Propane Regulator Frozen?

dougrainer wrote:

GordonThree wrote:
Location?

I've read on these forums that fuelers in southern states cheat and fill cylinders with inferior butane instead of actual propane. Butane turns liquid at -1c, which can be trouble in cold weather.

Try pouring some cold water on the regulator.

Nobody sells Butane for RV Tanks or ASME tanks in the USA. Butane is available in Mexico. Doug

That’s not quite correct, PURE butane is rare in the US, but LPG (liquified petroleum gas) sold all across North America as vehicle fuel, the stuff you buy by the gallon and put in an ASME tanks, is a blend of propane, propylene, butane, and butylene in various ratios depending on where you are the time of year.

In warmer climates or seasons butane is often a fairly large percentage since it has a higher energy density, more energy per gallon, but lower cost than propane.

The issue is when someone fills a MH tank in say south Florida then drives back to the frozen north, or fills the tank in the middle of summer but doesn’t use it up before winter.

For LPG-fueled Vehicles this is no problem since you’d burn up the butane-rich fuel long before you got far enough north for it to be a problem.

thanks for all your input. If I'm the OP, I don't think I have given the impression that my location is classified information. My handle is rrunner and I state that I'm from Chilliwack, British Columbia. This city is 3 hours North of Seattle and 60 miles East of Vancouver, BC. Propane is obtained from a local supplier and their product wasn't the problem. It appears my problem was in opening the cylinder valve too fast and the valve safety feature kicked in. Thanks again for your comments and help.

flow-limiting-device still allows some gas to bypass.

'a ball bearing check valve that almost shuts off momentarily when full pressure is released by opening the cylinder valve. You should hear a click at that point. It doesn't shut down completely, as that would negate its ability to detect leaks and excess flow from a leak or major line break, and no gas could flow. It closes just enough to allow a bypass of gas that is very slight, about 10 cubic feet or less per hour (cf/hour) flow, as opposed to the max flow of 200 cf/hour. The bypass gas goes into the propane system, and if there are no leaks or broken pipes, it backs up and builds pressure in the gas lines in the RV. When it equalizes on both sides of the valve, the valve opens to allow full pressure up to about a max of 200 cf/hour at 100 psi. Then if you were standing there, you would hear a second click.'

GordonThree wrote:

wa8yxm wrote:


Best suspect: The tanks were filled in the SOUTH and the crooked dealer told you he was putting in Propane, and billed you for PROPANE but actually used the less expensive BUTANE which will not vaporise when water freezes.. He pocketed the "Savings" which is why he is crooked.

Have it checked by a pro.> I'm betting on Butane in the tanks

According to Doug this never happens outside Mexico.

The OP considers his location classified information.

Maybe Chilliwack, BC Canada :B

I've had a regulator freeze up before. There was ice at the vent screen. Once it was thawed it started working again.

GordonThree wrote:

wa8yxm wrote:


Best suspect: The tanks were filled in the SOUTH and the crooked dealer told you he was putting in Propane, and billed you for PROPANE but actually used the less expensive BUTANE which will not vaporise when water freezes.. He pocketed the "Savings" which is why he is crooked.

Have it checked by a pro.> I'm betting on Butane in the tanks

According to Doug this never happens outside Mexico.

The OP considers his location classified information.

Besides that -----OP posted he fixed it 3:45pm

Excess Flow Device got him

wa8yxm wrote:


Best suspect: The tanks were filled in the SOUTH and the crooked dealer told you he was putting in Propane, and billed you for PROPANE but actually used the less expensive BUTANE which will not vaporise when water freezes.. He pocketed the "Savings" which is why he is crooked.

Have it checked by a pro.> I'm betting on Butane in the tanks

According to Doug this never happens outside Mexico.

The OP considers his location classified information.

First a very good job of symptom posting.> Thank you, YOu have identified a list of only 2 suspects this is great.

KEY FACT: Red/Green indicator in the RED (this is before the Regulator), By posting that one fact you have cleared the regulator and that follows it, ,

On Modern ACME tanks (they have external right hand threads) there is a valve that must be depressed. Kind of like a valve stem valve in a tire to releast propane to the regulator. IT IS possible the cold has "Contracted" the connector enough to close that valve.. Make sure the connetions are tight.

ODDS of this being the problem.... Very low

Best suspect: The tanks were filled in the SOUTH and the crooked dealer told you he was putting in Propane, and billed you for PROPANE but actually used the less expensive BUTANE which will not vaporise when water freezes.. He pocketed the "Savings" which is why he is crooked.

Have it checked by a pro.> I'm betting on Butane in the tanks

rrunner wrote:
I know some regulators can freeze up as we had some vehicles that were propane powered and at times in the winter we had to pour hot water over the regulator.

I NOW have a happy ending to my problem. I had a suggestion that I remove the tank and tap it on the ground as a check valve ball may have been sticking and then open the valve slowly. I just went out and removed my tank then banged it twice on the driveway. I replaced the tank in the RV, hooked up my pig tail, I then opened the valve slowly to make the regulator think I didn't have a broken line and the site glass on the regulator turned green. I then lite my stove top and furnace and all is well again.

Next time.....just close cylinder service valve. Wait 30 seconds then slowly open service valve

That 'check valve'----it is inside that Big Green ACME Nut on the pigtail hose
Called an 'Excess Flow Device'......ball bearing that is held in center position (open) via spring. When you open service valve the ball bearing moves away from inlet (towards RV) limiting the flow of propane until the downstream system pressure equalizes with the inlet pressure then spring pushes ball bearing back to full open position

Opening service valve to fast 'trips' ball bearing due to sudden inrush of propane (high flow)





Banging cylinder on ground just dents bottom platform of cylinder.
Has no affect on correcting flow issue.

OPD Valve (Overfill Protection Device)has several components
*Float device that 'stops' filling with liquid propane at 80% level
(Stops 'Liquid' IN but has no affect on 'Vapor' flowing OUT)
*Pressure Relief Valve (Opens if pressure exceeds 300 psi)
*Spring loaded shut off valve .....will not allow vapor to flow out of cylinder IF ACME Nut/pigtail hose is NOT connected or if High temp melts the thermal bushing in ACME Nut.
*Liquid Level Fixed Gauge Valve (Bleeder Valve)

(None of which will stop vapor flow and be corrected by banging cylinder on ground)

Just valving out cylinders....making sure no propane appliances are ON/no leaks..then valving in OPD slowly would have corrected your flow issue.

GordonThree wrote:
Location?

I've read on these forums that fuelers in southern states cheat and fill cylinders with inferior butane instead of actual propane. Butane turns liquid at -1c, which can be trouble in cold weather.

Try pouring some cold water on the regulator.

Nobody sells Butane for RV Tanks or ASME tanks in the USA. Butane is available in Mexico. Doug