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Old 08-14-2018, 09:11 AM   #1
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Propane-No Appliances Will Work on Propane

We have a 2016 Via that we bought two months ago. We are on a two month trip to western US and western Canada. When we left everything worked fine but now none of the appliances (stove, refrigerator, water heater or furnace) will work. I had the propane tank filled but still no help (it only took 1 gallon).

I seem to recall a warning to not fill the tank more than 80% full-could being too full cause this problem? How does one get rid of the other 20% if that is the problem? And, how does one know when the tank is 80% full? Or, could our problem be a regulator or on/off valve (which is electric/mechanical).

There are switches in the cabin and at the tank. When I turn the switch at the tank on & off I can hear a solenoid click.

Any ideas?

I'll be in Seattle next week and hope to get this fixed then.

Does anyone know of a good propane tech or fitter in the Seattle area?

Thanks,
Bob
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Old 08-14-2018, 09:42 AM   #2
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Bob, are you saying that you had the problem before you had the tank filled or did it start after the fill?
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Old 08-14-2018, 04:44 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brican View Post
We have a 2016 Via that we bought two months ago. We are on a two month trip to western US and western Canada. When we left everything worked fine but now none of the appliances (stove, refrigerator, water heater or furnace) will work. I had the propane tank filled but still no help (it only took 1 gallon).

I seem to recall a warning to not fill the tank more than 80% full-could being too full cause this problem? How does one get rid of the other 20% if that is the problem? And, how does one know when the tank is 80% full? Or, could our problem be a regulator or on/off valve (which is electric/mechanical).

There are switches in the cabin and at the tank. When I turn the switch at the tank on & off I can hear a solenoid click.

Any ideas?

I'll be in Seattle next week and hope to get this fixed then.

Does anyone know of a good propane tech or fitter in the Seattle area?

Thanks,
Bob

Bob, let's start with testing the tank. This is simple. Shut the manual valve, at the tank, off. Remove the regulator to tank fitting that screws into the tank. Start to open the tank valve. If you hear and smell gas shut it off and consider the tank to be good. Reconnect the regulator. Disconnect the coach side of the regulator and open the valve again. The pressure is greatly reduced but the gas flow should be noticeable.



You can see what is in the LP line. Testing each connection in this manner will tell you if you have any gas at that point at all. I have had oil from the tank get into the regulator. I have removed the input fitting and drained the oil, reassembled and all was working once again. Lighting the stove first helps to purge the air from the line. The water heater and fridge should light quicker after doing this as long as gas is flowing at the correct volume.


Keep us posted as to what you find.
Rick
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Old 08-16-2018, 10:43 AM   #4
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Hi SaraW, Yes, It worked briefly then it quit. I didn't know if I could believe the digital readout in the coach on how full the tank was so I stopped to get it refilled but it was still full.
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Old 08-16-2018, 10:54 AM   #5
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Hi jericorick, I'm on vacation so I don't have all the tools I would need to dismantle the propane system ;-). I will be in the Tacoma, WA area next week and have scheduled Good Guys RV to stop by and troubleshoot/repair the issue. I called about 20 companies before I found someone to do mobile repair or were available next week. Most wanted me to leave my RV at their shop for a few days while they work it in to there schedule. Do these guys understand we actually live in the RVs when we travel and one of the purposes of owning one is so we don't need to pay for a hotel room (sorry to vent)?

Thanks for the suggestions, I very much appreciate it.
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Old 08-16-2018, 01:58 PM   #6
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On SOME coaches there is a switch on the LP detector/alarm that shuts off the alarm - doing that also shuts off flow from the tank.
So, find your detector (on a wall, near the floor, probably in the main area or hallway), then check to make sure that it's turned on.
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Old 08-16-2018, 04:24 PM   #7
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I had a LP problem this past winter. My furnace wouldn't light and the stove was sputtering. I replaced the regulator (less than $50) and all was well.

The regulator I put on looks slightly different than the one I removed but the specs were similar. I purchased it at an RV parts store. The parts manager assured me it would work and was as good or better than the one I replaced.

