Frozen Regulator ?? Please help.

[Bigmoss]

I setup my fifth wheel on the farm where I hunt for the forth year in a row a few weeks ago and usuall use iit until first week in December when temps hit 0 to -5 C never any issues. Tonight I woke up and it was a big chili inside so I turned the furnace on which ran fine for about 5 minutes then I could hear the burning clicking on and off every few seconds. I shut iit down and wondered what was wrong and after all I've read on here in other threads assumed power, spark or propaine. So I light a burner on the stove which ran for about 15 seconds and went out. I knew I had lots of propane but went and checked and yup 50% full. I then opened the door to my propane area and put my hand on the regulator and it was stone cold like it was frozen. I out my hand in it for a minute warmed it up and tried the stove again and yup ran to 15 seconds and went out.

Any ideas guys why the regulator is all of a suddenly freezing or getting to cold propane won't flow ? I have a 25 foot hose running out the bottom of the compartment to a 300 pound tank beside the trailer. As I've said I've run this way for four years no issues right into the minus temps in December.

I assume putting insulation or something around the regulator won't help as it's the flow of the gas causing it to freeze so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Golden_HVAC]

Hi,

It sounds like you have liquid propane entering the propane regulator. The liquid is changed to a gas there, and will require absorbing a lot of heat, thus cooling the regulator.

Try shutting off the propane at the tank. If you have another tank, use it. If not, then warm the regulator with your hands, and thaw it. Leaving the tank off, you will use up all the liquid propane in the hose by running the stove or water heater for a few minutes. Check the regulator again, and warm if required, use up ALL the propane between the shut off valve and regulator.

Once this line is 'empty' then you can open the propane tank slightly, so that the propane will not flow quickly out of the portable 300# tank (think the size of a home water heater). Check to see if the tank is marked 'liquid' and 'gas'. Your output must be on the 'gas' valve, not a liquid output valve. By opening only about 1/4 turn, if any liquid does come out, it will boil in the line going to the regulator, not inside the pressure regulator.

If you are hooked up to a gas output line, then my suggestion if the regulator keeps freezing is contact your gas supplier. They might be able to add some alcohol to the propane tank, or replace your regulator to solve this problem.

Propane systems normally work well until it is -20C, when the tank pressure is really low, and propane will actually 'freeze' in the tank. I suspect that some moisture is in the propane, and forming ice in the regulator. Adding alcohol will disperse this water, and prevent problems. If you find yourself in a really cold snap, the factory internal 7.5 or 5 gallon propane tanks might be warmer, and less likely to cause a problem.

However as the liquid propane in the tanks leaves, it must boil, and will require absorbing heat to maintain propane gas pressure in the tank, so it will keep flowing out. Warming the tanks might be required in really cold temps.

My buddy that flys hot air balloons has tank warming blankets for his 15 gallon propane tanks. IT is basically a very expensive heating pad, that wraps around the tanks, and pads them for passenger comfort, also is required to warm them to about 70F when it is below 50F outside, to raise the propane pressure in the tanks.

If you have an electric heater that you can place near the propane regulator, warming it to about 10C in that compartment will get rid of this problem. . . Or a 75 watt light bulb near the regulator will do the same thing.

Put a black trash bag over your propane tank. The sun will warm the bag and tank, raising it's internal pressure and bring the liquid temp up about 10C above the local air temp, and that will really help. AS long as the tank stays below around 40C, you will be fine warming it a bit. Above 50C, the pressure gets really high, so that is to be avoided. However reaching 50C+ (under the black trash bags) with your current 10C or less outside temps is unlikely. . .

Good luck,

Fred.

[allen8106]

Likely moisture inside the regulator has frozen. Propane contains some levels of moisture and sometimes it's required to vacuum down the tanks to remove excess moisture.

[darsben]

my guess is moisture in the tank. freezing inside of regulator. A propane dealer can inject a moisture ridding product in the tank at next fill.
Meanwhile leave the door to the propane area open

[Bigmoss]

We had allot of doo last night and when I put my hand on the regulator it was frozen shiny like glass. Once I put my hand on it and held it on and it melted the propane would flow again. I lite the stove burner it would burn full and the dwindle down to more or less out I'd check the regulator and froze again. I finally went out with a rag and put my hand on the regulator until the frozen went wet again and then dried it all with the rag, I fired up the furnace again and it stayed lite until I left this time.

I'm pretty positive it's not the regulator if it was propane still wouldn't flow when I warned it up

[GrumpyandGrandm]

I doubt that it froze up. That type regulator is used in all kinds of low temps with no issue. The only way that would happen is if you got a tank of butane in lieu of propane it will cause issues is cold temps.

I vote for a "defective" regulator.

[We_Cant_Wait]

If the temps are well above freezing then I doubt that it's a freeze up problem. The regulator might just be bad, and when you fiddle with it, it works for a minute then quits again. Regulators aren't that expensive, I'd just replace it with a new one.

[Bigmoss]

It's just a regular regulator for a single tank to switches or anything one lone in one out

[Helimech]

I had the same problem years ago with one of the automatic switching regulators. It would do pretty much the same thing. I removed it and installed a manual type and worked fine ever since. I am inclined to suspect the regulator.

[Bigmoss]

Would a stuck regulator cause it to freeze though ? I let it sit again for 30 mins and tried it again and same thing furnace runs for about three minutes and then off and I try the stove burner and it won't light for starving for propane. So something is causing the regulator to get so cold flow stops

[Executive45]

You might tap on the regulator...give it a few sharp raps with the handle of a screwdriver. It might just be stuck and just needs a little "push"...keep us posted....Dennis