30 lb LP regulator - Montana Owners Club

RonT · 12-15-2010, 02:48 AM

Last spring I installed the 30 lb regulator but did not get a chance to ensure a good changeover until the other night. It did not change over from drivers side to passenger side. Removed bottle and tapped a few time, reinstalled, opened valve slowly but still no luck. Moved bottle to driver side and it was okay. Moved the bottle back this morning but still would not work even with changeover turned to that bottle. I then removed the hose from bottle to regulator and tried to blow thru it. Very little air is getting thru. Is this normal? Is there an orifice in the line to restrict flow or is the hose bad? Thanks fo any help you can give.

Art-n-Marge · 12-15-2010, 06:16 AM

This same thing is happening to me now. The autochange is not autochanging. My last outing (and it was a cold one for us) when the bottle ran out, I had to swap it out with the other one since the autochange didn't work. The first clue is the red/green indicator always shows only half and half. It used to show all green, until recently. The failing side is the long hose to the passenger side of the rig. The short distance driver's side is working okay so I've resorted to bottle swapping.

The little regulator on the passengar side has already been changed out (from 18psi to 30psi). I should add, the problem was occurring and then I swapped this out, so I don't think this was the problem.

I'm gonna try and check the hose too. I plan to use my compressor and blow some air through it up to 30psi. Any additional advice on how to debug this would be appreciated. Ron, did the ends of you hose have the pinholes? If so, I think very little air will get through. But it we can remove that fitting then the air should flow real well through the hose.

I'm thinking it's the changeover regulator itself. Sometimes it can be mucked up with oil or other gunk. I ALWAYS open any valve slowly so I know it's not that.

It never ends. There's always something.

dreamers2010 · 12-15-2010, 08:19 AM

We're having the same problem with the gas tanks in our 2009 3605RL LE. The tanks aren't switching over and we are also getting what the propane dealer says is an air-lock. And when this happens in the middle of the night, it's cold when you get up.

Do all Montana's have this switch-over feature or do some of them have to be switched automatically? I know we would like to fix the problem.

Thanks, Judy & Bob

RonT · 12-15-2010, 09:25 AM

Art, Holes in the fittings on both ends of the hose are close to 1/8" diameter. When it failed to change over it was the middle of the night and cold but when I was working on it this morning it was in the high 40's. I'm not seeing half green and red. Mine is either all red or all green. Even with the changeover pointed at the passenger side bottle I could not get green this morning. Tomorrow I may take the hose loose from the changeover valve, turn on the gas and see if gas comes through from the far side.

Wiarton William · 12-15-2010, 01:21 PM

I am right in the middle of all of this..the red regulator has been removed and not replaced..which did not solve the problem..the tank full/empty indicator never moves. the driver side propane tank seems to have a problem as does the short hose to it.. physically changing the tanks over from one side to the other worked a couple of times..doesnt seem to do that now..propane guy said the dr side tank valve is defective and the other side is not working properly. by the time I get the right answer I will have replaced the whole system...

gbsb · 12-15-2010, 01:25 PM

I have a '09 3400RL and was having the same problem. After some troubleshooting I found the screw on connector was bad. I'm talking about the green connector that attaches the fuel line to the tank. They have a check valve built in to them incase of a blow out it shuts fuel off. I went to the hardware store and bought a new connector and short hose and installed them has worked perfect for two weeks now. We are in a KOA in Mt Pleasant TX. After running all over town looking for parts they had them cheaper in the camp store so I guess it pays to check your camp store. Good luck George

scductman · 12-15-2010, 04:10 PM

Sounds like the switchover valve my 06 3650 is on the 3rd one since new. I have never had a red reg on the curb side I just open the valve real slow and never had a problem. sometimes I have to remove the line to releave the pressure if I open to fast and reinstall to get propane to flow. these regs are not very reliable to say the least. The first one I had to replace the dealer said I had to have the red reg but since it did not come with one I would have to pay for it "O REALLY" I still don't one.
bobby

Devildog · 12-16-2010, 04:53 AM

With Ron T's original post, I had the same problem two years ago.
Started out by changing the Auto changeover. That was not the problem. tested the regulators. That was not the problem. Double checked everything. No propane flowing on one side. Finally, took the hose that connects the tank to the pressure regulator. That was the issue.
The pressure lines have their own safety cutoff in the orifice that will shut down the flow if it detects overpressurization. change your pressure line from your tank to your regulator. It should solve the problem.

