Power Tank Worthington 6-pound propane bracket review

Bottle test fit before the roll bar clamps arrived.

Power Tank Stainless Steel Propane Bottle Mount

Having extra propane for our Hallmark Milner camper on long remote trips, or winter camping adventures that consume more fuel, has been a long-term goal. The question was how to mount another LPG bottle safely and securely. I’ve owned the tall, narrow Worthington aluminum 6-pound propane tank (#299494) for 10 years, which has been part of various camping setups, and was an obvious choice for extra Milner LPG. Six pounds is a small reserve, but some beats none.

Several months ago I visualized how a fire extinguisher mount could provide a solution, and did substantial preliminary research that convinced me a good match was available. Fitting the Worthington to an extinguisher bracket would be the first hurdle, and attaching it to my camper the second, and potentially more troublesome. Hose clamps to the roof ladder were planned if nothing better presented itself. I postponed buying the parts and making stuff work, but with a big, cold trip North in my immediate future, last month it became time to either create or buy something.

Power Tank’s small roll bar clamps will fit 1.5″ to 2″ diameters, using spacers for anything smaller than 2″.

Lucky Find

Additional Internet searches steered me to Power Tank, a company I was familiar with and known best for their portable CO2 on-board air systems. They also offer mounting brackets for many of their tanks, and I found one I thought would work well for the (299494) Worthington cylinder. A telephone call to explain my intended use and place an order was rewarded with a welcome surprise; Power Tank had just added a bracket made specifically for this 6-pound propane bottle to their catalog. It got better. The same roll bar clamps used to mount CO2 tank holders worked with the new propane bracket.

Excellent

Installation

After waiting for the backordered clamps arrive, it was time to get the parts fitted. My initial mock-up indicated mounting the bracket to the Hallmark Milner camper’s rear ladder would work as I’d envisioned. Power Tank’s small clamps are designed to work on 1.5″ to 2″ diameter tubing. Rubber spacers are provided for 1.5″ or 1.75″ bars, and the Hallmark’s ladder rails are approximately 1.5″ diameter. Needing spacers was a positive; the rubber mounting provides grip and protects the ladder finish. The clamps were tightened until a bulge appeared both above and below (tight). The bracket looks and feels very secure.

Using the larger rubber spacers, the clamps were tightened until a protective bugle appeared above and below the clamp lips.

With the bracket mounted the LPG tank was fitted. The padded band is just the right size when tightened, without excessive unused bolt thread. To slide my bottle past the middle welded seam, the nut must be removed and reattached after the slightly larger section of the tank has passed the clamp. The band above the seam makes it very unlikely the bottle will slip.

This Power Tank bracket and how it was mounted appear specifically made for this camper application. The Worthington tank is almost perfectly inline with the port side of the camper; just one inch of the base extends beyond the side of the camper.

Looks like this Power Tank bracket was made specifically for this application, it fits the space perfectly.

BOLT Locks

Theft happens. I’m a fan of prevention and helping keep people honest, which means locking my stuff when possible and practical. Over the past year I’ve become a huge fan of BOLT Locks one-key technology, using their locks whenever possible. One of their cable locks was used to secure the Worthington bottle to the top of the ladder. For more information about these fantastic locks read my article located here: RoadTraveler BOLT Locks review

BOLT Locks have earned my admiration over the past year, and I’ve added several to this ’14 Ram Cummins and Hallmark Milner camper. LOVE THEM!

Resource links:

BOLT Locks

Power Tank

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