Water heater flame way too low

[Crazytrain]

Sent: 6/30/2005 8:35 PM

I juts got the Crazytrain out of storage, fill my LP cylinders and now it look likes I dont have enough pressure.

Here are the symptoms:

Water heater flame way too low.

You light a stove burner = medium flame
You light 2 burners flame lessens

And so on.

Thanks,
Crazytrain

[HeavyHaulTrucker]

Sent: 6/30/2005 9:51 PM

Crazytrain, did you store it with the lines attached to the cylinders -- or did you unscrew the lines from the cylinders?

If you unscrewed the lines, your regulator's seals have probably dried out.  Time for a new regulator.  The best way to put the gas system into a "storage" mode is to just close the tank valves tightly.  Yes, a small amount of propane is left in the lines, but air won't get to the innards of the regulator this way -- and when you take it out of storage, all you have to do is turn the gas on.

They make plastic screw caps for the lines in case your storage yard won't let you leave the cylinders in.

John

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Sent: 6/30/2005 10:03 PM

There is a built in safety feature that drastically reduces propane flow if a a major leak is detected (say during a car accident).  The safety valve can be triggered if you open the supply line to fast resulting in what your describing.  Close the supply valve for 1 minute (allows the pressure to equalize across the safety valve), then open the supply valve very slowly so the safety valve is not triggered.  Try that before replacing anything.

Dave

[Crazytrain]

Sent: 7/1/2005 12:18 PM

Ok Happy Canada day to Canadians

I dont work today so I was in the rv early. I closed both tank, slowly reopened and it aint better.

I removed the regulator and some stinky brown juice was dripping.

Next step, air in the tubes .

Is the brown stinky juice normal???

Thank

CrazyTrain

[salplmb]

Sent: 7/1/2005 6:35 PM

Cross connection of black tank and propane lines? no really, there should not be any stuff in that line. try blowing back from the appliances and see if any more of that stuff comes out. you don't want to get anything inside the gas valves or there may be big trouble! dose propane come out of the tanks or is it this stuff. can't think of where else it could come from.
good luck.
sal

[OldEdBrady]

Sent: 7/1/2005 9:01 PM

The stinky brown juice is normal only if my mother-in-law is cooking again.

Just a thought.  Is it really brown, or is it reddish brown?  Water in the line, perhaps?  I've only seen copper lines (at least in my rig), and the stuff would be reddish brown if there was moisture in the lines.

[Razee]

From: Razee

Hi Crazytrain
If you have new propane tanks that were not purged (a process that removes air from the tanks thereby removing water vapor) water will get in the regulator. Water vapor in the LP tank is also dangerous due to compression / decompression issues. Have tanks purged and replace the regulator.

[Crazytrain]

Sent: 7/2/2005 3:15 PM

Problem solve this morning.

Water + air + Sulphur agent(rotten odor added) = redddish brown stuff that smell bad. I left a hose unplugged last winter so here is a major cause.


This morning I air blown all the hoses, got a new regulator, purge the tanks got it back together and everything seem to work like new.

I also learned that standard teflon tape cannot be used with LP,you need to take a special type.

Thanks to all and happy 4th of july.

By the way, OldEdBrady where did your mother-in-law found my mother-in-law's cook book?? LoL
Thanks,

Crazytrain

[salplmb]

Sent: 7/3/2005 9:43 AM

good job there crazytrain, allways like a happy ending.
sal

[Froggy1936]

Re: Crazy Propane teflon tape is yellow Frank

[Oz]

Thank you for explaining that, Frank.  I never knew the difference.  I mostly used the white tape for plumbing, but I accidentally bought some that was yellow and never knew why.  When I replaced my LP regulator, I saw a little bit of tape that was on it before and it was faintly yellow, so I used the yellow tape I had.  I guess I lucked out on that!

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

As the PTFE tape industry evolved into more products they adopted a standardized color code.

WHITE- Single density tape to be used as a thread sealant on NPT (National Pipe Taper) threads which are equal to or less than 3/8".

YELLOW-Double density "Gas tape" suitable for NPT threads equal to or greater than 1/2" but not more than 2"

Red- Triple density tape suitable for NPT threads equal to or greater than 1/2" but not more than 2". (NOTE-The package is a red spool with a red cover ring and plainly labeled 'triple density", but the tape itself appears as a pale pink color).

GREEN TAPE- Listed as "OXY/MED tape"-certified oil free to be used on lines conveying oxygen and some specified medical gasses.

COPPER TAPE- Contains copper granules and is certified as a mechanical thread lubricant but is not certified as a thread sealant.

Dave

[Lefty]

Interesting... I've seen a few of the types you listed over the years, but I have only used the plain white stuff.

Mostly now I use Permatex Liquid Thread Sealant with Teflon
http://www.permatex.com/products-2/product-categories/thread-compounds/thread-sealants/permatex-thread-sealant-with-ptfe-detail

It's a heck of a lot easier to use than the tape, you don't have to sit there for 5min trying to figure out which way the tape has to be wound (wind it the wrong way & it'll unpeel as you screw the fittings together)... it also withstands higher temps/pressures than the tape, and is resistant to pretty much any automotive fluid (however, never use any teflon product with any transmission connection... the fluid breaks it down into tiny pieces that can become lodged in your valve body.. which then becomes a nightmare to unclog).