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Old 11-09-2020, 12:14 PM   #1
Drgnmztr
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?Propane for Newbies?

Hi
Im new to RVing and fulltiming . Never dealt with propane before except a camp stove.

I have 2019 Springdale 271RL travel Trailer. I ran out of propane so now I have questions.
(FYI..Propane has always made me nervous)

After I refill both tanks:
1] What do I need to do upon reconnecting?
a- light a pilot light and if so, where would that be?
b- if so is there a time frame to light it?
c- anything I need to do to light it?
Seriously.. Ive never done this before and don;t want to blow up my house or kill my cats.


Heres what I do know. Fridge, water runs on propane and electric. A/C electric only...Stove and oven propane only
Does the furnace only run on propane as well?



Thanks
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Old 11-09-2020, 12:48 PM   #2
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Unless the tanks ran empty before you filled them the lines should still be charged. I'd recommend after reinstalling the tanks, open one tank and light the stove top burners. This will charge the lines if they are not already and will do no harm if they are. The oven has a pilot light, but we don't light it unless we plan to use during camping. Water heater, fridge and furnace should relight on their own via direct spark ignition.

Furnace uses propane as fuel for the burners and 12vdc for the fan and controls.
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Old 11-09-2020, 12:52 PM   #3
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Welcome aboard! There aren't any pilots in your trailer to keep lit after refilling propane tanks. Your stove may or may not have a pilot light...likely not. They are typically - turn on burner, click the igniter to light. The Oven will likely be a manual light with a lighter.

After refilling I will open only one tank at a time. When one is empty I turn it off and open the other one. That gives me time to get the empty one refilled and ready for the next cycle. Some here will keep them both open at the same time. Either way works, just do what works for you.


  • Furnace - propane only. It will light itself and turn itself off based on your thermostat settings.
  • Stove/Oven - propane only - manual lighting
  • Water Heater - Propane or Electric (if available on your model) - will light itself and turn itself off. Electric requires shore power
  • Air Conditioner/Heat Pump - AC only - requires plugging into AC shore power
  • Refrigerator - Propane or Electric - On Propane - Also lights itself as needed. On Electric - requires plugging into shore power. You can select Propane or Auto. On Auto it will automatically switch to AC when plugged into shore power
I hope this helps some. Ask all the questions you need to.
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Old 11-09-2020, 01:05 PM   #4
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I leave both LP tanks open so if the main tank goes empty during the night, the heat will continue to work. I check the regulator/gauge every couple days (depending on how much the furnace is working) and fill the tank as it empties. As you learn, you will figure out how much LP you go through and check as needed.

Welcome and good luck!
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Old 11-09-2020, 02:21 PM   #5
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If you are camped at a site where there is a 30A outlet, buy a ceramic heater and don't fire the propane heater except to take off the chill in the morning, if necessary. Propane burns up quick using the heater. I also leave the regulator in the center position so it runs on one tank then when that tank empties, it switches. I check the indicator on the regulator now and again and mine will show green/red for one tank has propane and the other empty. I refill the empty and hand tighten the fitting. You will smell a tiny bit of propane when you remove the fitting and that is normal. If you aren't moving around, you can always buy or rent a larger tank from a propane company and let them fill it. Cheaper that way and no need to be off to the propane place when your little tanks run out. Tractor Supply, U-Haul and of course, propane dealers are the places to buy. Tanks need to be certified and I think recertified at 10 years, by the way. This is done at propane dealers and it is always cheaper to recertify as tanks are expensive.
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Old 11-09-2020, 02:50 PM   #6
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Always open 1 tank at a time. That way you NEVER run out. The regulator pointer needs to point to the tank being used. Remove the empty and have it filled. Always open the tanks slowly. They have a built in shut off valve that will close if opened too fast. The oven has a piolet light that you must light. Be sure you have gas flow to the top burners before you try to light the piolet light.
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Old 11-09-2020, 03:46 PM   #7
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ok,but only light oven. pilot when going to use oven, correcct?
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Old 11-09-2020, 03:49 PM   #8
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TRhanks everyone.. Lots of good info. I feel better about it.
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Old 11-09-2020, 04:11 PM   #9
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I always leave both cylinders open. Just check the indicator often. One time having to go outside in the freezing temps to turn on the other cylinder on taught me that
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Old 11-09-2020, 04:18 PM   #10
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We all do it different. For the last 20 years, we run only one tank on at a time. Granted, it seems the propane runs out of that tank in the middle of a December night, and I have to get up and turn on the second tank, but that's better than having both run empty and having no propane left at all.

