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How To Change An Automatic 2-Stage Dual RV Propane Regulator

Where is the RV Propane Regulator?

The propane regulator is the heart of every RV gas system, it makes sure you have the right amount of pressure to run your fridge, furnace, water heater, and your stove.

The regulator is the little box that sits near your propane tanks.

Related Product: Did you know RV Propane Detectors (click to view on Amazon) need to be replaced every 5-10 years? Make sure yours is still up to date before your next camping trip.

On a travel trailer and some RVs with dual propane tanks, the regulator is the box that has the two pipes coming out of the sides and connecting to each tank.

On travel trailers, the tanks are located in the front near the hitch. On RVs and some 5th-wheels, the tanks are normally in a side compartment near the front.

Some RV and 5th-wheel propane systems have 1 propane tank on each side or have a single large propane tank.

These will use a standard propane regulator and not a dual one.

My travel trailer uses a dual 2-stage automatic RV propane regulator, if you are changing your single tank regulator the process will the basically the same.

See Also: 7 Signs That Your RV Propane Regulator Has Gone Bad

What You Will Need To Change A Dual RV Propane Regulator

Tools required to change a dual RV propane regulator
Changing a dual RV propane tank regulator is fairly simple and requires only a few tools.

You need a replacement regulator that is the proper size and style for an RV.

Normally they are pre-adjusted for the correct RV gas line pressure and have a bracket already installed to hang the regulator between the propane tanks.

For reviews and information on the best RV propane regulators check out this article here.

The pigtails (lines that attach directly to the propane tanks) on my regulator were rusted and needed to be replaced as well so I bought a replacement RV propane regulator that pigtails already on it.

If you are only replacing the regulator you will need to remove the pigtails from the old one and put them on the new one. You can do this after step 1 during step 2.

I replaced my old dual RV propane regulator with the Flame King 2-Stage Auto Changeover LP Propane Gas Regulator (click to view on Amazon) which is the same brand as the old one.

I needed to replace the old one because the automatic switch-over function wasn’t working and it wasn’t able to hold the right gas pressure for my furnace.

See Also: How Does An RV Propane Regulator Work?

The second thing you will need is gas line pipe thread tape (click here to view on Amazon).

This is different than plumbers tape and made specifically for gas lines including propane. It’s yellow and you can find it in any hardware store or online.

The last thing you will need is two adjustable crescent wrenches.

If you only have fixed wrenches the nut on the replacement regulator was 1 1/4 inches and the gas line was 11/16 of an inch.

This may not be the same on the model of propane regulator you buy, using an adjustable crescent wrench is going to be the easiest way to go. All the gas lines should be a standard RV size.

How To Replace A Dual RV Propane Regulator

Step 1: Turn Off Your Propane Tanks & Empty Gas Lines

The first thing you need to do is turn off your propane tanks and unhook them from the old regulator you are going to be replacing.

Next, go inside your RV or travel trailer and light one of the burners on your stove. This will empty the LP gas in the line so you won’t have any coming out when you remove the regulator.

Wait until the flame is no longer burning, then be sure to turn off the gas on the stove so it doesn’t start leaking out when you turn the gas back on.

Step 2: Remove The RV Propane Regulator

The propane regulator is attached to the main gas line on the bottom.

To remove it you need to place a wrench on the nut of the main gas line and twist the regulator. Do not twist the main gas line as it is not made to move.

If you are having trouble twisting the propane regulator by hand you can use another wrench on the lower portion which has normally has a hexagonal shape for a wrench to be used if necessary.

Illustration showing where the main gas line is connected to a dual RV propane regulator.
You can see the connections from the back of the RV propane regulator.

Some RV propane regulators like mine come with a plastic rain cover over the front part. You will need to remove this to access the nut that is located on the bottom of the regulator so you can use a wrench.

RV Life Hack: How To Check How Much Propane You Have Left

The cover is easy to remove and you just need to pull it off by hand. Make sure the black switch is pointing down so it’s out of the way when you remove the cover.

RV propane regulator with rain cover removed.

Once you remove the RV propane regulator you can also remove the pigtails if you are planning on using those.

My new RV propane regulator came with pigtails pre-attached so I didn’t need to remove the old ones.

Make sure you use the gas line thread tape when attaching the old pigtails to your new RV propane regulator to prevent any leaks.

Step 3: The Gas Line Thread Tape

Now you need to remove all the old yellow gas line tape from the main gas lines threads and retape it.

Make sure you tape the same direction you will be screwing on the propane regulator so it doesn’t move and get undone while you tighten the regulator.

Harvey 017065 Gas Line PTFE Thread Seal Tape

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Step 4: Attach the RV Propane Regulator to the Main Gas Line

Now all you need to do is screw the new RV propane regulator onto the main gas line.

Use plenty of tape for a good seal and don’t cross-thread nut onto the bolt. To tighten use the two crescent wrenches for a snug leak-free fit.

Step 5: Attach Regulator to Propane Tanks

Once the RV propane regulator is secured to the main gas line all you need to do is attach the two pigtails to your propane tanks just like you normally would.

If the regulator has a monitor on it it should flip from red to clear when you open a propane tank and point the arrow towards the open tank.

Step 6: Check for Leaks

Now that you have propane gas running through the regulator you need to check the connection between the propane regulator and the main gas line for leaks.

