Cause for Propane Regulator/tank depressurized

[Justice]

Ok, I'll try to describe what happened this weekend. While camping, we decided to use the outdoor grill (included with the 8282ws), which has been used on other camping trips. Connected the quick connect hoses like before, turned on quick connect valves under the rv and on the grill, then lit the grill with no problem. Within 40 seconds, very loud hissing noise, and pressure relief of propane emitting from the right front propane tank compartment. I immediately turned the grill off. The depressurize and smell of propane last about 20-30 seconds, just before I could get to the propane compartment it stopped. No sign of frost or moisture on switch over valve/regulator or passenger side tank. I closed this tank, then checked the left side tank, hoses and regulator and no sign of issue there (this tank was turned off). I slowly opened the tank valve, after mixing up some soapy water solution to check for faulty regulators, hoses or valves, which I found no visible sign of leaks. Checked all propane appliances - no issues. Turn on the quick connect valves for the grill and went back to grilling - no issues. Used the grill later that night and furance again - no smell of propane or issues. Plus, there is still plenty of propane in the tanks. I contacted our RV dealer right after it happened on Saturday to see if they had any suggestions and why there would've been a high pressure release of propane during use of the outdoor grill. Not heard of this, except when a regulator goes bad and usually all the propane escapes from the tank(s) or during extreme high temperature on propane tanks. The service department is still researching, but called again today to recommend they would like to inspect and make sure there's no issues. Any suggestions why this may have happened? Thanks.

[Campin Cajun]

Do you have a gauge on that tank? If so do you remember where it was before the sound of discharge? And where it was after?

[Justice]

No gauge on tanks.... The passenger side tank was full (80% filled), and appears to weigh slightly less than it did full. Best guess estimated....

[B and B]

I wonder if the tank was over filled and the minute you started to use the propane the high pressure relief on the tank let go to protect it.

[Justice]

I thought the same also, except I had turned on and ran the furnace the night before using the same tank. I figured that would have used enough LP to remove excess, if that was the case. Then I thought when I hooked up the outside grill, maybe air enter the pipe or caused LP to activate the pressure relief valve either on the tank or regulator.... I don't know. Wish I knew where that pressure had been released from (regulator or tank).

[gasman6674]

Relief valves are just spring loaded rubber disc's and like any mechanical device they can fail. I would recommend changing the suspect valve as soon as you burn the gas out of that tank. My .02

[mark0224]

Last use this year mine did similar but never got the hiss just the smell shut the tank off and the other worked fine no smell. Checked all hoses as you said with soapy water nothing found couldn't see good enough to tell if anything. Tank was full but was real light after , figure I lost half a tank. I put a new regulator on when I got home and so far no problems. Heard a lot of regulator problems on here lately.

[OldCoot]

Also, propane and butane are extremely sensitive to temperature. If you filled the tank at a fairly low temperature, if the temperature increases 30 or 40 degrees, the pressure will increase and could have activated the pressure relief valve.

[Justice]

The tanks were filled back in the summer, and had used them several times since that. It doesn't appeared that I lost much propane within the 20-30 seconds the pressure was released, so not sure if bad regulator as of yet. Haven't smelled any gas since the hissing sound (pressure release) happened. These are all good suggestions and questions, because the RV service department asked the same. Something definitely caused excess pressure to build and release after hooking up the outside grill, which has never done before. No other gas appliances were being used when I was hooking up the grill and lighting it.

[Campin Cajun]

Could one of the quick connects not have been connected all the way? Allowing the propane to escape? There is an o-ring in the connection also. If it rolled out of it's groove it may have allowed the discharge then went back to where it belongs stopping the discharge. May be worth checking if you have more than one quick connect.

[Justice]

No quick connects up by the tank(s), but there is one right-side rear and on the grill. The discharge came from the front right propane compartment. I went to one of our LP propane and gas suppliers to see if they could share some info. Based on my description to them, one issue could be a faulty pressure relief valve on the tank. Generally, when the tank is over pressured and the relief valve engages usually the red plastic cover over the relief valve hole will blow out.... When I told them that the red cover was still in place on both tanks, then I could see they were surprised at least one hadn't blown. They only seen couple of tanks that the pressure relief valve would engage to release and not blow the red cap off. They recommend I use LP detector solution on all connections, hoses, pipe under the RV, regulators, valves (pressure relief, bleeder, intake) to make sure no leaks. If no leaks, then recommended to replace tank cyclinder after we use up the existing propane to be safe. The local LP could do a system test on all valves, hose connections and regulators, if the RV dealer couldn't do. Well finished leak tests and no leaks detected. Guess I could try to get the RV dealer to have FR warranty the tank, since it states on my 2nd year warranty propane tanks covered? New 30lb tank from local LP dealer is $75.

[Justice]

Thought I would follow up, FR did authorize the replacement of the LP tank by our RV dealer service department.