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RichardW · 12-18-2015, 09:48 AM

I have a 2015 International 27FB, which I bought new a little over a year ago now. Suddenly, I have no LPG available for anything (stove, furnace, fridge). I have a full LP tank, the Cavagna (switchover) regulator shows green. Could my regulator be defective? I'm currently parked in Oceanside CA so not subfreezing. Am I missing something? BTW - on a couple other occasions in the past few months we noticed that the stove was getting no gas for awhile, but suddenly started working normally again. At the time I just thought there was a hiccup in the system somewhere and quickly forgot about it... until now...

**moosetags** · 12-18-2015, 09:53 AM

First thought, are the valves on both tanks open fully?

Brian

OTRA15 · 12-18-2015, 09:54 AM

The newer regulators can do this, if they have sensed a possible leak in the lines. Turn off both tanks completely, turn off water heater and fridge propane options, and then turn on the active propane tank by opening its valve VERY slowly. Try lighting one burner on the stove top. Burner lights OK?

RichardW · 12-18-2015, 10:04 AM

The valve is open on one tank (the other tank is empty). I'll try closing things off as suggested and see what happens. (Although I did try a similar process earlier... may not have opened the tank valve slowly though.) Thanks!

RichardW · 12-18-2015, 10:40 AM

Ok, I went through the process that OTRA15 suggested and the stove burner lit with a low flame for about 5 seconds, then went out. Tried the process again (along with unhooking the pigtail connector) and the burner won't light at all.

One thing that I didn't mention earlier was that about a week ago I noticed a pinhole leak on one of my pigtail hoses. I therefore shut that pigtail side off and have only been using the LP tank on the other side since then. (I have not had time to replace the bad pigtail yet.) Everything was working fine on the good side until yesterday. Interestingly, even when I had the pinhole leak in the pigtail, the regulator was still allowing gas to get through.

kdickinson · 12-18-2015, 10:55 AM

regulator or tank switch probably. Or an empty bottle. If your bottles are going down faster than normal you may have a leak

khollister · 12-18-2015, 10:59 AM

1) leak large enough to trip the regulator or POL connector on the pigtail into bypass mode
2) bad regulator/changeover valve
3) bad pigtail (POL going into bypass incorrectly)

You need to start substituting some parts to find the problem (you need a known good pigtail and regulator)

I guess the OPD valve in the cylinder could be bad as well, although I'm not sure exactly what the failure mode is there

RichardW · 12-18-2015, 11:11 AM

Thanks for the feedback. I bought 2 new pigtail connectors. Will test them out later today.

khollister · 12-18-2015, 11:29 AM

You may be about to find out that Airstream uses 1/4" NPT connections between the regulator and pigtail. Industry standard (especially in the retail chain for parts) is 1/4" inverse flare. You may need to add or remove adapters.

Keith
Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums

OTRA15 · 12-18-2015, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichardW

Thanks for the feedback. I bought 2 new pigtail connectors. Will test them out later today.

Quote:

Originally Posted by khollister

You may be about to find out that Airstream uses 1/4" NPT connections between the regulator and pigtail. Industry standard (especially in the retail chain for parts) is 1/4" inverse flare. You may need to add or remove adapters.
Keith
Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums

New correct pigtails should reduce the variables at least, and hopefully prove the solution.

Good luck!

Peter

nrgtrakr · 12-18-2015, 03:05 PM

It may take more than one time turning the gas on.
The leak protection shuts down the flow to nothing or almost nothing. So if the gas lines aren't already pressurized, when you open the tank valve, it thinks there is a leak it will shut itself down.

ijustlee · 12-18-2015, 03:39 PM

I sometimes have to move the manual change over valve to the new tank side and also open the valve very slowly to get gas to flow. There seems to be some kind of shutoff valve inside the regulator that this re-sets after running both tanks empty. I didn't have to do this on my old regulator. I haven't gotten more than a year or two out of inlet hoses before they harden up and leak around the crimp fittings, I'm hoping to find some that last better someday. I'm almost ready to go back to copper inlet lines due to these leaks. I hope the new lines fix the problem. Leland

RichardW · 12-18-2015, 04:33 PM

Ok. As Keith eluded to, I wasn't able connect my new pigtails directly to the old regulator. I swung by the Airstream dealer in San Diego and picked up a new regulator. The tech there also thought the problem was in the regulator as well. I installed the new regulator and pigtails and everything is lovely now!

