Propane auto changeover

[Camping family]

How do I know which tank is being used? The auto changeover show both tanks green. Have one tank on driver side one on passenger side. The handle on the changeover is pointing towards the front of the camper. Which tank is it drawing from? The drivers side or passenger side.

[sourdough]

Point the lever to the tank to be used and leave it there. When the tank runs empty the indicator will show red but will automatically switch to the other tank - this is your notice to flip the lever the other tank (making the indicator turn green), turn off that tank then remove it, fill it, put it back in and turn it on. When the other tank runs out the indicator will again turn red then repeat the process.

[Camping family]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Point the lever to the tank to be used and leave it there. When the tank runs empty the indicator will show red but will automatically switch to the other tank - this is your notice to flip the lever the other tank (making the indicator turn green), turn off that tank then remove it, fill it, put it back in and turn it on. When the other tank runs out the indicator will again turn red then repeat the process.

That is my question. How do I know which tank it is using. On the 5th wheel there is one on each side. The changeover handle points front or back.

[Old Mustanger]

Follow the hoses coming out of the regulator. One will go almost directly to the tank on the left side of the camper, the other will go across the front to the right side. Whichever hose you have the lever pointed to will be the tank in use. On the Cougar we used to have the lever pointed to the front to feed the right side cylinder.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Camping family

That is my question. How do I know which tank it is using. On the 5th wheel there is one on each side. The changeover handle points front or back.

Like Jerry said the regulator has a hose coming into it from each of the cylinders. The "off" side (other side from the regulator) should be a short length of hose going to a steep pipe that goes across the front of the trailer to the tank on the far side. At the end of that pipe will be a high pressure regular then the hose to the tank. The other side of the regulator will have the hose that goes to the tank sitting in the compartment with it. Whatever direction you point the lever is where the regulator will feed fuel from until it's gone.

[dutchmensport]

If both tanks are full, then turn one propane tank completely off with the tank knob. Now, run your stove, water heater, or furnace for a few minutes.

The red-green indicator will either turn red or stay green.

If it turns red, that switch over knob is pointed to the tank that you shut off. If it stays green, it's pointed to the tank that is currently drawing from.

Now you have your base line, you know which tank it's initially drawing from. You can now turn the knob on the other tank. Watch that red-green closely and when it switches from green to red, you know the current tank is empty and the system is now drawing from the full tank. Flip that valve and it will turn green again. Now, remove the empty tank and get it filled.

[ChuckS]

My video.. I set the regulator lever to the Primary tank and turn only that tanks OPD valve on...

I leave the secondary tank OPD valve closed..

Video explains why and shows you..

https://youtu.be/SUISQqc6P-o?si=Ae2ZRokmOFtzzQPs

[dutchmensport]

ChuckS,
That is an excellent video demonstrating why only one tank should be opened at a time. And your video demonstrates exactly why I open only one at a time. The first time I ran completely out of propane (both tanks), I was taken by 100% surprise because both tanks emptied much faster than I expected. And, when they emptied, it was in the middle of the night, and it was about 20 degrees outside, and ... it was a Saturday / Sunday morning. Everything is closed on Sunday when you are camping a zillion miles from home. We ended up breaking camp early and headed back home. Couldn't find propane fill up anywhere open on a Sunday!

I said, "Never again!" The automatic switch over is a nice feature, but if you don't watch for that indicator to turn red like a hawk, you'll find yourself in a real pickle.

Your video also demonstrates how, if one tank is shut off and the indicator turns red or stays green, you can determine easily which tank the valve is set for.

If running both tanks, and both are filled, if you've never worked with these before, yes,.... it is hard to know which tank is being used first .... until the indicator turns red. Then you know.

Good video! And spot on! Thanks for posting!

[sourdough]

To me the video explains why you would run with both valves open.
Many years ago I tried leaving one valve closed; I spent 1/2 the night tossing and turning freezing to death because I didn't want to go out in the dark while it was in the twenties to turn on a tank....but I did and had a lot of choice words to say. I've never done it again and....I've never ran out of fuel again....especially at night.
If you know your habits it takes very little to know the approximate time it takes to run a tank out. It takes maybe, maybe 2-3 seconds to open the enclosure and look at the gauge. If it shows red, flip the switch and go fill the tank. I've never been anywhere I can't make a tank last over the weekend and I always make sure I'm full before that or over holidays. To each his own but looking at that gauge is by far easier IMO than freezing at night trying to open a tank valve and swap tanks with the regulator. JMO.

[Camping family]

Thank you everyone for the information. Now I know which tank is being used. Thank you all again.

[ChuckS]

Originally Posted by sourdough

To me the video explains why you would run with both valves open.
Many years ago I tried leaving one valve closed; I spent 1/2 the night tossing and turning freezing to death because I didn't want to go out in the dark while it was in the twenties to turn on a tank....but I did and had a lot of choice words to say. I've never done it again and....I've never ran out of fuel again....especially at night.
If you know your habits it takes very little to know the approximate time it takes to run a tank out. It takes maybe, maybe 2-3 seconds to open the enclosure and look at the gauge. If it shows red, flip the switch and go fill the tank. I've never been anywhere I can't make a tank last over the weekend and I always make sure I'm full before that or over holidays. To each his own but looking at that gauge is by far easier IMO than freezing at night trying to open a tank valve and swap tanks with the regulator. JMO.

** It depends on the person.. As i get older I forget things.. I often remember later on.. If the Primary tank runs out and the secondary OPD is open and I forget to do a daily check in the LP compartment I might miss the RED indicator on the regulator.

