High pressure LP regulator not working?

[Gyrogearloose]

Not long after purchasing my 2015 Reflection 3030RLS I notice propane smell at cub side propane regulator (30psi). So I got a new one (bright red and small). For some reason after installing that new 1st stage regulator the furnace won't work off that tank. Everything works fine off the street side tank.

Furnace will fire for less that a second then stop and does that over and over again. While trying to run the furnace I fired up a burner on the stove and it burns fine for awhile and then small flame for a few seconds and then normal flame again. Furnace still fires for a short a second and quits.

Any ideas? Did I get a bad regulator? Is the cross over valve bad?

Just sold it and would like to fix it before new owners take delivery.

Thanks!!!
Pat

[Country Campers]

Pat

I would not think the regulator is bad , but possible. You may have some hose "debris" that has migrated over to the connection at the main regulator. There is a check valve on the main regulator where the curb side tank attaches , this may be partially plugged.

Brian

[howson]

elranas -- note Pat's symptoms. While not exactly the same as yours it sure points to a propane issue with your heater.

Gyrogearloose -- good to see a post from you, Pat. If you've sold the 303RLS--what's next?

Howard

[Gyrogearloose]

Pat

I would not think the regulator is bad , but possible. You may have some hose "debris" that has migrated over to the connection at the main regulator. There is a check valve on the main regulator where the curb side tank attaches , this may be partially plugged.

Brian

Hey Brian,
Debris sound possible, it seems like a volume issue. I will give the lines a look from the bad side.. Maybe a jammed check valve?

[Gyrogearloose]

elranas -- note Pat's symptoms. While not exactly the same as yours it sure points to a propane issue with your heater.

Gyrogearloose -- good to see a post from you, Pat. If you've sold the 303RLS--what's next?

Howard

Hi Howard,

Have not posted a bunch because the forum was like an addiction and I was spending way to much time working on problem resolution. A lot of fun but not very productive for dealing with other things in life.

Thank for the reply! Well I bought an Itasca Meridian M-34Y Diesel Pusher. Got a 2017 Jeep Rubicon Recon for a "Toad". A couple of thing pushed me in that direction. 1) We have 3 cats and it keeps us from traveling a lot. 3 cats in the cab of the truck just won't work, especially when one is 1/4 Jungle cat "Chausie"(and we miss our fur babies). 2) I have some issues where I think I need to do a bucket list tour if you get my drift.

I will post resolution to this problem if I have time to get it fixed in the next couple of days.

Anyway I miss everyone here but things change in life.

Pat

[Cate&Rob]

Gyrogearloose
Hi Pat,

A timely post and question. This propane regulator, on my same year and model Reflection, began leaking last summer. I have a replacement in hand (from Amazon) and it "looks" like the same part. I have not installed it yet, so I will be interested in what is learned from this discussion.

BTW, you don't have to "currently" own a Grand Design product to participate in this forum. For those more recent to this and another forum, Pat has been a regular contributor with some great ideas . . . particularly WRT suspension designs. Pat, please stay in touch!

Rob

[Gyrogearloose]

Gyrogearloose
Hi Pat,

BTW, you don't have to "currently" own a Grand Design product to participate in this forum. For those more recent to this and another forum, Pat has been a regular contributor with some great ideas . . . particularly WRT suspension designs. Pat, please stay in touch!

Rob

Thanks Rob,

I have met and made friends with some AWSOME!!! people on this and the "other" forum and my Reflection 303RLS would not be what it is today without input from all of you. I have also met some people from this forum that I camp with and I don't think they will care if I don't have a GD product. Well in a way I do, Itasca is made by Winnebago!

If you ever have any questions I can help with, PM me. I will try to stop in when time allows, but when I do it typically results in 100 hours of CAD drawings, Excel Spread sheets and PDF`s!

I hope to find the Propane problem today and will get back with results.

Pat

[Canyonlight]

Pat Gyrogearloose - yes, good to hear from you ! Hope you and Marlene are well.

Yup, when you all get rolling on technical items, there is a lot of time committed to sharing really great information in detail and done well.

Enjoy that new Itasca and don't be a stranger !

Dan

[Gyrogearloose]

Pat Gyrogearloose - yes, good to hear from you ! Hope you and Marlene are well.

Yup, when you all get rolling on technical items, there is a lot of time committed to sharing really great information in detail and done well.

Enjoy that new Itasca and don't be a stranger !

Dan

Thanks for the kind words Dan..... See I told you I had friends here

Pat

[Gyrogearloose]

Pat

I would not think the regulator is bad , but possible. You may have some hose "debris" that has migrated over to the connection at the main regulator. There is a check valve on the main regulator where the curb side tank attaches , this may be partially plugged.

Brian

Brian, you win the Cupie Doll! It was the check valve... stuck! I never thought there would be one there. There was a dark brown oil in it. It may hang up again.

OK, I was going to provide instructions on what I did to isolate problem, but this can be dangerous for general public. I will explain how I cleared the problem.

1) Removed curb side hose from tank selector. (That fitting is the check valve)
2) Removed curb side tank hose and 1st stage regulator on curb side.
3) Connected air chuck adaptor to cross over hose on curb side.
4) Applied hi air pressure to air chuck.
5) This caused check valve to break free. Let it pass air for awhile.
6) Reconnected all hoses using sealant where appropriate.
7) Connected propane and soap tested connections.
8) Tested furnace from either LP tank and all is working!

So stuck check valve was the problem.

I did take some pictures but my tablet is not showing me useable upload options.

So question remains, where did the dark brown oil come from? I think it's propane residue.

Thanks All !!!!
Pat

[Country Campers]

Pat

Glad to hear that my idea has helped.
Yes the residue could be from the actual propane. I am not sure if the inside of the hose could break down causing debris but I do recall a similar situation and solution over the past few years that I had learned somewhere on the web universe ( amazing that I remembered something).

I guess I will wait for the "Cupie Doll" to show up , just make sure she is nice and not an " old meany".

Brian

[Gyrogearloose]

Pat

"old meany".

Brian

I woul not do that to you!!!! She's a hottie!!!

[Cate&Rob]

So question remains, where did the dark brown oil come from? I think it's propane residue.

Hi Pat,

There are two possibilities for this residual oil. Either a "plasticizer" additive in the hose material that keeps the hoses flexible or "compressor oil".

Propane will leach the plasticizer from the hoses. (which is why they become less flexible).

Compressor oil comes from the pumps that transfer the liquid propane through its supply chain. At point of use, the propane evaporates but the oil does not. This oil usually accumulates in the bottom of propane tanks with each refill but sometimes gets carried into the propane vapor system. The amount of oil depends on the condition of the pumps in the supply chain where you buy your propane.

In my working career, I was involved with the design and production of propane fuelled vehicles. Many of these were delivery vehicles or taxis that went through a lot of fuel. We saw carburetors and pressure regulators with orificies plugged with these oils and in some areas the fuel tank capacity would become significantly reduced because of the accumulation of compressor oil.

Rob

[Gyrogearloose]

We saw carburetors and pressure regulators with orificies plugged with these oils and in some areas the fuel tank capacity would become significantly reduced because of the accumulation of compressor oil.

Rob

Thanks Rob,

This makes sense, I bet its difficult to test for this pump leakage, or costly, so it doesn't get tested for. Seamed like to much for a plasticizer, becaues I got more of it when I blew out the FNPT on the selector valve.

Thanks,
Pat