Propane Auto Switch Over Valve

[BB_TX]

We got our Monty last summer and have done very little cold weather camping and have not used much propane. I seem to have a problem with the switchover valve. If I point it toward the curb side tank and open that propane tank valve (leaving the street side tank closed), the switchover valve turns green. But if I point the switch to the street side tank and open that tank valve (leaving the street side tank closed), the valve remains red and I get no propane to the camper.
If I bring the street side tank to the curb side and point the valve back to the curb side, when I open the tank valve the switchover valve turns green immediately. It seems as if the valve is not switching to the street side.
Both tanks are full.
I think it worked last year. Last Sept in Colorado it was cold at night and we used the furnace in addition to cooking. After a few days, I noticed the valve was red (pointing to curb side) and I seem to remember switching it to the street side and it turned back green. Been a while, so I am not now really sure. But we never lost propane to the 5er.
Do I understand the operation correctly?

[illapah]

Bill and Paat - I posted this in another thread. Hope it helps

From April 08 issue of Highways magazine, page 30:
Editing the article start - Both tanks full and open, selection lever pointing to left cylinder. Red/green indicator is green. Stove burner lit to verify gas supply. End edit.

Here's where the meat of the test starts. We had him close the left cylinder valve, which simulates running out of gas in this cylinder. The indicator turned red. He then looked at the burner flame; it was still burning, which indicates that the regulator had switched to the right cylinder automatically. We then had Rich switch the lever to designate the right cylinder, which made the indicator go green. While these regulators are described as "automatic", the owner still has to physically move the lever to the designated cylinder to make the indicator go green again. Once that indicator is green , it's OK to remove the empty cylinder and have it refilled.
We then asked him to open the left cylinder valve and close the right cylinder valve, repeating the previous test, only switching cylinders. He experienced the same results and proper function.
After the tests, we had Rich open the stove burner while the cylinder valves were closed, bleeding off the propane and causing the indicator on the regulator to turn red. Rich carefully opened the service valve on the designated cylinder to slowly introduce enough gas to;make the indicator go half green (you really have to be quick enough to do this). We wanted to show him that the red/green indicator is actually a pressure guage and that it could also be used to perform a pressure-drop leak test - because there was enough pressure in the system to make the indicator show some green. As long as the system does not have a leak, it will continue to show green. If the red/green indicator does not drop to red after a few minutes, that indicates there is no substantial leak (theoretically nothing is absolutely leak free, and standard for this test is a minimum of three minutes).
Then we asked Rich to open the stove burner for a few seconds to simulate a leak, and, sure enough, the indicator turned red.
These tests showed that gas did flow from each cylinder and the automatic-switchover regulator functioned as expected. The propane piping system also passed our leak test.
Many, if not most RVers don't actually know how to use the automatic-switchover regulator to its maximum benefit. These regulators allow the owner to leak-test the system, provide continuous appliance service after the designated cylinder runs out of gas (as long as both cylinder valves are left open), and the system actually functions as a fuel-level guage because it shows you when to refill the empty cylinder. END OF ARTICLE.

[ols1932]

You must open the valve on the street side tank so then when you switch the valve towards that tank the flag will be green. Now you can turn off the curb side tank, remove it and refill it. Then bring it back hook it up as normal and slowly open the valve until it is completely open. Now, when the street side tank empties, the automatic changeover will change the valve over to the curb side tank.

Orv

[sreigle]

In the propane locker that does not have the switchover regulator there is a small red regulator. This is in later models. Our 2007 has this, our 2003 did not. That little red regulator is not very hardy and tends to act up or die rather easily. we had ours replaced once. Same symptoms you are having. The second time I was not near a dealer and was fed up with it. I removed the red regulator. Unfortunately, the hose into that red regulator does not directly fit the opening where the regulator was screwed in. You need an adapter. Four RV dealers, none had it. Ace Hardware had it. I took the red regulator with me and found an adapter that would work.