I'd rather be cold for 1-2 minutes opening the OPD valve to a tank that I know is full and flip the regulator making it the new primary then go outside and say to myself " things I can't say here" realizing its 0200 in West Yellowstone Mt and I cant get my tanks filled till the sun comes up..

** The video however should enlighten many folks that don't understand Primary versus Secondary and what the regulator position means... etc.

YMMV

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

** It depends on the person.. As i get older I forget things.. I often remember later on.. If the Primary tank runs out and the secondary OPD is open and I forget to do a daily check in the LP compartment I might miss the RED indicator on the regulator.

I'd rather be cold for 1-2 minutes opening the OPD valve to a tank that I know is full and flip the regulator making it the new primary then go outside and say to myself " things I can't say here" realizing its 0200 in West Yellowstone Mt and I cant get my tanks filled till the sun comes up..

** The video however should enlighten many folks that don't understand Primary versus Secondary and what the regulator position means... etc.

YMMV

I agree the video will be helpful however one chooses to do the process....and it's one of personal preference. I think as many leave one closed as leaves one open. I just don't like things to wake me up; it takes me forever to get to sleep and once awakened it takes at least an hour to go back to sleep again. Now if it was DW it would be no problem - she would be asleep before she got back in the bed.

[flybouy]

I'm a firm believer in letting the "automatic" changeover work "automatically ". How can I tell when it's changed over? I use a Mopeka LP tank sensors.

[Cheesehead4Life]

Originally Posted by flybouy

How can I tell when it's changed over? I use a Mopeka LP tank sensors.

Ditto for me. And with low propane alerts to the phone as well.

[GlasNav]

Originally Posted by flybouy

I'm a firm believer in letting the "automatic" changeover work "automatically ". How can I tell when it's changed over? I use a Mopeka LP tank sensors.

With the Mopeka sensors, I've gotten to the point that unless a tank is getting low I only open one tank valve. Additionally, we no longer travel with the LP valves open. Yes, I use to do that to keep the fridge running, until I blew the first thermo-fuse on the stack.

We like the Mopeka LP Sensors so much I even use them on our gas grill at home.
BTW: I recommend purchasing the Mopeka pliable tank bottom rings, no rattling and you don't have to fight the supplied aluminum spacer clearance clips that come with the sensors, they are garbage.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by sourdough

To me the video explains why you would run with both valves open.
Many years ago I tried leaving one valve closed; I spent 1/2 the night tossing and turning freezing to death because I didn't want to go out in the dark while it was in the twenties to turn on a tank....but I did and had a lot of choice words to say. I've never done it again and....I've never ran out of fuel again....especially at night.
If you know your habits it takes very little to know the approximate time it takes to run a tank out. It takes maybe, maybe 2-3 seconds to open the enclosure and look at the gauge. If it shows red, flip the switch and go fill the tank. I've never been anywhere I can't make a tank last over the weekend and I always make sure I'm full before that or over holidays. To each his own but looking at that gauge is by far easier IMO than freezing at night trying to open a tank valve and swap tanks with the regulator. JMO.

While people have different opinions on the operation, I agree with Sourdough.
To me it is crazy not to take advantage of the auto change over feature! Not that much trouble to check, when we run the furnace on electric we use a tank about 3 weeks to a month, when using to heat in cold weather check at least once a day.
I would rather get up warm in the morning and check and see red, than wake up cold, and need to go out to cold possible wet to have heat and stove.
We also have a third tank now this was added after a nine day power outage due to an ice storm, making getting out to get propane.

[Matty Rich]

A friend gifted me a Mopeka LP tank sensor. Put it on one tank to try. Was spot on, couldn’t believe it. Ordered a 2nd one. Great product

[ljdriscoll]

The direction of the lever points to the first bottle to open then open the 2nd bottle for automatic switchover. In cold weather I check for the red dial daily

[JRTJH]

There's always more than one way to do things. To me, not using the auto changeover feature on my propane regulator is sort of like having an automatic leveling system and using blocks under the tires and the old frame jacks or like having electric slides and using a ratchet on the motor under the trailer to extend the slides.

I suppose there are all sorts of "reasons why/why not", but for me, if I was "that worried about not having propane that I would get up at 2AM to manually switch an automatic regulator, I'd just bring along a third propane tank, maybe a 2 gallon (10 pounder) for those times when I didn't/forgot to check for an empty tank and cut down on the 2AM jaunts outside every time the tank runs out. Heck, even at 6PM when DW is in the middle of supper and the stove quits working is enough hassle to motivate me to cut down on those "every tank trips outside"....

And now, with the addition of "demand propane water heaters" just think of how "convenient" it will be to be in the shower, water gets COLD, and you run outside, wet, towel wrapped around your waist to change the propane regulator to the full tank.... NOT !!!!!!! Of course, YMMV and I'll "giggle at the naked man with flip-flops jogging around his trailer.....

[dutchmensport]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

... To me, not using the auto changeover feature on my propane regulator is sort of like having an automatic leveling system and using blocks under the tires and the old frame jacks....

Yep, yep, yep... that's ME! I still use blocks under the tires to level left to right as close as possible and I use blocks under the jacks. Mine are electric and do not lift the camper. They struggle too much, and I've broken one in the last 5 years too. So, blocks level left to right, and then depending on the forward-backward slope of the camp site, may use substantial lumber forward or aft in order to keep the jacks from extending to the point where they stroke out and still not have the trailer level. Yep, I carry a lot of lumber. I guess I'm just old school .... boards and blocks under my electric self leveling jacks and manually closing and opening propane tanks!

We each do what works best for us. Nothing wrong with that at all. As always, one of my favorite statements: "There is no right or wrong way to do camping. It's just different for every person!"