Community Forums

demon1018 · 11-24-2016, 04:24 PM

I have smelled something in the motorhome that i thought could be propane. I noticed it 2 weeks ago when we were using it but the tank has been off since. I don't think I smelled anything weird when i went in it today so I turned the tank on and left it for a while. when I cam back out i thought i smelled something. i don't know if its just in my head or what . I noticed last year when I got it that the furnace smelled like propane outside. I looked it up online then and read that was common to smell a little there. Well I haven't used the furnace since last january and it smelled like propane today ...on the outside vents. so does that mean its leaking or??

**CLIFFTALL** · 11-24-2016, 04:28 PM

I would shut off the tank and get someone with a propane detector to check it out for a leak.

wizechatmgr · 11-24-2016, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clifftall

I would shut off the tank and get someone with a propane detector to check it out for a leak.

Exactly, better safe than sorry... =)

Elf111 · 11-24-2016, 07:14 PM

This may not apply to yours but some ovens have position on the control knob for lighting the pilot light if it is in the light position but hasn't been lit it will pump gas into the oven.

demon1018 · 11-25-2016, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elf111

This may not apply to yours but some ovens have position on the control knob for lighting the pilot light if it is in the light position but hasn't been lit it will pump gas into the oven.

I checked that yesterday.. I don't use the oven either and really don't plan on using the furnace...I have 2 electric heaters I use anyway. I'm gonna try and find a leak this weekend or just disconnect the furnace all together form the propane

SSTraveler · 11-25-2016, 05:41 AM

I had a leak where the sight guage screws into the tank. Like you I smelled something occassionally. One trip I came out and my tank was empty. Took it to propane company and they found the leak. They showed me that a propane leak makes an oily residue stain if the leak continues over time. So check your tank and appliance fittings and see if you have a black leak stain coming from any where. You can also use soapy water in a sprayer to check for leaks. Spray around fittings and look for bubbles.

demon1018 · 11-25-2016, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSTraveler

I had a leak where the sight guage screws into the tank. Like you I smelled something occassionally. One trip I came out and my tank was empty. Took it to propane company and they found the leak. They showed me that a propane leak makes an oily residue stain if the leak continues over time. So check your tank and appliance fittings and see if you have a black leak stain coming from any where. You can also use soapy water in a sprayer to check for leaks. Spray around fittings and look for bubbles.

thanks, i didnt know about the black stuff but i was gonna spray soapy water on everything this weekend

**CountryFit** · 11-26-2016, 05:30 AM

i once had a leak between the main valve and the pressure regulator. it's an easy fix - shut off the valve, loose one end on a tightener so to take the connecting pipe out. apply the orange color Teflon tape on both ends of the pipe and thread back in.

you can spray soap water to any suspected spots and look for bubbles.

demon1018 · 11-27-2016, 08:30 AM

So I made a nanometer to check for leaks in the system. There defiantly seems to be a leak. If I smell it inside the motor home could it be anything besides the stove/oven? That's the only thing that is inside. Trying to look for bubbles is pretty difficult. I haven't seen any yet but with so little pressure I'm not sure if i would just miss the leak anyway. On the stove there are 3 burners. If I hook the manometer to either of 2 of them ,it goes up a tiny bit... About 3/16" with the gas on at the tank and the valve off at the stove. Seems odd that it moves at all butvide think if it were leaking it would go all the way up?

demon1018 · 11-27-2016, 08:32 AM

Ok the reason it moves 3/16 is just hooking the hose on the nipple...they all do it so I don't think its leaking here

OLYLEN · 11-27-2016, 11:45 AM

Betting on the regulator. But do the soapy water spray on every connection and most likely you will find the problem.

LEN

demon1018 · 11-27-2016, 02:10 PM

ok ,checked the stove really well then went under and sprayed all the connections underneath again and the water heater,fridge and furnace connections. no bubbles. still smelled the propane at the furnace exhaust so I got a plug for the propane line going into it and plugged it. No leaks at all. the manometer stayed up for hours! im not really worried about fixing the furnace as we wont use it anyway.