Slight propane smell

[Matthias]

Good morning!

I noticed this morning I have a slight propane smell coming from the propane tank storage area when I open the storage door on my BC 3250. Is that normal?

If not, how would you go about getting this checked? I'm a fulltimer and don't want to hook up the rig and head to a dealer just because of a small problem like that. Is there anything I can do myself to check the hoses and connectors?

Thanks,
Matthias

 

[wyleyrabbit]

Yes. Use water mixed with extra dish soap. Put this on all the hoses and connections and if there's a leak, then bubbles will form.

Good luck.

Chris

 

[Matthias]

Wow, that sounds simple. Thanks so much, I'll try it out.

 

[wyleyrabbit]

Please let us know what the result is.

Chris

 

[cookie]

Using the soap method for finding a leak may not be the best method for finding a gas leak. Although is is effective for finding leaks on joints and seals the best thing is to use a gas sniffer. You may have a leak in your regulator that would be hard to find with soap. Propane is a colorless, odorless gas that comes in a liquid and is used as a gas. What you are smelling is ethyl mercaptan. An odor agent that is added. I periodicaly smell this in my propane storage area. I have used the soap method and used a gas sniffer and have found no leaks. The only thing I can think of is that when hooking up a new tank or when it was filled some of the odor agent remains on the tank or hose. I have been throught this several times and have found no leaks. This is something I choose not to ignore, so when I smell something I check. Like wyley said, let us know what you find.
Peace
Dave

 

[wyleyrabbit]

Dave,

Great info. I just learned something.

So where would someone acquire a gas sniffer? Sounds expensive...but is it?

Chris

 

[cookie]

Here ya go. SNIFFERS

Peace
Dave

 

[katkens]

Here ya go. SNIFFERS

Peace
Dave

Here's one cheaper , never had one though. http://www.rvupgradestore.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=398

 

[HappyKayakers]

I recently completed a propane certification class here in Florida. The instructor advised strongly against using dishwashing liquid to check for leaks because some of the ingredients can corrode fittings. A better option would be something like this product http://www.folandsales.com/catalog.asp?prodid=487368&showprevnext=1

 

[wyleyrabbit]

Joe,

I wonder if using car wash soap, such as made by Turtle Wax and similar, would be better? Apparently, it's safer to use on cars than dish washing soap.

Chris

 

[lmcclure]

CW has a product that you can use and it is not very Expensive. They also sell the sniffers.

 

[jmgratz]

I have noticed on ours when our propane is just about to run out we can smell a slight propane odor. I have had it checked for leaks and checked it myself with my sniffer but have never found any. I guess it is just a way the tank lets me know is needs to be filled.

 

[HappyKayakers]

I'm not sure. He only mentioned the dishwashing soap. But I've heard the same thing about dishwashing soap being bad for a car's finish.

 

[rckc228]

I get in like you at the end of the Tank or if I just filled it.

 

[ct0218]

Initially I had a couple of loose fittings, and a little leakage. I used a couple of wrenches and tightened all of the fittings. Most were not tight enough. I would suggest wrenching all of them.

 

[Matthias]

Thanks for all the info. I haven't had time to check yet, I just turned the gas off for now yesterday to be on the safe side. One of my tanks is empty now, so it might be similar to what Jim mentioned. I will tighten the fittings first thing and see if that helps. I have to head to camping world soon anyway to pick up a bunch of stuff, so I'll get a bottle of their leak detector as well.

Matthias

 

[Triber]

If there is a strong odor in the propane tank storage area, it may not be a small item! As has been mentioned, propane is stored as a high pressure liquid and used as a low pressure gas. As propane changes from liquid to gaseous state, will form a very explosive mixture tha expands to 275 times its liquid volume. In other words, it you have a 7 gallon (28 litres) tank full of liquid, it will form 1925 (7286 litres) gallons of explosive gas mixture!
By all means, check for leaks and if you have any doubts, get it checked by a certified propane shop!

You have no doubt read about RVs exploding or blowing people out of the door while they were trying to light their oven. Propane is a safe, convenient and efficient fuel when used according to instructions. If treated casually, it can be very dangerous. Read the instructions for the propane devices on your rig and become familiar with the dos and don'ts.

The odor is added to propane, which by itself is odorless and colorless. The odor is to warn you that you have gas escaping somewhere.

 

[Matthias]

Finally here is an update for my fellow campers.

Since I'm a good boy and listen to the professionals, I didn't use soap but the leak detector spray from camping world. The stuff works great and the little bubbles made it immediately obvious that the fittings for the tank hoses on the regulator were leaking.

Tightening them didn't work, so I got the yellow gas fitting tape, removed the goo that was left from whatever the factory was using, reattached everything nicely with that tape and now the leak is gone and I'm a happy camper again.

Thanks to all for your insights on this.
Matthias

 

[Matthias]

PS: I kinda wish these Heartland engineers wouldn't have installed these gas tanks right under my bedroom...

 

[Shadowchek]

As Cookie stated it is the smelling agent that you smell. The smelling agent is heavier than the propane so it settles to the bottom of the tank so as a result smells stronger when running low. The smelling agent will get on your hands, hoses,tanks,walls anything it comes in contact with. You can wash these things to minimize or eliminate the odor then you have a better idea of whether you have a leak or not. There a specially designed soaps for leak detection that are relatively inexpensive and plenty good enough without going to the expense of a sniffer. My experience with the inexpensive sniffers is that they are not very accurate and are very temperamentle. I have used them and got false readings sent me chasing non existent leaks. To get one that I would trust just cost too much for occasional use. If you have money to burn get a good one if not go to your local appliance parts store and get some leak detector soap. Then soap up all of the connections and look very carefully for any foaming or bubbles big or small. also look for any damaged cracking or rotting hoses.

Greg