Newbie with propane problem

[Tom Williams]

Hello Airstreamers:
I should let you know first that I am new to the RV world and in particular to the Airstream crowd. I just got an 84 Limited 34" and I am unable to get the Frig and Hot Water to fire up.

Both try to auto lite, but both don't seem to be getting propane. The roadside gas appliances work fine.

Frig works on electric.
Both bottles recently filled.

Thanks,
Tom

[CanoeStream]

Hello Tom. Welcome to the forums!

Can you get your stovetop burners to light? Use a match if needed. That's the easiest way to tell if you have propane getting past the regulator -- and regulators can get old. Most of us start the stovetop burners for a moment when we've just refilled our tanks and there is any question of how much propane is in the lines. The stovetop uses plenty of gas and this fills up the lines best.

[purman]

Sometimes there are shutoff Valves in the line before the fridge and hot water tank. There is one before my hot water tank. Follow the lines underneath from the tanks to the fridge and hot water tank to see if there is one.

[ebair]

I think it is likely you have air in the gas lines, when you fill the tanks the air must be purged. Run the stove top for a bit, then you may have to try to start the other appliances several (many) times to purge th air. The fridge uses little gas so it takes several attempts to re light.

[Silver Otter]

Tom,
I had the exact same problem two weeks ago. I could hear the fridge "clicking" trying to start. I had just filled the tanks, so I walked out, disconnected them and reconnected them, flipped the automatic feed level back and forth three times. Went back in a fired up the three stove burners. Once they were going both the fridge and the hot water popped to life. No telling which, if any, of my magical tricks, incantations, Druid dance, or bad words helped.

[Tom Williams]

Originally Posted by CanoeStream

Hello Tom. Welcome to the forums!

Can you get your stovetop burners to light? Use a match if needed. That's the easiest way to tell if you have propane getting past the regulator -- and regulators can get old. Most of us start the stovetop burners for a moment when we've just refilled our tanks and there is any question of how much propane is in the lines. The stovetop uses plenty of gas and this fills up the lines best.

Thanks for the welcome Bob. I have good gas flow to the Road Side so stove and heat work fine. I replaced the regulator yesterday when I realized the indicator stayed red no matter what I did. It was probably the original from back in 1984, but that still didn't work.

So now I'm thinking of shutting the gas off and opening the line just past where the Road Side lines T-Off, and with the Frig line disconnected at the unit blow some air through from the Frig end.

What do you think?

Thanks,
Tom

[Tom Williams]

Thanks Silver Otter
I like the name. Is it on the trailer? I'm thinking of "Grand Torino" what do you think?
Tom

[Tom Williams]

Thanks ebair
Now that I replaced the regulator I let air in all over again so I will take your advice before I make any other attemped fixes.

Tom

[clamb]

Check any orifices for spiderweb. That's what I finally found when my water heater wasn't getting gas.

[Tom Williams]

Originally Posted by clamb

Check any orifices for spiderweb. That's what I finally found when my water heater wasn't getting gas.

Thanks. I am thinking that something like a spider web might be causing the problem. I have vac'ed out both HW Heater and Frig external compartments, but still nothing.

[Bill M.]

Spiders usually in the gas pipe past the orfice where the air is mixed in or stop up the orfice. Probably need to clean that area up carefully. Sometimes a rock or something can kink or dent a propane line. Do you have pilot light models or electric ignition? Is the trailer fairly level? Our WH was very tempermental to start. I found that the pop off valve had leaked water long enought to corrode the ground for the ignitor.

[Tom Williams]

Hello Bill:
Both HW & Frig are electric ignition and those are sparking away when attempting to light. I have cleaned up the compartements and checked for spider webs, replaced the regulator, and purged the system by firing the range when whenever I opened the lines (refilling tanks). The trailer is level and I am running out of ideas?
Any other thoughts?
Tom

[Silver Otter]

Tom,
It sounds like you've done all the right things. I don't know much about propane plumbing. I hope someone here will post a way to check if you actually HAVE gas flowing down that side of the AS (without endangering all in the vicinity, of course).

BTW, thanks for liking the name. It was given by our daughter-in-law. I haven't painted it on as Nose Art, but it's a neat idea.

[Tom Williams]

I think Silver Otter might be right at this point. I may have exhausted my ability to diagnose this problem. One final thought however. Why does Airstream have a sticker on my trailer that says do not fill lp bottles more than 80%? If my bottles are overfilled could this be the reason why I cannot lite any propane appliances on the curbside but roadside is fine?
Thanks,
Tom

[Aage]

Tom, to Airforums.com! Lots of good info here for the care and feeding of your Giant Shiny Hotdog! (GSH)

For the WH, try this: pull off the outer cover, and you will see a large (about 2") pipe that goes into the tank. It has the burner mounted at its opening. Take a can of compressed air and blow that pipe out, being careful not to stand in front of the other end of the pipe in the top left corner of the HW heater. I have to do that every spring, due to spiders building so many resilient webs.

As for the refer (fridge), get the Owner's Manual and look up the servicing part. It needs to be cleaned up from time to time, and the book shows exactly what to do. An '84, even if it hasn't been continuously used on LP gas, is probably in need of a cleaning.

If you don't have the refer Owner's Manual, it's probably available online for free... Just Google it.

Good luck, and keep us informed!

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Tom Williams

One final thought however. Why does Airstream have a sticker on my trailer that says do not fill lp bottles more than 80%?

That is a regulatory requirement in most states, taken from NFPA 58, the "LP Gas Code". Liquid propane does not occupy the same volume at all temperatures; at high temperatures the liquid expands. Not filling the bottle beyond 80% is meant to give the liquid room to expand when the temperature goes up.

This website (Propane Volume Correction - Temperature and Liquid Propane Volumes) explains better than I could.

[Haoleman]

Hey Tom
You shouldn't worry about your tanks being overfilled as there are procedures when filling to prevent this. They are either weighed during fill or have a 10% valve which will bleed liquid propane when it is being filled which is the operator's signal to stop filling the tank. The liability is huge if the operator screws up and they could lose their license besides being liable for damages or injury. As others have said, check for gas at the particular appliance. Easiest is to soap the joint (flare fitting) and crack it loose and see if you get bubbles. If so, the issue is in the appliance. Be sure you bleed all the air from the lines as with pilots and the refrig, the gas volume is so small that it can take 5 minutes of holding the pilot button in before you get a gas flow as you purge the air.
Terry

[Silver Otter]

Tom.
Your tanks should be checked to be sure they are compliant with current guidelines. They will have a three-prong valve knob if they have Overfill Protection Devices installed. Here's a link on the 80% question: Propane Tanks and the 80% Fill Question | Propane.pro

It's not likely overfilling, even if possible, would stop your system from working unless liquid propane got in the line somehow, from what I read.

[Silver Otter]

Valve Pictures.

[AldeanFan]

Some times it takes a very long time to purge the air from the line to my fridge, especially if I run the bottle out of gas. I clocked it once at 4 minutes after switching tanks, and that seems like an eternity when holding the button.