LPG tank leaking

My RT Agile LPG worked fine until couple weeks ago.
One day in the Yosemite camping, suddenly LPG was found leaking. Big bunch of gas came out from regulator area.

We sent RT Agile to a local RV repair store after that camping. We were told that regulator needed to be replaced.

First half day after repair, LPG worked fine, but leaking again later.
Sent RT Agile back to the RV repair store. Now they say somehow the way the tank valve installed is unusual. It takes liquid gas to regulator instead of vapor sometime if the temperature or level of the liquid gas is not right . They need several days to check with RoadTrek manufacture.

How come the valve will take the liquid gas in the tank instead of vapor?
If valve was installed incorrectly, how had LPG worked for a long time?
Is the RV store trying to cover something they didn't do it right in the first repair?


Josh

Suggest you post same info on the Roadtrek Facebook page. Many answers from experts and some wannabe experts and many answers from Jim Hammill Pres of Roadtrek itself. Worth your time to get on Facebook.

Hve you just filled the tank? Did you fill it on a cold day and now it is hot? It is pretty hard to believe that the tank valve is "installed wrong" as I believe that the tank comes from (Manchester?) as a complete unit. Rt just plumbs it in.

Sounds like a bad regulator to me, or an over filled tank.

Icarus

jcc147 said:

My RT Agile LPG worked fine until couple weeks ago.
One day in the Yosemite camping, suddenly LPG was found leaking. Big bunch of gas came out from regulator area.

We sent RT Agile to a local RV repair store after that camping. We were told that regulator needed to be replaced.

First half day after repair, LPG worked fine, but leaking again later.
Sent RT Agile back to the RV repair store. Now they say somehow the way the tank valve installed is unusual. It takes liquid gas to regulator instead of vapor sometime if the temperature or level of the liquid gas is not right . They need several days to check with RoadTrek manufacture.

How come the valve will take the liquid gas in the tank instead of vapor?
If valve was installed incorrectly, how had LPG worked for a long time?
Is the RV store trying to cover something they didn't do it right in the first repair?


Josh

Click to expand...

Mu guess is yes, to the last question, UNLESS you got one of the ham-handed bozons at the LPG filling station who doesn't know how to do it and filled your tank way past the maximum fill level. Which is still possible to do on the on larger RV tanks, if you try really hard, as they do not have the same overflow protection devices as smaller portable tanks.

Back before OPD valves on portables, a guy at AirGas, who should definitely have known better, did this to me with a 5-pound tank I used in my shop for my jeweler's torch. Later that day, I found the tank squirting propane from the relief valve...IN MY SHOP! Fortunately, I was there to run the dang thing outside to vent. When I weighed it on the bathroom scale, it was way overfilled.

Also possible you got a bad replacement regulator. Not entirely unheard of.

jcc147 said:

My RT Agile LPG worked fine until couple weeks ago.
One day in the Yosemite camping, suddenly LPG was found leaking. Big bunch of gas came out from regulator area.

We sent RT Agile to a local RV repair store after that camping. We were told that regulator needed to be replaced.

First half day after repair, LPG worked fine, but leaking again later.
Sent RT Agile back to the RV repair store. Now they say somehow the way the tank valve installed is unusual. It takes liquid gas to regulator instead of vapor sometime if the temperature or level of the liquid gas is not right . They need several days to check with RoadTrek manufacture.

How come the valve will take the liquid gas in the tank instead of vapor?
If valve was installed incorrectly, how had LPG worked for a long time?
Is the RV store trying to cover something they didn't do it right in the first repair?


Josh

Click to expand...

Just heard from repair shop. The part called "pick up tube" has problem. It will pick up liquid gas from tank. Roadtrek will ship good part and pay them to fix it.
Does it sound weird?

The shop called "Sturken" in San Jose. San Francisco Bay Area.
Has anyone ever brought RV to this shop? The shop earns a good reputation on Yelp.
But, it's not what I have experience with.


Josh

I have a 2014 Roadtrek SS agile and has similar problem new driving it home from dealer but was fixed with a regulator replaced where I was having some custom work done so I am not sure if they replaced that valve. From what I understand Regulators go and you have to be careful opening the valve slow and not too far. Been working ok for 6 months.

Chuck
SS agile
SD CA

jcc147 said:

Just heard from repair shop. The part called "pick up tube" has problem. It will pick up liquid gas from tank. Roadtrek will ship good part and pay them to fix it.
Does it sound weird?

The shop called "Sturken" in San Jose. San Francisco Bay Area.
Has anyone ever brought RV to this shop? The shop earns a good reputation on Yelp.
But, it's not what I have experience with.


Josh

Click to expand...

Finally, I understand the issue about the LPG issue on my RT SS.
My RT SS is 2012. RT manufacturer told the repair shop that RT SS of 2012 has LPG problem.
The pick tube on main valve is too short to pick up vapor. It picked liquid propane instead.
RT is responsible for the part and repair cost.
Hope it won't have nay further problem.
Only one thing I don't understand is why it worked fine before.

