Has anyone installed an automatic propane change-over regulator?

[esimmers]

I do like the two 10-pound tank setup on my 2009 Hawk. The front tank (farthest inside the propane compartment) feeds the stove, water heater and cabin heater, leaving the rear tank as a spare, available to remove and use with an outdoor Coleman stove or similar.

But the one disadvantage of this setup is the need to swap the tanks when the first 10 pounds of propane is exhausted.

So I'm wondering if anyone's tried to fit one of those automatic change-over regulators in the compartment that would automatically switch to the second tank when the first one nears empty?

It seems a bit of overkill, I know. But inquiring minds want to know.

 

[Wango]

I had one put in my new camper from Atc. Have friends that have them in their hardside. So far so good, I have two of the bigger propane tanks.

 

[Squatch]

The way my camper frugally sips propane it would be way overkill. It takes a long time to use one tank up.

 

[gaylon]

I am with Squatch - my camper use is very frugal. Also, I really like the idea of knowing when I am through one tank and 'only' have one left.

 

[PaulT]

+1 on frugal propane usage. I filled my tanks in July 2014 when I picked up my Hawk. In preparing for a weekend trip last Thursday, I found my cooktop barely had any flame. Pulled both tanks to find the first one about 10 lbs lighter than the other one. Installed the full one and all was good. Compressor fridge, little furnace or water heater use, gave 2+ years on 10 lbs of propane. During first year, I did pull the tank occasionally to weigh it to check usage. Haven't bothered since.

Paul

 

[paulclancy]

The only thing we use the propane for in our Fleet is for boiling water for coffee and occasionally hooking it up to an outside grill.
I'm thinking my first 10 lb tank will last about 3 years.

 

[Bill D]

I use my propane ALL the time. I fill up at Costco... it's dirt cheap. abut $3-4 per 10# tank.
Because I live in Canada and winter camp in the mountains, I'm dependant on the heat. Usually I'll change out my tank when it's about 3//4 used and then use the remainder of the 3/4 empty tank for cooking.

I think the changeover regulator would be a nice touch.

 

[Advmoto18]

...I really like the idea of knowing when I am through one tank and 'only' have one left.

Agreed!

My wife is cold natured so we've run the heater quite a bit on this long trip. I need to know when one tank is empty so I can start looking for a refill station in a day, or two.

I've run across more refill stations that charge ~$2/gallon but have a $5 minimum propane charge. So I now run one empty and the second tank for a day or two then fill and top off both tanks.

I also use the spare tank for my Partner Steel stove setup outside the camper. So it generally needs topped off when the primary tank for the camper is empty.

 

[rando]

Instead of a changeover regulator - try using these:
https://www.amazon.com/Products-024-1000-Tank-Check-Monitor/dp/B01C5RQI74

I have a pair of these, which give me accurate, real time measurements of my propane levels. That way I can be sure when I go to bed in the winter that I have enough propane in my current tank to stay warm over night.

 

[Timothy McGowen]

Gee thanks Rando, another gadget to add to the list .

Seriously, I was thinking of installing a switch over but once I realized how little LPG I actually used (2-way refer) I decided against it.

I was worried about running out in the middle of the night and who wants to crawl out of bed when its cold?

I too decided I preferred having the second bottle separate as insurance. At some point I would have run out of propane and gotten out of bed to switch over only to find that it automatically had before and now I was completely out. A man has to know his limitations.

I thought I was getting low on one trip and switched over because of heavy heater use only to find out I actually had about half a tank left. Since then I carry a fish scale in the propane compartment and periodically weigh the tank in use keeping the other always full and at the ready.

 

[brentano]

My upgrade was really appreciated on a cold, windy and snowy night in the Sierras.

On the Fleet the installation was straightforward with no gadgetry.

I swapped the factory standard Fairview GR-9950 with an auto changeover Fairview GR-9994. The mounting plate was rotated 90 degrees on the top screw to change the plate from vertical to horizontal.

The GR-9994 accepts 1/4" mail inverted flare input connectors as opposed to the 1/4" MNPT on the OEM GR-9950, so I also purchased two new inverted flare pigtails.

I carry the OEM GR-9950 as a spare regulator, equiped with a 1/4" inverted flare to 1/4" MNPT adapter (to allow use of the new pigtails on the old regulator).

The small tank in the photo (a Manchester #10054.3) is unrelated to the upgrade: the GR-9994 fits fine with the OEM (2) 10# tanks. The small secondary tank is carried for convenience -- because in the summer months I also sip propane.