Newbie propane question

C

ChefAnton

Member
Ok, probably a real basic question. I have a M18 with 2 propane tanks. There is a tab on the regulator between the tanks that says "source" with an arrow pointing at one tank. Does this indicate which tank the trailer is drawing from? If so, does it swtich automatically when one tank is empty?

I ask because I have used my trailer for 10 nights so far which have all been dry camping. I haven't run out of propane and the tab that says source has been pointing at the same tank the whole time. I am just curious to know if I am still on the first tank, or if I may suddenly just run out of propane without a warning of having one tank empty. I really have know Idea of how long to anticipate a tank to last at this point.
 
B

BruteForce

Well-known member
Sounds like the same setup I have. No, it doesn't automatically switch, and yes - once your propane runs out, you'll need to go out and manually flip the switch from left to right. For me, it wasn't intuitive at first. Although the LEFT arrow pointed at the tank sitting next to it, it actually indicated the tank on the opposite side of the 5'er. I added manual gauges to help me understand where my propane levels were ($20 at Camping world). It would have been nice to have an electronic indicator inside the coach, though.

ChefAnton said:
Ok, probably a real basic question. I have a M18 with 2 propane tanks. There is a tab on the regulator between the tanks that says "source" with an arrow pointing at one tank. Does this indicate which tank the trailer is drawing from? If so, does it swtich automatically when one tank is empty?

I ask because I have used my trailer for 10 nights so far which have all been dry camping. I haven't run out of propane and the tab that says source has been pointing at the same tank the whole time. I am just curious to know if I am still on the first tank, or if I may suddenly just run out of propane without a warning of having one tank empty. I really have know Idea of how long to anticipate a tank to last at this point.
Click to expand...
 
Netem

Netem

Well-known member
I don't know if your regulator is the same as mine but when the tank its pointing to runs out it starts drawing from the other tank and the round glass window turns from green to red untill you switch the levor to the other tank then it turns back to green.
 
T

Two Hands

Well-known member
Now I am confused, which is not unusual. One poster seems to be saying that when the propane tank being used runs out you must manually turn the tab to the other tank. I always thought that was the way it worked. Another poster says the regulator will automatically switch from the empty tank over to the other full tank. Now that I think about it, I do recall going outside to switch to the other tank only to find the other tank was empty too, even though I had not changed the tab to that tank.
 
cookie

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
You do not have to do anything with that tab until you change a tank.
When both tanks are full, and both valves are open, the tank that the arrow points to is the one you are drawing from.
The little sight glass is now green.
When that tank is empty, the valve automaticaly switches over, internally, to the full tank.
The little sight glass now turns half red.
Now, when you are about to change the expired tank, is when you flip the little lever to point toward the full tank.
You then remove the empty tank, replace it with a full one and open it's valve, the indicator will go all green.
When the indicator is all red, you are empty or the tank valves are closed.

Peace
Dave
 
jmgratz

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
cookie said:
You do not have to do anything with that tab until you change a tank.
When both tanks are full, and both valves are open, the tank that the arrow points to is the one you are drawing from.
The little sight glass is now green.
When that tank is empty, the valve automaticaly switches over, internally, to the full tank.
The little sight glass now turns half red.
Now, when you are about to change the expired tank, is when you flip the little lever to point toward the full tank.
You then remove the empty tank, replace it with a full one and open it's valve, the indicator will go all green.
When the indicator is all red, you are empty or the tank valves are closed.

Peace
Dave
Click to expand...


That is the correct way it is supposed to work.
 
B

BruteForce

Well-known member
Odd. This is not how it works on my RW395. If the indicator is red, I have to manually flip the switch or no propane. This caused much grief two weekends ago, because I ran out of propane at 0230 and it was 30F outside. To get the furnace going again, I had to flip the lever to the other tank, and voila' - the furnace kicked back on.
 
C

ChefAnton

Member
cookie said:
You do not have to do anything with that tab until you change a tank.
When both tanks are full, and both valves are open, the tank that the arrow points to is the one you are drawing from.
The little sight glass is now green.
When that tank is empty, the valve automaticaly switches over, internally, to the full tank.
The little sight glass now turns half red.
Now, when you are about to change the expired tank, is when you flip the little lever to point toward the full tank.
You then remove the empty tank, replace it with a full one and open it's valve, the indicator will go all green.
When the indicator is all red, you are empty or the tank valves are closed.

Peace
Dave
Click to expand...

I will have to check my set up again tomorrow. I don't recall seeing any sort of colored indicator, just the tab that says source. So according to your description the tab won't move even though the regulator has switched tanks? I just don't want to get stuck somewhere with both tanks empty. I know it is dependent on a lot of factors, but how long does a tank usually last when dry camping?
 
T

Tom_Diane

Member
Its been awhile since it was explained to me but I understood that the switch could be in the middle with both tank valves open, that is providing that both tanks are full when you start using them. Otherwise with the switch in the middle and when one tank empties and both valves are open through out usage the full tank will bleed off its pressure into the empty tank and leave the full tank useless because of no pressure and the other empty tank but now has the pressure from the full tank but no gas to push through. In other words, both tanks should be full with the switch in the middle and both tank valves open and it should run the full 60 lbs, (2 tanks) at the same pressure until both are empty. Otherwise , isolate the switch over to the tank you want to use then manually switch to the new tank when needed. I isolate one tank and run it empty then switch to the new tank and this way I know for certain I have to get one filled and I avoidwaking up on cold mornings with no gas. Am I wrong, as I said I may have misunderstood but the safe bet is to isolate and use the switch manually. Dont forget to shut off the empty tank valve before switching over and turn the valve open on the new tank last.
 
