Back to the fridge problem

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by sclifrickson

This can easily be achieved by routinely inspecting the indicator on the regulator, and without the major downside of your fridge and furnace surprisingly stopping operation in the middle of the night.

Yes & no. Back in 2011 with a brand new Escape 17, and no idea how long a tank should last, I ran out of propane in May (34°F outside) at the Grand Canyon. I had been checking the indicator, but didn't realize that all it would show for an empty tank was a sliver of red.

After driving 30 miles on roads covered with snow and paying $4.95 per gallon to fill both tanks, I can appreciate Donna's suggested reason for only turning on one tank.

After a couple of fills, one gets a better idea of what to expect & can make use of the auto change over.

[sclifrickson]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

Yes & no. Back in 2011 with a brand new Escape 17, and no idea how long a tank should last, I ran out of propane in May (34°F outside) at the Grand Canyon. I had been checking the indicator, but didn't realize that all it would show for an empty tank was a sliver of red.



After driving 30 miles on roads covered with snow and paying $4.95 per gallon to fill both tanks, I can appreciate Donna's suggested reason for only turning on one tank.



After a couple of fills, one gets a better idea of what to expect & can make use of the auto change over.

Not to cast aspersions, but that’s Operator Error, Jon. My grandma would run out of gas occasionally because she confused the oil pressure with the gas gauge.

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by sclifrickson

Not to cast aspersions, but that’s Operator Error, Jon. My grandma would run out of gas occasionally because she confused the oil pressure with the gas gauge.

Absolutely! That is why I understand the idea of starting out with only one tank turned on. Most operator errors happen during the learning process.

[sclifrickson]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

Absolutely! That is why I understand the idea of starting out with only one tank turned on. Most operator errors happen during the learning process.

Fair enough [emoji3577]

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by sclifrickson

This can easily be achieved by routinely inspecting the indicator on the regulator, and without the major downside of your fridge and furnace surprisingly stopping operation in the middle of the night.

Easily might be the issue. Especially if you have a hard sided propane tank cover. It IS easy for me, I just open the hatch cover.

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Easily might be the issue. Especially if you have a hard sided propane tank cover. It IS easy for me, I just open the hatch cover.

I use a inspection mirror. That way all you need to do is open the top.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

I seem to have plenty of gas pressure- I can run the furnace or all three burners of the stove (have not tried both at once.)

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

Went out to check just now and it had gone off and onto the check light. Checked the box and it was cold so guessed it had run out of propane, and switched tanks. (Which I also did a few weeks ago when this problem started.) It came on and I can see a blue flame (even though I still can't get the cover off- from the side I can see it in the dusk.) So we'll see how it cools overnight and tomorrow. I'm not sure how well propane cools it from warm so maybe the problem before was the pressure ran low and it warmed up too much before I switched tanks. Anyway- test in progress, we shall see. This tank should be nearly full.

Take it from experience...just having a blue flame, cold freezer and other propane appliances operating properly doesn't mean you are in the clear. I have a long, circuitous learning experience documented in a thread about our RM2510 fridge not cooling well on propane. The bottom line is you need to check your propane pressure with a manometer at the refrigerator test port (shown on your diagram). It should not drop below 11" w.c. with 50% off trailer BTU's in operation. This means the propane pressure will be around 12" w.c. with nothing else running. After replacing our regulator and adjusting the propane pressure our fridge has cooled incredibly well on propane. I also did a few other things like insulating, but I attribute the biggest gain in performance to the proper propane pressure.

FYI... the reason a cold freezer isn't a good indicator that the fridge is going to be cold is the way the circuiting works on the fridge. It passes the working fluid through the freezer first so it will also be cold first. If there isn't enough cooling the freezer can be cold and the fridge will still be marginal. Also the flame can be nice and blue but be too small. If not enough BTU's are generated you will not be getting full cooling.

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f9...tml#post255245

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Take it from experience...just having a blue flame, cold freezer and other propane appliances operating properly doesn't mean you are in the clear. I have a long, circuitous learning experience documented in a thread about our RM2510 fridge not cooling well on propane. The bottom line is you need to check your propane pressure with a manometer at the refrigerator test port (shown on your diagram). It should not drop below 11" w.c. with 50% off trailer BTU's in operation. This means the propane pressure will be around 12" w.c. with nothing else running. After replacing our regulator and adjusting the propane pressure our fridge has cooled incredibly well on propane. I also did a few other things like insulating, but I attribute the biggest gain in performance to the proper propane pressure.

FYI... the reason a cold freezer isn't a good indicator that the fridge is going to be cold is the way the circuiting works on the fridge. It passes the working fluid through the freezer first so it will also be cold first. If there isn't enough cooling the freezer can be cold and the fridge will still be marginal. Also the flame can be nice and blue but be too small. If not enough BTU's are generated you will not be getting full cooling.

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f9...tml#post255245

2X. A couple years back at the Quartzsite rally a trailer with the same refrigerator as mine was having problems cooling. The flame looked good, but just for kicks, I used an infrared thermometer to compare the chimney temperature for each of our refrigerators. His was a good 70°F cooler. I believe cleaning the orifice fixed the problem...