You can do this by mixing water with dish soap and either spraying or dumping it on the connection.

There is also a pre-made gas line leak checker available (click to view on Amazon).

If no bubbles appear you have a tight connection. If bubbles are being created there is a small leak, you may need to repeat all the steps and use more gas line thread tape.

Congratulations, if there are no leaks you have successfully changed out an old dual RV propane regulator for a new one.

See Also: Best Small Portable Propane Heater For Indoor & RV Use

Have any questions about RV propane regulators and how to install them? Leave a comment below.

by Jesse
Jesse has always had an interest in camping, technology, and the outdoors. Who knew that growing up in a small town in Sweden with endless forests and lakes would do that to you?

14 thoughts on “How To Change An Automatic 2-Stage Dual RV Propane Regulator”

  1. Yes
    I’m getting ready to instal my new propane regulator. ( 2 stage automatic)

    Problem was , when I open either one of the cylinders, the valve on the bottom of regulator is leaking and you can smell propane
    I tried to do the test, (recommended by a technician) before he comes to do repairs in case the regulator was stuck
    Didn’t work. Valve is still leaking
    Furnace and the stove work normal, but I have to keep turning off the cylinders because I don’t dare to use the appliances
    Would you say , it is a regulator problem?
    I do have a new one and I’m asking for your opinion
    Thank you

    Reply
    • It sounds like the diaphragm in your regulator has been damaged in some way. This is a very common issue and the only way to fix it is to replace the regulator with a new one. You are doing the right thing by replacing it in my opinion.

      Reply
  2. Noticed my furnace not heating properly but operating. In checking propane tanks, regulator tattle shows red. Checked tank & not empty. Switched to other full tank, tattle still red. Will not turn green but stove burners work & refridge works even with a red tattle.
    regulator is 15 years old.
    Suspect flow is enough stove & refrige but not enough proper flow for furnance. should I change regulator?

    Reply
    • RV furnaces can be tricky, we’ve had lots of problems with our own. Replacing your 15 year old propane regulator is a good idea but you may want to also try removing the cap that covers the furnace exhaust pipe on the outside of your RV. Then run the furnace again to see if it helped. I know it sounds simple but airflow is key with RV furnaces and allowing more air to get out of the exhaust sometimes helps it burn hotter.

      Reply
  3. I have replaced regulator with new one and it will not switch from red when I open the valve on the propane tank it is pointing at. I switch to other tank and open vale and nothing. I thought maybe I had bought a dude so I ordered another one, same kind and still nothing. Is it possible to get two dude regulators or is something else wrong?

    Reply
    • Hi Sherrill,

      One thing that might be happening is there is still propane in your camper’s gas lines. It might be making it so no gas flows through the regulator when you open the propane tank and so it’s not recognizing that there is propane.

      Try opening the propane tank again but do it slowly so the shut off valve on the tank doesn’t accidentally engage. Then go inside the camper and light one of the burners on the stove to get propane flowing from the propane tank to the regulator.

      If you can hear propane gas hissing through the regulator that should mean it’s working. Hopefully, the indicator will be clear or showing green at this point. If you can’t hear gas going through the regulator even with a burner lit and the propane tank open you might have a problem with the connection between the regulator and the tank.

      I hope this helped. Let me know if you have any more questions.

      Reply
  4. So, no gas flow, to stove, water heater, with five years old dual regulator “always indicating green”, even when propane tanks are removed?? No apparent gas leaks noted either….

    Reply
    • It sounds like the propane regulator might be bad. I’ve heard of them always showing red even when connected to a full propane tank but never green even when not connected. Sounds like you may need to change it.

      Reply
  5. I have a dual fuel 10k watt generator with a built in propane regulator, can I use the Flame king auto change over unit without removing the generator regulator or will the pressure be reduced too much?

    Reply
  6. I just need to replace a hose from reg to a tank. Broke the green connector. I have a short hose that has another regulator on it. Will it work until I get another or will it change pressure too much??

    Reply
    • Hi Dennis,

      That’s a tough question to answer without knowing what kind of regulator is on the new hose. But if it’s just a temporary replacement it should be ok. You might notice it more when using high BTU appliances in your RV but it should work for a few days.

      Reply
  7. Hello I have a permanently mounted propane tank underside of my rv. Dometec refrig started not working on propane. I changed both regulators, and it seemed to help. Now, not lighting again. Hot water heater is now acting up and not lighting. I bled line, it started, but when time to kick back on, it doesn’t
    Third thing I noticed is that the electrical switch to the gas valve on the propane tank doesn’t seem to shut the valve anymore. The valve stays open. Any suggestions?
    Thanks
    Lee

    Reply
    • Hi Lee,

      Is your stove working fine?

      If the fridge and water heater are not lighting but the stove is working, I would clean the burner assemblies on both of them to make sure there’s nothing blocking them.

      Some oil may have gotten into the lines from contaminated propane and it might be in clogging things up.

      The electric switch not working could be a problem with the power line running between it and the battery. There’s often an inline fuse near that battery you should check.

      There might be a second electric shut off on your propane tank that’s connected to the LP detector. If there are any issues with the wiring to the detector it could be causing the valve to shut off randomly.

      Reply

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