Why do i use propane even when plugged in?
- Thread starter Annapurna845
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
HappyWanderer
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2014
- Posts
- 2,967
When I had dual propane tanks on the fifth wheel, I always changed over manually and tagged the empty tank.
I'd rather be out there at 3 am switching over, than having zero propane on board because I didn't realize they had switched over and both tanks are now empty.
I'd rather be out there at 3 am switching over, than having zero propane on board because I didn't realize they had switched over and both tanks are now empty.
Rene T
Site Team
HappyWanderer said:
My regulator is right there where I have to dump so I just open the door and see if the flag changed from green to red. So I go no more than 2 weeks before checking. Easy peesy
HappyWanderer
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2014
- Posts
- 2,967
I had three laminated tags: FULL, EMPTY and IN USE. There was never any question as to the status of the tanks or if I had remembered to fill an empty one.
Well, that's fine with me if people want to defeat their automatic systems. If I am running my fridge I want it to switch to propane if the electric power goes out rather than deplete the line of propane and let the fridge shut down and make it harder to switch to propane. When you let the propane run out in the fridge line the orifice is so small it can take a lot of start attempts to get the propane back up to the fridge burner section...depending on how far it is from the propane bottles. As far as the auto changeover regulator, I use it as it was designed to be used. As long as it takes to use up a bottle of propane I can't imagine not remembering to look at the regulator to see if it has changed over before running out in the second bottle.
Let see, I can't remember how long I have been using auto changeover regulators...I guess at least 20 years. I have always used them as they were designed to be used and have never ran out of propane unexpectedly. When boondocking in cold weather I have got down to where I would run out if I didn't go refill, but not because I failed to look at the regulator to see if it switched.
Let see, I can't remember how long I have been using auto changeover regulators...I guess at least 20 years. I have always used them as they were designed to be used and have never ran out of propane unexpectedly. When boondocking in cold weather I have got down to where I would run out if I didn't go refill, but not because I failed to look at the regulator to see if it switched.
Larry N.
Well-known member
jb, he already found the problem -- not plugged in.
NY_Dutch
Well-known member
Back when I had a TT with dual LP cylinders, I had an auto changeover valve with a remote LED indicator on the wall inside. I don't know if they're still made though.
Propane is used for various other appliance in your trailer even when you hook up to shore power. Cook top and your water heater. In general, you can run your water heater with AC, but when you want to take a shower, propane is much better for maintaining the temperature unless you just want cold shower.
Rene T
Site Team
seadude said:
That is not true. I live in my RV for 6 months every year in FL along with my spouse and we only use the water heater on electric. We never have a cold shower. By the way, ours is a 10 gallon heater. You do have to be a little frugal and don't take a 1 hour long shower. Get in, wet down, shut off, soap up, turn on to rinse then and get out.
Lou Schneider
Site Team
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2005
- Posts
- 13,231
The electric element on a water heater has about 1/3 as much heating capacity as the propane burner. So yes, it will keep a tank of water hot, it will just take 3 times as long for the hot water to recover once you've used up all of the hot water.
Not a problem if you spread out your usage over the day. But it can be an issue if you're taking multiple showers in a row.
Not a problem if you spread out your usage over the day. But it can be an issue if you're taking multiple showers in a row.
