Propane pressure reading off the charts with quickconnect?!

Cat · #1 2006-07-21, 4:51pm

I got a new propane tank last week and don't remember having this problem with the previous tank. But right now, I'm afraid to try to reconnect my quickconnect. The last few times that I've connected it, my reading has gone almost to maximum pressure when I connected it and then again when I disconnected it. I'd shut off the tank, take out the quickconnect and the pressure would go up.

Now tonight I went to connect the quickconnect to the tank again and the pressure went all the way off the dial - to beyond maximum pressure. And I could not get the quickconnect on the tank. I could have tried a little harder, but honestly was a little afraid to touch it. Does anyone know if this is normal or what is going on with this?

Dale M. · #2 2006-07-21, 8:01pm

Only thing I can think of is that tank valve does not truly shut off and is actually keeping regulator pressurized. BUT it makes no sense the wild swings of the gauge when you connect/disconnect hose.... Yes there may be a few pounds swing gauge, but nothing as radical as you describe, unless regulator is trying to tell you its beginning to fail...

Do you bleed off pressure in hose before disconnecting? Quick disconnects will keep hose pressurized if you dont shutoff tank and then bleed hose befire disconnecting... IF you dont, the pressure remaining in hose could backfeed regulator when you connect and cause the gauge to swing.

Dale

Cat · #3 2006-07-21, 10:03pm

Well, I noticed when I shut it off this evening that the pressure had gone up a lot on it's own from what I had originally set it at. Quite a bit actually. Normally, I would expect it to go down if it fluctuates at all. Does that narrow it down at all? Maybe it's nothing at all, but I get really nervous about things like this.

Dale M. · #4 2006-07-22, 7:44am

Pressure on tank side gauge (un regulated) will change according to the heat of the day. IF tank gets warmer as heat of day increases, pressure will increase, as tank cools down then pressure will drop. HOWEVER it should not have much effect on "regulated" side of "system". The regulator can handle any pressure variations on tank side and should stay stable on output side (regulated) with a few pounds (few PSI) variation, if any... If fuel is trapped in hose it is susceptible to the same heating/cooling expansion/contraction as fuel in tank.

A regulator that keeps changing pressure (dramatically) is unhappy... It may be a indicator it is on verge of failing.

Dale