How To Blow Out RV Propane Lines (Blowing Out Propane Lines)
When you have trouble lighting your gas appliances, it may be because air has gotten inside the line. When it is a sealed system it may not seem likely. The reality is that air can get in when the tank is emptied and in other situations.
Two ways air can get into your propane lines is, one, when the connections get loose or the hoses wear out. Two, when there is a malfunction somewhere in your system. When that happens, you need to purge your propane lines to operate your appliances.
To learn more about this issue, just continue to read our article. It has the information you want to know about so you can take the right steps to solve the problem. Take a few minutes to see how this information helps you.
Can Propane Lines Get Clogged?
Yes, they can. Even though you may think that a sealed system can’t get debris or organic material inside, it does. When it does, you get a clogged line. This happens when you do not use your propane tanks that often or if they have been sitting for months unused.
The good news is that you can clean your propane lines to get rid of that clog. The first step would be to remove the lines from the tank after shutting the tank off.
The next step would be to use a thin but sturdy piece of wire and run it through the line. This should clear out any clogs you may have. Just make sure not to puncture the line as you move the wire back and forth.
After you have cleaned out the clog, connect your hose or hoses to the tank and appliances once again. This task may take several attempts as you will have different propane lines to clean.
One to each gas appliance.
Air Bubble in The Propane Line
The air bubbles get into the line through a lack of use, the tank runs empty, or different parts wear out. When these issues happen, you have to clear the air out for your gas appliances to work well.
One way to do this is to fully open your propane tank. Then go to your stove and turn on all the burners. When you see the blur flame once again, all the air should be out of the line.
Another way to clear the air would be to shut off all the burners on your stove, turn off the propane tank’s valve and remove the coupler holding the regulator to the tank. After that, remove the regulator.
Once that is done, you should hear a hissing sound. That would be the air escaping from the hose. When the hissing stops quickly reassemble the regulator, etc.
It doesn’t take much to remove air from your propane system. It shouldn’t take you longer than a few minutes to get this task done.
How To Purge Air From Propane Gas Line
The above instructions will be the ones to follow. However, there are a few extra bits of information you will need to do this right. The first piece of information is to make sure your propane tank is not low on fuel.
If it is, go get a refill as you will need good gas pressure to remove the air from the line. When you turn on the burners and the propane valve, make sure they are turned on all the way. You want a lot of gas to come out so all the air is removed.
You may have to repeat those steps several times if your stove is not lighting as it should. You will have to light the stove to make sure you see the blue flame indicating that all the air is gone.
Then to make sure all the air is gone from the propane lines, light up your other gas appliances and see if they are working normally or not. If the latter, repeat this process again.
How Long Does it Take To Purge a Propane Line?
The amount of time it takes you may vary. Some experts say that you need to set aside about 1 to 10 minutes to do the job effectively. If you are new to this task, then plan on taking the full ten minutes.
Some experts have said that it can take them only 3 minutes but then they know what to do and do not waste any time doing it. Don’t feel bad if this task takes you a little longer than 10 minutes.
You will get the hang of it and soon be purging lines like the experts. The good news is that you do not need any tools to do this task. Just open and close valves and burners and you should be done.
The only cost involved will be if you need to refill your tanks. Then you will be charged the going rate. This is going to be one of the easier maintenance tasks you will do when you own an RV or trailer.
Cleaning out the clogs in the hoses is not that difficult either.
Blowing Out Propane Lines
One option may be to use compressed air and blow the lines clean. But then you are still stuck having to connect the lines and then purging them through the method described earlier in this article.
Maybe the term ‘blowing out’ is the wrong one to use as that would indicate using air to get rid of air. Stick with the term ‘purge’ as that tells you exactly what you need to do.
You leave the gas lines in place and simply open a burner and use the gas to ‘blow’ the air out. That is the simplest way to do it. Also, make sure to check the other gas lines to see if they are clogged or have any air inside.
If the other gas appliances do not work normally, then either clean the hoses to them or repeat the purge process. Make sure the problem is not coming from an empty propane tank.
If the tank is empty, then get it refilled and then purge your lines. Also check your propane hoses, valves, etc., to make sure they are not wearing out. If so, you may have to replace them to stop this problem from coming back.
How To Blow Out RV Propane Lines
You have been given the best instructions already. There really are only one or two ways to do this task. That is because the whole system is very simple in design.
When it comes to clearing out air, you need all the gas coming from one end going to the other to make sure all the air is out. There are no real alternatives to this method.
As we said earlier, you should check your equipment as they age and lose its integrity. As they age, connections get looser, holes can find their way in, and so on. Before you purge, do a good systems check to make sure all the components are in top working order.
Then simply close all valves to the other gas appliances but leave the one to the stove open. Then open your burners and turn the valve releasing the gas. They will fill the entire diameter of the hose blocking any escape routes for the air to hide in or use.
Once you get that blue flame at your stove’s burners, then you know you were successful at removing the air.
How To Bleed a Gas Grill Line
One way to do this is to shut off all your burners and gas appliances. Next, you turn the valve off on your propane tank. Remove the regulator and coupler and get ready to listen.
You should hear a hissing sound when you do this right. That hiss is the air escaping from the gas line. This process is also called burping the line. Once the hissing has stopped, the air should be gone.
Then all you have to do is reconnect the coupler and regulator and open the propane tank valve. Your gas appliances should work normally again. If you still have problems, you may want to contact a technician skilled in propane tanks and equipment.
There may be a problem that is beyond your skills to handle. Sometimes it is just best to let the pros handle it as they can spot worn out connections, etc., a lot easier than other people can.
Some Final Words
Air will get in anywhere. All it needs is a little opening and it is in. When it gets inside your gas lines, then your gas appliances will not work right. You will need to purge those lines and get that air out.
As you can see the process is very simple and very limited. There are not too many ways to do this task. Just make sure the rooms you are working in are well-ventilated.
