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Old 06-16-2014, 07:26 PM   #1
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Propane Tanks - Confussed

Hello Gang,

This may seem like a dumb question, but it's just not making sense to us. We bought a new Jayco 308RETS two years ago. Both tanks went empty last season. I just had one of the tanks filled and here lies my problem.

With the full tank open (right side) and the empty closed. I put the regulator valve lever in the full tank position. I can't get any flow. I flip the regulator valve lever towards the empty tank and still no flow. The only way I can get propane to flow is by having the Empty tank open and the regulator valve lever set in the direction of the empty tank. Even the regulator won't go green unless both tanks are open.

This just doesn't make sense to me. I would think if the Regulator Lever in the full tank position with the empty tank closed propane should flow. I'm going to get the empty tank filled this weekend and really don't want to leave both tanks open. I like to run one empty so I don't run out. I just don't remember this problem last season.

Okay, I've rambled enough so any thoughts would greatly be appreciated.

Thanks,
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Old 06-16-2014, 11:10 PM   #2
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You might try closing the full tank valve and then open it again very s l o w l y. Sometimes the safety valve in the tank will close off and not let the gas flow.

Close the empty tank and move the switch to the full tank. I think your lines/appliances were out of gas and the gas rushed in shutting off the safety valve.
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Old 06-17-2014, 09:10 AM   #3
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You might try closing the full tank valve and then open it again very s l o w l y. Sometimes the safety valve in the tank will close off and not let the gas flow.

Close the empty tank and move the switch to the full tank. I think your lines/appliances were out of gas and the gas rushed in shutting off the safety valve.
X2. I'd sure leave both valves open while camping. What's the sense in having the auto change-over feature, if you have to manually open the valve on tank #2 when tank #1 runs dry. JMHO!
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Old 06-17-2014, 09:35 AM   #4
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I had an issue on my last unit where the switch went bad and would only draw from one side regardless of selection. They replaced it under warranty. It is supposed to draw from the direction of the switch and only transfer when there is no pressure from the selected tank.

If I have a full tank selected I tend to keep the backup closed for the first part of the trip then after a few days of grilling and such go and switch it. Heater months they are both on.

As mentioned you can freeze it with a quick opening of the valve and lock it up. Sometimes a light tap on the regulator will free it up after both tanks are off and you take some gas out of the system by way of your cook top. Another problem could be your tank valve locked by tilting it when you installed it and it too needs some resetting.
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Old 06-17-2014, 11:39 AM   #5
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You might try closing the full tank valve and then open it again very s l o w l y. Sometimes the safety valve in the tank will close off and not let the gas flow.

Close the empty tank and move the switch to the full tank. I think your lines/appliances were out of gas and the gas rushed in shutting off the safety valve.
You are correct, my lines were out of gas.. Interesting!
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Old 06-17-2014, 11:43 AM   #6
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X2. I'd sure leave both valves open while camping. What's the sense in having the auto change-over feature, if you have to manually open the valve on tank #2 when tank #1 runs dry. JMHO!
Well -- We bought this TT new and she sits on a seasonal site. Obviously my dealer failed to mention that there is an auto change-over feature. How does this feature work! Do I leave the lever on the regulator in the left or right position. Better yet, should it be straight up and down?

I've always run one tank thinking if both were open they'd drain down evenly and I'd be out of fuel in the middle of the night, hence the reason for manually changing over.

Thanks for the usefull information.
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Old 06-17-2014, 11:45 AM   #7
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I had an issue on my last unit where the switch went bad and would only draw from one side regardless of selection. They replaced it under warranty. It is supposed to draw from the direction of the switch and only transfer when there is no pressure from the selected tank.

If I have a full tank selected I tend to keep the backup closed for the first part of the trip then after a few days of grilling and such go and switch it. Heater months they are both on.

As mentioned you can freeze it with a quick opening of the valve and lock it up. Sometimes a light tap on the regulator will free it up after both tanks are off and you take some gas out of the system by way of your cook top. Another problem could be your tank valve locked by tilting it when you installed it and it too needs some resetting.
Thanks, I'll check that out as well...
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Old 06-17-2014, 12:19 PM   #8
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Well -- We bought this TT new and she sits on a seasonal site. Obviously my dealer failed to mention that there is an auto change-over feature. How does this feature work! Do I leave the lever on the regulator in the left or right position. Better yet, should it be straight up and down?

I've always run one tank thinking if both were open they'd drain down evenly and I'd be out of fuel in the middle of the night, hence the reason for manually changing over.

