oh gosh...propane leak just in time for trip tomorrow??

[Hart_family]

Getting the trailer ready for a short trip leaving tomorrow. Went out a day before, as usual, to plug in the trailer and fire up the fridge (electric for now). Opened the propane tank valve as usual before a trip (I keep it closed in between trips) since it seems to want to charge the line with gas.

I have been noticing a faint LP gas smell. Worried someone left a stove on, I disconnected electricity and carefully opened the trailer door, worried the entire thing was a bomb filled with gas. Nope. Nothing inside.

I then sprayed a soapy/water solution on all fittings and parts from the tanks all the way back to the end of the line. Could not detect any leaks. Can't hear anything either. I also hoped the smell was just an inintial "burst" coming through somewhere, but I have smelled it over and over across several hours. Even still. Again, very faint.

Also, stove burner light just fine, so they are getting gas. Fridge pilot light comes on okay when I switch it from auto to gas.

So bizzarre. Has anyone had this happen before? Suggestions?

[sundancer 87]

Originally Posted by Hart_family

Getting the trailer ready for a short trip leaving tomorrow. Went out a day before, as usual, to plug in the trailer and fire up the fridge (electric for now). Opened the propane tank valve as usual before a trip (I keep it closed in between trips) since it seems to want to charge the line with gas.

I have been noticing a faint LP gas smell. Worried someone left a stove on, I disconnected electricity and carefully opened the trailer door, worried the entire thing was a bomb filled with gas. Nope. Nothing inside.

I then sprayed a soapy/water solution on all fittings and parts from the tanks all the way back to the end of the line. Could not detect any leaks. Can't hear anything either. I also hoped the smell was just an inintial "burst" coming through somewhere, but I have smelled it over and over across several hours. Even still. Again, very faint.

Also, stove burner light just fine, so they are getting gas. Fridge pilot light comes on okay when I switch it from auto to gas.

So bizzarre. Has anyone had this happen before? Suggestions?

If you can smell it it's leaking somewhere. No reason to smell it unless it is escaping from some point. Where do you smell it most, outside near the tanks or inside?

[Hart_family]

Originally Posted by sundancer 87

If you can smell it it's leaking somewhere. No reason to smell it unless it is escaping from some point. Where do you smell it most, outside near the tanks or inside?

Thanks sundancer. Agreed. The odor is definately outside more near the tanks. Nothing inside at all. Funny thing is that I only get a whiff when I am 5-10 feet away, but have dragged my poor nose all over the tanks and hoses and can't smell anything up close.

I have a valve that switches between tanks. I wonder if I should switch it to the other tank to see if I can still smell it. Hmmm...

[sundancer 87]

Originally Posted by Hart_family

Thanks sundancer. Agreed. The odor is definately outside more near the tanks. Nothing inside at all. Funny thing is that I only get a whiff when I am 5-10 feet away, but have dragged my poor nose all over the tanks and hoses and can't smell anything up close.

I have a valve that switches between tanks. I wonder if I should switch it to the other tank to see if I can still smell it. Hmmm...

Did you soap that wonderful CAMCO valve also?

[Hart_family]

Originally Posted by sundancer 87

Did you soap that wonderful CAMCO valve also?

Hmmm...not sure what Camco valve you are referring to. Perhpas the valve that splices the two tanks together?

But yeah....I generously soaped everything from the white 20# tanks themselves all the way back.

ADDED PHOTO of the current situation....

[pctomlin]

Originally Posted by Hart_family

Funny thing is that I only get a whiff when I am 5-10 feet away, but have dragged my poor nose all over the tanks and hoses and can't smell anything up close.

H2S smell from the black tank vent on the roof of the trailer?

[Hart_family]

Originally Posted by pctomlin

H2S smell from the black tank vent on the roof of the trailer?

Hmmm....good idea, but doubtful. I have working around my trailer a ton for several days/weeks, and did not smell anything until today when I turned the propane valve on. Plus my black tank is clean as a whistle. Haha. But seriously - it is. Sort of.

[sundancer 87]

Originally Posted by Hart_family

Hmmm...not sure what Camco valve you are referring to. Perhpas the valve that splices the two tanks together?

But yeah....I generously soaped everything from the white 20# tanks themselves all the way back.

ADDED PHOTO of the current situation....

Yep, the switch over valve between the tanks.

[wahoonc]

Has it been hotter than normal? Tanks in the sun? You sometimes will get a bit of outgassing from tanks and regulators as they heat up. If you did a proper leak test (and it sounds like you did) there probably isn't an issue.

