Suggestions on LP Propane Automatic Changeover Regulator (brand name)

[perlgurl]

I need to replace my propane regulator and plan to get an Automatic Changeover Regulator.  I live in Interior Alaska and we have one RV place in town (or withing at the very least a two-hour drive) so I anticipate either getting reamed on pricing or not having much selections when I head over to the store tomorrow.

I'm looking online and seeing a few brands that I could get on Amazon if my local search proves to be as disappointing as most local shopping sadly tends to be in my experience. 

Any recommendations on what to buy and/or not to buy?

Thanks! 

[Rickf1985]

I just looked through Amazon and saw some Marshal regulators for 45.00. That seems to be the going price for a good automatic regulator. You have to figure in shipping to Alaska, does Prime cover free shipping to Alaska? If you have to buy propane bottles at a propane place up there you may be able to get  good deal on a regulator if you buy it at the same time, just tell them that you can get one online for XX dollars. They may want that money instead of no money.

[brians1969]

I bought a couple propane hoses (no brand name) off ebay about a year ago and they are already cracking! And these are the hook up pigtails in the propane compartment. Cheap junk. Like Rick says go with Marshall...good name brand supplier of propane stuff.

I see you are in Alaska. If you are getting a dump hose, I would strongly recommend the "Ultimate" hose by Valterra. It is 
in a purple box. It is triple the thickness of the normal hoses-also triple the cost, lol.  But, those cheap brown Camco hoses from Walmart do not hold up in the winter. They get brittle and rip. The Ultimate hose is the only one that held up in  the snow and ice.

[perlgurl]

Perfect! This is the advice I was hoping for! No Chamco (all over Amazon), go with Marshall.  And I read a few reviews about some of the cheap pigtail hoses lasting less than a year so I'll see about getting those at the RV store today.


Also, I do have Prime so shipping is included most of the time.  I'd really rather support a local business, but I've experienced prices locally that are double and triple what the exact item cost on amazon so I'll just have to see when I get there. 


I avoid Walmart at all costs.  But we do have Lowes and Home Depot so I plan to get my propane tanks there. Then I have to take them elsewhere (Amerigas) to fill since they won't fill the big ones.  Weird!

[Rickf1985]

Camco is not bad for some stuff, and they probably use someone else's brand for things like the regulator and slap their name on it. But for 45 bucks I would go with the Marshall if you have time to wait. I try to avoid Wal-Mart but since I have retired and the money is cut in half it just makes sense to go there for a lot of stuff. What I really hate about there is the weird people you have to deal with in there! They really come out of the woods to come to Wally World!!! W% W% W%

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Far as I know both Marshal and Fairview LP products are good brands.  As always, Google is your friend

[perlgurl]

I visited the local RV store that I'm willing to go into (the other one really messed up my brakes, overcharged me for some mechanical work which I had to get redone completely, never reimbursed me, yada yada...plus they are rude ...so that leaves just one that carries supplies.)

Anyway, I went in hoping for the best but expecting to be ordering online tonight and I was wrong! I found a regulator for $60 ($15 more than I would have online, but the lady let me shop in peace and was nice when I rang up so I'm willing to pay more for instant gratification that is reasonable pricing), plus I got a couple new pigtail hoses for just a couple dollars more each than online. 

I also picked up a couple other things not relevant to the propane, so I'll post those in my power thread. The 10 pack of levelers that I wanted (but I'm not in a rush to get) was almost twice as what I'll pay online, so I'll be buying some stuff from amazon in the future.  They have some cool stuff so I think other than the computer store or a pet store, the RV store might be my new favorite place to shop (and I really don't like shopping so that says a lot!) 

I got out of there for just over $100.  I'm frugal and like a deal when I find one, but I'm also willing to pay to have the right parts.  It snowed last night and most of the morning and though it's melting now it's cold and grey and wet outside so I'll wait until another day to install my new propane goodies. 

[perlgurl]

stuff looks awesome

Yes, I'm pretty excited about it.  Hoping to get it installed tomorrow

[Rickf1985]

I am not sure about those hoses, They have the old style POL fittings for the tank and most tanks have the new Acme fitting. The newer one threads on the outside and these thread on the inside. Some tanks will have a fitting that can use either/or but others only have the new fittings. And some filling stations are not set up to fill the POL style fittings unless it is a regular propane filling station.

[perlgurl]

I am not sure about those hoses, They have the old style POL fittings for the tank and most tanks have the new Acme fitting. The newer one threads on the outside and these thread on the inside. Some tanks will have a fitting that can use either/or but others only have the new fittings. And some filling stations are not set up to fill the POL style fittings unless it is a regular propane filling station.

I was wondering about that myself, but I've tested the hoses with the current tank (from the BBQ) and it fits. 


There is another type of fitting I could get that was a smaller diameter "screw in thing with a plastic outside screw on thing" and the RV store said I can return/exchange them as long as I don't use them (let propane flow through them).

Maybe I really need to get my 30lb tanks, or at least go see what I can buy locally and evaluate the hoses?