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Old 04-21-2017, 10:24 AM   #21
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Originally Posted by msweet View Post
Good to know. I will do some more research before I actually disconnect or reconnect anything. Thanks!



Do you know what pressure the piping, valves, etc in the low pressure side of the propane system should be tested at? I have a compressor that I could use for an air test but don't want to over pressurize the system.
Not much - less than 1/2 psi.

https://www.google.com/search?q=11+i...utf-8&oe=utf-8
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Old 04-21-2017, 10:28 AM   #22
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So my 120 psi air compressor might be a bit overkill...
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Old 04-21-2017, 10:37 AM   #23
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Removed and reattached pigtails numerous times , nothing worked until I replaced regulator and pig tails . Pat
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Old 04-21-2017, 10:41 AM   #24
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Removed and reattached pigtails numerous times , nothing worked until I replaced regulator and pig tails . Pat
Did you notice the gas smell inside the trailer with the leaking pigtails?

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Old 04-21-2017, 10:43 AM   #25
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Did you notice the gas smell inside the trailer with the leaking pigtails?

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It was more at the dinette . A lot outside . Pat
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Old 04-21-2017, 10:54 AM   #26
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It was more at the dinette . A lot outside . Pat
I haven't noticed the smell outside yet so it night not be the pigtails.

It looks like I am going to be leak testing the interior system tonight and hopefully we can be good to go tomorrow.

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Old 04-21-2017, 11:09 AM   #27
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Propane Leak

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Originally Posted by msweet View Post
I left the door open and turned on the exhaust fans to ventilate the space.

Am I the only one concerned about using an electric fan to exhaust a potentially explosive mixture?

There is no way to know that the propane concentration is below the explosive level. Electric fan motors can have small internal sparks that normally cause no concern, but in this case... An air-gas exploit explosion can be VERY destructive!

IMO definitely leave the door and windows open, but I think it's safer to leave the fan off.
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Old 04-21-2017, 11:09 AM   #28
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I haven't noticed the smell outside yet so it night not be the pigtails.

It looks like I am going to be leak testing the interior system tonight and hopefully we can be good to go tomorrow.

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Hi: msweet... Alf
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Old 04-21-2017, 11:18 AM   #29
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Good to know. I will do some more research before I actually disconnect or reconnect anything. Thanks!



Do you know what pressure the piping, valves, etc in the low pressure side of the propane system should be tested at? I have a compressor that I could use for an air test but don't want to over pressurize the system.
If I remember correctly the general rule for gas is 2 X the working pressure . 5 psi is normal for a residental gas test .
Again I would check the Web because my memory is not what it use to be . You do not want to use high pressure like 25 to 30 psi because the valves / gas solenoids often cannot take that high of pressure and can be damaged
I would think 2 psi would be high enough to find a leak with soap water. Be aware that the system may gain or lose pressure due to changes in the ambient temperature
I was an electrician and not a plumber or fitter so my knowledge was gained by obsèrvation.
Wiring is tested at 2 times the rated voltage plus a constant .
5000 KV cable was tested at 2 x 5000 + 1000 or 11 KV
using a Hi Pot . Useless information for your problem but may come in handy at a later date.
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Old 04-21-2017, 11:35 AM   #30
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Am I the only one concerned about using an electric fan to exhaust a potentially explosive mixture?
...

IMO definitely leave the door and windows open, but I think it's safer to leave the fan off.
No, you are not the only one. I would take your good advice one step further and say: "If you smell propane, don't operate anything". No lights, no fans, don't open the 'fridge, use the water pump, etc. Only open doors and windows and turn off the propane at the bottles. Once the smell disappates then proceed with the search.

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Old 04-21-2017, 12:26 PM   #31
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I haven't noticed the smell outside yet so it night not be the pigtails.

It looks like I am going to be leak testing the interior system tonight and hopefully we can be good to go tomorrow.

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I just use a soap mixture . It will bubble up if you have a leak . If you test the pigtails and no bubbling up , your pigtails are probably ok .I would test all the connections with the soap method also . I would be very careful with gas . The gas detector also sounds like a good idea in your case . Pat
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Old 04-21-2017, 02:02 PM   #32
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Am I the only one concerned about using an electric fan to exhaust a potentially explosive mixture?
IMO definitely leave the door and windows open, but I think it's safer to leave the fan off.
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Originally Posted by alanmalk View Post
No, you are not the only one. I would take your good advice one step further and say: "If you smell propane, don't operate anything". No lights, no fans, don't open the 'fridge, use the water pump, etc. Only open doors and windows and turn off the propane at the bottles. Once the smell disappates then proceed with the search.
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Nah, you're not the only ones who think that. I saw the comment this morning before I headed out on errands and thought that "I really should have posted...."

