propane camping stove in bus legal?

[Mountain Gnome]

So I have 2 days left on my temporary tag from when I bought my bus. I made it to Oregon from Arizona and need to get my tag and title. Oregon says I have to have "permanent" cooking and sleeping facilities to qualify as an RV. But hell if I can find more detail than that ... even searching the pages of laws...

I can get a bed at the last minute and bolt it to my floor without problem. Finding a folding futon couch/bed or twin bunk-bed will be the clincher, or I may have to buy something to get by that I don't want to keep.

My real problem is the stove. I assume this must be a working appliance, self contained, or I would buy a microwave, and call it good; just need a large inverter or an external source of power. But I hate microwaves, and don't want one.

I bought
(1) a cheap 2-burner (Ozark Trail brand) propane camping stove
(2) a 5-tier "metal wire" shelf
(3) a stainless steel kitchen hood vent with built-in fan

My plan is to bolt the shelf to the floor and the wall above the window - easy 'cause this is a Handy Bus with mounting tracks at these locations to mount either seats (on the floor) or wheelchair tie-downs (floor and wall).

Then mount the 30" wide hood under the 36" wide top shelf (both are 16" deep). I can power its fan with my small inverter, or find it a 12V fan motor.

Then attach the camping stove to the shelf below the hood. Surround this space with sheet-metal. The Ozark Trail stove I don't like, but I bought it and stuck myself with needing it to heat my beans for dinner. A Coleman stove has everything contained within a steel box. The Ozark Trail one has the piping underneath, with swing-down legs; it is very unstable to try to move it, lift it, slide it, etc. and would be a real pain to attach to the shelf in a stable way. The Coleman one could simply have bolts/screws through the bottom. So I will probably go buy a Coleman one, also. (Don't get me started on how I hate stupid junk)

The stove I got says not to use in an RV because of carbon-monoxide poisoning. I am hoping the hood vent mitigates this problem (it is one of the strongest fans 260cfm if I remember) and the stove manufacturer is just avoiding lawsuits. Then again there is the cheap-junk factor or stuff you buy now-a-days. Would hate to have my stove blow up IN my bus.

Besides the "don't use the camping stove in the bus, stupid!" factor, what am I missing? Am I even allowed to have the propane tank (the little disposable ones for stoves, lanterns, etc.) in the vehicle? Regulations about propane burners in an RV? Experience beyond the required laws?

[Dog Rescuer]

I have heard different things - basically, as long as there is air flow - there should be no issue (I'm not a propane spokesman and take no responsibility in anything I say...).
But - I had a propane stove in my house - and ran it off a 20lb propane take - the take was outside - but I have seen them inside under a cabinet.
As long as a window is open - I don't see any issue - I think the propane with condensate a bit - but I don't think there is a blowing up bus factor - if the propane take or line is leaking - you have another issue - but the smell of the propane is very noticeable.
I installed 2 CM / smoke detectors - and so far the only time they went off was when I burnt the toast.
Check with an RV store - like Camping World - or Lazydays - because I have seen them in RVs a lot.

[Twigg]

As I understand it, state DMVs don't usually "inspect" your conversion other than to check the VIN#

Here in Oklahoma, they require similar changes, but accept an affidavit. They may, or may not check the VIN.

You might have more trouble with insurance. Sometimes they want pictures.

[Lensman]

The major risk of having a propane tank inside the RV is leaks. Propane is heavier than air, and can accumulate in low spaces, allowing an explosive mixture of propane/air to form. To safely keep tanks in an enclosed space, you'd need a sump with a drain overboard, to ensure the propane can't collect. (Boat guys test this by throwing a bucket of water in the propane locker. If the water all drains out, it's good.) Better to have the tanks outside, and a continuous line from wherever it enters the vehicle to the burner, so there's no connectors inside to leak.

