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dvleemin · 04-22-2014, 11:01 AM

OK,
I have an odd LP leak issue in my '05 Itasca Horizon 40AD.

I took it out for the first trip for 10 days and got home yesterday. We got home and about 5 hours later I heard the LP alarm going off. I muted it and it came back on again so I ran the microwave fan and then it went off. A few hours later the alarm was back on.

The only think that I could think of that changed was that I turned off the hot water heater LP heater during the drive. So I turned it back on, ran the fan again for a while, and after that the LP alarm has not gone off. So this leads me to believe that even when there is no pilot to the hot water tank that propane is still leaking.

This brings up a couple of questions though:
- does this make sense? When I turn off propane at the tank, the water heater tries to start 2 or 3 times but then shuts itself off. So wouldn't that mean the shut off valve is working?
- The water heater is facing the outside, so how could a leak there actually get into the inside of the rv to set off the alarm.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Darryl

**TonyDi** · 04-22-2014, 11:13 AM

Darryl
You may have a bad LP detector. However, as a caution, if your alarm goes off the last thing you should do is turn on anything electrical, which may cause a spark. You may need to get to someone with a gas/LP sniffer to confirm that you don't have a leak, or if you do where is it and what causes it.

cc8375 · 04-22-2014, 11:22 AM

A few years ago, I had a similar issue and my buddy just had the same issue. Not a propane issue but the batteries were cooking due to the converter over charging the batteries. May be a another thing to check. Check water level in batteries, turn Lp off at the tank. If battery level is Low, may be the issue. See if issue comes back with RV plugged in and Lp is off at tank.

BFlinn181 · 04-22-2014, 11:23 AM

Did you smell LP gas? (the odorant added to it) Did you clean the floor or area with any strong cleaner that may have triggered the LP alarm? If the LP detector is original to the RV, it is overdue for replacement. Try vacuuming the slots on the detector, you might also remove face plate and look to see if it has an expiration date on it. (some do)
Your water heater doesn't have a pilot light, it is electric ignition. If it's turned on, it will open the gas valve and try to light. If it doesn't sense heat, it shuts off. You shouldn't have LP from the water heater entering the RV, but where is the supply line? does it run through the RV or under it? Did you have a window open on the water heater side?

How about the refrigerator, was it on? The oven? stove? furnace? All of those, plus the regulator and connections are all potential leak locations.

cc8375 · 04-22-2014, 11:26 AM

The other answer to your question. If the LP tank is turned off and the water heater is turned on, it will try to ignite..... the water heater has NO reference that the tank is in the off position. Check you batteries, may or may not be the issue.

dvleemin · 04-22-2014, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cc8375

A few years ago, I had a similar issue and my buddy just had the same issue. Not a propane issue but the batteries were cooking due to the converter over charging the batteries. May be a another thing to check. Check water level in batteries, turn Lp off at the tank. If battery level is Low, may be the issue. See if issue comes back with RV plugged in and Lp is off at tank.

No issue with the batteries - inspected them this spring. And they are all 2-3 years old

cc8375 · 04-22-2014, 12:00 PM

OK...... just a FYI, my buddys batteries were only two years old...... it was not a battery issue but the Converter was OVERcharging the batterys, putting off a fumes which set off the LP detector. I had the same issue also.

dvleemin · 04-22-2014, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

Did you smell LP gas? (the odorant added to it) Did you clean the floor or area with any strong cleaner that may have triggered the LP alarm? If the LP detector is original to the RV, it is overdue for replacement. Try vacuuming the slots on the detector, you might also remove face plate and look to see if it has an expiration date on it. (some do)
Your water heater doesn't have a pilot light, it is electric ignition. If it's turned on, it will open the gas valve and try to light. If it doesn't sense heat, it shuts off. You shouldn't have LP from the water heater entering the RV, but where is the supply line? does it run through the RV or under it? Did you have a window open on the water heater side?

How about the refrigerator, was it on? The oven? stove? furnace? All of those, plus the regulator and connections are all potential leak locations.

Did not smell even a hint of gas.

I'll check the expiration date - its likely the original so its probably time to replace it regardless.

BFlinn181 · 04-22-2014, 12:35 PM

Battery outgassing could be an issue even if you just checked batteries. BUT, where are the batteries? If they are in a separate compartment that doesn't connect to the interior I doubt if they are causing the alarm.

dvleemin · 04-22-2014, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

Battery outgassing could be an issue even if you just checked batteries. BUT, where are the batteries? If they are in a separate compartment that doesn't connect to the interior I doubt if they are causing the alarm.

Separate compartment with no connection to the inside . . .