smell of propane from water heater

rvcarpenter · 03-08-2006, 05:40 AM

I have a 2001 itasca 30w with a surbuban water heater that is located on the passenger side just behind the frount seats. when I turn it on sometime I get a really bad order of propane exhuast in the coach, seems to happen if the wind is coming at me from the direction the passenger side is pointing. It still happens in 0 wind conditions but not as bad. The water heater works fine, heats up nice and hot, it's just that we smell the propane exhust inside.

anyone have this problem and if so what did you do about it?

thanks

rvcarpenter · 03-08-2006, 05:40 AM

I have a 2001 itasca 30w with a surbuban water heater that is located on the passenger side just behind the frount seats. when I turn it on sometime I get a really bad order of propane exhuast in the coach, seems to happen if the wind is coming at me from the direction the passenger side is pointing. It still happens in 0 wind conditions but not as bad. The water heater works fine, heats up nice and hot, it's just that we smell the propane exhust inside.

anyone have this problem and if so what did you do about it?

thanks

troth · 03-08-2006, 06:46 AM

I don't think there's much you can do to make it "exhaust better"... However, you should look at the color of the flame when the main burner is on and adjust the air flow tube slightly to where you have all blue (no yellow tips) flame.

ppeter313 · 03-09-2006, 03:00 AM

Propane exhaust usually doesn't have a real strong odor. If the smell occurs when you open a water faucet, its hydrogen sulfide (rotten eggs) being generated in the heater, and the heater needs to be flushed out.

Paul

rvcarpenter · 03-09-2006, 04:54 AM

no the smell does not happen when we open the hot water faucet, but rather only when we turn the hot water heater on and the burner is on. The Hot water heater is right under a window and it isstrongest by there.