Date:         Mon, 7 Mar 2005 20:52:57 -0700
Reply-To:     Richard A Jones <jones@COLORADO.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Richard A Jones <jones@COLORADO.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Propane tank fill valve replacement...
Comments: To: Audin Malmin <amalmin@OKB-1.ORG>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

>  Anyone have any suggestions?  Can I order a value from somewhere and
> replace it myself?  Apparently these autofill thigns are no longer made...If I
> put on a manual valve, how does a propane filling person avoid overfilling the
> tank?  The RV place I took it to says mechanically a new valve can be fitted,
> but they won't do it for liability reasons.



I replaced the fill valves on both my tanks.  There is some
tubing from an upper port to the Autostop.  The standard
replacement is to put a small bleeder valve on that upper port
and a standard fill valve where the Autostop is.  The tubing
goes away.

When filling the tank, the bleeder is opened and the tank
filled (via the fill valve) until liquid propane starts coming
out of the bleeder.  That means the tank is at the 80% level.

An advantage of this is that propane-guys know how to fill
a tank like this.  Few know how to fill a tank with the Autostop.
That's because with the bleeder, you just open it a little, but
with the Autostop, you have to open the thumbscrew valve where
the tubing connects all the way for the Autostop to work as
it should.

I don't remember prices exactly, but the standard fill valve
is about $30 and the bleeder valve about $6.

Don't buy a new tank.  You can buy/replace these yourself or
find a RV or propane dealer to do it.

Here's stuff on the web:
http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/lp-gas/propane-refill-adapter.htm
http://www.go-rv.com/coast/do/catalog/page?index=A&pageNext=TRUE&dealerId=270&pageNum=350


                        Richard A Jones
                        Boulder, Colorado