Propane troubleshooting help: UPDATE: SOLVED (smh)

[guavajelly]

Hello,

So I haven't had the Westy camping as much as I should for the past couple of years (kids- sheesh) but we've now been getting out a little and I'm having trouble with low propane flow. As in low flame and unable to start the fridge.I have run multiple Samba searches and have done some trouble shooting but have not gotten things up to par.

Last summer I pulled and did maintenance on the fridge and got it running nice and cool with and external propane source out side of the van. I also dropped the tanked to sand, paint, check fittings and blow out supply tubes.

I reinstalled the tank and went to the local RV propane station and got the tank filled - although I am not sure the attendant new quite what to do with the tank. after filling the empty tank flow was low.

my first thought was the regulator.

I replaced the regulator. no change.

on this and other forums there was talked of improperly filled tanks that required bleeding via the overflow valve. (seems suspect) but I nevertheless opened the valve for a while (perhaps 15 minutes). There was/is not a strong propane smell but this too had no real effect on the flow level to the stove.


Any thoughts on further with troubleshooting will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

Adam


83 aircooled california westy.
_________________
65 Karmann Ghia Coupe
83 a/c westy
Past:
71 fastback
66 squareback

[dobryan]

Did you check to see what pressure the regulator is putting out? Set up a manometer and check it. Somewhere on here is the thread on how to do that but my search-fu is weak today.
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

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[E1]

A guy once tried to fill our tank, but we ran out the next day.

He hadn't vented it right and didn't get any propane in at all... claiming it was "already full..."

Just sayin' it's possible you're simply low on propane...
_________________
‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman

[guavajelly]

[quote="E1"]A guy once tried to fill our tank, but we ran out the next day.

He hadn't vented it right and didn't get any propane in at all... claiming it was "already full..."

Just sayin' it's possible you're simply low on propane...[/quote

I have been suspecting that this is the issue... I will be heading for a re-refill this weekend and will update.
thanks.

Dobryan I did find how to make a manometer pretty cool and pretty simple
thanks!
_________________
65 Karmann Ghia Coupe
83 a/c westy
Past:
71 fastback
66 squareback

[Ahwahnee]

The bleeder valve (on mine anyway) has to be opened quite a lot before the tank will accept propane - more so on a hot day.

Usually it is me watching the gauge on big tank while the guy loosens the valve. I have him keep opening it until I see the number start to move on the gauge.

[spitsnrovers]

Though this may not be your problem, I did find the following cause:

Before lighting the fridge, I opened the valve just about 1 and half turns, thinking that was good enough. The fridge lit, stayed for a few minutes, then went out.

Discovered I needed to open the valve fully to get sufficient flow.
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'88 VW Westfalia
'75 Triumph Spitfire 1500

[Tobias Duncan]

Do you have the manual bleeder valve or that automatic monstrosity?

[guavajelly]

[Tobias Duncan]

and when you open it , propane come squirting out like crazy ?

[guavajelly]

[MarkWard]

Tank sounds empty. When I get ours filled, I pay attention to the counter on the propane dispenser. It always takes between 2 and 3 I assume pounds. Anyhow, If you opened the bleeder for 15 minutes, the tank is empty.

When filling, with the bleeder open, you will actually get cold liquid vapor out the bleeder during the fill. That is how you know it is full. Verify the amount put in. Nothing wrong with understanding the proper procedure and helping the attendant. I even put a rug down. During the fill, you need to have gloves on to close the bleed valve. If you don't, you can get frost bite.
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☮️

[atomatom]

this may be far fetched, but depending on the condition of your tank's shut off valve, if you accidentally turn it off instead of on, it may release a small amount of gas. i know this because my shut off sometimes acts like this; low flame, poor fridge performance - until i open the valve the correct direction.
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84 Vanagon Westy, 1.9L, California raised but defected to Canada.

[E1]

[guavajelly]

With some regret I am updating this to inform and hopefully educate others.

I was convinced that I had checked and cleaned my lines properly when I had my fridge out last year.

Well, I had a propane guy stop by my work today and I asked him his thoughts on my situation. his first thought was an over-filled tank but after I explained that the bleeder did not spew liquid he changed his mind.
"something has to be in the lines"

when i got home this evening i removed the ends of the supply lines from the fridge and stove and from the T at the tank and blew them out with a bicycle pump. In both tubes I felt an initial resistance and then an easy flow of air from the pump.

hooked everything back up and viola stove is running strong and the fridge fired right up and is currently cooling at an appropriate pace.

I was pretty ready to blame the propane attendant but the moral of the story is double check your own work and clean out the lines..


Thanks for the replies.
_________________
65 Karmann Ghia Coupe
83 a/c westy
Past:
71 fastback
66 squareback

[Jeffrey Lee]

Glad to hear it!

Curious: what do you suppose the obstruction was? Were you able to catch any debris, etc. at the other end of the lines?

In theory, assuming clean/filtered LP, it shouldn't be easy to get debris in there ...

[guavajelly]