[mmoore6856]

one of the most important reasons is the propane is burning the oxygen you need to stay alive. thats why campers that are sealed need a second pipe bringing in air for the fire to consume so the fire dont leave you in a oxygen deficient enclosed room. you will just feel sleepy sit down and never wake up.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

For NC it says a way to prepare food (table top for cutting board,wash bowl,rinse bowl,bottle of bleach)
A way to cook food(camp stove,could be charcoal) It doesn't say it has to be permanently INSTALLED or can't be used outside
Sleeping area? Hang some hammocks with bedrolls in them and say we love our hammocks?
Good luck

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by mmoore6856

one of the most important reasons is the propane is burning the oxygen you need to stay alive. thats why campers that are sealed need a second pipe bringing in air for the fire to consume so the fire dont leave you in a oxygen deficient enclosed room. you will just feel sleepy sit down and never wake up.

In an oxygen deficient room, you would become breathless and seek better air.

The real risk is carbon monoxide. That is produced when the stove or heater doesn't burn correctly. That's when you would go to sleep and not wake up. It's even worse than that. If you are found in time and given oxygen, your blood can't take it because the red cells bind to the CO.

In any event, get a carbon monoxide sensor, or two.

[roach711]

Our two 20lb tanks are in a sealed plywood box under the bed with a vent out the bottom of the box. That takes care of any leaks at the tanks or regulator but the rest of the propane lines could leak into the living quarters. When you're awake a propane leak is pretty obvious but when asleep you won't notice the smell which could be fatal. As far as we're concerned, good quality smoke, CO2/monoxide and propane alarms are essential equipment.

Propane stoves put CO2 and sometimes monoxide into the air and can burn up the available oxygen in a well sealed enclosed space. Catalytic heaters working properly don't make CO2 or monoxide but can burn up all the oxygen. Any decent catalytic heater will have an oxygen depletion shutoff but there's no way I'll bet my life on it working. Opening a window a crack avoids oxygen depletion but the only way we'll heat at night is with an electric heater or with our vented propane furnace which doesn't deplete oxygen or put CO2 into the air.

Back in the 70's one of my motocross buddies sacked out in his van with a camp stove running for heat. He never woke up. I use propane for cooking and heating and so do most other RV folks, just be sure you know the pittfalls and protect yourself with vents, alarms and careful installation.

[Twigg]

The biggest issue with propane heaters, except the room sealed ones, is the moisture they put into the air. Unless effectively dealt with, that often leads to condensation and mold.

[Carytowncat]

"I'll tell ya wwwwwhat..." -Hank Hill

My permenant cooking device is and has always been a coleman propane stove.

A reminder to all- NO CHARCOAL INSIDE!
The ONLY time my carbon monoxide detector has ever gone off, and i have a wood stove, propane fireplace, and propane stove, was when i brought charcoal out of the fireplace. Within seconds the monoxode detector went off.

Later i shared that info with a family memmber who told me our relatives went camping and used a charcoal grill to stay warm and both died. So super dangerous.

Gold luck! Oh and good luck too!

[Mountain Gnome]

Thanks for everybody's input on this!

When I first questioned the info-desk at the DMV months ago, they said it would be "checked" for compliance when they checked the VIN. I got my tag yesterday, and they said "If you want it to be an RV, we make it an RV." No compliance check, no affidavit to sign, no pictures. Of course they asked if it had a bed and cooking stuff, so when they did check the VIN, they would know I lied, but if I titled it in my name first, then changed its status to RV later, I don't think they would even check the VIN.

I set up a "wire" shelf, used steel-cable-clamps (they look like u-bolts with a nice clamping surface that you can screw tight) to bond the "legs" of the stove to the wire shelf (pictures tomorrow). I bought a hood-vent, but didn't have time to install it before inspection. I was just concerned that they would say it didn't conform to safety standards. This is all a short-term solution to get my tag. If I did cook inside without the hood-fan blowing exhaust out, I would open the windows for cross-breeze vent.

But now I am thinking the stove-on-shelf-with-vent thing is nice. It is all now one self-contained unit (when the hood-vent is installed) that can be moved to anywhere on the bus. With a long vent-tube, I could put a cooking island in the center of the bus if I wanted. I just love the HandyBus floor-mount tracks (gloat-gloat-gloat).