Soap and water is fine but I think leak detector is better. Doesn't cause corrosion on some items and it's cheap.

I think to smell gas from the connections at the rear of the fridge is a long shot but I'd test every single accessible connection.

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Old 04-21-2017, 02:14 PM   #33
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Uuhhmm, not so sure it's a good idea to close yourself inside a camper with a suspected propane leak. Hope your watch band doesn't accidentally spark against a metal hinge. Oh my.... At least make sure your medical insurance is paid up and a friend is standing a block away with 911 on speed dial! I knew a guy who crawled around on the floor of his truck-bed camper looking for a suspected propane leak, and the next thing he knew the roof of his camper was blown off, and he was lying on the floor with singed hair and a ringing in his ears - lucky to be alive. Be careful out there....
Uuhhmm.......same thing could have happened after the trailer was aired out, he closed it up, and then came back in an hour and could again smell propane. Obviously, I wasn't suggesting that he stay inside for an hour, just long enough to sniff various suspected sources to see if he could identify a leak. And with the door closed it would likely be noticeable sooner in the absence of drafts. At first sensing of the odorant put in propane one would depart. At that point, propane concentrations would not be sufficient to cause an explosion.
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Old 04-21-2017, 02:26 PM   #34
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Nah, you're not the only ones who think that. I saw the comment this morning before I headed out on errands and thought that "I really should have posted...."

Soap and water is fine but I think leak detector is better. Doesn't cause corrosion on some items and it's cheap.

I think to smell gas from the connections at the rear of the fridge is a long shot but I'd test every single accessible connection.

Ron
Best advice Ron . I just know to be very careful messing with gas . Have to get some of the leak detector , just always used soap . Pat
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Old 04-21-2017, 04:22 PM   #35
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Soap and water is fine but I think leak detector is better. Doesn't cause corrosion on some items and it's cheap.

Ron
By "leak detector" do you mean the detectors that we have as standard in the Escapes?

Of course, there are many on Fiberglass RV who do not have such detectors because of their older units. They could all use them.

Soap and water is also good to use. In addition to a detector.

RV shops also sell a leak detector solution. Better soap and water.
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Old 04-21-2017, 04:42 PM   #36
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By "leak detector" do you mean the detectors that we have as standard in the Escapes?

Of course, there are many on Fiberglass RV who do not have such detectors because of their older units. They could all use them.

Soap and water is also good to use. In addition to a detector.

RV shops also sell a leak detector solution. Better soap and water.
They sell propane leak detectors, both liquid and air just go to Amazon https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...+leak+detector
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Old 04-21-2017, 04:58 PM   #37
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By "leak detector" do you mean the detectors that we have as standard in the Escapes?

RV shops also sell a leak detector solution. Better soap and water.
No, I mean a leak detector solution. There are many brands. This is what I use. I do my own gas work and it's never failed me yet.

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Old 04-21-2017, 05:00 PM   #38
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Ron, a lot of us old guys do our own gas work... oh wait you mean the LP kind...
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Old 04-24-2017, 12:44 AM   #39
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Is the propane bottle nearly empty? It is common for the odor to be stronger at the end of the tank even if there is no problem with the system. Something to do with the odor chemical added to the gas. Just a thought.

I think this might be what I was smelling. The bottle I was using to run the fridge was empty so we had been using the bottom of the tank.

I bought leak detector solution and checked every fitting, valve, etc that I could find inside and outside the trailer without any detectable leaks. We used the trailer all weekend without noticing the smell again. Seems like a false alarm, whew!

Thanks for all the great feedback! I learned a lot about propane systems and what I should be doing to check for leaks.



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Old 04-24-2017, 09:02 AM   #40
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The trailer is nearly ten years old so I think the propane detector should be replaced. I was surprised it didn't go off as well.
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I bought leak detector solution and checked every fitting, valve, etc that I could find inside and outside the trailer without any detectable leaks. We used the trailer all weekend without noticing the smell again. Seems like a false alarm, whew!
Glad you are no longer having the problem and learned a bit along the way. Please don't forget to replace your propane detector. The MTI Safe-T-Alert combination CO/LP gas series 35 model that has been used by Escape has a 5 year service life. In fact, they have an integrated end of life signal. The early models may not have had this feature. We replaced the one in our 2010 that was well over 5 years old and it was not beeping at us. They apparently figured out no one was replacing them as directed and if they made them beep they can sell more detectors!
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