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02-07-2020, 11:37 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 8
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Propane smell
I’ve been running the two furnaces in my 2002 Phaeton and ran out of propane. I turn the valve off in the tank but I’m getting a propane odor around the tank. Anyone have any ideas what could be causing the odor?
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02-07-2020, 11:45 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 1,211
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If you disconnected the tank, it could be leaking back through the Acme nut. If you air out the compartment, does the smell return?
__________________
2014 F350 DRW 6.7L CC FX4 King Ranch Ruby Red Metallic 158,000 Miles 4,450 Hours
2018 Cherokee Grey Wolf 29TE | Because I'm home, no matter where I am.
2018 Honda CB650F | Because the truck leans the wrong way when I turn.
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02-08-2020, 08:28 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 14,455
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I had not been using the rig but it was parked in my driveway where I had to walk by it daily. One day I caught a faint odor of propane, but didn't think much of it. The next day the same thing so I took a spray bottle of soapy water and started spraying around the regulator, it was leaking from one of the sealed plugs. The regulator had failed and I had to replace.
Start spraying soapy water and you'll find the leak.
__________________
Jim J
2002 Monaco Windsor 38 PKD Cummins ISC 350 8.3L
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee w/5.7 Hemi
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02-08-2020, 08:30 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 839
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimbob1947
I’ve been running the two furnaces in my 2002 Phaeton and ran out of propane. I turn the valve off in the tank but I’m getting a propane odor around the tank. Anyone have any ideas what could be causing the odor?
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For cheap money you should purchase this propane sniffer.
I found all my leaks with it. Leaks that didn't show up under the soapy water test.
It's only $31.00 extremely sensitive but accurate.
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02-08-2020, 09:29 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,317
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Low tanks often smell stronger then full tanks and valves can leak past the stem, when opening or closing them.
The smelly stuff is a liquid and you may be able to hose it off and away.
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02-08-2020, 09:33 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Appalachian Campers
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Dixie !! (north Georgia) USA
Posts: 4,110
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I thought I had a propane leak on a previous coach. Kept getting a whiff of something but could not figure out. Turned the tank off. Turned out to be a battery going bad and swelling.
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02-08-2020, 10:25 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 104
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My previous Fox had a BBQ connection on the side. It was fed by a length of copper tubing, in a loop, connected to the main steel line. I walked past the Fox and smelled propane while camped at Muncho Lake. I found the nut connecting the copper tubing to the main line had been hit so many times by gravel, that it backed the nut off making it less than finger tight and leaking quite a bit. I tightened it back up and the leak stopped completely. The most damaged part, however, was the copper loop. It was hit by so much road gravel that it was mostly flat. I doubt it would have fed a BBQ. It didn't leak at all. I removed it and capped the stub when I got home.
Just part of the adventure of driving up to Inuvik, NT and back.
Doc had good advice too, check your batteries.
Back to morning brew . . .
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02-08-2020, 12:40 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North America somewhere
Posts: 30,593
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twinboat
Low tanks often smell stronger then full tanks and valves can leak past the stem, when opening or closing them.
The smelly stuff is a liquid and you may be able to hose it off and away.
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Ethyl Mercaptain is a liquid that vaporizes, and contains no oil.
https://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/0894.pdf
__________________
2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD , ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG 11B5MX,Infantry retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA. " My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy
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02-08-2020, 12:56 PM
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#9
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Member
Monaco Owners Club Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Alcoa Tn
Posts: 92
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I had a tank with stress cracks from where it was mounted to the frame. It was hard to locate where it was leaking. It was on a 04 Winnebago Journey
__________________
John & Glenda
07 Endeavor 40SFT
Toad 09 Silverado
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02-08-2020, 03:12 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,792
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twinboat
Low tanks often smell stronger then full tanks and valves can leak past the stem, when opening or closing them.
........
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I've been noticing a slight smell around my tank also. The wife doesn't notice anything. I had the tank filled 2 weeks ago and never a hint of odor. Been running the furnace while cleaning the inside. Needed to remove furnace to clean out mud dobbers within the the furnace itself. Shut off fuel valve, got everything cleaned and reinstalled. Turned valve back on, and thats when I noticed the odor at the tank. The shut off valve turns easy. Feels like the stem seal has lost its sealing capabilites. Does the valve have a packing nut that could be snugged up a tad, the same way as an outside water faucet can be? I'm going on the assumption that since its been sitting for a long time unused by PO, now that I've turned it, I've disrupted the seal.
__________________
2017 Fleetwood Bounder 36Y
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02-08-2020, 03:24 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 448
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Quote:
Originally Posted by carl.swoyer
For cheap money you should purchase this propane sniffer.
I found all my leaks with it. Leaks that didn't show up under the soapy water test.
It's only $31.00 extremely sensitive but accurate. Attachment 274556
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Got the same one when I kept getting faint whiffs of propane but couldn't find any leaks with soapy water. Found the leak about 5 minutes after putting batteries in the sniffer and turning it on. It now has a permanent home in one of the drawers in my RV. Highly recommended.
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02-08-2020, 08:47 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Braidwood Il.
Posts: 8,300
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Quote:
Originally Posted by US1
I've been noticing a slight smell around my tank also. The wife doesn't notice anything. I had the tank filled 2 weeks ago and never a hint of odor. Been running the furnace while cleaning the inside. Needed to remove furnace to clean out mud dobbers within the the furnace itself. Shut off fuel valve, got everything cleaned and reinstalled. Turned valve back on, and thats when I noticed the odor at the tank. The shut off valve turns easy. Feels like the stem seal has lost its sealing capabilites. Does the valve have a packing nut that could be snugged up a tad, the same way as an outside water faucet can be? I'm going on the assumption that since its been sitting for a long time unused by PO, now that I've turned it, I've disrupted the seal.
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Yes it has compressible packing . Tighten a bit and run It in and out to break in the packing. It should also have a back seat to prevent packing leaking when open . Open fully to engage back seat.
__________________
95 Monaco Crown Royale
M11 400hp, 4060 trans.
Aquahot, Generac Guardian7.5k
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02-08-2020, 10:37 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North America somewhere
Posts: 30,593
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A gas valve should be either open tight against the stop or closed tightly against the stop, anything else can allow the stem seal to leak.
__________________
2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD , ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG 11B5MX,Infantry retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA. " My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy
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02-09-2020, 07:59 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Titusville, FL
Posts: 5,158
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Tanks that run dry frequently do that. I don't know why.
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When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.
2023 Grand Design 2600RB, 2022 F-350 King Ranch tow vehicle, Titusville, FL when not on the road
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