Mine did the same. The second regulator replacement did not last long, few days maybe. Replaced it with another regulator brand and has been ok for the past 6 months or so. I'm now more careful on refilling the tank and make sure the service guy does not overfill your tank, always close the service valve before filling, and slowly open the service valve when needed.

Because of the location of the LPG regulator, most people would probably not notice a small leak in the regulator until it has progressed to a point that it starts spewing clouds of gas. A routine leak test should be done for safety.

jcc147 said:

Finally, I understand the issue about the LPG issue on my RT SS.
My RT SS is 2012. RT manufacturer told the repair shop that RT SS of 2012 has LPG problem.
The pick tube on main valve is too short to pick up vapor. It picked liquid propane instead.
RT is responsible for the part and repair cost.
Hope it won't have nay further problem.
Only one thing I don't understand is why it worked fine before.

Click to expand...

Is the pick-up tube replaceable? It appears to me that the pick-up tube is welded into the tank. Here is a picture of the LPG tank innards, the picture was uploaded by another forum member, credits goes to him.


Looking at the picture, I could imagine LPG liquid sloshing in the tank and getting into the pick-up tube when driving even if it's only 80% filled, just my

Here is Youtube video I found animating tank sloshing while driving(skip to 3:25 of video), although they simulate it on rectangular tank you still get the idea. If you use your LPG appliance while driving esp. high demand LPG appliance like the generator, you probably increase your chances of liquid LPG getting into the regulator that would eventually leads to its failure, not scientifically proven just my

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL8-amRzsv4

The pick-up tube part shipped from RT is a flexible plastic tube attached to a main valve and the tube is far thinner than the one shown in your picture.

RT.SS said:

Mine did the same. The second regulator replacement did not last long, few days maybe. Replaced it with another regulator brand and has been ok for the past 6 months or so. I'm now more careful on refilling the tank and make sure the service guy does not overfill your tank, always close the service valve before filling, and slowly open the service valve when needed.

Because of the location of the LPG regulator, most people would probably not notice a small leak in the regulator until it has progressed to a point that it starts spewing clouds of gas. A routine leak test should be done for safety.



Is the pick-up tube replaceable? It appears to me that the pick-up tube is welded into the tank. Here is a picture of the LPG tank innards, the picture was uploaded by another forum member, credits goes to him.

Looking at the picture, I could imagine LPG liquid sloshing in the tank and getting into the pick-up tube when driving even if it's only 80% filled, just my

Here is Youtube video I found animating tank sloshing while driving(skip to 3:25 of video), although they simulate it on rectangular tank you still get the idea. If you use your LPG appliance while driving esp. high demand LPG appliance like the generator, you probably increase your chances of liquid LPG getting into the regulator that would eventually leads to its failure, not scientifically proven just my

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL8-amRzsv4

Click to expand...

I have a similar problem on my 2012 RS. The regulator has already been replaced twice, and I just checked it yesterday and it appears to be leaking again. Seems as if whenever the temperature drops below freezing, the regulator fails. Because I'd read about the possibility of liquid propane getting into the regulator I have been keeping the valve closed except when we're actually on the road, but after reading this thread, it sounds like liquid could still be in the the line even after I close the valve. Unless I run the generator, hot water heater or space heater until the gas clears the line...?

Any thoughts?

Peter

I just came across this thread and wanted to share the results from my own 2011 SS Agile experience.

Short answer was that an internal weld failed in the propane tank allowing liquid propane to enter the system. After 4 regulators and 3 leak repairs Roadtrek finally fessed up that this problem had been seen on several other units.

The original regulator lasted a long time before things got bad enough to kill the first stage and cause it to leak. A theory on the connection failure is that the super cold liquid propane followed by hot days simply loosened the connections.

This is what RT eventually said to do to prove that liquid propane was getting out of the tank ( this was sent to the repair facility not to me).
----
Roadtrek Sprinter LP tank test procedures:

1. Park the vehicle outside in a well ventilated area.
2. Shut off the tank valve if it is open.
3. Burn off any propane in the lines at the stove top (but only if there is no propane smell inside the vehicle).
4. Disconnect the POL at the tank outlet.
5. Open the tank valve SLOWLY to observe what is coming out. If there is no color, it is propane vapor only. If what comes out is a white mist, that is liquid propane.
6. If what comes out is the white mist, bleed this off until it stops (it should not be much).
7. Close the tank valve and let it rest for 15 minutes.
8. Repeat step 4. We need to know if what comes out after the rest period is vapor (no color, can't see it) or liquid (white mist).

If the result of step 8 is white mist, there is an internal leak in the tank at the vapor tube.
-----
I've uploaded the rubber hose replacement instructions RT sent to the dealer. The actual part looked a little different.
View attachment Rubber hose for LP Armebe tanks with Drawing.pdf

I am adding a photo of the actual new valve and tubing that RT supplied.

