Date:         Tue, 10 Aug 1999 09:25:15 -0400
Reply-To:     The Bus Depot <ron@NETCARRIER.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         The Bus Depot <ron@NETCARRIER.COM>
Subject:      Re: [vanagon] Propane Troubles (Was Deep Cell Batteries)
Comments: To: JeanneMaly <jeannemaly@email.msn.com>, vanagon@onelist.com
In-Reply-To:  <004b01bee2d5$7aafb700$e3b7fad0@jeannemaly>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

> I had the propane tank topped off today.  It only took 1.4 gals
> so there was gas in the tank.  I turned the gas valve under
> the van as far to the left as it would go.  I can't even light
> the stove.  Any ideas?  Kick the tank?

BE CAREFUL!!  I had a similar experience when I first bought my '89 Westy.
No propane delivery to the stove or fridge, yet when I went to have it
filled it accepted only a minimal amount of propane.  So I went to a local
propane gas specialist. It turned out that the auto stop valve had
malfunctioned, and not knowing how such a valve was supposed to work, the
attendant at the filling station had severely overfilled the tank. The
pressure inside the tank was so high that the propane had liquified and
would not flow.  The repair guy had to bleed off a substantial amount of
propane to release some of the pressure, and then it worked.  He told me
that the internal pressure in the tank had been so high that I could have
had an explosion!!!  I learned my lesson.  I now go only back to him for
refilling, and recommend that anyone who buys a new-to-them Westy take it to
a _knowledgeable_ propane specialist to confirm the proper operation of the
tank and valve before the start using the system.

- Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  http://www.busdepot.com
  (215) 234-VWVW