I just bought a new (to me) trailer. The owner said the propane will run on one tank until its empty, then switch to the other one.
Just brought it home and looked it over and don't think I understand the system. It has a lever that can switch side to side or in the middle. When I put it in the middle there is a indicator that is about one quarter green and the rest is red. When I turn to one tank it is all red. when I switch to the other tank it is all green.
Can anyone tell me how this works?
Thanks
that is a selector switch. when switched to the left, it drains the left tank first untill empty, then "automatically" starts drawing from the right tank. when switched to the right tank, it will do the same in the opposite order. when the indicator is green, that means the tank it is switched to has some level of propane in it. when the window is red, that means that tank is empty and the other tank is being drawn from.
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There is no "middle" position. The lever either goes to the left or the right.
Whichever way the switch is pointing is the primary tank. When it runs empty the valve will automatically switch to the other tank (but the lever doesn't move), the green indicator will turn red indicating the primary tank is empty.
When you see the red indicator, move the switch to the other position, this is now the primary tank. You can now take the empty tank and get it refilled. When you other tank is empty, it will switch to the one you just got filled.
It keeps going back and forth from your left tank being the primary to the right tank and back again.
Again, the lever does NOT change tanks (well, it does, but not really), it only sets the primary tank (the one that is drawn from first). The actual auto switching is internal and does NOT move the lever.
So basically, whenever the indicator is red, you move the lever the opposite way (towards the full tank) and refill the empty tank.
Oh yeah, almost forgot, make sure BOTH tank valves are open.
Hope that is clear as mud.
Paul (Mouse)
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Those switches can be confusing. Especially when you consider that turning to one side is not completely shutting off the valve on the other. You have to turn off full tank to remove and refill the empty one.
Then relight the pilots.
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Kajtek1 wrote: Those switches can be confusing. Especially when you consider that turning to one side is not completely shutting off the valve on the other. You have to turn off full tank to remove and refill the empty one.
Then relight the pilots.
Kris
if everything is working right, you shouldn't have to turn off the full tank the take the empty one out to be filled...
it may smell like it is leaking, but even if you remove a used hose from the valve, it will give off a very strong odor for a very long time...
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Paul's description and JJ's addition are correct. Both CYLINDERS need to be open and the lever does close off the empty CYLINDER so it can be removed to be refilled without shutting anything off or relighting anything.
We do however close the valve on the empty cylinder before removing it as there will still be a small amount of propane vapor left in the cylinder that will escape.
Kajtek1 wrote: Those switches can be confusing. Especially when you consider that turning to one side is not completely shutting off the valve on the other. You have to turn off full tank to remove and refill the empty one.
Then relight the pilots.
Kris
if everything is working right, you shouldn't have to turn off the full tank the take the empty one out to be filled...
it may smell like it is leaking, but even if you remove a used hose from the valve, it will give off a very strong odor for a very long time...
I agree, sounds like a defecting valve. The method you are forced to use totally defeats the purpose of the valve. Turning everything off while I run into town to refill while winter camping certainly wouldn't work for me (can you say frozen pipes?).
To the OP, your tanks are working as designed. What you need to do is turn the lever toward the tank that has the indicator showing all green. Then turn off the valve on the top of the other tank and remove that tank to have refilled. After reinstalling the filled tank and all is connected, open the valve on that tank very, very slowly and you are all set to go. If you open the valve too fast the safety cut-off built into the tank may not allow gas to flow.
When the indicator turns red again then repeat the process with the other tank.
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