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Old 01-16-2023, 06:54 AM   #1
Camping family
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Propane tanks

Have a 2020 keystone 29 rks 5th wheel. Had it since new and just this morning realized this. When using the propane I always would turn one tank on and make sure the other was off. When one ran out I just turned it off and turned the full one one. This morning when switching tanks. I noticed the tank on the drivers side inside has a black knob on top of the the regulator. Has two green symbols on it. Would that be a knob so you can turn both tanks on and use it to change which tank you are using. Or would it be so you can turn both tanks on a they would auto switch when one runs out in the middle of the night?
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Old 01-16-2023, 07:14 AM   #2
sourdough
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That's the auto switchover on the regulator. Folks do thing different ways but the regulator which you discovered is made to automatically switch between tanks when one runs out. Point the lever to the tank in use and leave both tank valves open. Monitor the indicator you found (green) and when it turns red the tank the lever is pointing to is empty. Simply turn the lever/knob to point to the other tank (indicator will turn green again), turn off the other tank and take it to be refilled. When you bring it back hook it up and turn it back on then repeat the process. Far better IMO than waiting to run out of propane to turn the other tank on.
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Old 01-16-2023, 07:14 AM   #3
jsb5717
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You likely have an auto-switchover regulator...most newer rigs do. You can have both tanks on and point the switch toward the one you want to use. The green/red indicator will let you know if there is propane pressure there. When the tank runs out it will automatically switch to the other tank but the indicator will now show red. You can then rotate the switch to the other tanks, indicator will show green (if it has propane in the tank) and you can take the empty tank to refill it.
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Old 01-16-2023, 08:44 AM   #4
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Thought you might also like to see a video and explanation of the auto change over regulator..

I prefer to keep the secondary tank valve closed and then switch the regulator to point to that full tank, which now becomes the Primary tank and the indicator turns green.

This way I know when a tank is empty. Yea I might have to trek outside to switch over the tank but I know I have a full one left to do so.

video from my 2014 Alpine
https://youtu.be/SUISQqc6P-o
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Old 01-16-2023, 09:03 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChuckS View Post
Thought you might also like to see a video and explanation of the auto change over regulator..

I prefer to keep the secondary tank valve closed and then switch the regulator to point to that full tank, which now becomes the Primary tank and the indicator turns green.

This way I know when a tank is empty. Yea I might have to trek outside to switch over the tank but I know I have a full one left to do so.

video from my 2014 Alpine
https://youtu.be/SUISQqc6P-o

Ditto for me.

Unless you are extremely diligent in checking the gauge when leaving both tanks open....particularly during periods of high use, Chuck's method avoids surprises.

Disclaimer: I don't leave southern AZ in the winter, so no sub-freezing temp trips out to the tanks in the middle of the night for me.
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Old 01-16-2023, 09:37 AM   #6
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Thank you all for the help.
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Old 01-16-2023, 10:07 AM   #7
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Another option

The auto switchover regulator information is appreciated.
We use a couple of magnetic bluetooth sensors from MOPEKA that have taken the guesswork out of what's left in the tanks.
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Old 01-17-2023, 04:58 AM   #8
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The discussion concerning use of the auto-switch regulator is as old as the RV industry. Okay, as old as the invention of the regulator itself. The answer is whatever works best for your situation. We only use one tank with the second turned off until needed. We don't want to risk running out of propane for any reason. This is what works for us, ymmv.
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Old 01-17-2023, 05:43 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markcee View Post
Ditto for me.

Unless you are extremely diligent in checking the gauge when leaving both tanks open....particularly during periods of high use, Chuck's method avoids surprises.

Disclaimer: I don't leave southern AZ in the winter, so no sub-freezing temp trips out to the tanks in the middle of the night for me.
Just need to understand much propane you use in a given time. We full time and park host, we heat electrically with our furnace. Normally we use about one cylinder a month, so I check about once a week. If we loose power at the park and switch over to heating propane I will check morning and evening.
We also have a third cylinder as power loss may be due to a storm, and may limit travel, or availability of propane nearby.

To those using one cylinder at a time hope you don’t run out in the middle of a cold rainy stormy night.
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Old 01-17-2023, 06:26 AM   #10
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something to think about. When you are using the lever to point to the active tank make sure to open that tank first and then the other one. Also I leave it pointing to the empty tank until I refill tank with the RED showing.
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Old 01-17-2023, 06:27 AM   #11
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"To those using one cylinder at a time hope you don’t run out in the middle of a cold rainy stormy night."
Russ' comment is proof of what I was saying. He is doing what works for him. However, it seems to be important to him that he convince you that his way is better. I'm not sure how that situation might be finding yourself out of propane in BOTH tanks in the middle of a cold rainy stormy night....
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Old 01-17-2023, 06:42 AM   #12
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I look at it like how dirt bikes are set up …there is a fuel valve with

off-on-reserve

i have the mopeka sensors app but until they figure out a way to display the propane level inside the rv with a gauge or display of some sort ( realize mopeka has remote display) i just prefer to do it this way..leave one off

Russ how is that any different then you having your third tank disconnected in the back of your truck? ….why not pipe in that third tank if your using your both open logic?
you keep the third tank as backup,i keep the second one for that

it’s all about capacity
If your in a colder climate your gonna burn thru two tanks much faster then my one if i’m in Florida.
i use so little propane that i’d forget to check and find myself with two empty tanks at probably the least convenient time
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Old 01-17-2023, 06:55 AM   #13
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As has been stated it's personal preference. Mine is to use the regulator as designed. Both tanks open and use Mopeka tank sensors to monitor. By the way, with the Mopeka app you can set an alarm at any level you wish. I have mine set for 10% remaining so I don't need to remember to check. JMHO, YMMV
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Old 01-17-2023, 07:13 AM   #14
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Yup - I added the video so folks could actually see how the auto changeover works..

