Chirping propane regulator

The two propane tanks feed into a small white box that switches between them and I suspect also serves as a pressure regulator. This thing now chirps like a bird when propane is in use. No leaks that I can detect and everything seems to work OK. But it's annoying and even embarrassing when we use it in the quiet of night or early morning.

Any explanation what's going on?

I'm probably going to just replace the thing unless someone has a less expensive idea.

Keith

[MudDog]

There's a thread on rv.net that may be of interest:

http://www.rv.net/forums/index.cfm/f...d/25297928.cfm

[T and C]

I have this problem too.

It showed up in a new situation a couple of weeks ago. I was camping in a USFS campground with no electricity. So I was running my hot water heater on propane for the first time. At 4:30 AM my propane switchover regulator began singing like a bird. I figured that the hot water thermostat had kicked on the burner and so propane was coming out of the tank. After a few minutes it stopped.

I have wondered whether or not this is related to low propane, so that morning I switched to the other tank and got the first tank, (the left one), refilled. It was almost full, so low gas was not the cause.

I left the little lever pointed to the right and opened that tank, leaving the left one closed. It stopped chirping and did not start up again.

So, I lit a couple of burners, opened both valves, and switched the lever to the left side. Chirp chirp. Switched to the right. Silence. So it appears to be the left side of that switch/regulator thingy. For now my solution will be to use the right tank and leave the left one as a full backup tank.

Tom

Sounds like a restricted pigtail, try switching the lines from the tanks to where they go into the regulator and see if the chirping sound switches sides. If it does, replace the pigtail.

Ed

[T and C]

Originally Posted by Digger

Sounds like a restricted pigtail, try switching the lines from the tanks to where they go into the regulator and see if the chirping sound switches sides. If it does, replace the pigtail.

Ed

I have seen the term "pigtail" applied to electrical wiring. You seem to be referring to a hose or pipe. The term does not call up any image in my mind. Could you describe what you are talking about more fully?

Thanks,

Tom

The "pigtail" is the short hose (about 10") that goes from the tank to the regulator and switch between the two propane tanks.

I replaced it and the chirp has gone away.

Keith

[wbmiller3]

Thanks for posting the resolution!