Eco Temp L5 propane source, please enlighten me

[Mccaf]

Finally called tech support. They advise that this model is designed to run off a 20lb tank.

I have been using a 5 lb tank for 4 years but the unit quits igniting after a half the tank is gone.
Anyone else have this issue? I don’t have space for a 20lb tank readily available.

For what’s it worth the Eco Temp 5L will and has run on a one lb bottle w/ adapter until half the bottle is gone. I thought the pressure in all propane tanks stays the same throughout the full to empty stage?

I really don’t need to lug a 20 lb tank on my trips….ugh. Please advise any solution or explanation.
Thanks

 

[direwolf82]

Finally called tech support. They advise that this model is designed to run off a 20lb tank.

I have been using a 5 lb tank for 4 years but the unit quits igniting after a half the tank is gone.
Anyone else have this issue? I don’t have space for a 20lb tank readily available.

For what’s it worth the Eco Temp 5L will and has run on a one lb bottle w/ adapter until half the bottle is gone. I thought the pressure in all propane tanks stays the same throughout the full to empty stage?

I really don’t need to lug a 20 lb tank on my trips….ugh. Please advise any solution or explanation.
Thanks

The pressure will be consistent until all the liquid has converted/boiled to a gas. Once it turns to gas it'll lose pressure quicker. You can increase pressure in the tank by gently warming it with a hand warmer but I'm not sure how long that would help for, in my mind that's more of an emergency situation then normal camping. Don't get the tank cooking hot though, I can't recall if they have burst caps or not.
If you can't cram a full size 20lb'er on the roof do you have enough room for multiple 5lb tanks? If you daisy chain them together that will give a similar amount of actual liquid propane as a big tank but be easier to stash smaller tanks. This is not an equal equation though, it'll last longer on the single tank than on multiple smaller ones, or at least my system did when I had a smaller multi tank setup going. Also way more expensive to set up and maintain.
They do make pressure boosters, ungodly expensive and fairly complicated so probably not realistic.
You may be able to find a different shape tank also, maybe a tall skinny tank would fit better? Think propane fired tow motor sized maybe? Try a welding supply place, they generally have a wide variety of tank sizes and shapes.
Good luck!!

Sent from my SM-A516V using Tapatalk

 

[john61ct]

Pressure is a function of cross-section area, and goes down in the cold.

You could look for the refillable 1lb bottles, decant outdoors from a larger size.

5lb aluminum bottles are very handy, but cost the earth compared to standard BBQ size.

 

[WOODY2]

Regulator issue?

 

[NatersXJ6]

Is your tank showing a frost ring around the outside right before it stops working? I’m guessing it probably is.

You asked for an explanation or solution. The problem isn’t likely to be easily or safely solved.

Propane needs heat to become vapor, inside the tank, it takes heat from the remaining liquid and the metal of the tank, making them become so cold that they can’t vaporize as quickly as needed, reducing the amount of vapor available and starving the device of fuel.

Larger tanks can produce more vapor more quickly because they have a larger cross section of liquid exposed to vapor, but also because they can absorb more heat. They can still freeze, it happens to large barbecues with 20 lb tanks. Technically, they are not freezing solid, but they are cooling enough that they can’t vaporize anymore.

I have some large burners at my work that run off 30,000 gallon tanks. We can still freeze those if we try to pull too quickly, so those systems have a separate hot-water boiler that pumps hot water through a heat exchanger to force liquid propane to vaporize. If not properly managed, those can get hot enough to open pressure relief valves, the same can happen to small RV style tanks, so don’t apply direct heat to a tank to solve this problem, or you might create a fireball problem instead.

Some potential solutions would be setting the tank in a container of water when running it, or figuring out how to keep the tank warm, but you probably don’t want an outside heat source much higher than 80-100 degrees F, and even then, it is possible the tank simply isn’t large enough to generate enough vapor for the device. What is the device BTU rating?

On Edit:
The more simple answer is probably to reduce the demand, either use less flow rate of water or don’t try and heat it as much, but you will still flame out somewhere without enough heat.

