LP Leak Somewhere

[Perry Butler]

We have a gas leak. I've been suspecting a leak since we purchased the camper in 2018. Using the furnace we can drain the LP tank in ten days. We also drained the tank over the summer using the stovetop only a couple of times, and never using LP for the water heater/fridge/furnace since the camper was in a seasonal site.

Purchased two gas gauges, filled the line and found the line empties within 8 hours. The LP sniffer shows nothing in our LP area (neither tank, fittings or the regulator).

I've used the LP sniffer at the stovetop, water heater, refrigerator, and furnace and can find no leaks.

ETI used copper lines to our devices on our 2018 5.0. The only place left to check is the manifold(s) underneath the camper and insulation. I'll have to dig the insulation out to check for leaks, but that doesn't bother me.

Does someone have a photo, or direct me to a 5.0 photo already on the forum, showing where the LP connections on the bottom of a similar year 5.0 exist?

Thanks,

Perry

[rubicon327]

Perry: Hope these help. It appears the line drops down out of the front propane compartment and goes to the driver's side frame rail. Runs along the frame rail and picks up furnace, fridge and hot water heater on that side. Piping branches go directly horizontal across the trailer for propane quick connect (if equipped) and cooktop/oven.

2014-15
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post370253

2017
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post370254

2021
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post370675

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Perry: Hope these help. It appears the line drops down out of the front propane compartment and goes to the driver's side frame rail. Runs along the frame rail and picks up furnace, fridge and hot water heater on that side. Piping branches go directly horizontal across the trailer for propane quick connect (if equipped) and cooktop/oven.

2014-15
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post370253

2017
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post370254

2021
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post370675

Thanks for the link to those pictures!

I forgot about sniffing the low-pressure propane quick connect on the passenger side. I'm hoping that's the culprit.

Thanks,

Perry

[MVA]

Originally Posted by Perryb67

Thanks for the link to those pictures!

I forgot about sniffing the low-pressure propane quick connect on the passenger side. I'm hoping that's the culprit.

Thanks,

Perry

Perry - thanks for sharing this issue. It is good to mentally log potential issues for the rest of us.

--Steve

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Perryb67

Thanks for the link to those pictures!

I forgot about sniffing the low-pressure propane quick connect on the passenger side. I'm hoping that's the culprit.

Thanks,

Perry

I hope it’s that simple. I think those quick connect fittings can sometimes have the internals get misaligned and leak. At least that’s what happens on my air compressor fittings that are made very similar.

[elongest]

Lot of people are experiencing leaks with their tank to regulator hoses. These hoses and the regulator carry the highest pressure gas on your trailer. You could also have a leaky diaphragm in your regulator. I would check them with soap and water or a leak detection fluid.
I would split the system, disconnect and plug the rubber line at the trailer connection and pressurize the the hoses and connections and look for leaks prior to tearing into the foam insulation.
Good Luck
Eddie

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by Perryb67

From Post #1
Purchased two gas gauges, filled the line and found the line empties within 8 hours. The LP sniffer shows nothing in our LP area (neither tank, fittings or the regulator).

Originally Posted by elongest

Lot of people are experiencing leaks with their tank to regulator hoses. These hoses and the regulator carry the highest pressure gas on your trailer. You could also have a leaky diaphragm in your regulator. I would check them with soap and water or a leak detection fluid.
I would split the system, disconnect and plug the rubber line at the trailer connection and pressurize the the hoses and connections and look for leaks prior to tearing into the foam insulation.

As you can see in my first post, I used our sniffer to check everything in the LP storage area of our 5.0, including the hoses, fittings, and regulator.

Plus, the hoses were replaced last June for longer hoses, making the hoses easier to connect. The problem was noticed well before the hose replacement.

We have a cold, nasty day with high winds, so the sniffer won't work today on the exposed propane quick connect. If the weather is decent tomorrow I'll go down with the sniffer and bottle of soap to check the quick connect. Winter has arrived in Minnesota, so if it's not the quick connect we'll wait until we get south to start digging in the foam insulation to find the leak.

Enjoy,

Perry

[Steven M]

Longer isn't necessarily better. I replaced my hose connections with 15 inch when my originals just fell apart. After two seasons one of the hoses started to leak from a metal connection point. I've gone with a 12 inch stainless steel covered hose as a replacement set.



It's also possible that being outside the the LP gas is dispersed enough to not be detected by your sniffer. I'm not an expert on this and don't know how sensitive the gas sniffer is, but my leak was so small I didn't smell it and wouldn't have noticed it without simply soaping it.

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by Steven M

Longer isn't necessarily better. I replaced my hose connections with 15 inch when my originals just fell apart. After two seasons one of the hoses started to leak from a metal connection point. I've gone with a 12 inch stainless steel covered hose as a replacement set.

Longer is better if your hoses are hard to connect and make sure they're tight. I'm currently using 20" hoses and don't have to deal with tight turns and find longer hoses are much easier to connect.

