Propane Leak

[fred42]

I have a 30 lb LP bottle on each side of my fifth wheel. On the last trip, I returned to the camper to hear what sounded like water spraying out somewhere. It was propane escaping from the device shown below. It was the bottle on the sunny side behind a black door. Perhaps it was full and got too hot producing an over pressure situation?

If you see the black dot at the 9 o'clock position next to the protruding cylinder, that is a hole and gas is coming out very fast.



I shut the tank off. I am home now and want to fix it. Does anyone know what the purpose of this device is and what gas from that hole indicates? The tank on the other side has the dual tank switchover regulator that you would expect to see. It is much cooler here at home but if I turn that tank on gas still escapes from that hole.

This is my first attempt at using imgur photo hosting instead of PhotoBucket, so I hope it works.

thanks very much,

[Old-Biscuit]

DiskDoctr wrote:
High pressure regulator? I am used to seeing those as RED. How do you guys know this is a high pressure regulator from the pic?

Because of OPs second post at 4:20pm......

Update:

It appears to be a 30 PSI High Pressure Regulator made by M. B. Sturgis. This is similar, but I have model 102M
https://mbsturgis.com/rv-propane-hoses-s........tors/30-psi-high-pressure-regulator.html



Course there was the OPs description of where it was

Far side cylinder.

That helped clue in that it was the 30# reg for far side cylinder and the reg had failed (spewing propane from 'vent' hole)

[DiskDoctr]

High pressure regulator? I am used to seeing those as RED. How do you guys know this is a high pressure regulator from the pic?

[time2roll]

cavagna brand 30 psi regulator on amazon

If the hose to the opposite side is longer than 60" it is required to have a high pressure (30 psi) regulator to prevent condensation in the line.

Consider replacing both asap. New pig tails too.

cavagna automatic regulator on amazon

[westend]

I shut the tank off. I am home now and want to fix it. Does anyone know what the purpose of this device is and what gas from that hole indicates?

It's a pressure regulator. The hole is a vent so that the regulator diaphragm isn't impeded by a closed case. If gas comes out of that hole, the diaphragm has failed. Do NOT operate your propane system with that broken regulator. Do NOT even open the gas cylinder valve.

The fix is to buy a new regulator.

[red31]

Your high pressure regulator is bad, replace it.
the tiny hole is the vent that allows the back side of the diaphragm to equalize to atmosphere.
The diaphragm must have developed a hole, replace it.

[BB_TX]

The subject of the high pressure regulator valve failure has come up often in the past. Some have replaced them. Some have eliminated them. Many have questioned the purpose. They are there due to a requirement by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) relating to the subject. Here is what the NFPA 1192 Standard on Recreational Vehicles says:

"5.3.11.2 Propane system pressure shall be regulated to a pressure of 30 psi (207 kpa) or less within 60 in. (1.5m) of the container outlet."

So it appears that if the distance from the street side tank to the dual stage change over regulator on the opposite side is greater than 60 inches, that high pressure regulator is required. Since all the trailers are much wider than 60", I would assume it would apply to all that have the two tanks installed on opposite sides of the trailer with the dual stage change over valve on one side. Note that propane tank pressure can be over 200 psi, so that could be over 200 psi across the piping from one side to the other without the high pressure regulator. With the pressure in the cross over pipe the same as tank pressure, the gaseous propane in that pipe could return to a liquid state when flow stopped.

[newman_fulltime]

fred42 wrote:
Thanks all,

I just weighed the tank, I have never had it filled since purchase. It took this regulator more than a year to complain. The tank is 50 lbs with a tare weight of 25, so 25 lb propane in there.

full tank should be 53 to 56 pounds if i remember correctly.
if gas is coming out ybe hole regulator is bad

[fred42]

Thanks all,

I just weighed the tank, I have never had it filled since purchase. It took this regulator more than a year to complain. The tank is 50 lbs with a tare weight of 25, so 25 lb propane in there.

[2oldman]

There's a screwdriver slot on the side of the tank nozzle you can use to purge.

[jules6]

My thought is it is a pressure regulator and the diaphragm is bad. I would replace it ASAP

[fred42]

Update:

It appears to be a 30 PSI High Pressure Regulator made by M. B. Sturgis. This is similar, but I have model 102M

https://mbsturgis.com/rv-propane-hoses-sturgi-stays-quick-disconnects-regulators/30-psi-high-pressur...

So maybe I should just turn the tank on and let it regulate it down? Maybe it is broken?

[MEXICOWANDERER]

A wild guess...

A secondary pressure regulator that further reduces it from eleven inches of water column as produced by the tank bound regulator?