Propane hell

[Jack]

Our propane detector looks like this. When I read "T-Crimps" I immediately write

RE-CRIMP them with pliers.

We had a somewhat similar problem with our Atwood heater due to an intermittent T-Crimp connection. A few "hand-pounds" of force on the pliers was enough. T-Crimps have a less than stellar reputation.

We added the battery cut-out ourselves. It's a "Battery Brain" (http://www.batterybrain.net/gold.html - but I don't see the "Type IV RV" version which is designed for deep cycle batteries, and is what you want). The unit is essentially a solid state single-pole single-throw switch that is wired inline with the positive terminal of the battery. If the voltage falls below 11.5V the switch opens. A reset button closes the switch.

I'll post a picture of the wiring when I can. Tracy, Spike and Shelly (Herself, the Taco and the FWC) are up in Portland and I'm here in LA . I'm back in Portland Friday and we will be taking a four day trip back to LA, probably thru eastern Oregon and California

 

[Alaskan Snowbirds]

May in E. Oregon!

Our propane detector looks like this.
The sensor you have is the one Stan had in his email pic. Maybe the solution will be to switch to one like yours.

When I read "T-Crimps" I immediately write

RE-CRIMP them with pliers...
I will do the recrimp. Might even put on marine butt connectors while I'm at it...I like the shrink wrap.

We added the battery cut-out ourselves...

I'll post a picture of the wiring when I can.
Thanks for the battery shutoff information. I'll be curious to see what it takes to wire it in.

Tracy, Spike and Shelly (Herself, the Taco and the FWC) are up in Portland and I'm here in LA . I'm back in Portland Friday and we will be taking a four day trip back to LA, probably thru eastern Oregon and California
Great time of year for E. Oregon! Should make up for being stuck alone in LA for awhile. I get stoked thinking about it. We made a run through Clarkston/Asotin/Anatone Washington and into E. Oregon/Wallowa (sp?) Lake in March a couple years ago (before we had the camper) and it was a great trip. Quit counting deer at a couple hundred, had bighorn sheep within 20' of the rig and wild turkeys all over the campground in Anatone.


Susan's in E. Washington getting Darling Daughter back from school and Gram G ready for a visit to Alaska. I'm here in Alaska and don't get to take a trip back in the camper The weather here has been OUTSTANDING though and the fish are starting to show up...so I don't feel too abused

Have a good trip and thanks for getting back to us!
'birds

P.S. I just got it...Shelly...cute. I'm just a little slow...OK maybe more than a little

 

[cruiser62]

Dog,

Is it just you and me that are having problems?

Might be interesting to do a poll to see just how many folks are having the same problems and what year their camper was made. Could give a clue if FWC can pinpoint what's different in the propane system.

If the older units don't have the problem it doesn't make sense that water in the tank would be the cause since we all buy propane from the same dealers. In that case it's probably how the system handles the water and that one of the components in the newer propane system can't deal with it as well.

Since when I removed the tank, heated it (not very long), and it worked, it makes sense to me that it's either the tank valve or ACME nut. I'm betting the acme nut or tank valve have smaller openings than the older ones and that causes more pressure drop/lower temperature and it takes less ice to block them.

Think I'll try just disconnecting and reconnecting next time, without doing anything else. If that doesn't work, I'll try some heat (bare hand for awhile) on the ACME nut and, if that doesn't work, heat the tank for a bit to see if that does it. If none of that works I'll replace the regulator with a double tank, 2-stage, automatic switching regulator that I've been wanting anyway and see if that works (may do that first).

Hopefully it'll never happen again and I won't get the chance to try all that

Cheers!
'birds

We had a problem with our propane tank (Manchester) the day we picked up
our Hawk from Sean and Diana Dempsey at "Go Anywhere". They were
nice enough to fill the tank for us before we headed for home. This was
a brand new camper built in Mar. '08. We could smell gas on our way home
(350 mi.) When we arrived home we could really smell propane and the
tank was half empty. The valve was shut off. After making calls to the
factory, Sean, etc. we took the tank to a local RV repair shop. They
discovered that some bozo at Manchester had crossed the threads when
the valve was assembled in the tank. Fortunately for us we didn't get
near any sparks and blow the camper and ourselves into the next county.
Manchester paid for a new tank and filled it for us, labor included.
We never had any problems with the gas appliances in the camper.
That's our experience with Manchester.