Thanks for the usefull information.
You point the valve at one tank and open both tanks slowly. The tank its pointed at is the tank it draws from 1st. However, I only open 1 tank and wait until it is completely empty before I open the other. I do this so I know when 1 has emptied out. I then switch over to the full tank and have the empty one filled. The only time I turn both tanks on is at night if I have the heat on and i think the tank in use is getting low. If you leave both tanks on, you will know when the 1st tank empties as the gauge will turn red. At this point you can turn the dial towards the full tank, it will turn green and then fill empty tank.
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Old 06-17-2014, 12:32 PM   #9
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You point the valve at one tank and open both tanks slowly. The tank its pointed at is the tank it draws from 1st. However, I only open 1 tank and wait until it is completely empty before I open the other. I do this so I know when 1 has emptied out. I then switch over to the full tank and have the empty one filled. The only time I turn both tanks on is at night if I have the heat on and i think the tank in use is getting low. If you leave both tanks on, you will know when the 1st tank empties as the gauge will turn red. At this point you can turn the dial towards the full tank, it will turn green and then fill empty tank.
Nice... I'm like you as I prefer when one of the tanks is empty rather than both at the same time. Thanks...
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Old 06-17-2014, 12:59 PM   #10
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I had a problem last weekend with mine. I had the regulator pointed at my primary tank, both tank valves open. When the primary tank ran out (which I knew was going to happen, that's why I opened the valve on the secondary tank) the flow was VERY slow. Turns out that the safety valve in the 2nd tank valve had tripped. I couldn't get it to reset for the life of me. I kept putting it on and taking it off and could never get it to reset. Finally it happened. But bottom line is that I had to have one pigtail replaced under warranty, and now I'm thinking there's something wrong with the other one... But I couldn't get it to work with the new pigtail either, go figure. We'll see what happens.
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Old 06-17-2014, 06:15 PM   #11
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I had a problem last weekend with mine. I had the regulator pointed at my primary tank, both tank valves open. When the primary tank ran out (which I knew was going to happen, that's why I opened the valve on the secondary tank) the flow was VERY slow. Turns out that the safety valve in the 2nd tank valve had tripped. I couldn't get it to reset for the life of me. I kept putting it on and taking it off and could never get it to reset. Finally it happened. But bottom line is that I had to have one pigtail replaced under warranty, and now I'm thinking there's something wrong with the other one... But I couldn't get it to work with the new pigtail either, go figure. We'll see what happens.
This seems to be a common problem and most likely the pigtails are not bad. Modern propane systems have a safety device built in that prevents rapid loss o gas should a line rupture. There is an excess flow valve in the line that will close if the flow occurs over the normal low limit This can happen in two ways. One of course is when a line ruptures or is cut. The other happens when you start up from a long shut down when the lines in the camper are empty. Opening the valve on the bottles quickly can fool the safety valve and it will close and limit the flow to a very small amount. This small flow will not run a heater or a Fridge. You should make it a habit to always open the valves on your propane tanks slowly and this problem should not occur.

Reset can be accomplished by releasing the pressure in the line at the connection to the tank with the tank shut off. Tapping on the regulator may help. Then once the connection is tight again open the tank valve slowly and you should get good flow.
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Old 06-17-2014, 06:43 PM   #12
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This seems to be a common problem and most likely the pigtails are not bad. Modern propane systems have a safety device built in that prevents rapid loss o gas should a line rupture. There is an excess flow valve in the line that will close if the flow occurs over the normal low limit This can happen in two ways. One of course is when a line ruptures or is cut. The other happens when you start up from a long shut down when the lines in the camper are empty. Opening the valve on the bottles quickly can fool the safety valve and it will close and limit the flow to a very small amount. This small flow will not run a heater or a Fridge. You should make it a habit to always open the valves on your propane tanks slowly and this problem should not occur.

Reset can be accomplished by releasing the pressure in the line at the connection to the tank with the tank shut off. Tapping on the regulator may help. Then once the connection is tight again open the tank valve slowly and you should get good flow.

The pigtail I replaced was most definitely bad, it was leaking enough for me to hear. Though you may be right about this new problem. I just couldn't get the safety valve to reset after disconnecting, depressurizing, reconnecting, then turning on valve VERY slowly. It took a couple tries. The reason I think it might be the pigtail is that if it's not making a good seal with the valve, that could trigger the safety in the tank valve. The only reason I don't think it's the pigtail is that it happened the same way with the new pigtail... So I have some more troubleshooting to do...
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Old 06-17-2014, 07:19 PM   #13
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What a pigtail?
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Old 06-17-2014, 07:29 PM   #14
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What a pigtail?

Short hose from regulator to tank
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Old 06-17-2014, 07:48 PM   #15
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I have never hear it called that before.

And I use on tank at a time on my trailer,
Have had the same problem with no gas, Then I remember to open the tank slowly
So I go out and shut it down, and start it all over again.

I have a soft cover on the tanks now, Much easier to get it off in the middle of the night, when it runs out.
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Old 06-17-2014, 09:27 PM   #16
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I never use the auto feature because I want to know when a tank is empty. For me it is a reminder to get it filled. I don't want to be half way through cooking dinner and then find that we have NO gas at all.
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Old 06-18-2014, 07:35 AM   #17
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I never use the auto feature because I want to know when a tank is empty. For me it is a reminder to get it filled. I don't want to be half way through cooking dinner and then find that we have NO gas at all.
The dial on my auto-changeover valve is supposed to turn red when the service tank is empty. That's enough reminder for me. When it happens, I'll flip the service valve to the other tank, turn off the valve to the first tank, take it in and get it filled, then reinstall. I'll leave the valve pointed toward the 2nd tank (now the primary service tank) and just go back and forth like that. Then I'll ALWAYS have a minimum of one full 30 lb cylinder.
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Old 06-18-2014, 07:46 AM   #18
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the dial on my auto-changeover valve is supposed to turn red when the service tank is empty. That's enough reminder for me. When it happens, i'll flip the service valve to the other tank, turn off the valve to the first tank, take it in and get it filled, then reinstall. I'll leave the valve pointed toward the 2nd tank (now the primary service tank) and just go back and forth like that. Then i'll always have a minimum of one full 30 lb cylinder.

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Old 06-18-2014, 10:57 PM   #19
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We are basically doing the same thing. It is such a PIA to take off the cover on our tanks that I only check is when the range goes out. The red band confirms that the tank is empty.
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