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Lindaxtwo · 12-11-2006, 03:49 AM

So if I'm understanding the conversation correctly, in our Excel when one tank runs out, it will automatically switch to the other tank ? This would be a welcome change, different from the camper we are currently renting. As Murphy's Law would dictate, of course we always run out of one tank in the middle of the night and wake up to a very cold surprise. We also had the surprise of no water the other morning due to very cold winds and cold temps but that's another story. Water is working now and only a few more weeks till our Excel gets here. Yippee !!

Highgturn · 12-11-2006, 11:46 AM

Linda X 2

That is correct. The regulator has a lever and a red green indicator window on top of it. With the lever to the right you are using the curb side cylinder, with the lever left you are using from the street side cylinder. When whichever one you are using from is depleted the indicator will turn red. When this occurs you turn the lever to the other one and the indicator will turn back to green. At that time you get the empty refilled. There is also an electronic refill indicator which you can buy and install inside the coach. It will flash when your primary cylinder is empty.

rockintom · 12-28-2006, 05:52 AM

Interesting subject. We had a "no furnace heat" situation during auto switchover the other night. Shut control off and then back on and it lit and works great since. Called Marshall Gas and talked with senior engineer Ed Lee (for 48 minutes!). What a great guy! He designed the system for the high pressure regulator on the roadside 7 yrs. ago. Won't bore you with details (cause I don't how know to explain it anyway) but when the switchover takes place it's possible to get a slug of liquid from the roadside tank, especially if it is very cold, which can momentarily jamb the diaphram on the auto changeover regulator. This causes a "lock up". By installing the 30psi high pressure regulator on the roadside it "buffers" this and allows normal operation. There is more to it, but that is the main part. Ed sent me to a interesting website that explains, diagnois, operation, and ect. of this RV propane system. http://shleggitt.com- then click on information. Good stuff. I think he wrote most of the articles in that site. I have a roadside regulator on order.

rockintom · 01-07-2007, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rockintom:
Interesting subject. We had a "no furnace heat" situation during auto switchover the other night. Shut control off and then back on and it lit and works great since. Called Marshall Gas and talked with senior engineer Ed Lee (for 48 minutes!). What a great guy! He designed the system for the high pressure regulator on the roadside 7 yrs. ago. Won't bore you with details (cause I don't how know to explain it anyway) but when the switchover takes place it's possible to get a slug of liquid from the roadside tank, especially if it is very cold, which can momentarily jamb the diaphram on the auto changeover regulator. This causes a "lock up". By installing the 30psi high pressure regulator on the roadside it "buffers" this and allows normal operation. There is more to it, but that is the main part. Ed sent me to a interesting website that explains, diagnois, operation, and ect. of this RV propane system. http://shleggitt.com- then click on information. Good stuff. I think he wrote most of the articles in that site. I have a roadside regulator on order.

Got the roadside regulator and installed in about 20 minutes. Everything OK so far. I did have to go and buy a 1/4 NPT X 3/8 flare fitting to adapt to my rubber hose. Donna sent all of the other adapters, etc with the regulator. About $47. with shipping. Now we are up-to-date!

Highgturn · 01-08-2007, 06:10 AM

rockintom,

I feel pretty sure this will solve your problem. I have never had a reoccurrence since I installed the regulator with check valve. I also like the fact that you don't have all that escaping gas in the pipe when you remove the street side cylinder for refill. Check out that remote sensor from Marshall Gas Controls, you will like it.

Bob

rockintom · 01-08-2007, 07:03 AM

Thanks Bob. I may have to check it out. I am pretty good at checking the regulator indicator though. Haven't run out yet! I'm sure your aware that the indicator usually doesn't go full red until the original tank is empty and the switch over has already taken place and the second tank is about 3/4 full(already used about a 1/4 tank). I was told by Lee that was a "design intent". Normal. Also a bit of fluctation in green to red and back again at the switchover point is normal. Not a perfect science...just an general indicator. Just FYI.

Highgturn · 01-08-2007, 07:51 AM

The reason for this is to get every drop of gas out of the cylinder, otherwise you get to pay for the propane twice. When the cylinder gets almost empty it will not supply the demand so the full cylinder makes up the difference.

