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Propane tank switch, no gas?

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  • AirBossAirBoss Member Posts: 740
    First...YEA! (cold Dennison's Chili only goes so far )

    Second...rumor has it the LP Gods like to have a littel fun once in a while.  ;)
    2020 T@B 400 "OTTO" (build date 08/19)
    Factory Victron Solar; Norcold 3-way fridge
    '04 Chevy Tahoe Z71 DinoKiller
    San Diego, CA
    www.airbossone.com
    https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/owen-ashurst/shop


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  • pthomas745pthomas745 Moderator Posts: 3,989
    You probably just needed to hold your mouth just right.  Or, the air pressure changed.  New moon? 
    2017 Outback
    Towed by 2014 Touareg TDi
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  • KirkKirk Member Posts: 5
    My stove also suddenly started working. I did nothing other than run the Alde off propane prior to it working. I had a newly filed propane tank, having just purchased the Tab 400, and traveled from a cold environment to a warm environment where the stove did not work 

    Would having an overfilled propane tank prevent the stove from working while allowing the Alde to work? 





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  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,557
    An overfilled tank should shut off the gas at the tank. Therefore, nothing should work.
    2015 T@B S

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  • runaway30runaway30 Member Posts: 86
    Kirk
    thats my scenario as well I went from 6200’ and temps in the teens to the desert in Arizona where the stovetop started working.

    Then again I did flip the lower toggle switch in the nautilus compartment.  You know the one below the pump

    Runaway 30
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  • TomCanadaTomCanada Member Posts: 290
    @Kirk @runaway30 did either of you have this happen again?  We just did our 2nd night of driveway camping in our new '21 Tab 400.  Our first night (shore power) a couple weeks ago was fine but this second night - boondocking this time - we are having no gas to the stove. Like you guys, the Alde and 3-way fridge are both working fine on propane only, in both shorepower and battery/boondocking scenarios - I even disconnected the propane, made sure the fridge and Alde throw errors in propane mode, and reconnected the propane and restarted fridge+Alde just to make sure they are all seeing the gas and lighting up. I've tried slowly turning propane back on and everything described in this thread but nothing is working. No sound of gas out of the stove either, on either side, when I put my ear to it. 

    Seems this is becoming too common to be a one off issue - I'm hoping it self resolves as yours did but worried it will become a periodic issue until understood.  Haven't called nuCamp or the dealer yet but wanted to check if you have any updates on your end.  Or if anyone else out there has seen this problem?
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  • runaway30runaway30 Member Posts: 86
    TomCanada
    My stove has worked just fine since the issue mysteriously resolved itself after the first week of a 16 day trip.  There is speculation from NuCamp that going from high altitude (6200') to low altitude affected the propane.  My alde was working off propane from day one however.
    Like you there was no sound of gas at the stove until the day I pulled the drawer underneath the stove and started feeling under the stove for what I am not sure.  My wife is convinced this is what "turned it on".
    I still wonder if there is some spot in the lines for the stove that traps air?
    I will include the email advice from Creed during this experience.

      Runaway30 Regarding your stove,

     1.

    Propane isn’t something you can really troubleshoot – when I have issues with the stove not lighting its 1 of 4 things

     

    1. Propane tank was opened too quickly, causing the propane not to flow. But you have eliminated this by disconnecting and turning slowly
    2. Air in the lines – the only thing you can do for this is to keep trying the stove until all the air in the propane line is purged
    3. Bad propane regulator – this is the case when nothing on the unit works off propane, including the Heating system, 3 Way fridge (if you have one), and the stove
    4. Bad stove – this is the case when it only the stove that’s not working. I would recommend taking this to your dealer or a service center near you to have the stove replaced under warranty.
    2.

    Try running the Alde off propane by turning the KW setting to 0 and hitting the propane / flame button. If the alde runs off propane without giving a gas failure code then it is most likely a bad stove.

     

    If you had heat coming out of the exhaust you would have been running off propane though, so it seems you have already confirmed this.

    3.

      Me How long should it take to bleed the lines?
    Answer:  

    There’s no real set time that it should work, but from the sounds of it, you should get the stove checked out if it hasn’t worked by now.

    4.

       The day the stove came back to life I again emailed Creed and let him know about Kirks experience being similar to mine in that we both went from elevation to sea-level and this was his reply:

    Could very well have been air in the lines.

     Thin air at high altitudes can also affect propane flow. If it seems to be working fine now then I would say you’re good to go, I didn’t realize you were at high altitudes.



     I am glad I had a plan B for cooking (magma BBQ with 1lb gas) and will make sure I pack the camp stove in the future.


    Runaway30

    Tab 400 2021 (12/18/20 build date)



     


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  • Denny16Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    edited April 2021
    Also, a bad regulator or small pin hole leak or obstruction in the supply line can effect the flow of gas.  Try turning off the Alde and Fridge propane settings, and see if you can get the stove to light, as the,only appliance using propane. If the stove works on its own, then turn the Alde propane back on.  Then check,and see,if you can still light the stove, if not, you have a propane flow issue somewhere.  

    A previously reported similar issue turned out to be a bad regulator, that was not allowing the proper flow of gas to,the appliances.  RV propane systems are low pressure, high volume flow rates.  It does not take much to restrict the flow of gas, starving one or more appliances.  When this happens, one appliance may work, but not both at the same time.
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • KirkKirk Member Posts: 5
    My stove continues to work.  I have an appointment on April 8th to have it looked at but will cancel that appointment Monday if it is still working.  We did not travel at altitude so that was not my issue.  I saw that the stove sells for about $180, but appears now to not be available.  Maybe it has been discontinued because of some unknown issue. I believe it has it's own regulator so that could be the problem.  I carry my 50 plus year old coleman propane stove that always lights.