This should have been a warranty repair as my AS is only about a year old. The dealer here was booked until January, so no way I was going to wait for that. They were very helpful in any case when I explained the situation and bought a new regulator. It was relatively easy to fix... just a bit aggravating that it malfunctioned already.

RichardW · 12-18-2015, 04:36 PM

Thanks to all for the advice!

SeaLevel · 12-18-2015, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichardW

This should have been a warranty repair as my AS is only about a year old. The dealer here was booked until January, so no way I was going to wait for that.

Just so that I know in the future, if this kind of thing happens to me. Isn't there a way to get reimbursed for what should be covered under warranty?

OTRA15 · 12-18-2015, 05:31 PM

Thanks for the update, you are a long way from home! At least you are on the road again.

Drathaar · 12-18-2015, 06:08 PM

Save your receipt. Send a note to Airstream and your dealer to explain the situation, and ask to be reimbursed.

OTRA15 · 12-19-2015, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichardW

Thanks to all for the advice!

Curious where you are headed next? In the 90's we took a major road trip from NY to San Diego and Napa, through Texas both ways because it was winter, and had a blast. Two months in all.

If you feel like it, maybe a new post on the forum "On The Road" would be interesting? The threads there usually have great campground and restaurant tips from fellow travelers both past and present.

On The Road... - Airstream Forums

Any suggestions for good music that makes you want to get On The Road Again when you hear it?

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f161...-i-143331.html

Have a great trip!

Peter

PS -- It is likely that your warranty will cover at least the parts you had to buy, if you can explain your diagnostic process and provide the comments of any Airstream parts/service people who agreed with you.

RichardW · 12-19-2015, 10:06 AM

Peter - Thanks for the feedback and links. This thread made me realize that I hadn't (ever) updated my profile. We've spent the past year upgrading/modifying a number of aspects of our rig (solar, electrical, tech, etc.). We also sold our house in Chapel Hill in July and have been full-timing it ever since. So, after the last 25 years in NC, I'm not sure what I should call home right now! We spent late summer/early fall in Ontario, north of Toronto then down to southern Florida. We then took the southern route to CA, mainly I-10. We took a detour into Big Bend National Park. Also drove up FM170 along the Rio Grande. That was absolutely beautiful. We will definitely go back to Big Bend again someday. We're currently parked in Oceanside, CA at the moment (I consult for a couple companies in the area). We plan on staying around here until spring (with a number of CA excursions in between - suggestions?). This summer we'll be heading north again into Canada. Not exactly sure where yet, there's so much up there to see too.

I always start singing "On the road again" as we're hitching up, preparing to head out (probably to the annoyance of my wife)...

OTRA15 · 12-19-2015, 10:30 AM

Got me laughin' there, Richard -- I do the same thing with that song . . .

You might check out the 20-footer thread, as a few posters there have recently recommended campgrounds very close to you.

Start here maybe and check out the more recent posts:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f516...ml#post1689725

In between the posts about windows, plumbing, winterization etc. -- some of them a bit verbose [guilty as charged] -- are some good photos and ideas about Southern California campgrounds, mostly from subfan1. And Bob and Myrna [CruzinDux] from Eugene OR are going to be heading that way after New Years probably.

I went to UCSD and lived in North San Diego County back in the 70's, so I am enjoying hearing about the area again, as well as your journey getting there!

Happy Trails . . .

Peter aka OTRA15 -- On The Road Again!