clspds · 01-10-2007, 10:18 AM

Rockintom,
Did the regulator come with some sort of mounting bracket?
Paul

rockintom · 01-10-2007, 02:09 PM

No, it is not in a mounting bracket. The only support is the clamp that is already there for the original 1/2" pipe. I will send you pix of the regulator installed. The pieces need to do this update is:
*30 psi high pressure regulator
*1/2" to 1/4" reducer
*1/4" pipe 2" long
*1/4" to 3/8 flare fitting
*Thread sealant or equivalent

wrongway · 01-18-2007, 08:04 AM

A little information for you on LP. No where in any mputs does it talk about Gas Pressure. Your LP system, past the regulator should maintain a pressure of 11.4 WCI (water column inches) of pressure with 75% of your appliances running on Gas (RE: water heater, furnace, refer., stove.) Of these appliances the stove is the one appliance that will work off the weakest pressure. So if your furance does not seem to operating and you turn your stove and it works this is one reason why, you will have low gas pressure, and your stove should not be the indicator that you have plenty of Gas, as it will run on the bottom portion of the Gas system, (Now mostly liguid). Now Gas systems with LP bottles on both sides of the unit. If your regulator is on the door side and that bottle goes dry, your regulator should changeover to the next bottle. With the new OPD values and connectors that are put on today, without the extra regulator on the ODS, you will experience problems, especially in Colder temps. The Oversize fitting (Green) that connects the bottle on the ODS, has a built in ball bearing with a spring in it to help indicate if there is a major leak in the system and will shut down any pressure coming out of the the tank. Now what the manufactures have down is install a 1/2" pipe to go accross the coach and tie into the line coming from the regulator. If the furnace is operation of in startup operation it will call for a large amount of Gas (Water Heater #1 large amount use, and Furnace #2)to make it operate. With the bottle trying to keep that 1/2" line full, which the furance as depleted, the value on the bottle shows indication of a large amount of gas leaving the unit. It now goes into a shut down mode. Unless your unit is completely purged with gas it will seem that system is not working right. Now with the regulator that Marshall Gas Controls has put out, it will hold that pressure in the system and it will not indicate a large leak from the tank through the pigtail hose to the regulator and your system will run as it should. (Marshall Gas Control part number C6121#2049-High Pressure Regulator Preset at 30 PSIG) As stated in a eailier comment as of Sept. 1, 05 all manufactures are to be installing this Regulator on Split Tank systems. If you want to attempt a test to see if this is what is going on, remove your Tank from the ODS along with LP pigtail, and place it on the DS at the Regulator. Run the furance and hot water heater at the same time with gas supply coming from the tank that is on the door side. With both bottles on, shut off the DS tank and you will see it changeover to the 2nd bottle without problem or issues, and will continue to run. I have done this to see, then have installed the regulator on the ODS (which it is orange as well) and now have no problems with interruption of gas applicances. This is all for FYI.

Highgturn · 01-18-2007, 08:24 AM

Folks, WRONGWAY has it exactly right. This is why you need to pony up and get the street side regulator even if you have never experienced a problem. Eventually, you will experience this phenomenon when all the right conditions are met.

LarryGodby · 12-26-2007, 01:14 PM

I love it when the so-called experts don't know their a from a hole in the ground.

I had this happen last night in Colorado when the temperature hit a balmy one overnight. We are getting ready to go out this weekend and went out to the trailer this morning and it was a bit brisk in there at 35.

Knew the tank was empty but I thought the roadside tank was full, it was.

After I filled up the curbside tank and started playing around it started to work.

Read this thread and felt armed with the knowledge that I needed to find the proper parts.

Went and talked to the local LP gas guy and told him what I wanted. Well he said basically I didn't know what I was talking about suggesting that I wanted a 30# regulator.

I tried to explain to him what was happening and that all RVs since Sept. 2005 know have these installed on the roadside and you would have thought I had nine heads.

Went to the local RV service center and again they were lost. Now I started to think maybe it was me. Came back here and read this thread again and sanity set in once again.

I should send them the write up that Tom pointed us to which might help educate them.
I will be ordering the needed parts today.

rockintom · 12-26-2007, 01:38 PM

Larry, I know what you mean. I spent my previous life in the auto industry and thought we were behind with some of the folks on the street. Then I got involved with the RV industry and found it's about 15 years behind the auto industry. Sad, very sad. Don't mean to be so negative.

Anyhow, might suggest you run off your roadside tank as your primary tank until you get your rig updated. That way when the switch over occurs you don't have that roadside to curbside pipe to fill. I do that even with updated regulator.

Is it a bi*** to have that problem when it's the coldest....especially when it's the middle of the night. Out of every adversity...something alway good happens. Oh baby! Let's cuddle to keep warm!

LarryGodby · 12-26-2007, 07:14 PM

Great idea Tom, see you do have them.

I would hate to be the expert of anything with the internet around.

I did it some years back with my wife's doctor. He was a so called specialist and I was asking pointed direct questions and he said I would have to talk to another specialist to get the answers.

Needless to say that was our last visit with him.

There are to many people on these forums that have in the trenches knowledge which as one person you would never be able to learn.

Now if I could get the darn bedroom TV to work on the sat I would be a happy man.