Originally Posted by Steven M

It's also possible that being outside the the LP gas is dispersed enough to not be detected by your sniffer. I'm not an expert on this and don't know how sensitive the gas sniffer is, but my leak was so small I didn't smell it and wouldn't have noticed it without simply soaping it.

I also have soap that is used when I'm uncomfortable with the sniffer. In cold weather I trust soap before the sniffer, but I've found the sniffer works better in warmer weather and tight conditions. Sometimes you just can't get in the area to use soap. There's a place for both.

Enjoy,

Perry

[Iowa Dave]

I had a fold down camper in the 70s that was only a year old when I bought it used. I had owned a pickup camper with a stove and a furnace and one tank of propane lasted a long time. So I was surprised when I ran out on one tank in just a couple weekend outings. I soaped the connections on the hoses and regulator, no bubbles. A few days later on a clam, foggy morning I was standing by the trailer and got a whiff of propane. I then soaped the connections where valve assembly screwed into the tank. Bubbles!
The second tank also had bubbles but not nearly as many. I took them both to my local propane dealer. The guy on the dock said that he had seen a few tanks leak like mine. He bled off the propane after weighing the propane and removed the valves . He then ran a pipe tap into the neck where the valve screwed in and cut a couple more threads. Cleaned everything up, put the valves back in, filled the tanks. No leaks. And no leaks for the next 22 years that we had the trailer. Only charged me for the difference to fill the tanks. Perhaps tank construction is different now and this can no longer be a problem but I thought I would relate this experience. Problems are not always the first place one looks.
Iowa Dave

[CharlesinGA]

What brand of regulator do you have? There is a recall out for the Winntec regulators which is also marketed under the Flame King name.

These regulators have issues, leaks, high pressure, low pressure, no flow, all kinds. The recall affects 2017-2021 but I expect to see it expanded. Three fires so far caused by the regulators. Its a NHTSA recall, so the Feds and Transport Canada are heavily involved in it.



If it looks like this, get rid of it!!!

Regulators are scarce right now due to the recall, Many are not available on Amazon right now, that used to be there.

I posted the following on another forum in reference to someone who could not get any response from either their dealer or manufacturer regarding the recall letter they received.

The best thing you can probably do is forget about dealing the the RV mfg or the dealer and simply order a regulator, pigtails, etc. and install it and move on. Its not like its that expensive.

THIS regulator and 15 inch pigtails

AND THIS bracket, and THIS cover

I see a lot of the regulators are gone off of Amazon, must be a rush on them. You can do better buying the regulator and pigtails separately but I cannot find them on Amazon. They were there just a few weeks ago..

DO NOT get the Marshall Excelsior MEGR-253 with either an H or an L on the end. The H is a high flow regulator and is olive drab green on the large diaphragm housing, the L is a low flow regulator and is bright blue on the large diaphragm housing. (EDIT: Actually the high flow is OK, it flows more propane than you will ever need ~350,000 BTU/hr, and for people with nothing more than a stove, furnace and fridge, the Low flow regulator ~175,000 BTU/hr will also move more than enough BTUs of gas) The standard flow ~225,000 BTU/hr (what you want) is bare metal. and is a MEGR-253 (bulk package and Amazon will break it, they did mine) or a MEGR-253P which is a plastic blister pack and ships better. Marshall Excelsior is all USA made.

Fairview regulators are made in Mexico and have a history of being junk, and JR Products is marketing the Fairview regulator. Flame King is mostly China made crap, but I don't know for sure. Not sure who might be making the Camco regulator, though they have a reputation of making or having made for them a lot of products here in the US. There is an Italian made regulator, Cavagna Group that makes an auto switch over regulator, my travel buddy has one on the trailer he bought earlier this year. They are probably OK, I have not heard anything good or bad about them.

Be very aware that some places are still selling the Wintec regulators and pigtails such as HERE and the price is quite tempting but you don't know what you are getting. It is Flame King branded but is clearly the Wintec regulator. The recall requires changing out the pigtails, and I'm not sure why, unless the flow fuses inside the ACME nuts on the end are not shutting off like they should. Camping World is selling THIS regulator made? by Erenco whose low tank indicator is the same style as the Marshall Excelsior but the rest of the regulator is different, HOWEVER, on the Erenco website they show they are marketing THIS Wintec regulator. I also found the Wintec regulator being sold under the Flame King name on Ebay, so BUYER BEWARE!!!!


Charles

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by CharlesinGA

What brand of regulator do you have? There is a recall out for the Winntec regulators which is also marketed under the Flame King name.

These regulators have issues, leaks, high pressure, low pressure, no flow, all kinds. The recall affects 2017-2021 but I expect to see it expanded. Three fires so far caused by the regulators. Its a NHTSA recall, so the Feds and Transport Canada are heavily involved in it.



If it looks like this, get rid of it!!!

Nope, not our regulator.

I went down to the camper and the lever on the quick connector was halfway open (ass u me that's what it's for) and I banged on the connector for good luck. It seems to be holding pressure now.

Nothing like a good bang to fix things. My father banged my head numerous times and look how I turned out.

Enjoy,

Perry