Turn the gas on dummy!! - Montana Owners Club

Exnavydiver · 12-22-2009, 02:48 AM

Got up this morning and it was 43 outside, it was 51 inside. I have been monitoring the gas closely the last week or so because I have one bottle getting close to empty. Well it emptied last night and I figured that when it emptied it would just switch over to the full tank. Normally it would but some "TOOL" (me) forgot to turn on the other gas jug soooo no furnace heat this AM. DUH!! So I thought I would post this item as a small reminder that under normal circumstances when a gas bottle empties the regulator should just switch to the full bottle UNLESS you forget to turn on the spare bottle. If it is cold out, make sure BOTH bottles are turned on!!....Dave

H. John Kohl · 12-22-2009, 03:09 AM

I had a similar one. Our unit has a switch for the fire place OR microwave. Do not tear the fire place apart when it is not working until you make sure the switch is in the proper position. Is this OLD AGE?

HamRad · 12-22-2009, 03:22 AM

Dave,
I'll hazard a guess that you are not the first person to do this! I quit counting after about the third time. The problem is that we generally use very little propane. So when we do get somewhere cold and start running a lot of propane I forget to turn a bottle on or I forget to set the flow regulator to auto. Anyway I'm glad you had an easy fix for the furnace not working!

Stay warm and travel safely.
Dennis

jrhaman · 12-22-2009, 03:24 AM

Been there, done that. I think it is an unwritten law that the tank will run out between 3am and 4am.

8.1al · 12-22-2009, 03:31 AM

Well Dave, I just had to go out and check my propane. I just KNEW that they were both on, but I also knew I had forgotten in the past and I'm more than capable of doing it again. Thanks for reminding us.

jackandh2o · 12-22-2009, 04:04 AM

AND make sure the spare tank isn't empty. That has happened to a person I know quite well.

Ray

mail2us · 12-22-2009, 04:09 AM

Well Dave, that's what you get for not listening to Beau!!!!

Waynem · 12-22-2009, 04:53 AM

Gee Dave, if it had happened when you were awake and talking to Betsy, your hot air would have kept you warm!

Actually I like to keep the tanks in the manual position. The last time, when I had dual tanks, they switched over just like they were designed to do. So one morning, about 4 a.m. as described above, the second tank ran empty. So there I sat with two empty tanks. After that I would just as much rather get up at 4 a.m. and go switch the other tank to manual so I know that one tank has to be refilled.

But that's just dummy me.

DarMar · 12-22-2009, 06:11 AM

Thanks for the reminder, these things always happen during the wee hours of the morning! Oh well, any day spent in the Monty no matter what happens is a GOOD DAY!

Exnavydiver · 12-22-2009, 06:49 AM

I don't ever get up at 0400 in the AM to check the gas, that is why we have an electric blanket. And besides, Betsy can get up if she gets cold enough

mcgiver2 · 12-22-2009, 07:12 AM

Dave dont worrie your not the first and i bet you want be the last LOL but its a good reminder

boylanag · 12-22-2009, 07:45 AM

I made the mistake of not checking the 2nd tank and so ran out of propane in both at the same time (middle of the night, of course) Now I only turn on one at a time and may have to change valve in middle of the night but have not run out completely since. Thanks for the reminder, Dave.

Tom S. · 12-22-2009, 07:45 AM

Well, at least you remembered what it was before calling a repairman. My father-in-law paid a TV repairman $50 to plug in the TV that his wife had unplugged to run the vacuum. I told him next time to call me and I'd do it for $25.

Art-n-Marge · 12-22-2009, 07:54 AM

Last time we had a furnace problem, the furnace would not kick in at all! This was this past Sunday.

DW complained that she kept raising the temp and nothing would happen. I was snug in bed and half asleep, but knowing she likes things warm, and it had been a few days of cold temps (okay so 45 degrees is cold for us) and since I last filled the tanks, I got up, put on some warm clothing and went outside to check. I unlatched and opened the storage door, the tank looked good because the gauge was still very much in the "green", then closed and relatched the door. I went to the other side, the other tank showed "green" and the valve was straight up (first time trying this) and the bubble showed green. Puzzled, and knowing my first mistake was not checking DW's work first, I went back inside and looked at the climate control switch. In pushing its buttons DW had changed everything to A/C! It was never going to come on. I changed back to furnace and voila!

Sometimes a furnace problem can be fixed with a completely unrelated solution, like wearing your glasses whenever adjusting the controls to make sure the right buttons are depressed.

exav8tr · 12-22-2009, 08:45 AM

Dave, That's why Cathy has indoor/outdoor slippers!!!! Actually by turning only one on at a time, I actually never run out in both tanks as is possible with both always on....AND always living in above freezing climates makes things a littler easier. I have run out of both before, hence my new procedure. Having an electric blanket helps also......We Alaskans like our warmth!!!!!!

scductman · 12-22-2009, 01:06 PM

Dave I just got a remote sensor like wingerphil installed from tweetys. I am going to install it this week if I can. I used to keep one Tank cut off to make sure I had gas but I think this will work better. Even at my age I should notice a flashing red lite LOL. About 40.00$ shipping and all. You and betsy have a good christmas.
bobby

jretz · 12-22-2009, 01:26 PM

I only use one tank at a time so I know when one is empty. Good point is that I know when to fill one tank and not run out of propane, bad point is that the tanks always run out between 2 and 3 in the morning. Tanks running out in the wee hours of the morning is an inevitable rule just like rv parks have to be by railroad tracks.

Bill-N-Donna · 12-22-2009, 01:55 PM

Dave that sounds like something that I would do!

I do however have a question or 2 on this subject since it’s going… Is there something that mechanically flips to a different position or does it simply back feed from the other line into the regulator?

On an S.O.B. we had once I believe it was set up so that the physical switch had an arrow which needed to be pointed at the tank you were using. I really haven’t found any indication like that on this one, anyone know?

exav8tr · 12-22-2009, 02:52 PM

On my '06 3400, you move the selector switch to the tank you want to run first, when it empties, it switches to the opposite tank until its empty. I move switch to one tank and turn other off until the first one runs out, then move switch and turn on fresh tank, remove empty next day or two and fill it. Never run out this way, unless I forget to refill empty in a few days, but hasn't happened yet. Key word YET......Does all this make sense???

c214dick · 12-24-2009, 08:02 AM

OK, this posting requires my 4 cents worth. (Two times 2 cents because I have 2 stories) I never turn on the second tank because I want to know when I run out and switch manually. A few years ago we were in Tunica, Ms and drove to visit my brother in Texas leaving the RV in Ms. They had a freak cold spell with lots of ice and snow. By the time we got back the "on" tank had run out and the pipes froze. The kitchen faucet literally blew the top off and the water filter canister froze and broke off at the threads.

#2 My son and his family came from Colorado to visit and stayed in the hotel Monty. Of course it was cold out and as usual I did not turn on the second tank. I still tell my wife that I forgot but she knows better, Anyway, in the middle of the night my son, daughter in law and three grandchildren come stumbling in the house, freezing.

Have I learned my lesson? NO

By the way Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.

You may also like: