Liquid Propane Spurting Out of Regulator

[Midnite]

My wife and I took a quick overnight trip from Anchorage to Seward last weekend, and I noticed something that kinda scared me with the propane.



The camper is a 1970 Alaskan, and I have a brand new propane tank hooked up to it. In the morning in Seward I fired up the little catalytic heater and started breakfast on the stove. The first odd thing I noticed was that the burner flame would slowly shrink down and then eventually flare up a little bit and go from blue to orange. It would then repeat the process. A short time later I opened the back door to go outside, and just by chance looked down at the propane bottle. I noticed that the round metal piece on the camper's hose connecting to the tank (pot metal thing sorta shaped like a hockey puck--there's one on my BBQ as well) was covered in thick frost. Anyway, right at that moment a little spurt of liquid propane boiled out of that hockey puck shaped thing with a big hiss! That made me pretty nervous, so I shut the valve on the bottle immediately. Obviously the propane stays off until I fix the problem.



Does anyone know what's going on with that? The only thing I can guess is that the hockey puck thing is some kind of a second-stage regulator, and probably needs to be replaced (I'm sure it's the original that came with the camper in 1970), but I thought I should ask here first.



Thanks,

Mike

 

[TowPro]

sounds like you have a bad pressure regulator. The leak as well as the flame changing on the stove both point at a bad regulator.



time to purchase a new one. Be sure to get the 2 stage one, single stage like on your grill are not good enough for your RV.

Originally posted by Midnite

My wife and I took a quick overnight trip from Anchorage to Seward last weekend, and I noticed something that kinda scared me with the propane.



The camper is a 1970 Alaskan, and I have a brand new propane tank hooked up to it. In the morning in Seward I fired up the little catalytic heater and started breakfast on the stove. The first odd thing I noticed was that the burner flame would slowly shrink down and then eventually flare up a little bit and go from blue to orange. It would then repeat the process. A short time later I opened the back door to go outside, and just by chance looked down at the propane bottle. I noticed that the round metal piece on the camper's hose connecting to the tank (pot metal thing sorta shaped like a hockey puck--there's one on my BBQ as well) was covered in thick frost. Anyway, right at that moment a little spurt of liquid propane boiled out of that hockey puck shaped thing with a big hiss! That made me pretty nervous, so I shut the valve on the bottle immediately. Obviously the propane stays off until I fix the problem.



Does anyone know what's going on with that? The only thing I can guess is that the hockey puck thing is some kind of a second-stage regulator, and probably needs to be replaced (I'm sure it's the original that came with the camper in 1970), but I thought I should ask here first.



Thanks,

Mike

 

[Casey Balvert]

Any chance the tank was overfilled? YOu should not see liquid propane anywhere in the system. The only liquid should be in the tank itself. Overfilling is not oncommon on the older style but find it hard to believe if it was equipped with and OPD. Unless it was so cold the gas would not vaporize.



Casey

 

[Midnite]

Tow Pro, thanks--that's about what I'd assumed, but whenever I assume something bad things happen.



Casey, the liquid propane surprised me too. It is an OPD tank, and the temp wasn't *real* cold, probably about 10 - 15 deg. F.



I guess I'll check around for a 2 stage regulator Monday morning.



Thanks!

Mike

 

[Bill Stockard]

Like Casey says, there should be no liquid at the regulator. Liguid propane at the regulator will damage it.



Do you have a vertical tank and are you using it in the vertical position?

If you have a horizontal tank and using it in the vertical position, you will get liquid at the regulator.



You were wise by shutting the gas off until the problem is found and repaired.



Bill

 

[jmtandem]

alaskan caamper

Midnite,



How do you like your Alaskan camper?

 

[Midnite]

Bill, the tank is an OPD unit I bought at a Home Depot about three or four months ago. I'd wanted to just get the cheapest, which was a BBQ (20 lb. ?) tank. This one is the same length, but a little narrower, and I think was being sold as a 10 lb. tank. I have it laying on its side in the space just aft of the driver's side fender well.



Could it be possible that laying the tank on its side might be causing the problem? I think the possibility of it being overfilled is very small.



Mike

 

[Casey Balvert]

I think that tank is meant to be placed vertically only, even when transporting. Check the collar. It it doesn't say it is for horizontal use then THAT is your problem. Your valve is in liquid and that is why you are sending liquid through your system. Very very dangerous. Propane tanks always have a vapor space where the propane is drawn from. Positioning your tank vertically will solve your problem.



Casey

 

[Bill Stockard]

Mike,



Yes, that's your problem!!! NEVER use a vertical tank in the horizontal position!! Most portable grilles use a vertical tank and that is probably what you bought. A vertical style tank on its side draws liquid out of the pickup tube.



The rubber diaphragm in the regulator is probably ruptured. You should replace the regulator. For RV use, you should use a 2 stage regulator, not a single stage like on a portable grille.



Bill

 

[Underdog]

You are a very lucky person. you could have lost your

entire rig and maybe your life. Most people don't get a

second chance after doing what you did with that tank.

Thankfully,you caught it in time.

 

[klenger]

Can a vertical tank be stored full while in the horizontal position as long as it is vertical when used? I'm thinking of getting a spare 40 lb tank for my 5er when I get a generator, but would need to store it horizontal.

 

[Casey Balvert]

Tanks meant to be used vertically should also be stored vertically. If excessive pressure causes the overpressure valve to vent and the tank is stored horizontally, it will allow liquid propane to escape.



Casey

 

[Berrigan]

Verticals always vertical filling, storing, and using.

Horizontals always horizontal, filling storing, or using.



Horizontal tanks always have mounting ears or bases on the sides.



I would get a new regulator from an rv dealer and securley mount the tank in the orientation it was designed to work in.



Like others have said Im glad your still here to ask the question!!

 

[Bill Stockard]

Casey,



You are right again. Don't ask me how I know!!



Bill

 

[Midnite]

Thanks to everyone for setting me straight. I've got a new 2 stage regulator that I'll replace the old one with, and the tank will be repositioned.



Jmtandem--I love this camper! I pretty much grew up with Alaskan campers--my parents bought one just like mine brand new in '69 and kept it until the late '70s. They currently have an 8' cabover and love it. I'll only be using this one for short weekend trips either solo or with my wife, so it's the perfect size (8 ft. non-cabover--don't think I mentioned that before). The exterior is pretty rough, but is watertight. Despite that, the interior looks like it was never used at all! All the rubber seals around the perimeter were hardened and frayed, so I'm currently in the process of replacing those. I still need to wire it up to the truck, which will mean installing a relay to take the load of the running lights off the headlight switch. Still, not bad at all for $500.



What I thought was really cool when I bought it was that *all* the original paperwork (original receipt, sales brochures, etc) from 1970 was in a folder in the drawer above the ice box!



Mike

 

[jmtandem]

Alaskan campers

Midnight,



I also like mine. It is an 8 foot center dinette cabover. It has been repainted once and some other minor work done to fit my '01 tailgate width. The rear section was narrowed slightly to fit. I would like to buy a new one but they are not cheap. The '01 handles it like it is barely on the truck. I usually travel with full water and 200-300 pounds of stuff in the camper. That is about 2000 pounds of weight and it is not squatting the rear springs to touch the factory overloads.