I have a light weight rain jacket hanging by the door along with one of those fancy strap on LED headlights so both my hands are free..

All the high tech things I can afford. Guess I could also use my fly fishing waders if the water was too deep
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Old 01-17-2023, 07:34 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChuckS View Post
Yup - I added the video so folks could actually see how the auto changeover works..

I have a light weight rain jacket hanging by the door along with one of those fancy strap on LED headlights so both my hands are free..

All the high tech things I can afford. Guess I could also use my fly fishing waders if the water was too deep
I could have used waders when I stopped doing the "one tank at a time" method. Our site was mud about 4" deep, raining hard and DW was baking a birthday cake. She checked oven and cake was partially cooked. I won't repeat what that little Christian woman said but I won't run out of LP gas again!
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Old 01-17-2023, 07:42 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by flybouy View Post
I could have used waders when I stopped doing the "one tank at a time" method. Our site was mud about 4" deep, raining hard and DW was baking a birthday cake. She checked oven and cake was partially cooked. I won't repeat what that little Christian woman said but I won't run out of LP gas again!
LOL!!!!!!!!! Thats great!!!!!
Just remember, when Momma aint happy, aint nobody happy. LOL
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Old 01-17-2023, 08:54 AM   #17
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The polarization over the tank configuration reminds me of this…
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Old 01-17-2023, 09:09 AM   #18
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Talking

Quote:
Originally Posted by markcee View Post
Ditto for me.

Unless you are extremely diligent in checking the gauge when leaving both tanks open....particularly during periods of high use, Chuck's method avoids surprises.

Disclaimer: I don't leave southern AZ in the winter, so no sub-freezing temp trips out to the tanks in the middle of the night for me.
Leaving one tank closed in my opinion doesn't avoid surprises, it just changes the time that the surprise happens to 2-3 am when the open tank runs out & you have no heat. That happened ONCE, from that time on both tanks are open.
Typically if running the furnace you're already closely monitoring LP usage, 30lb bottle will last 2-4 days depending on temps. If not running the furnace that 30lb bottle will last 3-4 months so if it does changeover before you notice at least you won't out in the middle of the night opening valves.
Just my .02 cents!
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Old 01-17-2023, 09:31 AM   #19
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I read all the posts. I am one that uses one tank at a time and don't mind getting up in the middle of the night if the propane runs out of the open tank. Why? Because when we got our first trailer with the auto switch over, I used it that way. But, using the furnace in very cold weather used a LOT more propane than I anticipated. And I wasn't watching the green/red indicator at all.

You guessed. In the middle of the night ... BOTH .... tanks empty! On a Sunday morning in a new location we'd never been to and the trailer was 30 amp (so not so conducive for using 1500 watt electric heaters)...

So, Sunday we ended up driving about 40 miles (one way) to the closest place that we could find that had a propane refill. You cannot swap 30 pound tanks at gas stations.

Well, after that fiasco, I decided to go back to the old school method of leaving one tank turned off all the time. And I never complained, ever, about getting up in the middle of the night.

Actually, in cold weather, where the furnace is essential, we also end up using the gas stove inside, rather than fixing meals outside. When the tank begins to run low, the flame on the stove top begins to act different. I've really started paying attention to the stove top... which seems to always give me a warning now, we're getting low. And this gives me ample time to switch over now, before we go to bed. This has worked successfully for many years now. It's been a long, long time since I've had to go out at night.

Pay attention to all the systems in your camper. Your camper will tell you when something needs attention before it fails completely. But you've really got to pay attention to sounds and visually what's happening around you. But, they do "talk" to you (if you just listen.)
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Old 01-17-2023, 10:03 AM   #20
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I think what I'm reading in many of these "personal accounts" is a "owner limitation" (forgetting to check the tanks and the indicator on the regulator) rather than a "failure of the regulator to do EXACTLY what it's engineered to do.

Sort of like using the "hand crank on the front of an old model T rather than pushing the starter button on the dash"... I remember "way back when" Grandpa used to say the starter was for Grandma (he wouldn't let her drive, but...) and "real men use the crank to save that darn battery"....

Me, I'll use the auto changeover feature on my regulator, check the propane tank status when I walk past the compartment to turn on the water "every time we come back to the campsite" I'm in the habit of turning off the water when we leave, so checking the propane status by twisting a manual fastener on the propane door is just a "quick and painless step"....

But, to each their own, if it works for you the way you're doing it, keep chewing your favorite flavor. Mine's spearmint, but others may prefer the green or the yellow package of Wrigley's, or even Dentine and that's OK too....
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