Can't find the propane bottle hose...

[Art-n-Marge]

Some time back (December-ish) there were a raft of us having issues with our propane tanks not working correctly. From bad hoses, to bad regulators, problematic propane turn-ons or shutoffs and even a bad autoswitchover. I was also having a problem and I think I am finally able to figure out my problem.

I have a 30 psi regulator on the curb side tank but I am not getting flow through it (the gauge is only half green. I know it's not the auto switchover, because I swapped the supply lines at the autoswitchover and the problem followed the curbside propane line. It's not the tanks because I can swap them with each other and the street side tank works everytime. Just the hoses and the pipes are suspect.

The long pipe and hoses that go into the switchover are good cuz I can blow air through them quite easily. I can't test the 30 psi regulator but I don't think that's a problem because I recently changed out the 18 psi regulator for this thing and the problem is still the same. Since I knew I should eventually have the 30 PSI I used this opportunity to get one.

The only thing I cannot test and therefore I think it's the problem is the hose that goes from the POL fitting of the tank to the 3/8" flare fitting of the 30 psi regulator. The cost to replace this is less than $20 but this is where I am having a big problem.

I cannot find a replacement with the 3/8" flare female fitting. The replacements have a 1/4" inverted flare male fitting not the 3/8" female flare. I can't connect this to the existing 3/8" flare male fitting on the 30 psi reg. I have checked hardware stores and RV stores and they all only sell the POL to 1/4" fitting.

I have sent an email to keystone but haven't heard anything yet. I also don't know if the 1/4" inverted flare would fit the 30psi reg if I removed the 3/8" adapter and put the hose directly into the regulator. I am not sure if the are the same type of 1/4" fitting (compressed versus flare) and don't want to risk stripping my brand new 30psi regulator. I also don't want to use another $20 worth of brass fittings to finally get this adapted because it would be a mess of too many fittings.

Any ideas? Anyone know where I can find this 18" hose?

[thor]

get a hose made from a hydralic shop .i know the hose is overrated but it might do the trick.just a thought.

[racerjoe]

Do you have any propane suppliers in your area? Not just the refill/replacement places, but the companies that have bulk propane trucks for deliveries. Some of them have the parts to make hoses with the proper fittings.

[Art-n-Marge]

Good ideas, thanks.

[Hooker]

You have a propane issue...call the experts...Marshall. The expert there is Ed Lee, 800-877-2495, X2415. He is the designer of one of those new regulators.

[Art-n-Marge]

The issue does not appear to be the regulator. I had the 18 psi reg and was starting to have this issue, then replaced with a 30psi reg (per many comments from MOCers who have done this and also stated this was Marshall's recommendation). The only possible problem seems to be the propane supply hose that connects the curbside propane tank to the red regulator (now is a 30psi). I've had propane hoses fail before so I'm thinking the hose.

I saw replacement hoses and the new POL connecter opening on these hoses is significantly larger than the OEM one that I suspect is bad.

Charlie, many thanks for the number!!! I may not need it now but I'm glad MOCers do post it. He sounds like a very accomodating person and someone to use as a resource when absolutely necessary. He's next if the hose doesn't work. The only other thing the problem could be is the new 30 psi regulator.

[swanny]

I had the same problem, but only replaced the hose. I couldn't see replacing a good regulator. All went very smooth, dealer had a few different hose configurations all around $20
sorry I can't help, but, do you still have the old regulator to put back on?

kevin