A 15 minute job and didn't require any special tools. I think a crescent wrench and and a pair of channel lock pliers.

Good luck. The trouble shooting advice you received above sounds right on the money.
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Old 08-17-2018, 07:54 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by brican View Post
Hi jericorick, I'm on vacation so I don't have all the tools I would need to dismantle the propane system ;-). I will be in the Tacoma, WA area next week and have scheduled Good Guys RV to stop by and troubleshoot/repair the issue. I called about 20 companies before I found someone to do mobile repair or were available next week. Most wanted me to leave my RV at their shop for a few days while they work it in to there schedule. Do these guys understand we actually live in the RVs when we travel and one of the purposes of owning one is so we don't need to pay for a hotel room (sorry to vent)?

Thanks for the suggestions, I very much appreciate it.
Ask if you can dry camp outside their fence if there is a spot.
We are leaving Woodinville, north of Tacoma, next Friday for OR and the start of our winter volunteer projects. It is good to be back on the road.
It is a good idea to carry a few tools with you. Screwdriver combo tool, pliers, wire cutters, adjustable wrench, channel locks and vise grips. This kit will cover many emergency repairs we RVers may run into.
Venting is good. The forum is a safe place for this to happen.
Looking forward to hearing what they find. What a pain to find someone qualified to help you. Bummer. Insult to injury so to say.
Safe travels.
Rick
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Old 08-21-2018, 09:35 PM   #9
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Propane-no propane to any appliances

I did bring some basic tools but just didn't feel comfortable working on propane. Another motivating factor is our warranty which covers the diagnosis and repair. I didn't know if the warranty company would cover any of the work until the problem was diagnosed. Turns out they will pay for the diagnosis (up to 1.5 hours) but not the service call (labor to do the fix).

We were lucky to find a company that does mobile RV repairs. It turns out they did not have much web presence so we were not sure if they would be good...turns out they were great. They are here in the Tacoma area and the business is called Good Guys RV Repair. They are small but very busy, reliable and qualified. I did contact a couple of shops that said they could work us in in a week or so but Scott at Good Guys came out yesterday, diagnosed the problem (regulator full of oil), then returned tonight with a new regulator and finished the repair.

Thanks for all your help.
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Old 08-22-2018, 08:24 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brican View Post
I did bring some basic tools but just didn't feel comfortable working on propane. Another motivating factor is our warranty which covers the diagnosis and repair. I didn't know if the warranty company would cover any of the work until the problem was diagnosed. Turns out they will pay for the diagnosis (up to 1.5 hours) but not the service call (labor to do the fix).

We were lucky to find a company that does mobile RV repairs. It turns out they did not have much web presence so we were not sure if they would be good...turns out they were great. They are here in the Tacoma area and the business is called Good Guys RV Repair. They are small but very busy, reliable and qualified. I did contact a couple of shops that said they could work us in in a week or so but Scott at Good Guys came out yesterday, diagnosed the problem (regulator full of oil), then returned tonight with a new regulator and finished the repair.

Thanks for all your help.
I am chuckling as I read what was found. (Sorry. No disrespect intended.) I have had this same issue. I have recovered regulators by removing the input fitting and draining the oil out. Now, when the gas stops flowing, this is the first thing I do before going for a new regulator.



What I don't understand is where did you get the oil? Did it come from the first fill or from some other? How many times have you had your tank filled? If just a few you may be able to determine which dealer has the contaminated tank. He probable is not even aware of this and needs to be notified.



Just a side note. Oil is common in LP. But, if the delivery tanks are serviced properly, this should not be a delivery issue. Oil is even in natural gas. A "T" catch is placed before the regulator to collect the oil before it enters the system. This could be done on our rigs but the available room needed is usually not available.


Happy trails. Glad all is back in order.
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Old 08-22-2018, 03:11 PM   #11
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PS: found oil dripping from the vent of my coach regulator today and oil at the grill connection. Will be servicing them this weekend if the weather permits.
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