Secondary Propane doesn't light appliances

Hi,

I'm a full time RV'er living in Alaska and New Jersey, and working anywhere there is a contract... On any coast :-)

I have a 10G Internal Propane tank on my Class-C Shasta 26' Motor-home. Often i come across situations where the Gas Station won't fill the tank after dark or the attendant is just not there.

SOOOOO - I added 2 portable tanks in the rear (This way if i run out of propane, I can just visit a HomeDepot/Lowes and exchange it 24hrs.

Setup:
The two tanks are installed on the rear bike rack and secured with the proper kit (Bought from Amazon). I have a A/B switch with regulator.
The primary tank has a "T" to hook up external portable tank (IN) and a BBQ (OUT). I believe it has a regulator, but not sure

Anyway, the problem is:
1) When I hook up the portable tank (On the ground) with a 3' hose to the "IN" port. I can shut off the internal tank and the appliances run off the portable. This works well if I'm parked for a long time - but not in a rest area or similar spot
2) I got a 25' hose custom made by a propane parts supplier online (Recommended by Camco which is a famous propane stuff supplier on Amazon)
3) I bought a "A/B" switch (I have 2 portable tank on the rear of the RV) - In total 3 (2 portable in the back) and 1 internal.
4) The portable tanks are connected in exact the same way as if it was sitting next to the internal tank (Where it worked before). The difference is that it is now 25' away and has a A/B switch (With Regulator)

Problem:
If I turn the internal tank OFF - My appliances should continue to be fed by propane from the portable tank.
They don't.
I opened the hose just before the "T" to see if there is propane coming. It is. I can smell it.
I also put a thumb on it and then released it. I can feel the pressure.

Q: Why are the appliances not lighting up then?

Someone in the RV park said that it could be because of the A/B Switch which has a regulator, also. Now, I have 2 regulators..

Please help
Rajiv

13 Replies

mrgreetis
Explorer
Jun 11, 2015
Look at the top 2 topics in the "Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)" forum for how to post pictures.
rajivkohli
Explorer
Jun 11, 2015
Thanks Scott - Point well taken and I appreciate advice for the general safety of all.

I was trying to post a picture... but i can't see an attach image/file option... Anyone how I can add pictures to better explain (It's obvious that I don't subscribe to forums or post to them)
rajivkohli
Explorer
Jun 11, 2015

C:\Users\Rajiv Kohli\Documents\Prsnl\Samsung\052715\Phone\Pictures\Propane\20150420_185225.jpg

C:\Users\Rajiv Kohli\Pictures\20150601_064043.jpg
DrewE
Explorer III
Jun 11, 2015
rajivkohli wrote:
Thanks Scott - I will soon that into consideration and move it. I was also wondering how the internal tank would react if the RV got a side impact.. It is sitting right behind the passenger seat and has insignificant protection.. just a fibreglass wall
...
Nevertheless, your point is well taken

It would do much better than the portable grill tanks, if only because it is much more heavily built and so inherently stronger. That's also why the built in tank doesn't need to be recertified every several years as grill tanks do.

Presumably you have some framework and structure in general along the side of the RV, even if the cover over the LP tank proper is rather insubstantial. If nothing else, the flooring structure will help prevent the side as a whole from caving in too much. I believe DOT regulations basically prohibit having propane tanks beyond the basic envelope of the vehicle structure--that is, they shouldn't be mounted on the roof, or behind the bumper, or hanging underneath the rest of the structure. I don't know if that applies to add-on carriers or not, but it's excellent advice to follow regardless.
Chris_Bryant
Explorer II
Jun 11, 2015
You can use the setup you have- just hook it up to the low pressure side- you can T it in anywhere on the LP lines.
rajivkohli
Explorer
Jun 11, 2015
Thanks ALL - Looks like there is a unanimous suggestion to get an A/B switch without the regulator.

Any suggestions on the make and model? The one I have currently is from Amazon and I believed it is made by Camco with 2 pig-tails to connect to the tank

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0024ECBCA/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1434047540&sr=1&keywords=two+tank+propane+regulator

Hopefully, my old hose connectors will be compatible on the thread and size

Amazon has the following:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C7K4RQ4/ref=s9_simh_gw_p60_d2_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=1E2QN6HZE7RSM9V01K4Z&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2079475242&pf_rd_i=desktop

http://www.amazon.com/17-5361-Propane-Fitting-1-Male-2-Female/dp/B00I8NS6Q6/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1434047540&sr=8-14&keywords=two+tank+propane+regulator

http://www.amazon.com/Camco-59133-Brass-Tee-ports/dp/B000NHLG6W/ref=pd_sim_86_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0430DNZWR28ZW08Q8A6K
rajivkohli
Explorer
Jun 11, 2015
Thanks Scott - I will soon that into consideration and move it. I was also wondering how the internal tank would react if the RV got a side impact.. It is sitting right behind the passenger seat and has insignificant protection.. just a fibreglass wall
...
Nevertheless, your point is well taken
rekoj71
Explorer
Jun 10, 2015
I'm also thinking that as others have posted, you probably have 2 regulators and that will cause a problem.

Another idea I have though is that the BBQ size propane bottles have a emergency shut off valve (probably not the correct term) where the connection to the hose is located, and if the propane comes out too fast (i.e. it thinks it has a leak), it will try to shut down the flow coming out of the bottle to none or just a trickle. This happens to me sometimes when I open the valve on top of the bottle too fast, or it will happen if you open the valve without a hose attached. What might be happening is that when the tank is opened that it is releasing a lot of pressure too fast to fill up the extra long length of hose that you now have.
That emergency valve will usually reset itself after the tank valve has been shut off for awhile or if a screwdriver is put in the outlet and kinda popped in there for a second to release the pressure behind it.

Could you try your setup without the long hose attached, as in set your tanks next to the big one and use the short hose to see if it still does it with the A/B switch/regulator?
Gene_Ginny
Explorer
Jun 10, 2015
rajivkohli wrote:
.... The primary tank has a "T" to hook up external portable tank (IN) and a BBQ (OUT). I believe it has a regulator, but not sure....
If that "T" is at a high pressure point then feeding it with the low pressure output from the A/B switch (output from a switchover regulator) will not work.
dougrainer
Nomad
Jun 10, 2015
ScottG wrote:
Sorry to be off-topic but, if you mean you have tanks mounted on the back of your RV then I would seriously reconsider.
A rear end collision is going to be catastrophic.

Good luck,
Scott

Correct, in MOST states that is an ILLEGAL mount for LP tanks. Doug