C

ChopperBill

Well-known member
Will add to the confusion. Both my tanks were full. When the one being used and was half empty the red indicator turned half red. If I turn off the valve on that tank the whole indicator turns red. Then when I flip the lever so the arrow is going to the other tank the indicator turns clear. Now some more confusion: I went out one morning and the indicator was all red so I flipped the lever and it turned clear. Took out the "empty" tank and it was half full. Put it back in and flipped the lever back to it and it stayed clear. The propane indicator switch valve on my new BH is a different style/make than the old conventional one. Will also add that I didn't get half the manuals with my unit as I should have, so I have been playing in the dark.
 
B

BruteForce

Well-known member
retired4fun said:
Will also add that I didn't get half the manuals with my unit as I should have, so I have been playing in the dark.
Click to expand...

Neither did I. I received the manuals for the microwave, fridge and stereo -- but nothing about the RW395 itself (ie.. how to use the propane, how the SAT/CABLE connections are wired, etc).
 
jmgratz

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
There are several different types of dual regulators. One autoswitches and has an indicator which turns red or half red when the tank is empty. There is another that will draw from both tanks at the same time when the arrow is in the middle. Some do not have an indicator. Mine has an indicator. Here is what I do and have not gotten cause short yet: I close one tank and open the other. I point the arrow to the open tank. The indicator glass will go green. I will keep a check on it. When it gets low the indicator will be almost red. I then know I am about out on that tank. When the tank runs out, I close the empty tank, open the full tank and change the arrow over to the full tank. Then I go and fill the empty tank and reinstall. I leave the newly filled tank closed until the tank I am drawing from runs out. In that manner I know I always have a full tank at the ready. If I am going to travel to an area where Propane is not easily available I will get both tanks topped off, but it is rare when Propane is not readily available. FYI - When I first started RVing I would leave both tanks open and let it auto-switch but got cause on several occasions being out in the middle of a cold night. That is when I learned to use my current method.
 
C

ChefAnton

Member
jmgratz said:
There are several different types of dual regulators. One autoswitches and has an indicator which turns red or half red when the tank is empty. There is another that will draw from both tanks at the same time when the arrow is in the middle. Some do not have an indicator. Mine has an indicator. Here is what I do and have not gotten cause short yet: I close one tank and open the other. I point the arrow to the open tank. The indicator glass will go green. I will keep a check on it. When it gets low the indicator will be almost red. I then know I am about out on that tank. When the tank runs out, I close the empty tank, open the full tank and change the arrow over to the full tank. Then I go and fill the empty tank and reinstall. I leave the newly filled tank closed until the tank I am drawing from runs out. In that manner I know I always have a full tank at the ready. If I am going to travel to an area where Propane is not easily available I will get both tanks topped off, but it is rare when Propane is not readily available. FYI - When I first started RVing I would leave both tanks open and let it auto-switch but got cause on several occasions being out in the middle of a cold night. That is when I learned to use my current method.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a good way to do it. I will get my tanks topped off and start doing this way. I have been openning both tanks figuring that it will draw from one until empty then switch over, but it sounds like no one is exactly sure how it works and set ups are all different.

Thanks for all the help.
 
S

SLJKansas

SLJKansas
All I know now is i'm more confused now than before I started reading this post. I'm going to see if I have the manual for mine and read it.
I had thought that the arrow pointing to the tank you were using, then when empty I would have to move it to use the other tank. But found out last yeart that when I ran out of propane, both tanks were empty. Luckily I have a spare 30lb bottle. Installed it, on the side the arrow was pointing, before removing the other tank. When I removed the hose I had propane coming out the second tank, from the new tank I jsut installed. I shut both valves off, and went to get the 2 tanks filled. I installed the second tank and left the vavle off, so I would only draw from one at a time. I had to get to other things so I didn't get back to figuring out what was going on. Guess it's time to figure out how mine works.
 
jmgratz

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
SLJKansas said:
All I know now is i'm more confused now than before I started reading this post. I'm going to see if I have the manual for mine and read it.
I had thought that the arrow pointing to the tank you were using, then when empty I would have to move it to use the other tank. But found out last yeart that when I ran out of propane, both tanks were empty. Luckily I have a spare 30lb bottle. Installed it, on the side the arrow was pointing, before removing the other tank. When I removed the hose I had propane coming out the second tank, from the new tank I jsut installed. I shut both valves off, and went to get the 2 tanks filled. I installed the second tank and left the vavle off, so I would only draw from one at a time. I had to get to other things so I didn't get back to figuring out what was going on. Guess it's time to figure out how mine works.
Click to expand...

Sounds to me (if I understand what you are saying) that you had both tanks open, then when one tank ran out it drew from the other tank until empty. Then you had two empty tanks. Remember the arrow will only point to help you remember which tank you are drawing from but if both are open it will draw from one till empty and then the other till empty regardless of where the arrow is pointing. That is why we only open one tank at a time.
 
jayc

jayc

Texas-South Chapter Leaders
I do exactly as Jim does, leave one tank closed, then when it goes dry, which is always in the middle of the coldest night on record, I get up in my jammies and go out to open the other tank. Then in the morning, after I've thawed out and taken my chewing out for letting the propane run out, I go fill the empty tank.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
DIY Freeze Proofing / Insulating / Heat Strips / Sensors / Refrigerator
Replies
1
Views
1K
dinosaur
D
A
2022 Sundance 293RL Propane/Electric Water heater
Replies
2
Views
1K
aarnmsn
A
R
Couple of Questions
Replies
7
Views
2K
smc495
S
jovol
Dual regulator question
Replies
7
Views
2K
JohnDar
JohnDar
R
Winterizing - Low Drain Points Fail
Replies
4
Views
3K
RedChris
R
Top