 

[john61ct]

There are tank warmers, silicone with heat element embedded, an electric blanket will do in a pinch.

Not so suitable off grid, and of course safety issues.

OP, are we talking cold ambients when you have the problem?

 

[NatersXJ6]

For something in a 5lb size… maybe a battery warming blanket like they use up north? 12v and not too hot. I had a really interesting “discussion” with an OSHA inspector that found a heat trace tape wrapped around a couple of 20 lb tanks my guys were using to run a weed burning torch. It appears he disagreed with the method.

 

[Mccaf]

Regulator issue?

Yesterday after testing the heater with the 20 lb tank I noticed the regulator was very cold and I noticed some vapor escaping. Maybe.

 

[Mccaf]

OP, are we talking cold ambients when you have the problem?

These trips are mostly desert trips, so 85° Ambient or over.

 

[Mccaf]

Is your tank showing a frost ring around the outside right before it stops working? I’m guessing it probably is.

You asked for an explanation or solution. The problem isn’t likely to be easily or safely solved.

Propane needs heat to become vapor, inside the tank, it takes heat from the remaining liquid and the metal of the tank, making them become so cold that they can’t vaporize as quickly as needed, reducing the amount of vapor available and starving the device of fuel.

Larger tanks can produce more vapor more quickly because they have a larger cross section of liquid exposed to vapor, but also because they can absorb more heat. They can still freeze, it happens to large barbecues with 20 lb tanks. Technically, they are not freezing solid, but they are cooling enough that they can’t vaporize anymore.

I have some large burners at my work that run off 30,000 gallon tanks. We can still freeze those if we try to pull too quickly, so those systems have a separate hot-water boiler that pumps hot water through a heat exchanger to force liquid propane to vaporize. If not properly managed, those can get hot enough to open pressure relief valves, the same can happen to small RV style tanks, so don’t apply direct heat to a tank to solve this problem, or you might create a fireball problem instead.

Some potential solutions would be setting the tank in a container of water when running it, or figuring out how to keep the tank warm, but you probably don’t want an outside heat source much higher than 80-100 degrees F, and even then, it is possible the tank simply isn’t large enough to generate enough vapor for the device. What is the device BTU rating?

On Edit:
The more simple answer is probably to reduce the demand, either use less flow rate of water or don’t try and heat it as much, but you will still flame out somewhere without enough heat.

Thankyou for the explanation. Have tried with the flow and heat setting.

 

[Mccaf]

So I tried the 5 lb tank on my BBQ grill. (Different regulator on the grill) it ignited, then went out and wouldn’t start again. Wondering if the valve in the tank is faulty.

 

[Mccaf]

Is your tank showing a frost ring around the outside

NO



Larger tanks can produce more vapor more quickly because they have a larger cross section of liquid exposed to vapor, but also because they can absorb more heat.

THIS^^
I assume this is why the rep told me the L5 is designate for a 20lb tank.

 

[Mccaf]

I would like to hear from someone who has the Eco Temp L5.

 

[dbhost]

Yesterday after testing the heater with the 20 lb tank I noticed the regulator was very cold and I noticed some vapor escaping. Maybe.

Are you saying Gas vapor is escaping from / near the regulator? If so you have found at least one major fault with the system. Fix or replace that, and continue testing.

Your symptoms seem to point to a vault of the in hose regulator. You are getting excessive pressure drops while you still have sufficient fuel. And you have escaping fuel vapor at the regulator...


FWIW, I have not yet experienced this with my Camplux 5L, a very similar on demand heater to that Ecotemp. I suspect it's effectively more or less the same thing.

 

[Mccaf]

Are you saying Gas vapor is escaping from / near the regulator? If so you have found at least one major fault with the system. Fix or replace that, and continue testing.

Your symptoms seem to point to a vault of the in hose regulator. You are getting excessive pressure drops while you still have sufficient fuel. And you have escaping fuel vapor at the regulator...


FWIW, I have not yet experienced this with my Camplux 5L, a very similar on demand heater to that Ecotemp. I suspect it's effectively more or less the same thing.

Are you running your unit on a 20 pound tank?