2014 Montana Propane Difference

[JandC]

My twin 30 pound propane set up is a little different in my new 3725 as compared to my old 3400. I used to have a small lever on the in-line indicator that I could switch the tanks over, or I could let them switch over automatically. I don't see any such gauge or switch on this one. Had both tanks open and this morning we got up to 40 degrees in Marion Illinois. Turned furnace on and it came right up to 70 degrees but then stopped later. Went outside and left tank empty right tank full. Switched tanks and good to go. Are the new units not equipped to switch automatically.

[bncinwv]

Our 2014 has the auto-switchover.
Bingo

[jhudson]

Our 2014 3725 has an auto change over regulator on it.

Jay

[Lack of HP]

My 2014 3625re does not have automatic switch over. have to go out and switch the lever.
Joe

[TAKPAK]

We have auto switch over on our 2014 3725. I also switched out one of the tanks and put a 40 pound in.

[rohrmann]

After having the convenience of an auto switching regulator, I would be upset to not get the same on a new rig. It would have to be an important mod project. I wonder what their excuse is for this change?

[Overlord]

Maybe some dealers are "borrowing" the regulators from lot inventory rigs to replace failed ones on sold units that people have come back for repair of a bad regulator, and they get replaced with a cheap replacement that does not auto-switch propane tanks. ...I don't know, just a theory here.

I know that when I picked up my rig at the dealer, during the PDI we found a big scratch (that had a very poorly executed repair attempt) across the dining table, so they pulled one out of an inventory rig to replace it. I suspect that the scratched one was installed back in the other trailer, in hopes that the buyer of that unit wouldn't notice it.

If a dining table was replaced by, say a folding card table or some other rinky-dink table, it would certainly be noticed. ... but a cheap replacement regulator would in most cases be something that most buyers would not catch during a PDI.

Could be a reason for it,

...or maybe it's as simple as the production line occasionally run out of of the auto-switching regulators due to vendor supply problems, and they use more readily available ones, and keep on pumping the rigs out the end of the building.

Who the heck knows for sure?! It sure is a curious thing how some would have ones that do not switch tanks automatically, though.

[napria]

Our 2014 does not have an auto switch over regulator. Should it?

[JandC]

That may be a good question to ask (and show) the tech at the Goshen rally this fall.

[DonandBonnie]

Goes to show that the PDI is for more than just checking that the Monty is put together right and that everything works. It is also to check for everything that you are suppose to get with the rig.

[scott-pati]

My 2014 has a lever on it, not sure if its auto switch over.

[Carl n Susan]

quote:Originally posted by scott-pati

My 2014 has a lever on it, not sure if its auto switch over.

Could it be you have a typo in your Profile??? It says
"2014 Montana 3402RL, Build Date 8/15/2014,".

You and Richfaa with your rigs built in the future.

[Carl n Susan]

I couldn't understand why Montana would discontinue the Auto Switchover Propane valve. I was at my dealer this afternoon and looked at four brand new Montanas, one of which was delivered while I was there. They have build dates of 2/11/2014, 2/25/2014, 3/18/2014, and 4/7/2014. They *ALL* had the Auto Switchover valves. The physical lever for switching tanks manually is visible above the red gauge in the picture. The automatic feature switches from the primary tank (the tank pointed to by the lever) to the secondary tank when the primary tank is empty (assuming the secondary tank is turned on - i.e. valve is open and it has propane). While you have to do nothing to cause the auto-switch, you do need to flip the lever to point to the previously secondary tank (making it now the primary) and the gauge will turn green. Now you can remove the empty tank, re-fill it, and re-connect it as the new secondary tank. If your system is not working like this it needs to be fixed by your dealer.

[JandC]

First of all, thanks Carl for the photo. I went out and looked at my right side tank again and sure enough it looks exactly like your photo. It is a painted black background up there and I never noticed the little black switch over lever. However, mine is still not switching automatically. So when you say to switch manually the black plastic lever should be pointing to the tank you want to draw from.....which way is that for which tank, since the lever sits on top of that right side tank and just goes left and right (or points to the back of the Montana or the front)? Actually now that I typed this I am confused but I hope you can understand what I am asking. On my 2008 is was obvious which way for which tank to switch it to.

[Carl n Susan]

It is probably clearer to say the lever points to one hose or another. It draws from the tank attached to that hose. You have to eyeball where the hose goes to determine which tank is used.

Better?

P.S. To test the auto switch capability, start with both tanks full and the valves open. Light the burners on the stove, Close the valve on the primary tank (where the lever points). The gauge should turn red but the burners should stay lit indicating the regulator is drawing propane from the other open tank.

[DarMar]

X 2 Carl. Could not have described it any better than that!

[jfaberna]

I have heard that when you flip the lever to the full tank after a auto switchover, R&R the empty tank for a full one, you need to very slowly open the new tank's valve for the auto-switch system to work properly then next time. BTW, my regular and lever look just like Carl's picture, but I think mine is painted gray. My 2014 Monty was built in November 2013.

[RichR]

I had switch over problems until I replaced the red regulator and hose to new ones-no more slowly opening the tank or any of that bs.Works as it should now.

[Rainer]

At one time I was mistakenly under the impression that the lever pointed to the tank that was supposed to feed the system.

No so, Hiawatha!

All that lever does is indicate the LP level in the tank that it's pointing to, not the flow of the gas.

I proved this to myself at the Quartzsite rally, where I changed propane tanks twice.

If you have both tanks open, the system will draw from both tanks, if you only have one tank open, it will draw from that tank.

The experiment went like this. I opened the driver's side LP tank but pointed the lever to the passenger side LP tank. The indicator was completely red, indicating an empty tank. I left the lever pointed to the passenger side tank and then removed that tank.

No gas came rushing out of the empty hose connection and the LP gas continued to flow uninterrupted from the driver's side tank.

When I put the lever into the vertical position, which indicates how much LP gas is in both tanks together, it showed only half full. Which was correct, When I turned it toward the driver's side tank it showed all green, or full, and when I turned the lever toward the passenger side tank, it showed all red, or completely empty.

That's how it's supposed to work.