The safety gas valve is an issue for all campers now - you can get around it by opening the valve VERY slowly - it should take you a minute or two to get it all the way open. Or, you can open it quickly before you get on the road, and by the time you get to your campsite things should be normal (it isn't illegal or unsafe to travel with the propane on, so no worries).
On the 171 the stove is fairly close to the water heater and fridge, and it can move a lot of gas quickly, so you should always open up one of the burners and keep trying to light it until all the air is out of the lines. Once it does you can shut it down. That will then make it much easier for the fridge and water heater to light - you will have sucked propane down 3/4 of the length of the gas line from the lpg tank.
If you switch on the white switch inside by the sink and the red light does NOT come on immediately, check all your fuses and circuit breakers. It should come on right away, and then go out after 10-20 seconds. The red light is not an "on" indicator, it is a "trouble" indicator and will stay off as long as it is firing normally.
The electric element is controlled by the black switch in the lower-left corner of the water heater (outside). There is no light. You MUST make sure the water heater is full before turning this switch on or else the element will burn out within seconds. It should be full before turning on the gas switch, too, but it is far more critical when you are using the electric element.
After hooking up to campground water or turning on the water pump IF you have water in the fresh water tank, turn on a hot water valve. Any one will do, I always use the sink. Keep it open until it stops spitting air. If you are boondocking you should do this before you leave home, otherwise you will suck 6 gallons of your fresh water into the water heater before your trip has even started. Fill the water heater at the beginning of the camping season and leave it filled all summer, that will prevent issues with the electric element and you won't use up your fresh water tank.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
|