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
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Propex Terminology
Let's find some common ground on Propex terminology...continue reading
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Propex Onboard Fuse Replacement
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
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Resetting a Solid Light Lockout
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
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Ignitor Gap Adjustment (HS2211 only)
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
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Checking Your Propex Wiring
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
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Propex Warranty Information
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
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What to do if your Propex Fan Cycles Constantly
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
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Propex Electrical Faults
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
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Propex Non-Warranty Repair Agreement
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
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Installation & Troubleshooting Tips
So, you finally got yourself a Propex heat source? Congratulations, you are one step closer to enjoying quick, efficient, and reliable heat for years to come! Here is a reference to...continue reading
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Which Model is Right for your Installation?
One of the most commonly asked questions here at PropexUSA is: which model Propex do I need? When sizing your Propex there are as many considerations...continue reading
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Mounting Above Floor Level
The Propex heater is designed to be a floor mounted unit. We have spoken with several heater owners that wish to mount the heater in a cabinet or closet above the floor. While this might be convenient for the layout of the vehicle, it poses some...continue reading
- Changing Propex Digital Thermostat to Fahrenheit or Celsius
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Installing in Vehicles with Insulated Floors
Propex heaters are designed to be mounted on the vehicle floor, whether internally like the HS2000 and HS2211 or externally like the HS2211. The following information applies to the internally mounted HS2000 and HS2800 heaters only....continue reading
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Making your Propex Wiring Connections Corrosion Resistant
As with any electrical connection that will be exposed to changing environments, it is important that you use dielectric grease when connecting the thermostat and power harnesses to your Propex circuit board...continue reading
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Tips for Routing Propex Combustion Piping
When installing your Propex heater, it is important to follow some specific guidelines when routing your combustion pipes. Failure to heed this guidelines can cause irregular operation and fault codes...continue reading
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Propex Combustion Exhaust Protection
If you're concerned with hot exhaust piping being an issue or would just like to have further protective insulation, we offer...continue reading
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Combustion Pipe Routing and Warnings
One of the key design elements of the Propex heater is that combustion is separate from the heated cabin air. This precludes noxious fume infiltration and condensation inside the heated area....continue reading
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Important Tips for Installing Combustion Exhaust Pipe
One of the most common installation issues with the Propex is a combustion exhaust pipe that does not have an airtight seal. An air leak here has the potential to throw a fault code in the heater. Here are the steps to follow when installing this pipe...continue reading
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Combustion Pipe End Caps - Why They're Essential
To optimize combustion in your heater, there is an onboard air flow sensor that measures the volume of air moving through the combustion chamber. This sensor tells the onboard...continue reading
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Stealth Kit - Make your HS2000 Heater Whisper Quiet
By design, the Propex furnace is a quiet and reliable way to heat your vehicle. The only noise you'll hear is the fan running and a soft low rumble of the combustion exhaust pipe. For those who want an even quieter experience...continue reading
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Extending Your Propex Thermostat Harness
If your installation requires a longer length of harness between your heater to your desired thermostat location, we stock harness extensions for plug and play functionality...continue reading
fault codes
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Resetting 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
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No Flash Code
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 -
One Flash Fault Code
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
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Two Flash Fault Code
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
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Three Flash Fault Code
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
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Four Flash Fault Code
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
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Five Flash Fault Code
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
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CN-18 Reset Procedure
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
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.