Question About Manifold Connecting Propane Tanks

[Teamfour]

I have two 30# propane tanks that are tied together by a manifold. I always open both tank valves and assumed that the usage would be balanced between the two tanks. Recently I stopped to fill the tanks and one was empty and the other noticeably fuller. How does the manifold actually work? Does in automatically switch from one tank to the other once one tank is empty? There is no switch to choose between the tanks.

[Teamfour]

downtheroad wrote:
Is this what you have?

Finally got to the storage lot to look. This is what I have. It was oriented facing downward and could not see the pointer. Thanks everyone.

[Old-Biscuit]

Hello 'Teamfour'.......why no feedback :H

[downtheroad]

Is this what you have?

[Old-Biscuit]

You have a Cavagna 2 Stage Auto Changeover Regulator.



Look very closely at the 'knob'.....
You will notice a small directional arrow that is molded into the plastic knob. When the arrow is pointing to a tank and the indicator is green like the above photo, the tank has LP in it and is supplying LP to your trailer.
If the tank that the arrow was pointing to was empty, the indicator would show red.
If the other tank had LP in it, the regulator would change over automatically and use the LP in that tank, even with the arrow pointing to the empty tank.
If your regulator shows red on the side with the arrow, it means that tank is emptied and the tank needs to be filled.

[time2roll]

Post a pic. Got to see this one. Or does it have a model number? Or by manifold is it just a pipe? You said indicators so there must be a brand and model.

[DutchmenSport]

My Springdale TT did not have a manual switch, but it did have an automatic switch over. I never let it actually work though, because I deliberately kept one tank turned off. When it emptied, I'd turn it off and turn the other on. (no switches, just the knobs on the tank). I wanted to know one tank was empty and needed refiling. If both run automatically, you never really know when one is empty, until BOTH are empty and then, at 2:30 AM when you wake up to a cold camper, it's not fun with no heat! Manually turning on the full tank, you might have to get out of bed, but at least you'll be warmed up again in a few minutes. Then you know you've got a little time to get the empty tank refilled.

I did try using the automatic "thing", and one tank did empty first, then the other, they never emptied equally at the same time.

My current trailer has a manual switch over. But I still keep one tank turned off at the knob all the time and fill the empty tank as soon as it empties.

[opnspaces]

Interesting, you have two indicators where most of us have only one. My educated guess is that you have an automatic regulator. But instead of giving you a switch they just gave you two indicators. When one goes red you take that tank off and get it filled.

Assuming I'm correct I would say to make sure you always turn the same tank on first until it goes red. Then when that indicator goes red get the tank refilled and always turn the other tank on first until it's indicator goes red.

[Huntindog]

Teamfour wrote:

downtheroad wrote:
You probably have an 'automatic switch over regulator.'
There are a number of different ones with different looks but they all work like this....It give the basics.

Click HERE for Video.

Thanks I had watched that. My valve doesn't have a switch to "point" to a specific tank. Both indicators are always green.

There are several types out there. I have never seen one that did not have a switch to select which tank is used first.
Yours probably has one, it just doesn't look like the one in the video. Maybe it is a rotary type? Post up a pic or a manufaturer/model to get better help.

[Teamfour]

downtheroad wrote:
You probably have an 'automatic switch over regulator.'
There are a number of different ones with different looks but they all work like this....It give the basics.

Click HERE for Video.

Thanks I had watched that. My valve doesn't have a switch to "point" to a specific tank. Both indicators are always green.

[downtheroad]

You probably have an 'automatic switch over regulator.'
There are a number of different ones with different looks but they all work like this....It give the basics.

Click HERE for Video.