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Old 04-25-2016, 07:36 PM   #1
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Gas won't flow from 2nd tank

Actually it does flow sometimes, sometimes not at all or sometimes with low pressure. My setup has two 30# tanks, one on each side. On the curb side there is a main auto changeover valve and regulator. The road side has the other tank and a secondary regulator. I'm on the third secondary regulator. When the new one's have been installed and tested they worked alright. But after awhile I'll turn on the stove and get nothing or very low flame. In a couple of hours it may be normal again. I use the gas side of the hot water heater and it may be on or not when pressure drops. I now keep the roadside bottle turned off and when the other bottle is empty switch bottles. Three service dealers have not been able to find the problem. Maybe someone on the forum has had a similar problem, unless all three secondary regulators have been bad.

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Old 04-25-2016, 07:58 PM   #2
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If you have a main change over valve and regulator, why are you using a secondary regulator? you shouldn't be using two regulators in series. Maybe I'm not understanding your situation and a picture would help.
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Old 04-25-2016, 08:07 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by joenic53 View Post
If you have a main change over valve and regulator, why are you using a secondary regulator? you shouldn't be using two regulators in series. Maybe I'm not understanding your situation and a picture would help.
I bought the RV in February and it came with the second, smaller regulator in the compartment that does not have the auto changeover and main regulator. I asked one of the repairing dealers why it had two and he gave me an answer that made sense to me at the time, but I don't remember what the reason was. I do have the sense that the setup is common. I don't have pictures but the setup is as described, one larger regulator with auto changeover valve in one compartment and a smaller just regulator in the other.

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Old 04-25-2016, 08:07 PM   #4
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You may have activated the flow control safety valve. If the gas lines are empty and you turn on a tank quickly, the safety valve activates and shuts off the gas. Shut the valve Disconnect the propane line and let it sit for a few minutes. Reconnect then slowly open the valve ( especially the initial 1/4 turn) and allow a slow flow of propane to fill and pressurize the line.
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Old 04-25-2016, 08:10 PM   #5
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Hello,

Is the secondary regulator painted red? Has 10 psi out?
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Old 04-25-2016, 08:10 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by joenic53 View Post
If you have a main change over valve and regulator, why are you using a secondary regulator? you shouldn't be using two regulators in series. Maybe I'm not understanding your situation and a picture would help.
There is legal requirement to run the High pressure propane thru a secondary regulator to go to the other side of the trailer on a 5th wheel. Common setup on 5th wheels.

To answer the OP, had the same issue...changed the pigtail, red regulator and then found it was a bad check valve on the switch over regulator. Right where the hose attaches from the driver side bottle to the change over regulator there is a check valve.
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Old 04-25-2016, 08:13 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StoneyG View Post
I bought the RV in February and it came with the second, smaller regulator in the compartment that does not have the auto changeover and main regulator. I asked one of the repairing dealers why it had two and he gave me an answer that made sense to me at the time, but I don't remember what the reason was. I do have the sense that the setup is common. I don't have pictures but the setup is as described, one larger regulator with auto changeover valve in one compartment and a smaller just regulator in the other.

Thanks,
Codes state you can not run full tank pressure over long runs for safety. The secondary regulator is 10 psi out feeds the other regulator with the switch over on the curb side. The system for all appliances runs on 11 inches of water column which is pretty low pressure.
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Old 04-25-2016, 08:14 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by Flybob View Post
You may have activated the flow control safety valve. If the gas lines are empty and you turn on a tank quickly, the safety valve activates and shuts off the gas. Shut the valve Disconnect the propane line and let it sit for a few minutes. Reconnect then slowly open the valve ( especially the initial 1/4 turn) and allow a slow flow of propane to fill and pressurize the line.
I have tried that on a freshly filled tank when I turned it on and got no pressure. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. But, for instance, I've been running off the roadside tank for a couple of weeks using the hot water heater and stove. After that period of time the lines would have been pressurized unless there was a leak and that's been checked.

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Old 04-25-2016, 08:17 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Learjet View Post
There is legal requirement to run the High pressure propane thru a secondary regulator to go to the other side of the trailer on a 5th wheel. Common setup on 5th wheels.

