Propane question

[gja1000]

Dear Forum,
I posted about this problem last month, but I have a little more information now, so I thought I'd ask my question again. I have a class C Coachman Freelander 21Q B, new in May 2016. I'm in Texas so it doesn't often get below freezing - but when it does get below freezing, the propane is not getting to my heater and it blows cold air. My gas stove burners will light, the hot water heater is making hot water, but when the temp is below freezing the heater burners will not ignite. When it is above freezing, my heater works just fine, blowing hot air. So does anyone know why the propane is getting to my cooktop and the hot water heater, but not to my heater? Thanks in advance.

[gotsmart]

To to OP:
I use 20 lb (gas grill) tanks for external tanks on my MH. During the past month the temperatures here have been down to about 25F at times. My propane furnace doesn't have a problem with low temperatures.

What it does have a problem with is when there is only bout a half gallon or less of propane in the external tank. The furnace does not want to ignite when the fuel level is too low for it to operate.

Another thing that I have noticed is when the propane level gets too low that there is a change to the quality of the flames on the burners on the cooktop. Another telltale sign that the fuel level is very low.

[JaxDad]

j-d wrote:

JaxDad wrote:

Again, this is clearly NOT the issue here.

The OP previously said;

"...when I tried to light the stove top burners, they would not light either....

Most likely true! I wanted to confirm that the Low Battery thing can happen, and probably not all that uncommon. Another could be the Sail Switch was sticking.

I've read of cases where a Fiver wouldn't keep a Generator running because the LPG flow was chilling the tank to where no more vapor was available.

We're still off base.

Even if the battery was low it couldn't prevent the stove top burners from lighting.

LPG doesn't 'chill' anything, if it's warmer than -42 deg. F. propane is boiling, THAT creates vapour.



The simplest solution in a situation like this is a magnetic engine heater.

Stick it to the side of the tank, plug it in and presto, tank warms, gas warms, camper warms.

[j-d]

JaxDad wrote:

Again, this is clearly NOT the issue here.

The OP previously said;

"...when I tried to light the stove top burners, they would not light either....

Most likely true! I wanted to confirm that the Low Battery thing can happen, and probably not all that uncommon. Another could be the Sail Switch was sticking.

I wish this was NOT a motorhome! We could suggest the OP go get a fresh BBQ tank, making sure it was PROPANE, and test to eliminate the Gas Supply.

I've read of cases where a Fiver wouldn't keep a Generator running because the LPG flow was chilling the tank to where no more vapor was available. I think this was with the larger 30-lb tanks, not the 20-lb that many trailers and TC's have. Since motorhome tanks are usually quite a little bigger than trailer "bottles" and OP says his is half full, I doubt the evaporative cooling is shutting the gas, LPG or Butane, off.

Shaky Regulator? Regulator Freezing?

[JaxDad]

j-d wrote:

miniwinipowerstroke wrote:
You didn't run out of propane but you did run out of sufficient power (battery current) to light the electronic ignition in the furnace.

Something like this happened to us in Alaska. Woke up in the middle of the night to the furnace turning on and off, and the LPG alarm sounding then quieting. The battery wasn't good enough to keep the furnace running. It'd stop then lose a little LPG when trying to re-light, setting the alarm off. About then the battery had rebounded enough to run the furnace again for a few minutes.

Do notice: I said "not good enough" and we in fact replaced the battery after that trip. This coach is a 36-ft Jayco fiver. Equipped with one battery, not sure there was space for another.

Again, this is clearly NOT the issue here.

The OP previously said;

"... but I could hear the burner on the heater trying to light, but it could not light. Also, when I tried to light the stove top burners, they would not light either. It was 4:00AM and the temperature in the rig had dropped about 5 degrees from where the thermostat was set - so it definitely had not been getting any gas for a while.

