Propane not working - nick in the black hose?

ZippyA

I am trying my best to troubleshoot all of these things before I head out Sunday.  The latest in checking to make sure propane works (and I've only used it to cook with 2 times!!) is that nothing is getting to the stovetop.  I'm going to try another tank (have turned it on slowly, disconnected and tried again, etc.) but in the meantime, I noticed a nick on the black hose that comes out of it.  There is a spot about the size of a dime where the black rubber has come off.  I can't see how deep the nick is (could it have been a mouse?) but could that be the cause and what do I do about it?  Do I need to replace the hose or can I put some duct tape over it?  Nothing rubs against it, so not sure how that happened.  Will see if changing out the tank does anything.

Denny16

The hose kink, could gave a hole int it and the tank is doing an auto shut off. You need to replace the pig tale hose before using your propane systems.
cheers

ChanW

I think it was a nick, rather than a kink.
No, duct tape won't do.
You can tell if it's actually leaking by putting soapy water on it. Seeing if it bubbles.
if you need a replacement it's probably something you can get at locally at camping world, or another RV supply.

Denny16

I doubt a soapy water test would work as the safety valve will shut right off if there isn’t any back pressure detected.  I would judtvrepkacevtge damaged hose.  Safety first, TaB Manual says to replace any damaged propane houses, as do most other appliances that use a propane tank setup.  This is not an expensive repair or part, and easy for a DIY task to do.
cheers

ChanW

Ahhh, right. Good point @Denny16.

One more thing to do before you leave, @ZippyA!

If you take the old hose to an RV place, they'll be able to match it up with a replacement. 

I'm curious what caused the wear spot. You should be sure the hose isn't rubbing on anything that would have caused the hole!

ScottG

Fortunately those are pretty common items. I had to change mine just before a trip when the soap test revealed a small leak near the fitting.

Do follow ChanW's advice to bring the hose with you when you go shopping. There are two different types of propane fittings on these things, and you want to be sure to get the correct one.

The length of the hose is not so important. I ended up getting a slightly longer one and I like it better than the original.

ZippyA

All - well I found the solution.  My tank was empty.  Which is weird because I bought the T@B new last year and only used the tank two times to cook.  That's it!  So, I got it filled and the got a new black hose.  The guy took one look at it and said "squirrels."  He sees a lot of this and says squirrels love to chew on them.  Advised me to cover with aluminum foil  
I was told when I bought the T@B that the tank was full.  Hmmmm

Denny16

Did you leave your propane tank valve open?  The leak may have been slow enough to drain the tank down without causing the safety valve to close.
cheers

ChanW

Heh! Empty tank! Always check the simple things first!

Have a great trip!

ZippyA

the valve had been closed because I never used it since last summer. In fact it was at the dealer Jan and Feb waiting for Alde part and then sat in my driveway after that.