Everything Works but the Stove! Propane puzzler...

[stateboy]

I've been following this post out of curiosity. Here's another thought behind Banker63 final thought. It sounds like you've tried several configurations and inspected everything that is possible. I would zero in on that regulator specifically to the stove. Regulators are open at the bottom by design to allow the diaphragm inside to adjust based on demand. There may be a possibility that you had a spider or wasp crawl up in there and cork it with nesting materials.

With all that said, I'm not overly familiar with what a regulator to a stove may look like. It may be a different design all together. I know that the regulator that you find on the outside of a house or mobile home that runs off propane has that opening at the bottom and generally has a mesh screen inserted in that opening to prevent insects from crawling up and "disabling" the regulator. Start with the regulator at the tank and work your way to the stove.

I read where it was suggested to try operating your water heater to see if you had the same situation like you do when running the refrigerator on gas. If your stove does not work with the water heater working (just during gas fridge use), it could be that your regulator at the stove is sensitive enough to be affected by the slight difference in fuel demand between the water heater and your fridge, causing non-operation of the stove without your fridge running on gas.

My guess is the stove regulator (since you say it has one). Did you ever test the stove as someone suggested (with and without the gas fridge running)? Is the stove on the same regulator as the cooktop with the same results as the cooktop (only work with gas fridge)? If so, I would put even more stock in the regulator being kaputz or insect affected.

[curver900]

Originally Posted by JRD

I followed us71na’s directions exactly for resetting the main regulator/gas flow limiter with no result. Propane still flows to the stove only when the fridge is in gas mode.

When I switch the fridge to electric, the gas supply to the stove peters out after a minute or so. Similarly, when I switch the fridge back to gas mode, it takes a little while for gas to reach the stove burners so they can be lit.

Upon closer inspection, I see that all of the gas line junctions are surface mounted under the trailer and visible. They appear to be well connected with no breaks, gas odors, etc. Again, all gas appliances except the stove are working normally.


Could it be the stove’s gas regulator? Has anyone ever heard of one failing?

Other ideas? Thanks all.

it is unlikely to be the regulator do to the fact it works when the fridge is on gas... I am stumped.. my next bet would be go go and get a 20lb tank and hook it up to the stove directly and see if it works that eliminates the stove as the issue... and then eliminate one thing at a time.. you may have to jury rig up some connections... maybe the connector on the bottom of your trailer has something stuck in the line to the stove and when you turn on the fridge it is allowing gas through another avenue to the stove... that is my bet now... . a real head scratcher to be sure..

36fire412 has a good thought too!

[bankr63]

Originally Posted by curver900

it is unlikely to be the regulator do to the fact it works when the fridge is on gas... I am stumped.. my next bet would be go go and get a 20lb tank and hook it up to the stove directly and see if it works that eliminates the stove as the issue... and then eliminate one thing at a time.. you may have to jury rig up some connections... maybe the connector on the bottom of your trailer has something stuck in the line to the stove and when you turn on the fridge it is allowing gas through another avenue to the stove... that is my bet now... . a real head scratcher to be sure..

36fire412 has a good thought too!

I would NOT do this unless you have a regulator on the tank. Again, if the stove has a regulator, it is a 2nd (3rd really) stage regulator and is not setup to handle the pressure directly from a 20lb tank. It is normally presented with LP gas at 10"wc (<1psi) from the dual stage regulator mounted on your tank. An unregulated 20lb tank is a whole heck of a lot higher than that!
You might have some very unfortunate consequences from a direct connection.

[JRD]

bankr63... when I switch the fridge back to electric, the stove burner will stay lit for a minute or so and then the gas dwindles and the flame goes out.

Similarly, gas pressure to the stove takes a minute or so to build up when I switch the fridge to gas mode.

In any case, propane flows to the stove only when the fridge is in gas mode.

[JRD]

...and I double checked today that there’s propane in the tanks. Just filled last week and they are heavy.

[JRD]

... thanks all. We’re traveling so some of the more radical suggestions aren’t feasible, safety issues aside.

Knowing that I have propane in the tanks and that the problem involves gas pressure to the stove, I’ll try again to “reset” the tank regulator and purge air from the lines. Please share your methods for doing this.

[Swampy]

Originally Posted by JRD

Interesting propane problem on my White Hawk 24RKS: all propane appliances work as usual except the Atwood stove.

All propane lines to the stove appear to be intact and burners are clear. The system has operated as it should for the past two years until yesterday.

Furnace, fridge, and water heater have good propane supply and operate normally but the stove has no gas supply without the workaround described below.

Strangely, I can get propane to the stove if I first set the fridge to “gas” mode and then turn on the stove. Propane will then flow to the stove and it will light and work normally until shut off. If I return the fridge setting to “auto” (electric) mode, propane ceases to flow to the stove after it’s been shut off and it will not re-light until I return the fridge to “gas” mode.

This one’s got me scratching my head. What do you think could be causing this and how can I fix it?

JRD, IMHO I think you have some blockage in the gas line going to the range. You could check the line by disconnecting it at the range's regulator and briefly turn on the gas to see if anything comes out the end with the frig on electric. That would at least rule out the range regulator and range itself. If you get a gas flow from the open hose, then it must be obstructed in the range regulator. If you do not get a gas flow from the open line, then it is blocked between the open end of the hose and the splice body under the TT. Turn the gas off and remove the hose connected there then try to blow it out. if nothing goes through the hose, the hose is likely defective on the inside and even with only 10" or 11" wc it is collapsing and shutting down the flow. I think the connection to the fridge that occurs when it is running, the gas pressure drops enough to allow the swelling inside the tube to the range to reduce enough to regain flow to the range. FYI, I just uploaded the Atwood Range Service Manual to the Forum Manuals Area...you may find this helpful, too. Download a copy for yourself it is a pdf file, approx 3.96MB. Please post whatever you find out. This is truly puzzling.