[davidmurphy02]

When testing the propane pressure, can you connect the manometer at the regulator rather than the refrigerator test port? If you are testing the pressure provided by the regulator it seems like this would work - having never done any of this, though, I'm trying to ask and learn. No propane problems here, yet, but I want to know as much as I can so I can be well prepared to diagnose and deal with any issues that come up out on the road.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

2X. A couple years back at the Quartzsite rally a trailer with the same refrigerator as mine was having problems cooling. The flame looked good, but just for kicks, I used an infrared thermometer to compare the chimney temperature for each of our refrigerators. His was a good 70°F cooler. I believe cleaning the orifice fixed the problem...

Yes Jon...I should have added that part of my elimination of potential issues was to clean the orifice. The thread is long but I provided a summary at the end. Direct link here:
http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f9...tml#post258023

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

When testing the propane pressure, can you connect the manometer at the regulator rather than the refrigerator test port? If you are testing the pressure provided by the regulator it seems like this would work - having never done any of this, though, I'm trying to ask and learn. No propane problems here, yet, but I want to know as much as I can so I can be well prepared to diagnose and deal with any issues that come up out on the road.

David: I'm not sure if there is a test port at the regulator. My opinion is that the refrigerator is the best place to measure, but others have suggested that the propane quick connect (if equipped) with the right fitting could be used as well. Some YouTube videos show technicians using a connection at the stove, but at the fridge seems much easier to me and that is right where you want to confirm the pressure is correct. You have to do a basic calculation of your total appliance BTUH INPUT and then run about 50% of the load while testing the fridge propane pressure.

[Bobbie54]

Auto-switching- the reason some people suggest leaving the spare tank off is so you know when you've used up a tank. But if it won't switch because there is still enough propane pressure for everything but the fridge, what good would it do here anyway?

It stayed cold overnight but staying cold when it is 50 out isn't much of a test. I'll see how it does today.

[sclifrickson]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

Auto-switching- the reason some people suggest leaving the spare tank off is so you know when you've used up a tank.

I know when I have an empty tank by looking at the indicator on the regulator. That’s what it’s there for. And I never run out unexpectedly or in the middle of the night. More adventure fun for those of you who like surprises, and not always the good kind, I suppose. Have fun with that.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by sclifrickson

I know when I have an empty tank by looking at the indicator on the regulator. That’s what it’s there for. And I never run out unexpectedly or in the middle of the night. More adventure fun for those of you who like surprises, and not always the good kind, I suppose. Have fun with that.

Attachment 39625

I didn't even know it was there. So something to keep an eye on, though on the tank that wasn't working it doesn't say empty so not sure it is accurate enough for this purpose.

Reading up on the refrigerator test.

[cpaharley2008]

I guess I'll have to learn all about this propane refilling stuff, now that this is Escape#4 and hopefully my last one!! Those cross country trips are taking their toll on me and the truck.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I guess I'll have to learn all about this propane refilling stuff, now that this is Escape#4 and hopefully my last one!! Those cross country trips are taking their toll on me and the truck.

I guess there is the trade-in option!

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

It stayed cold overnight but staying cold when it is 50 out isn't much of a test. I'll see how it does today.

Not much of a test at all as you noted. I was aiming for a 55 degree differential from OA temp to fridge temp. So when it is 95 degrees outside I still want to see my fridge at 40F. Based on my camping last weekend in temps that approached 90F and a very cold fridge that remained in the upper 30's (with a setting of 5.5 out of 7 - manual fridge model RM2510) I think I have reached success. It is very nice having a cold fridge when the temps are high!

Glad you are reading the Refrigerator Test thread. I think it will be very informative.

[Bobbie54]

It stayed cold all day but temp only got to 60. But I turned it off- don't really need propane this month and don't want to exhaust it all, so will try again on a hot day.

[Iowa Dave]

We just returned from the Customer appreciation rally. I started out with two full tanks. We camped 14 nights and used the propane for cooking, heating water about 1/2 the days, refrigeration every day we were on the road and finally for the furnace several nights when it got into the 30s and 40s and we didn’t have hookups. Pretty typical SOP for us. We used I full tank and just tapped the second tank the last night for a very minor drawdown. I’m running just under 12 inches water column on gas pressure. I also have my 11 lb tank in the front box for cooking and the propane campfire once in a while. I can always bail myself out with that tank if I should happen to run out on the two trailer tanks. I run both tanks open all the time, I want a seamless switchover should it need to occur. I check the indicator on a regular basis. If you convert to Cosco tanks they have a gauge on them which can be handy. I do not have that feature but mention it as a way to relieve the paranoia of running out.
I’ve only checked the gas pressure at the refrigerator port as the manometer has the fitting that fits the port. Three burners on or the water heater and furnace will draw enough usage to adjust the regulator accurately. I usually have the manometer with me if I’m at a rally and you’re welcome to use it YMMV
Iowa Dave

[cpaharley2008]

I’ve only checked the gas pressure at the refrigerator port as the manometer has the fitting that fits the port. Three burners on or the water heater and furnace will draw enough usage to adjust the regulator accurately. I usually have the manometer with me if I’m at a rally and you’re welcome to use it YMMV
Dave,
May take you up on that at the Big M rally in September, mine seems to be running fine but it would be helpful to know. Also plan on bringing my torque wrench for the Big T at the Big M contest....