Propane System Procedure

[Texas Yankee]

My Greyhawk has been in storage for the last two months. I am ready for the road. I turned off the propane while it was in storage. I have plenty of propane. I opened the valve. What do I do next to get the system working. I tried lighting the stove, but nothing happened.

[GScott]

Confirm by weighing the propane tank that it is full. I suspect you opened the propane valve too quickly and the safety valve cut it off. Close the valve and wait a few minutes then open it VERY SLOWLY.

[oldmanAZ]

Originally Posted by GScott

Confirm by weighing the propane tank that it is full. I suspect you opened the propane valve too quickly and the safety valve cut it off. Close the valve and wait a few minutes then open it VERY SLOWLY.

What he said ^^^^.

[Rustynuts]

Being a Greyhawk class C it will be a permanently mounted tank which usually have a gauge on the tank and dont have the safety valve like a TT. If not and you think there is propane in the tank, start at the stove and turn on one burner and continue trying to light it until it starts, it usually takes about 30-45 seconds to get there. You just need to purge the air out of the line. Once the first burner starts, then light the others. When I do this I like to do the same for the HW heater and the fridge.

[namusmc65]

Originally Posted by Rustynuts

Being a Greyhawk class C it will be a permanently mounted tank which usually have a gauge on the tank and dont have the safety valve like a TT. If not and you think there is propane in the tank, start at the stove and turn on one burner and continue trying to light it until it starts, it usually takes about 30-45 seconds to get there. You just need to purge the air out of the line. Once the first burner starts, then light the others. When I do this I like to do the same for the HW heater and the fridge.

x2 It has taken me up to a minute to purge the air out of the lines. I light the stove first by hitting the striker every 10 seconds until the first burner lights. usually all works after that. Should be able to hear the air and gas coming out when you turn on the burner.

[michael.g]

When we owned our Greyhawk, we never closed the propane tank after the first year we owned it (from new). It was annoying waiting for the lines to prime. We used our motorhome all year round, but even the few times when it sat a few months without use (when gas was $4/gallon), leaving the tank valve open didn't cause any harm and no more waiting for the air to leave the lines.

-Michael

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by michael.g

When we owned our Greyhawk, we never closed the propane tank after the first year we owned it (from new). It was annoying waiting for the lines to prime. We used our motorhome all year round, but even the few times when it sat a few months without use (when gas was $4/gallon), leaving the tank valve open didn't cause any harm and no more waiting for the air to leave the lines.

-Michael

I ALWAYS closed the valves on the tanks on my TT, but I have never done so on the MH. Don't know why, just not in the habit of doing so...

BTW, I agree with the other posters; you need to purge the lines for anything to work after you open the valve. I've had to run the stove for what seems like FOREVER before it lights before in my TT, but it eventually lights and everything else works fine after that.

[Mark S]

To verify that you do in fact have gas in the tank, pour some very hot water over the tank. Then start touching the tank at the top and work your way down. The tank will be hot where it is empty and once it feels cold, that will be the level of the gas inside. Once you confirm, follow the above advice.

This method helped me confirm my gauge is fairly accurate.

[GrumpyDad]

A lot of RV's and trailer have very small propane leaks somewhere in the system that are not big enough to smell, detect or explode, but ARE enough to drain a tank during storage. That shouldn't be the case, and could be solved with some detective work, but then again, it's not that hard to turn off the tanks between trips . . .

I close the tank valves between trips, having had this issue previously. Purging the lines by running the stove for 30 seconds isn't annoying to me.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by GrumpyDad

A lot of RV's and trailer have very small propane leaks somewhere in the system that are not big enough to smell, detect or explode, but ARE enough to drain a tank during storage. That shouldn't be the case, and could be solved with some detective work, but then again, it's not that hard to turn off the tanks between trips . . .

I close the tank valves between trips, having had this issue previously. Purging the lines by running the stove for 30 seconds isn't annoying to me.

Agreed. I think I'll add that to my procedure for the MH.

[Jopopsy]

Originally Posted by GrumpyDad

A lot of RV's and trailer have very small propane leaks somewhere in the system that are not big enough to smell, detect or explode, but ARE enough to drain a tank during storage. That shouldn't be the case, and could be solved with some detective work, but then again, it's not that hard to turn off the tanks between trips . . .

I close the tank valves between trips, having had this issue previously. Purging the lines by running the stove for 30 seconds isn't annoying to me.

I've been doing it this way as well.

[paul_ottawa]

Food for thought:

If you turn off the propane and then you have to reprime the system when you turn it back on (after x days), the propane has obviously escaped somehow (if you unhook your tanks, then that is where it goes, but if you don't unhook or purge the lines, then the propane should still be in the lines).

So, if the lines are empty, that would mean there would be some small leaks.

... and if you left your propane on, wouldn't it keep on leaking?

[GrumpyDad]

Originally Posted by paul_ottawa

Food for thought:

If you turn off the propane and then you have to reprime the system when you turn it back on (after x days), the propane has obviously escaped somehow (if you unhook your tanks, then that is where it goes, but if you don't unhook or purge the lines, then the propane should still be in the lines).

So, if the lines are empty, that would mean there would be some small leaks.

... and if you left your propane on, wouldn't it keep on leaking?

Exactly right! It's my opinion that a huge fraction of the RV's out there have small propane system leaks. It would be best to have no leaks anywhere in the system, but that doesn't seem to be reality.

[cabinetmaker]

Motorhomes are not like trailers...there are no hand removable connections to the tank like travel trailers.

The system is hard piped to the tank and to all appliances. It has been factory pressure leak tested. You should be able to leave your tank valve on and never use any propane unless using appliances. If you are you should have the system tested and repaired.

If by chance something happened and pipe burst or major leak presents itself there is a safety in the regulator to shut off the system.

I leave mine on all the time so it's ready to go when I am. Never lost any propane showing on my tank guage while in storage. It's no different than my home propane system. I only use propane in the winter but don't turn it off at the tank in the summer. I also have a BBQ grill on the patio plumbed to the tank so we do use some propane off and on. The tank needle never moves until winter when we start using heat again.

You guys are talking about a dangerous situation if your propane is leaking down while in storage. What happens if your camping for months at a time? you just letting it leak?

Like I said if I had a travel trailer with removable tanks and hand twist connections I would turn off the valves when in storage. I don't see it's necessary with a motorhome. YMMV!

[Gwaltz]

Originally Posted by Texas Yankee

My Greyhawk has been in storage for the last two months. I am ready for the road. I turned off the propane while it was in storage. I have plenty of propane. I opened the valve. What do I do next to get the system working. I tried lighting the stove, but nothing happened.

I have a 25BHS and a couple of times I had to tap on the regulator with a small ball-peen hammer to get it to work after the RV sits for a while. Took several trys. Had this happen on other RVs as well.