Propane and Freezing Weather

We experienced a first this weekend. We picked up our unit from the dealer for some minor adjustments and off we went. We made camp in 24 F weather and spun open the propane valves before opening the unit. It's easier to reach the bottles before we "pop the top" and we routinely bleed the gas lines and close all gas valves before we shut it down. Before we set up the door we could smell gas. Someone left the stove burners on. By the time we could turn off the tanks and air out the TM, the furnace wouldn't light--no propane even for the stove. DW (that's me this time) was not happy as dinner required boiling water for pasta. We decided we had not kept proper tabs on our usage and needed to fill the tanks.

After some creative cookery and a long time trying to get warm by electric heater only (why didn't I pack the scotch?), we spent the night in comfort. The next morning, still in freezing weather, DH took the tanks to be filled. One full, the other half. We we called our friendly and helpful dealer and described the problem. Although helpful, the advice didn't solve the problem. However, taking the tanks off to check the levels bled the system and allowed the regulator to reset. The owner's manual says to "open tank valves slowly" and they mean it, especially in freezing weather. Aparently too much pressure too quickly trips a leak sensor and shuts down the regulator--propane gas is cold when it flows through the regulator and our situation --open lines on the stove in freezing weather--caused the sensor to trip.

So as for lessons learned: 1) Don't open the gas valves until you check the stove and heater settings. 2) Open gas valves SLOWLY. 3) ALWAYS pack the scotch!

[Virginia Deacon]

Bill and Lisa:

I never would have figured it out; glad you did. Thank you for an outstanding post!

Also glad to read that you are "out and about." Please stay well!

We had a similar problem once when we tried to Bar-B-Q on the back deck during the winter. (About 20° F at the time) The BBQ lit OK, but it went out before the hamburgers were done. Ice had plugged the orifice where the gas is supposed to mix with air. I didn't figure that out until we had already finished the hamburgers in a frying pan. I once had a propane tank freeze up so much the gas wouldn't come out even without the regulator hooked up. I just don't try to use propane when it's that cold, any more.