Aaron

[sundancer 87]

Yeah, just imagine an RV park full of RVs in a hotter than usual RV park and all the propane bottles out gassing all at the same time.


That would mean the bottles were beyond the regulated 80% fill level and the 20% expansion void couldn't handle the expansion.
I had twin tanks sit in direct sun with temps over a hundred degrees and never experienced that. The bulk fill station did have scales but given the location I doubt they were calibrated when required.

I did have one small bottle filled in this busy bulk station and it did out gas in the back of my truck. Direct sun and high temperatures again. I went back to the bulk station and the guy just let some out. Just some, not weighed, just enough to stop the out gassing.
The bulk fill station was a commercial place that filled truck loads of propane bottles all day long at a rapid pace.

[wildwest450]

I had one of those cheap green fittings crack on mine. I went down to the local spar gas and bought 2 new lines with all metal fittings, I have to use a wrench to tighten them, but they're not going to leak.

[Local150]

When I was in Florida last winter the guy next to me was unhooking his lp tank,, he had a fire extinguisher next to him. I went over and asked what was wrong and he smelled gas and was nervous. I told him it was more than likely just bleeding off a little as it was a very warm day. To make a long story shorter that's exactly what it was. I am betting you have same issue

[keegantimber]

Be sure to check where the black rubber hose meets the aluminum crimped connection with soapy water ...and other similar crimps.

[persistent]

Pressure regulators have been known to cause this behavior. The leaking regulator may "puff" from time to time. The puff moves slowly away leading to smell at a distance, and no smell at the regulator.

Puffing is not normal.

[ArmyVeteran]

Originally Posted by Hart_family

Getting the trailer ready for a short trip leaving tomorrow. Went out a day before, as usual, to plug in the trailer and fire up the fridge (electric for now). Opened the propane tank valve as usual before a trip (I keep it closed in between trips) since it seems to want to charge the line with gas.

I have been noticing a faint LP gas smell. Worried someone left a stove on, I disconnected electricity and carefully opened the trailer door, worried the entire thing was a bomb filled with gas. Nope. Nothing inside.

I then sprayed a soapy/water solution on all fittings and parts from the tanks all the way back to the end of the line. Could not detect any leaks. Can't hear anything either. I also hoped the smell was just an inintial "burst" coming through somewhere, but I have smelled it over and over across several hours. Even still. Again, very faint.

Also, stove burner light just fine, so they are getting gas. Fridge pilot light comes on okay when I switch it from auto to gas.

So bizzarre. Has anyone had this happen before? Suggestions?

When you open your tank valves do you do slowwwwwLYYYYY?


They are designed to not open if you do it quickly. Protection against a sudden gas leak.


Mine will sometimes give me a "wiff" if I do it too quickly.



Slow is better.


Good Luck.

[Hart_family]

Originally Posted by ArmyVeteran

When you open your tank valves do you do slowwwwwLYYYYY?


They are designed to not open if you do it quickly. Protection against a sudden gas leak.


Mine will sometimes give me a "wiff" if I do it too quickly.



Slow is better.


Good Luck.

Thanks ArmyVeteran...yes, opening the valves has never been an issue. I learned the hard way years ago in Boy Scouts that modern valves need to be opened VERY slowly.

[Hart_family]

Originally Posted by wahoonc

Has it been hotter than normal? Tanks in the sun? You sometimes will get a bit of outgassing from tanks and regulators as they heat up. If you did a proper leak test (and it sounds like you did) there probably isn't an issue.

Aaron

UPDATE: Went on our trip anyhow since I could not find a leak. I THOUGHT I had solved the issue when my upwind neighbor was messing with his BBQ grill, but then I found out it was an electric smoker. haha. We camped at low elevation for us (7,000 ft) so it was cooler. Never smelled ANY gas while on our trip. I am thinking that Local150 and wahoonc win the prize and that our tanks could have been just a tad overfilled as the weather HAS been quite hot lately (high 90's). So crazy.

[Local150]

Originally Posted by Hart_family

UPDATE: Went on our trip anyhow since I could not find a leak. I THOUGHT I had solved the issue when my upwind neighbor was messing with his BBQ grill, but then I found out it was an electric smoker. haha. We camped at low elevation for us (7,000 ft) so it was cooler. Never smelled ANY gas while on our trip. I am thinking that Local150 and wahoonc win the prize and that our tanks could have been just a tad overfilled as the weather HAS been quite hot lately (high 90's). So crazy.

Am glad to hear you were able to enjoy your time in the rv.