I drove the motorhome home and when I got home, and parked in the sun, I checked the burners on the stove and they lit. Additionally, the heater worked, but I didn't leave it on very long. Later that night after dark and with the temperature below freezing, I turned on the heater and it lit and worked, blowing out hot air. But when I went back to the motorhome about 30 minutes later, I could hear the heater burner trying to light, but it was not lit and it was blowing cold air.

Now, that it is consistently above freezing, the heater works well, so I do think it is something to do with being below freezing and the propane....."

[j-d]

miniwinipowerstroke wrote:
You didn't run out of propane but you did run out of sufficient power (battery current) to light the electronic ignition in the furnace.

Something like this happened to us in Alaska. Woke up in the middle of the night to the furnace turning on and off, and the LPG alarm sounding then quieting. The battery wasn't good enough to keep the furnace running. It'd stop then lose a little LPG when trying to re-light, setting the alarm off. About then the battery had rebounded enough to run the furnace again for a few minutes.

Do notice: I said "not good enough" and we in fact replaced the battery after that trip. This coach is a 36-ft Jayco fiver. Equipped with one battery, not sure there was space for another.

[JaxDad]

miniwinipowerstroke wrote:
You didn't run out of propane but you did run out of sufficient power (battery current) to light the electronic ignition in the furnace.

The OP said the furnace wouldn't light below freezing, it just blew cold air. Then when it warmed up the furnace worked fine.

I didn't read anything about dead batteries. Even if they were dead, what do you suppose charged them back up the next morning?

[miniwinipowerst]

You didn't run out of propane but you did run out of sufficient power (battery current) to light the electronic ignition in the furnace. This has happened to me in cold weather. The furnace fan uses quite a bit of amps to run and when it runs alot it will kill your coach battery pretty quick. You can run your generator all night or install an additional coach battery so this won't happen again. Good luck!

[gja1000]

I have no idea about the butane/propane issue. This is the first tank of propane and it was filled at the dealer. I have not had to refill it. If I use up this tank and then have it filled with propane, then that should solve the problem, right.

[JaxDad]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Your LP Regulator is NOT providing correct system pressure which is 11" WC .

That's not very likely to be the problem.

In the other thread the OPmentioned she said;

"We turned the heater on about 10:00PM and all was running well. I woke up about 4AM to a strange sound and the heater blowing cold air. The strange sound was the heater trying to light, but couldn't. There was no propane getting to the burner. I tested the cook stove burners and sure enough, they wouldn't light.


We came home this morning and when I got home, I checked the cook top burners and sure enough they lit - and I turned the furnace on and it worked fine.

It turned right on, the burners lit and it was blowing warm air. I went out about 30 minutes later and again, I could hear the burners trying to light - unsuccessfully - and the heater was blowing cold air."

The issue comes and goes based on temperatures, regulator settings don't change.

I'm sure we will find that the OP has butane, or a butane / propane mixture in their tank. As temperatures drop the amount of vapour being produced drop, when the temperatures go back up the amount of vapour does too.

[Old-Biscuit]

gja1000 wrote:
Old Biscuit, would the RV dealer check the LP pressure or would I take it to an LP place to have the pressure checked?

A Mobile RV Tech would be my choice.

[gja1000]

Old Biscuit, would the RV dealer check the LP pressure or would I take it to an LP place to have the pressure checked?

[Old-Biscuit]

Your LP Regulator is NOT providing correct system pressure which is 11" WC

Furnace is biggest propane user and when system pressure is low it will not light.

Have the LP System pressure checked and adjusted to 11" WC with at least 50% of propane appliances in service.

And there is no AIR in system. All air was purged the first time propane tank was filled.
During periods of non use the regulator has no demand and remains closed.
When first using system the flow needs to be established and a demand placed on regulator.
Sometimes, because pressure is low, it will take several attempts at lighting off to establish that flow and lace the demand on regulator so it is in service.

[Dusty_R]

And being that it is less than 1 year old I would think it would be under warranty.

Dusty

[donn0128]

You need to ask your gas supplier if he is supplying propane ot butane. There is a difference and in cold weather it is not a good difference.