteries is an important part of maintaining the battery life, Now don't use just any water, you need to use Distilled water by using Distilled water it keeps all the impurities out that will foul up the cells in your batteries, You should check the water in the batteries on your Airstream every month and if the temperature is hot and you are using the 12 volt system a lot it doesn’t take long for the batteries to lose water, to keep them full pop the caps on the top of the batteries (use eye protection and do not get the battery fluids on you or your clothes) check the level of the water in the batteries the level should be just below the caps approximately ½ of an inch, they do make a filler can for this and is available at most auto parts stores after filling replace caps and rinse batteries clean.

Well now that you know how to maintain your Airstream Batteries go have a look at yours and have fun camping and by the way when replacing your Airstream Batteries remember that you should replace them with a deep cycle style as they are made to be charged more often than regular batteries.

Check back soon for the next installment on Maintaining your Airstream

Airstream A-Frames

The A-Frame

Outside your Airstream, up at the front. This area is called the A-frame, and this is the "business end" of your Airstream. where a lot of stuff happens.

The very tip of the A-frame has the hitch coupler, where the tow ball from your vehicle attaches. Because hitch brands and styles vary so much, we'll talk about the hitch later.

Just behind the hitch coupler you'll see the electric hitch jack (on most models). Push the switch and up goes your trailer's tongue. Reverse the switch to go down. You might even have a little courtesy light on there, for nighttime use.

If the electric hitch jack ever fails, there's a way to operate it with a wrench-like tool.

Also mounted to the A-frame is a black box with a cable leading to it. This is the breakaway switch. It activates the trailer's brakes if the trailer ever becomes separated from the tow vehicle. You attach the loose end of the cable to the tow vehicle. With a strong tug, the cable will come out of the black box and activate the brakes. Don't use this device as a parking brake, since long-term operation will cause damage to the brakes. It's only for emergencies.

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Airstream International Serenity Floor Plan walk through

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Airstream Bambi

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AIRSTREAM BAMBI SELECTION

Don't let the size of the Airstream Bambi fool you. The model descriptions below explain what happens when you take tried-and-true design and customize it for the needs of different travelers. Discover the mighty Bambi that's right for you and your travel dreams.

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THE AIRSTREAM BAMBI: A COMPACT FAVORITE FOR NO-FUSS ADVENTURERS

Those who pilot an Airstream Bambi on the open road are spur-of-the-moment adventurists. They wake up one morning, hear the rumblings of "Go West, young man," and gas up the Airstream for a trip to the California coast. A neighbor mentions the brilliant amber leaves falling from trees in Maine, and they're off for sightseeing and lobster, snug inside the reflective silver bullet they call a second home.

The economy and efficiency of the sturdy Airstream trailer makes it easy to give in to such sudden wanderlust. This classic camper trailer represents the epitome of function meets style; its no-fuss design trades length for livability. Not a single inch of the Airstream Bambi is wasted on superfluous flourish. It's a small travel trailer, but a completely adequate one for long travels.

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Visit Bates RV for help selecting the Airstream Bambi that's right for you and your adventure plans. As Florida's largest Airstream Dealer, Bates RV keeps at least 100 models in stock year-round, allowing clients to experience the tangible allure that is the Airstream trailer.

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