RonT · 12-16-2010, 05:53 AM

Thanks Jim,
I came to the same conclusion this morning. On the drivers side I took the hose from the crossover black pipe to the changeover valve loose then slowly turned on the passenger side tank, still no flow. Took off the drivers side pressure hose and cannot blow any air thru it. The passenger side hose would allow some air thru. It turns out I did have the 18 psi regulator. Installed it. Still did not work. That only leaves the passanger side hose which I will replace as soon as I can buy one.

brenkco · 12-16-2010, 06:10 AM

Ron,
I had the same problem with my 2010 3455. When I had the dealer check it out, it took them some time to locate the problem. It turns out some pipe dope got in one of the connectors, blocking the line. Once cleaned, the change over between the tanks worked fine. Apparently some sloppy assembly!

Don't know if that is your problem but it might be worth checking.

Ken

RonT · 12-16-2010, 06:22 AM

Ken, I looked at the inlet to the regulator and changeover valve and could not see anything lodged in the passages. If it is something in a hose it will be hard to see since the openings are small.

Art-n-Marge · 12-16-2010, 06:42 AM

Your symptoms are different than mine. I think either my hose on the passenger side is bad or the autochangeover on the one side is bad. I would rather know which it is and replace only that part. It's raining over here now, and I don't need the rig for a while so it will take me some time to get to it, but I'll eventually post what I find and fix, or keep swapping tanks until I get tired of that workaround.

I would not look forward to replacing the hose since it's so long ($$$) and will take some work to remove since it goes through two walls and a bunch of other stuff the way it's routed. Then I'll have to measure its length and hunt for the replacement. Stuff like this should just not be going wrong. All these little things add up quickly when they are problematic.

Please post if this fixes your problem.

Devildog · 12-16-2010, 08:21 AM

if it is the hose on either the passenger or driver side, they are not that long. Montana uses a steel pipe from the drivers side to connect into the passenger side (where my changeover is). The driver side is probably not more than a 9 to 12 inch hose.
As it was explained to me, there is a diaphram in the hose ends to detect overpressures that could possibly split the hoses, or if the hose splits through rot or chafe. I chased these gremlins for about two weeks, until I narrowed it down to the hose only. Once they were replaced, the propane was running back to normal. Camping world has these hoses that are direct fit and not much more than a dollar an inch with the fittings already on them. Thy are an off the shelf item.

Wiarton William · 12-17-2010, 05:50 AM

Reading all with interest..will start with the short hoses on both sides..

RonT · 12-19-2010, 11:59 PM

I was finally able to get a new hose for the curb side tank. I am now able to get flow from that side which I could not get with the 1.5 yr old hose. The next test will be to see if the changeover valve will function properly. Will simulate that today by closing the centerline (driver's side) tank.

Art-n-Marge · 12-20-2010, 08:18 AM

Hi Ron.... it's still raining over here so I have done no work. I probably can't get to it until after Christmas.

What did you pay for the curbside hose and how long was it? I'm just looking for round numbers in case that's my issue. I just can't understand why these hoses or regulators last such a short time.

8.1al · 12-20-2010, 09:10 AM

There is an oil in the propane. I was told by the factory service center that it can damage your regulator over time. Sooner if you get some propane with an excessive amount.

RonT · 12-20-2010, 10:49 PM

Change over test went well. Turned off street side tank which was being used at the time (burner on stove being used). Changeover valve turned red but burner continued to work drawing from curb side tank. My system is back to normal. Thanks to all for your ideas and suggestions. It is great to have others to turn to for help.
Art, My curb side hose is 20" long (from tank to 30psi regulator)) and cost about $17 at Camping World in Ft. Myers, FL

Wiarton William · 01-17-2011, 10:50 AM

I have been able to get everything fixed up so far..still awaiting the Marshall C6121 30lb regulator to repalce the red one....I had a trio of problems..wont bother you with the stories but...the furnace circuit board was faulty thus there was a problem with ignition and recycling...there was one tank of propane that was of such poor quality that it would barely ignite...the two stage regulator and its tank hose was changed out as the presuure allowed through was not enough to keep the funace going let alone all the rest of the appliances if needed..everything is working good now...Parts total of $220... labour $170.

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