By Cheri Sicard
Nathan from Access RV has a terrific video for people who have questions about, or who have been struggling with, their RV propane system.
Nathan breaks it down to eight simple things everyone should do to keep their RV’s propane system running smoothly and to prevent potential problems.
The eight RV propane tips covered
#1. Bleeding the system. Nathan’s shop often gets calls from customers baffled by why their RV fridge won’t light. Not bleeding the system is the most common culprit. Watch the video demo on just how to do this if you don’t already know.
#2. Resetting a tripped excess flow valve. Customers call for service, saying they can’t get the propane to flow into the RV. Often, they think something is wrong with the propane bottle. However, the most likely problem is in the pigtail that attaches to the propane bottle. If too much propane tries to flow through at once, it will trip the excess flow valve. It’s easy to reset. The video shows you how.
#3. Checking appliance propane lines. Nathan recommends checking the propane lines that run to your furnace, your water heater, and your refrigerator at least once a year. Watch the video to see how to keep these areas clean of debris and insects, as some insects LOVE the smell of propane.
#4. Annual propane leak check. Nathan recommends an annual professional check to ensure your RV propane system has no leaks.
#5. Auto changeover regulator tips. He explains how these common RV propane accessories work and how to use them most efficiently.
#6. How to determine how much propane is left in your tanks. Nathan demonstrates three methods that can clue you in to how low your propane is running.
#7. Propane detector tips. If your detector is going off and you don’t know why, it is probably due to a low battery. If you reset it and it still goes off, it needs replacing. This RV safety device needs replacing every seven years.
#8. Cold weather RVing. If your furnace is not warming your RV in cold weather, the problem might not be with the furnace but rather with the propane. In the video, Nathan explains why this is and what you can do about it.
So, give the video a view and keep your RV propane system in tip-top shape!
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RVDT2951
You might have mentioned that for the automatic change over to work both propane bottles need to be open. I’ve run into many people who only open one bottle at a time and my question is, when the furnace quits at two in the morning do you really want to go outside to change bottles. As to how much propane is in the bottle, I use the hot water test. Also, on the bottle’s collar, look for the letters “TW”. That stands for Tare Weight. That’s the weight of the bottle itself. Put the bottle on a scale, a bathroom scale works reasonably well, and subtract the Tare Weight from what’s showing on the scale’s reading. That’s how much propane, by weight, is in the bottle. A 20 pound propane bottle holds exactly 20 pounds of propane. A 30 pound bottle holds 30 pounds. This is at 80% capacity, which is the maximum allowable.
Thank you for the info, Impavid. Have a great day! 🤗 –Diane
Thank you for the video and summary, Cheri. All very interesting. Have a great week and safe travels!