Discovery: LP not getting to generator but is full and generator Turns over fine but won't start

[Watchman7]

I have a 1999 and a 1998 Fleetwood discovery 36t and the 1999 had a problem with LP getting to generator and my mechanic found the large tank under the motorhome was turned off. Well now my 1998 has a similar problem but my mechanic is not around currently and I would like to see if anyone might know why the 1998 is not getting Lp to the generator. The generator turns over great but it doesn't fire up. Any help will be great. The previous owner said he looked and it seems to have sensor that might not be operating properly and I know my mechanic found on the 1999 where the tank was shut off. Thanks.. I have other issues but we will handle one at a time.

[fcbbob15]

Do the stove and water heater work? Are you sure that you have propane in the tank and it's turned on?

[Watchman7]

Originally Posted by fcbbob15

Do the stove and water heater work? Are you sure that you have propane in the tank and it's turned on?

Both the stove and heater work just fine, the stove and heater are on their own propane tank. I believe the tank for the heater, fridge and the stove is 25 or so gallons and the big one under the coach is 40 gallons and its only job is to fuel the Onnan generator at the front of the coach. That is where I have the issue. The controls show that both tanks are full, if they are working properly

[Watchman7]

Originally Posted by fcbbob15

Do the stove and water heater work? Are you sure that you have propane in the tank and it's turned on?

I did just discover that the LP detector that is to the right of the refer on the ground. One video I saw stated that if that was missing, the generator would not receive the fuel form the tank due to a closed sensor. The video also said they would remove this sensor due to its poor design, not sure how I feel about that. your thoughts..

[wolfe10]

Very much doubt your house propane systems/propane regulator for the "house" (stove, water heater, furnaces) have anything to do with propane supply to the propane generator.


You need to crawl under and determine how your propane tank is plumbed to the generator. Even determining how it was originally plumbed may not be accurate, as a previous owner over the last 25 years could have modified it.


It could be a separate LIQUID tap. It could T off the VAPOR tap before the house regulator.


Unusual for there to be a shutoff solenoid on the line to the generator.


Let us know what you find.

[Watchman7]

Originally Posted by wolfe10

Very much doubt your house propane systems/propane regulator for the "house" (stove, water heater, furnaces) have anything to do with propane supply to the propane generator.


You need to crawl under and determine how your propane tank is plumbed to the generator. Even determining how it was originally plumbed may not be accurate, as a previous owner over the last 25 years could have modified it.


It could be a separate LIQUID tap. It could T off the VAPOR tap before the house regulator.


Unusual for there to be a shutoff solenoid on the line to the generator.


Let us know what you find.

Thank you, for the wisdom…you are right they are two separate systems. I will look at it after the weather passes tomorrow, should be around 15 tomorrow..being on the ground then is painful…lol.

[followingsea]

Originally Posted by Watchman7

Thank you, for the wisdom…you are right they are two separate systems. I will look at it after the weather passes tomorrow, should be around 15 tomorrow..being on the ground then is painful…lol.

I am having trouble following your description so I am going to describe what I have and how it works.

I have one 30 gallon tank. The tank connection for my Onan has a manual shutoff valve. There is a hose going to the generator in the front of my MH.

Inside the Onan compartment is a solenoid operated shutoff valve, a fuel filter, and a pressure regulator. You can see them from under the generator but good luck getting to these components.

Therefore there is 4 things that can prevent propane from getting to the engine.

Before I got my 6500 watt LP Onan running good, I would start it by spraying starting fluid into the air filter and then pressing the local start switch.

I suggest you try running it on starting fuel for a short period of time.

The tank connection for propane used inside the MH also has a manual shutoff valve. It also has a solenoid shutoff valve that closes if a propane leak is detected inside the MH. Then there is a pressure regulator. I had to replace that last year because of age.

[mrv8outboard]

There is a vent hose from the regulator that has a mud dobber or the like in it and is plugged not allowing the regulator to flow. I zip tie stainless screen around the open end.

[Old-Biscuit]

LP Tank for Gen
Verify that the Service/Vapor Valve is OPEN
Check if line from vapor valve has a solenoid on it ---doubtful
Check if GEN LP REG large (1/2") Vent is clear

Then check at GEN LP Line for any valves that might be closed


IF Service/Vapor Valve at tank IS OPEN
CLOSE it...wait 30 seconds then S L O W L Y OPEN it
*If opened too fast it could trip any Excess Flow Devices installed at REG

[ga traveler]

We were a Fleetwood dealer. There is a switch next to the center tank fill. Make sure it is turned on. The center tank is in the center of the motorhome. By law the lp center is supposed to turn off the gas valve when filling the tank. No one would want to climb under the motorhome to turn off the tank, so Fleetwood installed an electric cut off valve on the center tank. I think you will find the valve is turned off or the valve is bad. It is simple to check for flow. Simply loosen the fuel line just past the valve and check for flow.
If you have flow the other thing I have run into is the lp regulator. If the regulator fails there will be no flow. If the gas valve is good, loosen the lp line coming out of the regulator and check for flow.

[Watchman7]

Originally Posted by ga traveler

We were a Fleetwood dealer. There is a switch next to the center tank fill. Make sure it is turned on. The center tank is in the center of the motorhome. By law the lp center is supposed to turn off the gas valve when filling the tank. No one would want to climb under the motorhome to turn off the tank, so Fleetwood installed an electric cut off valve on the center tank. I think you will find the valve is turned off or the valve is bad. It is simple to check for flow. Simply loosen the fuel line just past the valve and check for flow.
If you have flow the other thing I have run into is the lp regulator. If the regulator fails there will be no flow. If the gas valve is good, loosen the lp line coming out of the regulator and check for flow.

Thank y'all for all of the info: Ill let you know what I find.

[followingsea]

Originally Posted by ga traveler

We were a Fleetwood dealer. There is a switch next to the center tank fill. Make sure it is turned on. ......

That switch controls flow to propane inside the RV. If the propane detectors detects a leak propane inside the RV it will isolate the tank.

You would not want to isolate the line to the propane fuel generator.

[Watchman7]

Originally Posted by followingsea

That switch controls flow to propane inside the RV. If the propane detectors detects a leak propane inside the RV it will isolate the tank.

You would not want to isolate the line to the propane fuel generator.

The Propane leak detector was missing, I brought one and will install this week. some say this will help and some say this will not. I would think it would help and the propane leak detector would be the culprit.

on my 1999 Fleetwood discovery, the tank was turned off that fed the generator, but it was turned off at the tank under the motorhome that only feeds the generator. The switch was turned on in the outside compartment but not at the tank under the motorhome, the 1998 seems to be different.

[ga traveler]

Originally Posted by followingsea

That switch controls flow to propane inside the RV. If the propane detectors detects a leak propane inside the RV it will isolate the tank.

You would not want to isolate the line to the propane fuel generator.

You would want to shut off the line to the generator while filling the tank. I don’t know how many discovery motorhomes you have worked on, but I have worked on hundreds. As I said, the there is a shutoff valve on the outlet line from the generator lp tank. It is there to shutoff the flow when filling the generator lp tank. The generator tank is not filled directly. It has a long hose attached to the tank and that hose terminates at the edge of the house lp tank compartment.
If anyone on this site has a 1998 discovery would you please post a picture of the remote fill and the on off switch for the generator lp tank.
If you don’t believe me about having to shut off the outlet valve when filling the tank. Google it.