Are the 2012 RT SS Agile's unique to this? We have a 2012 Agile that may have just started this problem. The van was parked in the garage (both large doors open) when we turned on the propane valve to run the generator. The side sliding door was open. Shortly after turning on the tank LP valve, the LP detector in the van went off. There was the smell of LP in the garage but not in the van. Now I wonder if we have the issue discussed here? Shouldn't't RT notify owners? Maybe we need to notify the National Highway Transportation Safety Board, or whatever they're called.

Unfortunately, RT doesn't have a good reputation for informing owners or dealers about problems like this. Neither of the 3 dealers I talked to before or after this had heard of the problem. We had been to one of the dealers twice and they asked us to send them the information after it was fixed at the third dealer. BTW, it wasn't a RT dealers who eventually correctly demonstrated to me that that liquid propane was flowing from the tank.

Another big problem with this was getting the gas out of the tank. several propane suppliers wouldn't touch it. Finally got it done at Wabash Propane in Salt Lake City per recommendation of the RT dealer there (Heinz). It took 8 hours to burn it off.

RT finally did cover our expenses for the 4 regulators and the repair. After lots of emails and phone calls. Can't make up for the lost 5 days on one 6 week trip though.

I am posting one more picture of the Amebe LPG tank identification. I would not be surprised if similar date, model, and serial numbers have the same problem.

Thank you! I'll check the name of the tank, is it readily visible? You would think RT would get out in front of this!

I hate to revive this old thread, but I’m having the same problem as above and need to replace the propane valve on my 2011 Agile.

The problem: Liquid propane escaping the main shut off valve on turning (Doesn’t matter which way). I suspect liquid propane is seeping into the guide tube and the hose insert on the end of the valve (as depicted above) needs replacement as well.

Roadtrek washed their hands of this pretty definitively. Sean Heintz said they don’t know anything about it, there were no recalls and asked me to contact the manufacturer. I have the same Armebe tank (16 gal horizonta) as the picture above shows. So I wrote to them (they are in Mexico) and they told me they don’t have them, try FlameKing who is the North American distributor for Armebe. At first they said they didn’t have the valve, then they said it’s the same as their other ones so they soled me one (about $45 with shipping).

The valve came from Flameking (see below) but no tube. I am writing back to armebe, but maybe someone else here knows more about it? Like specs of the tube and where I can get one.

Bbsmith said:

I hate to revive this old thread, but I’m having the same problem as above and need to replace the propane valve on my 2011 Agile.

The problem: Liquid propane escaping the main shut off valve on turning (Doesn’t matter which way). I suspect liquid propane is seeping into the guide tube and the hose insert on the end of the valve (as depicted above) needs replacement as well.

Roadtrek washed their hands of this pretty definitively. Sean Heintz said they don’t know anything about it, there were no recalls and asked me to contact the manufacturer. I have the same Armebe tank (16 gal horizonta) as the picture above shows. So I wrote to them (they are in Mexico) and they told me they don’t have them, try FlameKing who is the North American distributor for Armebe. At first they said they didn’t have the valve, then they said it’s the same as their other ones so they soled me one (about $45 with shipping).

The valve came from Flameking (see below) but no tube. I am writing back to armebe, but maybe someone else here knows more about it? Like specs of the tube and where I can get one.

Click to expand...

These shutoff valves can go bad and at any time. I too need to replace them on both my tanks circa 2010. The valve connects to a standard POL type hose fitting typical of any propane tank hose really. The key here is to determine what the other end of the hose fitting is. Most of the time it is directly connected to a propane regulator. If so, this is a typical hose, available at any propane tank supplier or amazon.

OrioN said:

These shutoff valves can go bad and at any time. I too need to replace them on both my tanks circa 2010. The valve connects to a standard POL type hose fitting typical of any propane tank hose really. The key here is to determine what the other end of the hose fitting is. Most of the time it is directly connected to a propane regulator. If so, this is a typical hose, available at any propane tank supplier or amazon.

Click to expand...

I appreciate your reply.

We may not be referring to the same hose. See Post #12 which shows the one I’m referring to. The hose will traverse the internal guide to the top of the tank like a snorkel where only vapor should be drawn in.

Here is a picture of the tank guide. This picture is from an actual Roadtrek propane tank and may very well be the same 16 gallon one I have.

Bbsmith said:

I appreciate your reply.

We may not be referring to the same hose. See Post #12 which shows the one I’m referring to. The hose will traverse the internal guide to the top of the tank like a snorkel where only vapor should be drawn in.

Here is a picture of the tank guide. This picture is from an actual Roadtrek propane tank and may very well be the same 16 gallon one I have.

Click to expand...

Ha, the internal tube and fittings! They are standard parts and can be purchased from any fitting supplier, assuming that they cannot be reused.....

OrioN said:

Ha, the internal tube and fittings! They are standard parts and can be purchased from any fitting supplier, assuming that they cannot be reused.....

Click to expand...

I’m guessing since it’s leaking there’s a good chance it needs replacement. A hose can’t be that expensive to replace if that’s all it is.

I tried looking up such a internal hose. I’m not having much luck finding any reference to it. Do you know if it has some kind of technical name? Either way I’m waiting to do any repairs until the propane is empty...