How to know if I have an automatic changeover on my tanks.

[Mickeyfan0805]

After a spring trip, I made the mistake of leaving the furnace on. Ended up burning through a 30lb tank of propane - oops.

Anyway, I then realized that it did not drain the second tank, which means it never switched over to the second tank for fuel (it was open). I have a 2013 Rockwood 8312ss, so I had 'assumed' it would have the automatic changeover on the tanks. So, now the question is whether I don't have it, or it didn't work. How do I know whether or not my system is equipped with the automatic changeover?

[phenrichs]

We had one on our old TT that was a bit different. If you flipped it to point at one tank or the other it would only draw from that tank. If you set it in the center it would draw from both, which isn't an auto switch it just basically has both open. Our current one doesn't seem to have an auto as one day when the tank went dry my grill shut off. The one I have looks like this but this says it is auto. http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/propane-auto-changeover-two-stage-regulator/24030

[wbwood]

ependydad wrote:
Mine switches internally. The switch outside is just to tell me if the indicator is showing that I have propane or not:
http://learntorv.blogspot.com/2013/04/understanding-my-automatic-propane.html

Same as what we had on our TT.

How did you leave the furnace on to run out a 30lb tank? You must have it plugged in at home, because you would of killed the battery first hand I would imagine.

[ependydad]

Mine switches internally. The switch outside is just to tell me if the indicator is showing that I have propane or not:
http://learntorv.blogspot.com/2013/04/understanding-my-automatic-propane.html

[PenMan]

Francesca Knowles wrote:

Mickeyfan0805 wrote:
How do I know whether or not my system is equipped with the automatic changeover?

There are two types commonly called "autochangeover", but only one type actually self-switches to the other tank.

Easiest way to differentiate:
If yours has a handle on it, it probably isn't "automatic". You have to turn the handle yourself.

A truly "automatic" unit that self-switches usually looks something like this (no handle):


Pic from this link

Not true in many cases. As someone else said, turn on both tanks and then close the valve on the tank that the switch (lever) is pointed towards while having a stove burner on. If it goes out you MAY not have an auto changover or you MAY have a problem. This happened to me recently. I tried the test I just told you about and the burner went out. I went and bought a new auto-changeover regulator and installed it. It did the same thing as before. It turned out that the hose from the 2nd tank to the regulator was plugged. I put on a new hose (less than half the price of the regulator) and problem solved. On most of the auto-changeover regulators the lever points to the 1st tank and draws from it until it is empty and should have an indicator that changes color to show your 1st tank is empty. It will then switch to the 2nd tank (indicator still shows red indicating 1st tank is empty) and you can remove the 1st tank to get it filled. Move the lever to point to the 2nd tank as it is now the primary tank and should show green.

[ScottG]

Mine has a small black handle that moves to point at the second tank when it switches over.

[Francesca_Knowl]

Mickeyfan0805 wrote:
How do I know whether or not my system is equipped with the automatic changeover?

There are two types commonly called "autochangeover", but only one type actually self-switches to the other tank.

Easiest way to differentiate:
If yours has a handle on it, it probably isn't "automatic". You have to turn the handle yourself.

A truly "automatic" unit that self-switches usually looks something like this (no handle):


Pic from this link

[berniross]

I would assume you have an automatic switchover valve. It should have a pointer that points to the tank in service and a red or green indicator. Was the second tank full?

[korbe]

If I was to test mine, I would manually shut off the tank that my arrow is pointing to while a stove burner was lit, and see if it continues to burn. Now I'm not sure if that would work but it would at least be a start.