How do I operate my furnace? - A major learning experience!

perlgurl · April 07, 2016, 09:17 PM

Quote from: DaveVA78Chieftain on April 07, 2016, 09:02 PM
BTW - When opening the propane tank valve, do it slowly. There is a safety valve built into the tank that can shut the gas supply OFF if opened to fast and there is a valve open down stream. You have to shut the tank valve OFF, wait 30 seconds then open slowly to reset the safety device. This safety feature is used to shut the supply OFF if your in a vehicle accident that damages the system resulting in a propane leak. The high flow of gas in that case triggers the safety device to shut the gas OFF.

Ouch. This hurts my brain to try to digest. Basically it means to go slow when turning the knob on the propane tank, yes?

M & J · April 07, 2016, 09:21 PM

Yes ma'am.

LJ-TJ · April 07, 2016, 09:24 PM

Shoot to bad you live in Fairbanks I've got a spare of two.

perlgurl · April 07, 2016, 11:01 PM

Seriously, this is my last post for today!

Looking for suggestions on propane regulator brands:
http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,12393.msg73445.html#msg73445

perlgurl · April 08, 2016, 07:14 PM

Brief snippet from other thread, basically showing I got new propane connections:

Quote I found a regulator for $60 ..... plus I got a couple new pigtail hoses for just a couple dollars more each than online.

The forum won't let me upload the photo with the items I got, but you can see it in my other thread asking about brand names. I'll post a photo of it once I get it installed this weekend

perlgurl · April 09, 2016, 09:07 PM

I've installed the new auto switch over regulator and a new hose.

Update: the furnace runs on battery power! I'm not sure how long it will last in terms of days since the converter is an older model that "something abut the recharge something or other" (I need to go back are review the thread about the 45amp converter) to see if I can make that upgrade sooner or later. I'll be testing the longevity of the coach (AUX) battery when I head out to the races with my motorcycle racing friends at the end of May.

Note: yes, I know I should have two hoses on the regulator. I bought two, but after a question about if they have the right terminator (to go into the propane tank), I need to go buy a couple 30lb tanks and double check to be sure I've got the right hoses. If not, I'll return the second one I got, save this one as a "just in case" and buy two more that fit the 30lb tanks. It's all off now and will stay off until I get new tanks.

Rickf1985 · April 10, 2016, 10:23 AM

That tank is set up to use both styles of fittings so they may all be. I have an onboard tank so I have a different setup and don't have to worry about that. Actually what you have are called propane "bottles" and a permanent mounted setup is a "tank".

EldoradoBill · April 10, 2016, 06:10 PM

All portable tanks aka bottles are set up that way-it's how you fill them, from the female threads.

Bill

Rickf1985 · April 10, 2016, 06:18 PM

Not at the local gas(oline) station where I have gotten them filled before. They had to get an adapter to fill the POL style bottles I had and they gave me a hard time about it. Told me they were outdated. I said " no problem, I will go elsewhere", the adapter came out in a hurry! But yes, they were out of date. This place is known for doing anything for money. W% :)rotflmao The propane place I fill my RV at told e that the OPD valves were mandatory after a certain date but I was not aware that they still had the POL threads inside.

LJ-TJ · April 10, 2016, 06:34 PM

See,see you learn something new every day even you Rick. :)rotflmao Sometimes you can teach an old dog a new trick. But now that you mention it. I don't recall ever hearing about them being out dated. I've herd of the bottles being out dated. There's an out date stamp on the bottle where you either have to have the valve replaced or replace the bottle. I know a lot of guys would go to the self serve stations where you exchanged the bottle for another one and would take their old bottles that were out of date and exchange them for on in date. Weren't supose to do that but people were doing it. N:(

TerryH · April 10, 2016, 08:18 PM

And you are teaching us a lesson.
Kudos, Joyce.

perlgurl · April 21, 2016, 07:24 PM

Today I changed out my two lines that come out from the regular and attached them to the brand new 20lb bottles I picked up yesterday. I even used the teflon tape on the fittings!

TerryH · April 21, 2016, 07:44 PM

Not trying to rain on your parade, but read this:
http://www.ehow.com/info_12184157_can-use-teflon-tape-gas-pipe-fittings.html
Teflon tape with gas fittings is ok provided you use the correct tape. No immediate problem using white, but you may want to consider changing it or eliminating it at some point.

perlgurl · April 21, 2016, 07:49 PM

We read the package before buying it and it said it was acceptable for propane. I don't mind getting a different kind, but why would the package information be inaccurate? Now I'm confused

TerryH · April 21, 2016, 08:02 PM

I am not, in any way, an expert. I was always told white for water, none or yellow for gas. I was told that over time, gas and white are not compatible and that the white Teflon may, over time, deteriorate and may clog burner orfices. Again, from what I've been told, not an immediate problem provided you've done your leak due diligence.
Don't mean to scare you, rather suggest you may want to check a bit further.

Rickf1985 · April 21, 2016, 10:09 PM

I have heard the same except I never heard why. If all it is is clogging orifices then any tape will do that if you had it too far down on the threads when starting the thread. It is not going to blow up, I used the white for years before I heard about the yellow and I heard that is used for gas, did not hear any specification about propane or natural gas so I just use it for both now. If the directions say it is good then I would not worry about it until you talk to someone that works specifically with propane.