Propane Tank Switchover Valve

[scrubjaysnest]

We have an extra 20# bottle for the grill and back-up heat (Mr Buddy)

[commodor47]

Originally Posted by Shandysplace

How reliable and accurate have you found this unit supplied on nearly all TMs? Ours on our new Elkmont appears defective and/or we don't know how to use it properly.

With the handle pointing to either tank and both tanks full and both valves on; after about an hour of use, the flag turns red. Leaving both tanks on and switching the handle to the other tank the flag turns black. Switching the handle back to the original tank the flag stays black until after about an hour of use when the flag again turns red.

Sounds like you may have a defective automatic switch-over valve. Another possibility is an out of adjustment pressure regulator - worth having the setting(s) checked.

Originally Posted by wbmiller3

The way it's supposed to work is that you leave both tank valves open and point the switchover valve handle at the tank you want to deplete first. The indicator should be green. When the first tank pressure drops to a low level, the indicator turns red and the switchover valve starts using the other tank. You then flip the valve handle to the tank that is now in use, remove the empty tank, refill it and replace it. The indicator will be green again because the tank the handle is pointing to has good pressure.

This is the way our automatic switch-over valve works. I will turn off the reserve tank and monitor the propane level in the active tank. When the active tank gets close to E, I open the reserve tank valve. Once the flag window is completely red, I close the empty tank valve and rotate the automatic switch-over valve selector over to the reserve tank - and the flag turns green.

These photos may help:
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...php?albumid=98

Dick

We appreciate the photos and explanation, however the tanks on our Elkmont 26 have no gauges. Since starting this thread, our switch over valve and regulator have stopped working and a replacement has been provided by TM, but we haven't as yet installed it.

[cali camping]

On the 2720SD the tanks are below the dinette when the TM is fully open and configured and it is a bit of a reach for the valves. As described earlier, this is an automatic changeover system with low level indicator. The regulator users manual recommends both tank valves be left open until such time that a bottle needs to be removed for servicing.
I personally installed a remote switchover indicator on the under sink control panel area that will start blinking an LED when switchover has occurred. I then know that I have used one bottle and can act accordingly, but if we are leaving in a few days I simply switch the lever on the regulator, the band turns from red to green, the LED stops flashing and propane use continues.
It's automatic for a reason and I intend to use it as it was designed. Besides I have enough things to remember when we are out relaxing...like where did I put my beer?!

Originally Posted by cali camping

On the 2720SD the tanks are below the dinette when the TM is fully open and configured and it is a bit of a reach for the valves. As described earlier, this is an automatic changeover system with low level indicator. The regulator users manual recommends both tank valves be left open until such time that a bottle needs to be removed for servicing.
I personally installed a remote switchover indicator on the under sink control panel area that will start blinking an LED when switchover has occurred. I then know that I have used one bottle and can act accordingly, but if we are leaving in a few days I simply switch the lever on the regulator, the band turns from red to green, the LED stops flashing and propane use continues.
It's automatic for a reason and I intend to use it as it was designed. Besides I have enough things to remember when we are out relaxing...like where did I put my beer?!

Is this something you fabricated or did you purchase it as a kit?

Hope you'll be able to join us at our April 8-10 Rally at KOA, so you can show us your regulator set-up during the Saturday morning trailer walk. Our propane set up on the Elkmont is somewhat different. We're having a new switchover regulator installed. Unlike many TM models, our Elkmont propane system has no tank gauges as our '08 3326 did.