     I'll post if it quits working. 
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  • Denny16Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    edited April 2021
    The trailer gas line pressure is regulated by the main regulator in the Tub, mounted to the front of the TaB.  The stove gets a low pressure, high volume feed fro the trailer regulator.  The stove does have a valve and thermocouple for each burner.  A bad thermacouple will also keep,the stove from staying on once lit.
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • TomCanadaTomCanada Member Posts: 290


    Kirk said:
    My stove continues to work.  I have an appointment on April 8th to have it looked at but will cancel that appointment Monday if it is still working.  We did not travel at altitude so that was not my issue.  I saw that the stove sells for about $180, but appears now to not be available.  Maybe it has been discontinued because of some unknown issue. I believe it has it's own regulator so that could be the problem.  I carry my 50 plus year old coleman propane stove that always lights.

     I'll post if it quits working. 

    Thanks for the update.  I was wondering from the manual drawings if perhaps there was a secondary regulator that could be causing the lack of flow.  I'll call nuCamp early next week and keep checking if it wakes up and starts working.

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  • TomCanadaTomCanada Member Posts: 290
    Denny16 said:
    The trailer gas line pressure is regulated by the main regulator in the Tub, mounted to the front of the TaB.  The stove gets a low pressure, high volume feed fro the trailer regulator.  The stove does have a valve and thermocouple for each burner.  A bad thermacouple will also keep,the stove from staying on once lit.
    cheers
    The strange thing is I'm getting zero flow through either burner valve, but the other appliances are fine so the main regulator should be fine.  There's something funny going on in the stove itself it seems..
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  • Denny16Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    Maybe a dump question Tom, but are you pushing in on the valve knob when you light the burner?  You need to push the knob in, gas flows then light the burner, hold,the knob down for 30 seconds or so, then the thermocouple keeps the gas flowing when yiu release the knob, and the burner is working.
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • TomCanadaTomCanada Member Posts: 290
    With my model you don't need to push down the knob - you just turn to where it says "light" and press the igniter.  That said, I've tried every conceivable combination of pressing and turning and there's nothing I can do to make it flow.  It's not a bad question though - I keep hoping I'm doing something truly stupid and someone will just point it out to me :)
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  • TomCanadaTomCanada Member Posts: 290
    edited April 2021
    Omg it's working again. Tried this morning and it just.. works.  The only thing I did differently since yesterday is that although I turned on the outside supply slowly before, this morning since it was already on I thought I would try to turn the burners themselves on exceptionally slowly, so I very very slowly turned the dial, and then suddenly there was a light "click" (like a solenoid, not ignitor) inside the stove and gas started flowing.  From that point on, I could turn the valve off and reopen it as quickly as I liked.  Not sure if that was it or it just needed a night to sleep, but it's magically working so as long as it stays that way I'm happy!

    Btw I'm at fairly low altitude (300ft above sea level) so the altitude issues known with this stove aren't a factor, and the only other change since yesterday is yesterday the trailer was at room temp but this morning it's cold (around 45F / 5C inside).

    Fingers crossed we are good to go, and hopefully this helps anyone else who might encounter this issue. I'll post again if it happens again and if I'm able to isolate better the cause..
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  • Denny16Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    Tom, sounds like there is a gas shutoff/on solenoid, that was stuck, and finally released (the click you heard).  Glad you got the stove working — makes cooking a lot easier.  =)
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • runaway30runaway30 Member Posts: 86
    Nice TomCanada, i know the feeling.  
    The question remains  Why?
    I used my new stove for week on a trip no issues.   Second trip no gas for 5 days and then same experience it just started working.  
    What is triggering this and what is the fix?
    I am going to make sure we test it as much as possible as far away from home as we can

    Runaway
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  • TomCanadaTomCanada Member Posts: 290
    runaway30 said:
    Nice TomCanada, i know the feeling.  
    The question remains  Why?
    I used my new stove for week on a trip no issues.   Second trip no gas for 5 days and then same experience it just started working.  
    What is triggering this and what is the fix?
    I am going to make sure we test it as much as possible as far away from home as we can

    Runaway
    Likewise - I'd still like to know the "Why".  Will definitely be keeping an eye on it and packing the portable stove as a backup for a while!
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  • pthomas745pthomas745 Moderator Posts: 3,989
    During a FB thread on this exact issue: a 2021 400 with a stove that refused to light.  All the general troubleshooting ideas gone through, the Alde was working.  Took the trailer to Santa Fe RV, the NuCamp dealer in Santa Fe.  Apparently, the issue was "propane residue."

    The stove had propane gas residue buildup so no propane was getting to the stove. So all the troubleshooting above was all correct. (1) try disconnecting/reconnecting hose, (2) turn line open slowly, (3) try for 10-20 secs to light. (3) Disconnect from shore power and verify heater and/or hot water is still working (Alde), and if it is seek professional help.
    And the work was covered by warranty and it all took about 20min once we arrived.
    The tech removed the stove and used an air compressor to blow out the connection. It was definitely the issue. Aldi was working, and the exterior propane connection was showing gas there.
    I'd never heard of "propane gas residue" before, but it is apparently a thing...I just wonder how widespread it would be.  Maybe the other owners who suddenly had their stoves start working just managed to work through the residue with the starting efforts?
    2017 Outback
    Towed by 2014 Touareg TDi
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,760
    @pthomas745 - it seems odd that a residue would impact the stove and not the frig or Alde.  
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • pthomas745pthomas745 Moderator Posts: 3,989
    Maybe the shape and size of the gas outlet?  I posted this hoping that someone might have heard of the phenomenon before.

    2017 Outback
    Towed by 2014 Touareg TDi
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