Forum Discussion

Kansas_couple's avatar
Kansas_couple
Explorer
Jun 22, 2023

Propane--no gas going to range

Was having difficulty getting range burners to light. Once I got one to light the flame lasted only a minute or two and slowly died down to nothing. Checked my tanks, they both felt light so very likely empty. At this campsite I was running the refrigerator and water heater on electric, so no problems there. I did a tank exchange and put the full tank on the tongue. Turned regulator to that one and opened the valve. Still nothing. Waited a while and tried again. Still nothing. Didn't even smell gas when I turned the stove burners to "light" position.

I plan to exchange the other empty tank soon and give it another try once I return to the campsite. (I keep it at a permanent campsite about two hours from my house.) Since coming back from the weekend camping trip I've been reading up on propane lockout and will certainly open the tank valves slowly next time. Any other input or suggestions? I'm hoping I don't need to replace the regulator but that might be the next thing if two full tanks don't do the trick. Regulator is original to the camper (bought new in early 2014). Tanks do have a cover over them.

Thanks in advance!
Seeking Advice
  • BarabooBob's avatar
    BarabooBob
    Explorer III
    Jun 25, 2023
    I learned from experience that you have to turn the propane tanks on slowly so that the system doesn't think that there is a massive leak. This is a quote from etrailer's propane problem solving site:
    If your primary valve is fully open and you still don't have propane flowing, the next thing you should check is your excess flow valve. This valve is located in the center of the gas fitting and will limit or stop the flow of propane in your RV if it decides there's an issue. If your excess flow valve is engaged, you're going to have problems.
    There are 2 common reasons why your excess flow valve is preventing propane from flowing: a propane leak or your primary valve being opened too quickly.

    Check out their site at https://www.etrailer.com/faq-rv-propane-troubleshooting.aspx
  • joelc's avatar
    joelc
    Explorer III
    Jun 24, 2023
    The line was a flexible line. It was located under the slide where there are angle brackets that fold when the slide comes in. I just took off the ties holding the line and installed new ties so the line would not kink.
  • Reisender's avatar
    Reisender
    Nomad
    Jun 23, 2023
    Kansas couple wrote:
    Was having difficulty getting range burners to light. Once I got one to light the flame lasted only a minute or two and slowly died down to nothing. Checked my tanks, they both felt light so very likely empty. At this campsite I was running the refrigerator and water heater on electric, so no problems there. I did a tank exchange and put the full tank on the tongue. Turned regulator to that one and opened the valve. Still nothing. Waited a while and tried again. Still nothing. Didn't even smell gas when I turned the stove burners to "light" position.

    I plan to exchange the other empty tank soon and give it another try once I return to the campsite. (I keep it at a permanent campsite about two hours from my house.) Since coming back from the weekend camping trip I've been reading up on propane lockout and will certainly open the tank valves slowly next time. Any other input or suggestions? I'm hoping I don't need to replace the regulator but that might be the next thing if two full tanks don't do the trick. Regulator is original to the camper (bought new in early 2014). Tanks do have a cover over them.

    Thanks in advance!


    Try this.

    Start your fridge on propane. Make sure it’s running on propane and then while it’s running go turn off the tank(S). Once the fridge quits (you’ll be able to tell by the igniter trying to start it) then go to your range and turn on a burner wide open. Go back to your bottle and turn it on slowly preferably while somebody is trying to light the burner. If it lights you are good to go. Your range just locked up probably because you turned the bottle on too fast. This happens to us.

    Hope that helps.

    Happy camping.
  • Kansas_couple's avatar
    Kansas_couple
    Explorer
    Jun 23, 2023
    Thanks for all the input so far!

    Bud--I didn't try running either the water heater or fridge on propane when I put the new tank on the tongue. When I return I will give that a shot if I add another full tank and still don't get a flame from the range burners.

    Thankfully, the range is not on a slide out.

    Joeic--how did you deal with the kinked line? I don't have a kink like you described but I did see just beyond the regulator that the line had a fold in it. I took a couple of pictures planning to post them here but Photobucket doesn't offer the free storage any more. Sadly I don't know how long the gas line has been like this. What did you do to straighten out the line?
  • opnspaces's avatar
    opnspaces
    Navigator II
    Jun 22, 2023
    If not in a slide I'm guessing the regulator possibly went bad. Since the stove was working and then just stopped there should have still been propane in the lines just no pressure. So a new tank should allow you to light the stove almost instantly. However if you left the system with the tanks removed it's possible you need to run the stove burners for about 30 seconds to bleed air out of the system before the stove will light.

    Try taking a match or a lighter and hold it by the stove burner and then try to light. Does the flame flicker as if there is a gas coming out of the burner holes?

    Check the new replacement tank against something else like a camp stove or the neighbors bbq to verify the tank is good.

    If you want to try the turning on the system slowly; Turn off the tank and disconnect the flexible line. Then go into the coach and turn on the stove burner for 30 seconds to bleed any pressure out of the system. Then turn off the stove, reconnect the flexible line and slowly turn the tank on.
  • joelc's avatar
    joelc
    Explorer III
    Jun 22, 2023
    If your range is on a slide check under the slide to be sure the propane line is not kinked. I had same happen to me, and ordered a regulator, but then found the kinked line.
  • Mr__C's avatar
    Mr__C
    Explorer
    Jun 22, 2023
    Kansas couple wrote:
    Bud-- they do, however I chose to run them off of the shore power electric at that time.


    But will they operate on gas, when the stove won't?
  • Kansas_couple's avatar
    Kansas_couple
    Explorer
    Jun 22, 2023
    Bud-- they do, however I chose to run them off of the shore power electric at that time.
  • enblethen's avatar
    enblethen
    Nomad
    Jun 22, 2023
    Dose the water heater and furnace operate on propane?
    If the answer is NO, then regulator could be problem!

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