Hi,My Cougar 5th Wheel (6 years old) has a stand alone 18psi (GR-618) red regulator on the street side propane bottle, which enters a pipe that crosses the front to the curb side. On the curb side is the standard switching regulator. I put the street side bottle on service and got a major leak from the vent hole on the GR-618 regulator. (Blowing propane). I read about the 2nd regulator on this "closed" topic:(http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/23537608)I've also read on two other forums persons have had the same leak. (Google search: LP GR-618 LP regulator leak) But very limited additional information.I'm concerned this may be a common problem with these 2nd regulators. I'm thinking of just capping the pipe from the street side bottle and physically swapping bottles when needed rather than risk an un-controlled propane leak.Any input appreciated. And have others experienced this problem?edit: Here is a picture of the leaking regulator. Leaks at the vent hole below the "S" in "PSI"..

Yes there have been some reported failures of the regulators for the cylinders located on opposite side (roadside.Must have been a bad manufacturing batch. Instead of disabling that side........get new regulatorOn Edit:The GR-618 (18#) no longer available.Replacement is GR-630 (30#)Available via Dyers RV Parts.......LINKAlso check the cross pipe/line.....the check valves in line have been know to fail.

The RED regulators are a HI to lower pressure regulator that is a safety device. They decided to run the LP to the other standard regulator and NOT use the HI pressure thru the line to the other side. So, they use that RED regulator to drop the hi pressure to a safer low pressure before it connects to the other switchover regulator assbly. The USUAL cause of a regulator leaking is the tanks were overfilled and the liquid entered the regulator and the freezing liquid destroys the diaphragm. Overfilling is caused by NOT using weight when filling and using the 80% valve to signal full which is WRONG and allows overfilling and this is what happens. Doug

I don't understand the purpose of that single-stage regulator at that point in the system, but there must be one!In any case, here's a heads up that the symptom you're getting may in fact be unrelated to the regulator itself. Check out post number 7 at this link

Thanks for replies. I learned a lot on some basic RV LP stuff today. I replaced the failed GR-618 regulator with a new GR-630 regulator purchased from my RV Dealer. Cost was $11.99. (Also purchased pipe thread sealant for use on gas lines.) Tested and works fine.Here is a link to pictures of old and new parts, plus a video of the leak prior to replacement, in case others experience the same issue. It was a severe leak (but just slow enough to not active high flow rate check valve in the tank hose), and in my case was directly above my factory installed LP generator exhaust. Link: Parts and Video

Propane Regulator leaking on Street Side | Good Sam Community

20 Replies

red31
Explorer
Aug 04, 2013
2013 Fall Revision Cycle First Draft Report NFPA 1192
5.3.11.2 Propane system pressure shall be regulated to a pressure of 30 psi (207 kPa) or less within 60 in. (1.5 m) of the container outlet.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Aug 04, 2013
To the person who mentioned the not understanding the purpose of the single stage regulator

There are basically 2.1 types of regulator systems I have seen (this is the .1)

Single stage take gas from a variable pressure of around 100 PSI (can be 50 or 200) to a pressure of roughly 0.5 PSI in one jump, That's a lot to expect of a regulator. (O.5 PSI is about the pressure needed to hold 11" of water up, the exact outlet pressure is = to 11" of water least anyone want to argue with my 1/2 PSI round off).

Thus they came up with the 2 stage, Take it down to about 20-30 in one step, and 1/2 in the second.

usually the sequence is Tank-line-switchover valve-Stage 1-Stage 2-lines to appliances.

In this case it's Tank--Stage 1--Valve--Stage 2

NOTE that there are two tanks and two lines to the valve (And in this system two stage 1's)
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Aug 04, 2013
Well... I could have told you this but you figured it out.

If you have a regulator leaking there is but one thing to do.

REPLACE IT.

(This assumes you have not done something stupid like put high pressure gas to the outlet side of the regulator,, They will leak big time if you do that)
dougrainer
Nomad
Aug 04, 2013
Francesca Knowles wrote:
I don't understand the purpose of that single-stage regulator at that point in the system, but there must be one!

In any case, here's a heads up that the symptom you're getting may in fact be unrelated to the regulator itself. Check out post number 7 at this link

See my post for why. Doug
Grillmeister
Explorer
Aug 04, 2013
dougrainer wrote:
The RED regulators are a HI to lower pressure regulator that is a safety device. They decided to run the LP to the other standard regulator and NOT use the HI pressure thru the line to the other side. So, they use that RED regulator to drop the hi pressure to a safer low pressure before it connects to the other switchover regulator assbly. The USUAL cause of a regulator leaking is the tanks were overfilled and the liquid entered the regulator and the freezing liquid destroys the diaphragm. Overfilling is caused by NOT using weight when filling and using the 80% valve to signal full which is WRONG and allows overfilling and this is what happens. Doug

My LP tank has been filled to 100% three times, it is old, has no OPD and is not required to have one due to being a horozontal MH DOT tank.

I now stand at the switch and turn off the pump for the LP distributor, where I live they all depend on the OPD to cut off the flow, we know that is wrong just like Dougs example. But that is how it is.

When the liquid propane went through my regulator and an Extenda A Stay fitting, through an LP hose to my smoker burner the flames were ten feet high.
Imagine if the unsuspecting river were to light the stove top!!

I was intentionally trying to burn off the excess LP with my smoker burner because I knew it was overfilled. The flames were so intense I turned off the LP tank valve, un hooked the hose and the liquid propane in the 12 foot hose burned for another ten minutes.

I think some RV fires are caused by overfilling LP tanks. Just my thoughts.
monrcar
Explorer
Aug 03, 2013
Thanks for replies. I learned a lot on some basic RV LP stuff today.
I replaced the failed GR-618 regulator with a new GR-630 regulator purchased from my RV Dealer. Cost was $11.99. (Also purchased pipe thread sealant for use on gas lines.) Tested and works fine.

Here is a link to pictures of old and new parts, plus a video of the leak prior to replacement, in case others experience the same issue. It was a severe leak (but just slow enough to not active high flow rate check valve in the tank hose), and in my case was directly above my factory installed LP generator exhaust.

Link: Parts and Video
Francesca_Knowl
Explorer
Aug 03, 2013
I don't understand the purpose of that single-stage regulator at that point in the system, but there must be one!

In any case, here's a heads up that the symptom you're getting may in fact be unrelated to the regulator itself. Check out post number 7 at this link
dougrainer
Nomad
Aug 03, 2013
The RED regulators are a HI to lower pressure regulator that is a safety device. They decided to run the LP to the other standard regulator and NOT use the HI pressure thru the line to the other side. So, they use that RED regulator to drop the hi pressure to a safer low pressure before it connects to the other switchover regulator assbly. The USUAL cause of a regulator leaking is the tanks were overfilled and the liquid entered the regulator and the freezing liquid destroys the diaphragm. Overfilling is caused by NOT using weight when filling and using the 80% valve to signal full which is WRONG and allows overfilling and this is what happens. Doug
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Aug 03, 2013
Double post
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Aug 03, 2013
Yes there have been some reported failures of the regulators for the cylinders located on opposite side (roadside.
Must have been a bad manufacturing batch.

Instead of disabling that side........get new regulator

On Edit:
The GR-618 (18#) no longer available.
Replacement is GR-630 (30#)

Available via Dyers RV Parts.......LINK

Also check the cross pipe/line.....the check valves in line have been know to fail.

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Propane Regulator leaking on Street Side

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