Nothing in your camper uses a pilot light any more, except your oven. Depending upon your oven, you may have an electronic spark for it, or you may have to actually hold a fire starter to the pilot lite spot to get it going. Use the pilot light only when you are going to use the oven.
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Old 11-09-2020, 04:34 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Drgnmztr View Post
ok,but only light oven. pilot when going to use oven, correcct?
No. That's a pita. I am on a permanent site. My piolet light is on 24/7 for 4 months.
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Old 11-09-2020, 04:44 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Drgnmztr View Post
ok,but only light oven. pilot when going to use oven, correcct?
Either way you prefer. I don’t bake much so I will light it when I use it and turn it all the way off when I’m done. Others will light when they get to the campground and turn off when they leave. Some newer brands have an igniter for the oven pilot so you don’t need to reach in with a lighter.
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Old 11-09-2020, 06:41 PM   #13
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IMO leaving one tank open then opening the other when you run out of LP in that tank in the middle of the night just doesn't make sense to me....I like to sleep. To leave one off because one "needs" to know when one tank runs out seems like "huh"? I know how long a tank will last in winter; I just look at the tank every few days; when I see red I take that tank in and fill it - no "we're freezing....the tank isn't open" scenarios. Seamless for us.
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Old 11-09-2020, 08:08 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cavie View Post
Always open 1 tank at a time. That way you NEVER run out.
Til about 3am on the coldest night of the year!
Always opened both tanks & checked occasionally. If running the furnace regularly would check every couple days, no furnace running would check every couple weeks. Also NEVER ran out.
It's called an "auto changeover regulator" for a reason.
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Old 11-10-2020, 06:06 AM   #15
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Automatic changeover valve + Mopeka Tank Check level indicator = never running out of propane.

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Old 11-10-2020, 08:34 AM   #16
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There is a "catch" on using the fridge on gas, which I didn't see mentioned above. If it doesn't light the first time as the line hasn't been purged of air, it will try a few more times, then lock out and the "check" light will illuminate. You then need to cycle power on the fridge (just push the "on/off" button twice) and try again. If you haven't lit your stove as suggested then it may take a few times. I listed for the auto-ignition clicking and once the flame takes you can hear it if you listen closely (or go outside where it is more obvious).

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Old 11-10-2020, 10:37 AM   #17
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One tank at a time. Open valve slowly. Light stove top burners first to make sure gas is in the lines. Then light fridge. Don't light the oven pilot unless you plan on using the oven.
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Old 11-10-2020, 06:07 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sourdough View Post
IMO leaving one tank open then opening the other when you run out of LP in that tank in the middle of the night just doesn't make sense to me....I like to sleep. To leave one off because one "needs" to know when one tank runs out seems like "huh"? I know how long a tank will last in winter; I just look at the tank every few days; when I see red I take that tank in and fill it - no "we're freezing....the tank isn't open" scenarios. Seamless for us.
To each his own, but I prefer only one tank on at a time. And, yes, I know it always runs out at an inopportune time.
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Old 11-13-2020, 09:12 PM   #19
Drgnmztr
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Thanks everyone.. I have both tanks hooked up. Only opened one tank for now. I did it slowly. Came back inside to try the stove top burners. Like I said, propane makes me nervous being a newbie.. It didnt lite but I could smell the propane. I turned it off and ran the hood fan.. I waited a few minutes and tried again and finally got all the burners lit. :-)
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Old 11-14-2020, 06:14 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Drgnmztr View Post
Thanks everyone.. I have both tanks hooked up. Only opened one tank for now. I did it slowly. Came back inside to try the stove top burners. Like I said, propane makes me nervous being a newbie.. It didnt lite but I could smell the propane. I turned it off and ran the hood fan.. I waited a few minutes and tried again and finally got all the burners lit. :-)
I'm glad you got it going. For future reference if you smell propane open the door and windows to clear it out. LP gas is heavier than the air so it will settle at the floor. Best way to evacuate is via the door with a cross flow from a window. The stove vent in not a good idea for two reasons. First, the vast majority don't vent outside and secondly the switch could possibly create a spark inside it which could ignite the gas.
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