Propane tank fuel level question.

bnlfan · February 03, 2015, 06:11 PM

The tank on my rv is rather old and rusted. I am attempting to tell if it has any fuel (and how much) in it.

There is a glass site with a red arrow in it. The arrow is between the 2 and 3 o'clock position. There is a valve coming off the regulator marked "VAPOR" and I have gotten it to hiss. However, I don't seem to be getting any fuel out of the line that was hooked up to my refrigerator. I have it plumbed to a heater right now.

Any thoughts?

Rickf1985 · February 03, 2015, 07:56 PM

Crack the line at the heater or where it comes off the regulator and see if you have gas there. If not make sure the gas valve is turned on. Is your stove still hooked up? If it is turn it on for a second and see if you hear gas flowing. You will hear it right away if it is hooked up and the valve is on and there is gas.

bnlfan · February 03, 2015, 08:29 PM

I did that at both places. I heard nothing from the refrigerator (now heater) line but I did at the stove burner. However, it stopped soon. Here is a question, where is the valve?

There is a gray box with a white cap on it (on the tank). It has one line coming out of it up into the bottom of the rv. The only valve I see is the one marked "VAPOR". If I turn it, I get air (or gas) coming out of it into the atmosphere.

I have not had the chance to really go through the rv. I have only had it a few weeks and it has gotten really cold, wet, or dark when time permits me to go out. I hope to crawl under this weekend and take pictures and asses the situation.

Rickf1985 · February 04, 2015, 06:11 AM

Really need some pictures. The grey box sounds like the regulator which should have a valve between it and the tank. Not sure what the one marked vapor is without seeing it, could be a fill fitting but they are filled with liquid. There is a small valve that they open while filling to allow the tank to fully fill with liquid. It is a small valve and I don't remember how it is marked. I will try to remember to look at mine tomorrow.

bnlfan · February 04, 2015, 08:06 AM

I will post pictures after work today. I have a photo that shows the regulator with a hose on the left. Ontop of it there is a fitting with a knob for the vapor. The sight glass has a wire feeding off to the small fitting with a label that reads STOP FILLING WHEN LIQUID APPEARS .

I may pull it off this weekend to sand it down.

bnlfan · February 04, 2015, 06:31 PM

Okay here is the try with the picture.

Rickf1985 · February 04, 2015, 07:45 PM

OK, That is the same as mine. The shut off is the silver knob above the Vapor label. You say you get gas coming out when you open that? Then you have a bad regulator or a bad connection. That is the main shut off for the tank. It would pay to replace the regulator with a new two stage unit anyway because they do go bad but find out where the leak is. The fill is the yellow knob and the small valve they open while filling is to the left of that. That is set up for a remote indicator inside the camper to tell you how much gas you have. Mine just told me full until it ran out and THEN it said empty. D:oH!

bnlfan · February 04, 2015, 08:03 PM

The gas comes out of the shut off valve, no place else. If I turn it about a quarter turn clockwise, vapor comes out.

MotorPro · February 04, 2015, 08:24 PM

There are sealed in the valve. When they go bad they will leak unless the valve is all the way open or closed. first you will have to remove all the gas then have the valve replaced or resealed.

bnlfan · February 05, 2015, 05:53 AM

Thank you.

I guess I will be opening it all the way up and testing my new heater and stove. Guess I will need to run them till they stop.

Rickf1985 · February 05, 2015, 07:00 AM

You say when you turn it clockwise it leaks. That is the direction you would turn it to close it. Is it open now? If it is open and you are still not getting gas to the appliances then the regulator is bad. These should be replaced every ten years max from what I have learned. They are not expensive, get a 2 stage unit and make sure you get the one for vertical mounting for your setup.

bnlfan · February 05, 2015, 06:19 PM

Thank you Rickf1985

Came home today and turned the valve on and all is well. Everything that uses propane is working perfectly. In fact, I am going to take a trip out this weekend (weather permitting). I won't be running my house generator but I have a 900 Watt unit I have for camping, I will be using it. It should be enough to furnish what I need to run the lights and pump.

Thanks again for your help.

Oz · February 05, 2015, 07:34 PM

Rickf1985 · February 06, 2015, 10:03 AM

You already know you have a bad valve, I would be real sure to leak check EVERY connection on those gas lines and the valvebefore doing any camping. A leak is nothing to play with.

bnlfan · February 06, 2015, 07:39 PM

Well, my ignorance aside, I don't think it was a leak. It only comes out on the open side of the valve when I turn it a quarter turn. Either way, I am going to change it. I have searched for someone to check it but they don't seem to exist.

Rickf1985 · February 06, 2015, 08:09 PM

Ok, I am cornfused. i?? Did you have the regulator off of the valve when you were turning it on and that is when it was coming out or is it coming out of the valve itself somewhere other than the fitting where the regulator is now hooked up? If it is all hooked up is there any leak during the process of turning it on or off? That is when a bad packing seal would leak around the valve stem.

bnlfan · February 06, 2015, 08:17 PM

I was told by another (which is why I am still going to change it) that when you first start turning the valve, (the one in the picture marked vapor), it bleeds pressure off. Since I do not know anything about these things, I am going to replace the valve just to be safe.

if you look at the picture the left side of the valve goes to the regulator. The right side is actually open with a screen on it. That is the side the vapor comes out of until it is opened or closed all the way. Keep in mind, there is about a 1/4 turn clock wise after it is "closed". It is at this point and when turned counter clock wise (until all the way open) that vapor coms out of the screened end of the valve.

Yeah, it confuses me as well, thus the reason I am going to replace it anyway. Its too much of a danger to not change it and be wrong.

bnlfan · February 06, 2015, 08:37 PM

Is this the item you recommend?

Rickf1985 · February 07, 2015, 09:24 AM

That is a crossover valve for dual tanks. It will automatically switch to the full tank and put up an indicator to let you know it has switch so you can flip the selector valve over to the other tank and get the empty one filled without interrupting service. You only have one tank so you do not need that switching feature. You just need a two stage regulator for a single tank. And yes, the valve packing has gone out on your tank. I am not a propane repair man so I do not play with replacing valves. I would have it done if it were me.