Bad regulator...a first for me

[jsb5717]

Nearly 40 years of towing trailers, mostly 10-20 year old rigs, and I've never had a propane regulator go bad...until yesterday.

It actually started last fall with the furnace intermittently not working. It would ignite then turn off after a few seconds. I was looking at flame sensor and igniter distance from the screen. It would randomly work for a while. This past week it worked then didn't work. I began to wonder about the regulator not delivering enough psi. I adjusted it up a little but it still didn't work. Then, the regulator just stopped working altogether...no propane would flow at all.

I drove into town, bought a new one, installed it, and the furnace has been working perfectly since. Was below freezing last night and the furnace did its job.

Anyway, new experience for me. With a newer rig I assumed that the regulator would have not failed...live and learn.

[432bartman]

Jeff, our trailer is a 2019 and the passenger side regulator went out on ours. Weird how an otherwise simple item, that new, can stop working.

[mhs4771]

That Door Side Regulator is a known failure item, and usually at the most inopportune time.

[BB_TX]

Was it the auto switch over regulator? Or the 30 psi high pressure regulator (little red regulator)?

[rohrmann]

I had to replace the FIL's regulator on his 2 year old Jayco TT. I took it apart and found a little rubber thing inside was installed off center and it wasn't fully covering a port, so it's a wonder it worked at all when new. He couldn't get his furnace or stove to work before the new regulator was installed. I replaced the change over regulator on our rig a few years ago, mostly because the red/green semaphore stopped working.

[jsb5717]

Originally Posted by BB_TX

Was it the auto switch over regulator? Or the 30 psi high pressure regulator (little red regulator)?

It was the auto switch over regulator. Mine was a Fairview, which is supposed to be a descent brand. I replaced it with a Marshall Excelsior MEGR-253

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by jsb5717

It was the auto switch over regulator. Mine was a Fairview, which is supposed to be a descent brand. I replaced it with a Marshall Excelsior MEGR-253

I have had to replace the 2 stage auto switch over regulator and the high pressure off side regulator....both by Fairview. I used Marshall Excelsior as well and never had a problem with either replacements.

[DQDick]

On one rig or another I've replaced the regulators on both sides. I suspected the crossover regulator was going bad on our 2017. I mentioned it to the mobile repair guy who's headquartered in the Enchanted Trails RV park in Albuquerque. He took me around to the back of his building and there was a 5 gallon bucket of the kind I suspected. This was in November and he said he'd filled the bucket since September. I also went with a Marshall.

[Dave W]

I replaced both of ours 2-3 years ago. Seems that RV manufacturers should have used a better one then the usual Chinese made Fairview's, i.e. Marshall Excelsiors(mine were US made)

[1retired06]

Guess I am lucky, one thing I have never had to replace on any of our rigs.

[Donjamin]

A year ago, I had to replace the the high pressure side (driver’s side) when the regulator started hissing propane. This forum was very helpful in finding a replacement. The general comment at the time was these regulators will fail at some point in their life on the rig. I bought a spare and keep it in my RV tool kit as a back up.

Don

[RRman]

I'm on my THIRD Switchover RV Propane Regulator in my 2005 Montana Big Sky. 2 Different brands...

I had to replace the simple Regulator for my Weber Grill and got one from the HOME DEPOT. It lasted maybe a year! Now I've got a Regulator from Wal-Mart
and its lasted longer.

Made in China as cheap as possible? Need I say more?

[John and Barbara]

The Regulators Keystone uses are junk, replace both with Marshall Excelsior. Make sure to get the switchover Regulator for a fifthwheel (they make 3 different flow rates). I had both fail near the same time, DW smelled gas on the passenger side which turned out to be the 30 PSI regulator. problem is that the gas bottle on the Pass side was turned off and the switch over Reg on driver side was set to driver side bottle. So both had to be bad.

[Mikelff]

These regulators are a known failure item. Luckily, mine haven't failed yet. Key word is yet. They aren't to terribly expensive so I’m ordering some spares.

[DQDick]

Just replaced the door side regulator today on our 2013.

[jsb5717]

As I stated at the beginning of this thread, this was a first for me after many years and several trailers. It's interesting to discover just how common a failure regulators can be. I've replaced both regulators now and everything is working as it should.

[masterdrago]

Both regulators are standard parts to always carry in the tool box. Along with water heater heating element, spare fuses, etc.

[Rod Spohn]

I now this is an older thread but I just had the door side regulator start leaking from a small hole/port in it. I’m looking for recommendations, part numbers so I can replace it with the best one out there. I was just glad my son smelled it since he and his family are using the RV while there home is being remodeled. Thanks if you can help

[rohrmann]

Last month, the FIL just received a recall notice from Jayco for the regulator on his TT, the one I replaced a couple years ago. It's pretty bad that it took that long for them to notice that there was a problem with them.