To answer the OP, had the same issue...changed the pigtail, red regulator and then found it was a bad check valve on the switch over regulator. Right where the hose attaches from the driver side bottle to the change over regulator there is a check valve.
Thank you. I'll take a look in the morning.
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Old 04-25-2016, 08:20 PM   #10
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Just a thought, swap the pig tails in case the shut off valve is one of the pig tails is bad.
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Old 04-25-2016, 08:21 PM   #11
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Hello,

Is the secondary regulator painted red? Has 10 psi out?
The original was red and the one I have know is red. We tried a different, not red one on the first replacement. I don't know the PSI.
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Old 04-25-2016, 08:23 PM   #12
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Just a thought, swap the pig tails in case the shut off valve is one of the pig tails is bad.
Thanks, another idea to try. Forums are better than dealers for solving problems.
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Old 04-26-2016, 09:37 AM   #13
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Hello,

Is the secondary regulator painted red? Has 10 psi out?
It is red and is marked 30PSI
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Old 04-26-2016, 09:49 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by StoneyG View Post
It is red and is marked 30PSI
That should work fine, is it cold out when it stops working? Wondering if the regulator is freezing up. I have seen many heaters and propane powered generators free up in our Canadian winter (think top a mountain in Banff doing World Cup Skiing temp was -25 C with Human Windchill at -40 C)
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Old 04-26-2016, 10:15 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by Learjet View Post
There is legal requirement to run the High pressure propane thru a secondary regulator to go to the other side of the trailer on a 5th wheel. Common setup on 5th wheels.

To answer the OP, had the same issue...changed the pigtail, red regulator and then found it was a bad check valve on the switch over regulator. Right where the hose attaches from the driver side bottle to the change over regulator there is a check valve.
To let you know, I looked this morning and didn't see what I could identify as a check valve. I noted the brand and went to Fairview's web site and found that the check valves look just like copper/brass threaded fittings but are also the check valves. I called the factory to see if it would be alright to swap those fittings to test them and I was told not to do that, but the tech did tell me that it was likely that the problem was with their regulator either the check valves or regulator itself. He wants a dealer to check it before replacing it, it could also be a crimped line. There is a testing procedure to got through and also for safety reasons they can't suggest other than a dealer work with the propane lines/fittings. I'll take it to a trusted dealer.
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Old 04-26-2016, 10:34 AM   #16
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Good Move.
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Old 04-26-2016, 11:06 AM   #17
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That should work fine, is it cold out when it stops working? Wondering if the regulator is freezing up. I have seen many heaters and propane powered generators free up in our Canadian winter (think top a mountain in Banff doing World Cup Skiing temp was -25 C with Human Windchill at -40 C)
I'd love to back to Banff, but not in the winter.

We started having problems in Virginia last winter in 15 degree weather. But we've had the same problem while we're in Florida in the mid to high 80's.
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Old 04-26-2016, 11:29 AM   #18
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I would bet that the pigtail went bad, if I'm not mistaken there is a valve inside them. I had to replace one already, then everything worked again. Key word here MISTAKEN. I have been known to be proven wrong.... But they are cheap...
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Old 04-26-2016, 11:31 AM   #19
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Originally Posted by gljurczyk View Post
I would bet that the pigtail went bad, if I'm not mistaken there is a valve inside them. I had to replace one already, then everything worked again. Key word here MISTAKEN. I have been known to be proven wrong.... But they are cheap...
Thanks, I'll get that checked too.
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Old 04-26-2016, 11:47 AM   #20
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Changeover no workee

Just an additional comment that with our TT, I have never gotten the automatic changeover to work properly. Almost always, the first tank will empty and suddenly nothing works; the valve is set for automatic changeover, but the second tank is full and nothing happens. I have to physically switch tanks in order to get things to work. At least one campground operator, when I was buying LP and mentioned this, said that in his experience the automatic changeover valves almost never worked.

Does anyone know of an automatic changeover valve that is actually reliable and does what it's supposed to do?
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