Poor Propane Flow - Resolved

danemayer

Well-known member
I've had a gradually worsening problem with poor propane flow since at least last winter. The furnace would intermittently lock out or produce warm (not hot) air. The generator would have intermittent problems.

The easiest way to demonstrate the problem would be to open both tanks and start the generator. Then close one tank and the generator would stop.

2 weeks ago we had a power outage in Colorado and while I could start the generator, it would quit within a few seconds; even with both tanks open. While traveling, I noticed the refrigerator was having a hard time cooling on propane - temps got into the low 40s instead of staying at 32.

Earlier in the summer I replaced both pigtails and both regulators without fixing the problem.

Today I removed the propane feed hose that comes out of the auto-changeover regulator, and goes into the pipe that's mounted to the frame. There was oil in the hose.

The generator now runs with either tank open.
 

Garypowell

Well-known member
Thanks for the follow-up Dan. These critters are complicated if anything.

I got a check engine light Monday on the way to my sisters house up in the Villages....and the car lost its pep. 2 year old Hyndai. Stopped at an Advanced Auto and it was the turbo damper position sensor. They cleared the code and it has not come back....and the car now drives fine. My point, and I know cars are not perfect, but they check on themselves and tell us a lot.... These RV's lend themselves to a lot of expensive guess work.
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
Dan, Do you generally get your propane from the same supplier? I've noticed on our grills, both home & RV. what seems to be an excessive amount of oil. I've always used the same source for my 20# grill bottles (A local FS Store). Last week Tractor Supply had a sale on LP @ $2.19/gal. I filled my spare 20 and 30. I guess what I'm wondering is if different companies that supply the different distributors have a varying amount of additive that could cause the issue you had.
 

JanAndBill

Well-known member
For most of the summer I've had an ongoing problem with our 1 yr old LP Grilll. There were times when you would light the grill and it would either go out or the flame would drop down to virtually no heat. Changed the tank out and it still did the same thing. Tried the reset procedure, and it worked for awhile then started again. Finally changed out the regulator off of an old grill from the scrap pile, and problem solved. Not saying this is related to your problem but might be. In all my years this is the first time I've ever had to replace a regulator on a grill.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Dan, Do you generally get your propane from the same supplier? I've noticed on our grills, both home & RV. what seems to be an excessive amount of oil. I've always used the same source for my 20# grill bottles (A local FS Store). Last week Tractor Supply had a sale on LP @ $2.19/gal. I filled my spare 20 and 30. I guess what I'm wondering is if different companies that supply the different distributors have a varying amount of additive that could cause the issue you had.

Ray, because most of the propane we use is while on extended ski trips, probably close to 90% of the propane we've bought over the past 3 years has either come from the Tiger Run Resort tank fill (supplied by Amerigas), or from a 125 Gallon tank at our site (also supplied by Amerigas).

We've had three 6-week ski trips using about 2 40# tanks (or equivalent) per week. That's 3*6*2 = about 36 tanks of propane. I think I've gotten maybe 5 tank fills at other places.

Maybe it's because we use so much propane.
 

olcoon

Well-known member
I used to have a TT that I never pulled, used it for a cabin on my property in the MO Ozarks. I went through a spell like you had Dan. It was almost like grease it was so thick. Had to clean it out twice, seems like someone told me that that can happen if the supplier is low on propane when you get your tank refilled.
 

NWILSON

Kentucky Chapter Leaders - retired
Earlier in the summer I replaced both pigtails and both regulators without fixing the problem.

Today I removed the propane feed hose that comes out of the auto-changeover regulator, and goes into the pipe that's mounted to the frame. There was oil in the hose.

I just replaced both pigtails and regulators due to oil accumulation. It fixed my "no-flow" problem but I was wondering how to clean out the system if the problem extends beyond the flex lines at the tanks.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
With the feed hose from the changeover regulator disconnected, I also disconnected a downstream fitting and blew compressed air through back toward the regulator fitting.
 
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