I'm wondering how many propane accessories can be expected to operate simultaneously. This is my first time purging the fuel lines this year (late start, busy life, blah blah blah), so maybe things will improve on their own. But with a full tank of propane and the fridge running off gas, I notice that my stove seems starved for fuel if I light all 3 burners. The dials are all on high but the flames are very small. As I turn burners off, the remaining lit burners have increased flame. A single burner on high has the expected normal flame size. It seems like a full tank of propane with the valve all the way open should be able to provide enough flow to get full flame out of all three burners and fridge simultaneously. Right?

Your propane regulator is sized (btu flow) to allow ALL OEM propane appliances to be fully operated...fridge on propane, water heater on propane, stove top burners on, oven on, furnace on.Regulators should be set to maintain 11" WC with 100% of propane equipment in service (although 50% will work).Sounds like your LP regulator is NOT working correctly.....could try to adjust it but may just want to replace.

I installed a large Rego automatic switch over regulator and have had no issues running everything, including an external 30,000 btu stove at the same time.

Before you do anything try this. Turn off all propane appliances and turn off the tanks. Now disconnect the pigtails from the tanks for a few seconds to let the pressure bleed out of the lines (Maybe turn on a stove burner for until pressure is gone). Now Reconnect the pigtails and slowly turn the propane back on. See if it's any better after that.

Thanks for the responses everyone. I had a suspicion that the fuel lines just needed a full and proper purging. I tried the stove burners again at lunch after the fridge had been running in its own for about 4 hours and they all lit up full strength.

Old-Biscuit wrote:Regulators should be set to maintain 11" WC with 100% of propane equipment in service (although 50% will work).Sounds like your LP regulator is NOT working correctly.....could try to adjust it but may just want to replace.This is not entirely true. The regulator only regulates pressure and not the flow. Correct pipe sizing for the total BTUs at the specific long run to maintain no more than a 1/2" drop on an 11" water column is the standard. This means that your system should be sized such that each appliance, when turned on will not cause more than a 1/2" drop on an 11" water column at the appliance. If you now have a 3/8" regulator, you might add enough to cause you to need a 1/2" regulator, or a 3/4" regulator, or maybe even a 1" regulator. You don't increase the pressure (water column) on an undersized regulator when you add more appliances -- you increase the size of the system and maintain the same water column.Bruce

How many propane accessories can run at once? | Good Sam Community

17 Replies

PAAK
Explorer
Jul 23, 2014
That was a really good question. I imagine the stove, oven, water heater and furnace can all run at the same time, at least till the presure goes low and then it wouldnt be able to support the demand. I have never tried to see how things can run at one time. Dutchman, if you do the experiment, tell us what happenend.
DutchmenSport
Explorer
Jul 23, 2014
I've never thought about this question before. I suppose mine is working OK, because I've never noticed a change in flame size on my stove. Guess I'll go home tonight and fire up the oven, 3 burners on the stove, and the 2 burners on the outside stove, flip the fridge over to gas, and turn the heat on and see what happens. When you think about it, that's a lot of propane flowing all at once.
nomad297
Explorer
Jul 23, 2014
Old-Biscuit wrote:

Regulators should be set to maintain 11" WC with 100% of propane equipment in service (although 50% will work).

Sounds like your LP regulator is NOT working correctly.....could try to adjust it but may just want to replace.

This is not entirely true. The regulator only regulates pressure and not the flow. Correct pipe sizing for the total BTUs at the specific long run to maintain no more than a 1/2" drop on an 11" water column is the standard. This means that your system should be sized such that each appliance, when turned on will not cause more than a 1/2" drop on an 11" water column at the appliance. If you now have a 3/8" regulator, you might add enough to cause you to need a 1/2" regulator, or a 3/4" regulator, or maybe even a 1" regulator. You don't increase the pressure (water column) on an undersized regulator when you add more appliances -- you increase the size of the system and maintain the same water column.

Bruce
ewarnerusa
Nomad
Jul 23, 2014
Thanks for the responses everyone. I had a suspicion that the fuel lines just needed a full and proper purging. I tried the stove burners again at lunch after the fridge had been running in its own for about 4 hours and they all lit up full strength.
opnspaces
Navigator II
Jul 23, 2014
Before you do anything try this. Turn off all propane appliances and turn off the tanks. Now disconnect the pigtails from the tanks for a few seconds to let the pressure bleed out of the lines (Maybe turn on a stove burner for until pressure is gone). Now Reconnect the pigtails and slowly turn the propane back on. See if it's any better after that.
69_Avion
Explorer
Jul 23, 2014
I installed a large Rego automatic switch over regulator and have had no issues running everything, including an external 30,000 btu stove at the same time.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Jul 23, 2014
Your propane regulator is sized (btu flow) to allow ALL OEM propane appliances to be fully operated...fridge on propane, water heater on propane, stove top burners on, oven on, furnace on.
Regulators should be set to maintain 11" WC with 100% of propane equipment in service (although 50% will work).

Sounds like your LP regulator is NOT working correctly.....could try to adjust it but may just want to replace.

Forum Discussion

How many propane accessories can run at once?

17 Replies

About RV Tips & Tricks

Related Content

Most Desired Accessories

Selling accessories?

Ladder Rack Accessories..

Let's beat this horse once again

Once a week