The ONLY reason that red regulator is there is because on earlier Montanas we sometimes experienced problems with the propane tank's safety valve tripping. That valve trips when it detects an unusually high flow of propane. It thinks a hose was ruptured or something. That happened when we too quickly opened the tank valve. The propane had to flow clear through that pipe to the regulator on the other side. The red regulator prevents that problem from happening by controlling the flow. Unfortunately it easily gets plugged (my guess) and restricts the flow too much. Thus the red flag.

If you remove the red regulator, just remember to open that tank's valve very slowly. I probably get mine to full open in about 15 seconds. No problems. If by chance you get no propane flow because you tripped the valve, close the valve, disconnect the hose, reconnect, open slowly.

This might not be your problem but it is what happened on ours.

[BB_TX]

Steve - I do have the small red regulator you speak of. From your description, sounds like that could be my problem also. I will look into that. Thanks for all the replies.

[bsmeaton]

Bill, before you discount the red regulator - try lighting up all the burners on the stove while on the streetside tank.

Our regulator does fine in the automatic mode, but sometimes when starting out opening valves and pressurizing the system, the regulator will show red on a full tank until I start to use something to create a flow through the line. I know the indicator is pressure driven, but an initial flow always helps my indicator to respond right after turning the system on from storage.

[sreigle]

Brad, that's a good point. I was not aware of that but will try that if I have further problems in the future. Thanks.

[BB_TX]

Not sure why, but it is working.
I turned the selector valve to the street side and opened the street side tank valve leaving the curb side valve closed. Selector valve showed red. I could only get enough gas flow to barely keep 2 burners on with a very small flame. Trying to light a 3rd would cause one of the others to go out.
Opened the curb side tank valve and the flames jumped to full height. Switched selector valve to curb side and it turned green.
Turned off both tanks to bleed off pressure and then turned off burners.
Swapped tanks. Moved curb side tank to street side and vice versa. Tried same scenario with selector pointed to street side, street side tank open, curb side tank closed. Same result, selector showing red, very low flow/flame. Open curb side and high flame.
Closed both tanks to bleed off pressure. Turned off burners. Turned selector to curb side, opened curb side tank and got green indication. Lit all 3 burners at high flame. Slowly opened street side tank. Verified that flames were still high and slowly closed curb side tank. Indicator turned red but flames remained high indicating that the valve had switched and I was getting full flow from the street side. Turned selector valve to street side, indicator turned green and flames remained high.
Seems to be working OK now. Apparently it needed some sort of resetting.

[bsmeaton]

Bill,

Just based on your description, combined with the trouble several folks have had, I would suspect the red regulator is giving you trouble, and would replace it if your problems resurface.

I assume your red regulator is on the curb side?? Mine is actually on the street side, because my LP manifold and kitchen is on the street side.

The red regulator was installed around 2006 to "slow" down the pressurization of the longer hard pipe line from the side opposite of the standard regulator. Evidently when the LP tanks were fitted with the internal safety valve, they would periodically close because of the sudden outrush of LP trying to fill the empty pipeline up to the regulator. The interim red regulator stops that phenomenon.

[sreigle]

Bill, I agree with Brad.

When that red flag is up on the regulator it will allow it to draw propane from the other side, the curb side, if that tank's valve is open. With the curb side valve closed it could not draw from that tank, only from the street side tank. When you opened the valve on the curb side the red flag was still up because it can't draw enough from the street side, and that red flag allows it to draw from that curb side tank, which is the side with your main regulator, right? And that increased the flow of propane. This is a bad situation because you **may** be drawing propane from both tanks at the same time and thus may totally run out of propane in both tanks some time.

I just re-read what I wrote and it made me dizzy. I hope it makes sense to you.

[BB_TX]

Just to clarify, the small red regulator valve is on the street side and the selector valve is on the curb side. My furnace and kitchen are both curb side.
I will periodically check each tank to see if the one the selector valve is pointing to gets lighter than the other tank.