Good luck with the troubleshooting and good camping ...........Swampy

[JRD]

I’m thinking the same way, Swampy. With everything else working, the problem must be somewhere between the LP junction block that serves fridge, stove, and water heater and the stove burner itself.

I called the Atwood tech rep and she suspects the stove’s regulator. I’ll test gas flow to the stove when we get home and if flow is good, I’ll replace the regulator. The part costs about $30.

I’ll keep you all posted but won’t get home to do this for awhile. In the meantime, we’ll cook with the goofy workaround. Thx again.

[chas111]

I had same problem and found that the supply line to the stove was “kinked” due to being routed incorrectly. Every time the slide went in, it crimped the hose. Dealer re-routed and replaced the hose under warranty because I had on going issue.

[curver900]

Originally Posted by bankr63

I would NOT do this unless you have a regulator on the tank. Again, if the stove has a regulator, it is a 2nd (3rd really) stage regulator and is not setup to handle the pressure directly from a 20lb tank. It is normally presented with LP gas at 10"wc (<1psi) from the dual stage regulator mounted on your tank. An unregulated 20lb tank is a whole heck of a lot higher than that!
You might have some very unfortunate consequences from a direct connection.

it sounded like he had a regulator at the stove.. you are correct you must have a regulator at the tank and at the stove to do the test...

[White Ox]

I chased a problem similar to this on an older (2008) Kz Rock Climber TT....

The main gas line was Black Iron and coming off the Tee's to each appliance was a Copper line going up through the floor.

Believe it or not, the problem was the lines to the fridge and stove both had "just enough" water in them so that when I would turn fridge on Gas, the flow was just enough to push the water towards the fridge but not enough to block flow to it. Then and only then would the stove light. When I'd turn the fridge off, the water the flow had been pushing towards the fridge was held back due to the existing flow through the stove - but as soon as I'd turn a burner off, the flow would drop to the stove allowing the water to move just a bit mor towards the stove and thus, block future flow until I started the fridge on gas again.

I know, sounds impossible, but as soon as I drained the water from the fridge and stove lines, both worked flawlessly for the next 3 years.

The newer rubber hose units shouldn't collect as much water - but condensation happens when there's just air in it and not pressured with propane. Who knows how much collected in the system while it was new and sitting on the lot.

If it were mine, I'd disconnect both the fridge and stove and run those lines back through the floor and to the ground, then put just a bit of air pressure to the line (after disconnecting the regulator from it) to verify you have no water / good flow all the way back.

[curver900]

wow never would have thought of that but it makes total sense...

[Morfoot]

JRD,

I have the exact same problem. I have the Siesmic Wave 355W and had no issues with my stove until last weekend. I thought I was out of propane so I filled it up (1.5 gallons) and came back and still had the same issue. My outside bbq still works, as does every other gas working appliance. I'm going to go home right now and see if it works while I put the fridge on gas. I stopped by the dealer in Kent and they told me it could be a spider or something in the regulator. I'm going to blow that out. Then I'll check the water in the lines. It's weird that this just happened out of the blue.

[nisbitch]

Let us know what you find. I don’t have a dog in this fight, but I’m stumped any very curious as to the cause.

[Morfoot]

Well when I got home last night, I tried the fridge on propane trick....and my stove lit right up. WTH. Once I switched it back to electric and left the burners going, it stayed lit. As soon as I turned them off and let it sit for a min, they wouldn’t light again without the fridge running on propane.

I told a buddy of mine and he said that doesn’t make sense to him either. Not sure what’s going on. His weekend when I have more time I’m going to disconnect the hose from the stove and tee and blow out the hose and see if that helps at all.

I’ll keep y’all informed.

[Artsville]

Sorry old thread. But what was conclusion? My stove mysteriously stopped working this weekend. No flow gas sound at all. Everything else ran fine on propane.

Art

[Artsville]

Originally Posted by Artsville

Sorry old thread. But what was conclusion? My stove mysteriously stopped working this weekend. No flow gas sound at all. Everything else ran fine on propane.

Art

To the top. I have exactly same issue. I was just wondering what the conclusion was? We leave for Oregon this week and right now I won’t have a stove. I have a Coleman for backup.

Art

[ALJO]

Artsville; something is blocking the flow towards your stove. The don't install valves in the line thus something else must be blocking the flow. Pinched copper pipe or debris in the operating valves. If you have a compressor you can blow air through the lines, valves from the stove.

[Artsville]

Originally Posted by ALJO

Artsville; something is blocking the flow towards your stove. The don't install valves in the line thus something else must be blocking the flow. Pinched copper pipe or debris in the operating valves. If you have a compressor you can blow air through the lines, valves from the stove.

thanks....i have no gas flow to any of the burners. I am going to disconnect the gas line coming into the stove to see if i am getting flow to the stove at least. It's too hot today though.

Is it possible to block the whole manifold into the 3 burners? I am also wondering if the stove regulator is bad? Do they typically fail?

art

[ALJO]

There is a small regulator in the burner assembly with a screen which might have accumulated dirt during manufacturing of the RV. If you have gas at that connection then you know the small regulator is the problem.