Propex Heaters - Knowledge Base

Basic troubleshooting? Installation issues? Some minor (or major) frustration with fuse replacement? You've come to the right place. If not - here is our main knowledge base.

Troubleshooting

  • Let's find some common ground on Propex terminology...continue reading
  • The Propex line of heaters has an onboard fuse to protect its sensitive central circuitry. Consider this fuse your heater's front line of defense against...continue reading
  • The Propex heaters were designed to be safe and reliable sources of heat for your vehicle. Being mounted in a non-stationary vehicle presents it's own challenges as the units are subject to vibration and exposure to all types of environments. Because of this...continue reading
  • Combustion in the Propex Heatsource heaters is initiated by an internal ignitor. When the heater’s logic circuit senses that propane is at the gas jet and ready to ignite, the onboard electronics activate the ignitor. This electricity jumps a small gap between...continue reading
  • If you are having issues with your heater not lighting and the unit is not displaying a fault code, you can eliminate your thermostat as a probable culprit by performing the following test. Remember that you should ALWAYS...continue reading
  • The Propex heater is a reliable and safe method for heating your vehicle. Propex stands behind it's heaters with a convenient warranty against parts and workmanship. The warranty periods are...continue reading
  • Very rarely we've seen a running issue where your Propex fan may start acting possessed and cycling on and off in one second bursts regardless of the settings on your thermostat. We suspect this happens when the heater has been started with the battery in a discharged...continue reading
  • Occasionally we receive inquiries into the Propex technical support team describing electrical conditions that are outside the typical diagnostic flow of the heater. This could be something like a heater working on the...continue reading
  • Before sending in your heater for repair you must first contact support@vancafe.com and receive approval. By sending your unit in for repair, you are agreeing to the following conditions. 1.) The customer is responsible for shipping charges both to and from Van Cafe....continue reading

Installation

fault codes

  • When the heater unit encounters conditions outside the parameters for safe operation, the logic circuits on the main circuit board may throw a fault code. This self-diagnostic feature helps...continue reading
  • If your Propex heater is having issues but no diagnostic fault code is showing on the indicator light, there are a couple quick diagnostic tools you have in your toolbox.

    First:
    Is the ambient temperature warmer than 80F? The upper limit of the Propex thermostat is set to 80F to limit the overheating of the cabin space...continue reading
  • The one-flash code can have three causes as outlined below. Only one of them is able to be remedied without opening the heater unit for repair. Important: opening the heater case and breaking the warranty seal will void...continue reading
  • The two-flash code is triggered by the heater's overheat sensor. Located in the heater air ducting, this sensor warns the heater's logic circuit when the temperature of the combustion chamber reaches a critical level. To minimize risk of damage...continue reading
  • The three-flash code results from over- or under-voltage conditions. This is typically seen when the heater is installed into a vehicle with a solar charging system in addition to the standard alternator charging circuit. Solar charge controllers can allow a voltage spike...continue reading
  • The Propex heaters were designed to be safe and reliable sources of heat for your vehicle. Being mounted in a non-stationary vehicle presents its’ own challenges as the units are subject to vibration and exposure to all types of environments. Because of this, Propex designers error on the side of caution and create distinct operating parameters for the heating units. continue reading
  • The five-flash code is triggered when the air flow sensor within the unit is not reading a nominal voltage, meaning it is out of specified parameters even before the heater is running and hot. This can be caused by something as simple as a blockage in both...continue reading
  • Sometimes the logic circuit in the board gets into a loop for some reason. Usually this is indicated by a one-flash code but there have been a couple times where this procedure cleared a no-flash fault as well. If you have been unsuccessful at resetting the fault code from the thermostat:...continue reading

contact for tecHNICAL issues

If you've read through the Troubleshooting documentation and you are still having running issues with your Propex unit, please send us a message using the link below.

Please include your name, email and phone number. Give us a brief description of your Propex issue and include these specific photos of your installation:

  • White sticker on the end of the unit
  • Combustion intake pipe (complete routing)
  • Combustion exhaust pipe (complete routing)
  • Propane regulator (remove plastic cover for photo if installed)
  • Heater unit itself
  • Fuel line and fittings
  • Large fresh air ducting from heater to vents
These photos are required to allow our technical support staff to catch clues to issues that might not be obvious to you.
Once submitted, our tech support staff will help with diagnosis and work with you on your repair options.

Click here to start a new Propex support ticket.