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Old 07-06-2020, 08:14 PM   #1
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Propane smell

Hi all, I have a 2017 5.0 TA. When I open the propane cabinet, I smell a little propane. The propane detector has come on at different times. When I spay the connections when soap I don't see any bubbles.

Anyone come across the same problem? I'd like to check all the lines, but don't know where to start.

Thanks in advance.
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Old 07-06-2020, 08:33 PM   #2
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Mine's been like that since 2014. I swapped the pigtails, regulator (for another reason), and have played around with the tanks, but the smell remains. I gave up as it doesn't hurt anything. The only times my detector has gone off was during bulk charging with the solar, and that's from the battery fumes.
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Old 07-06-2020, 10:43 PM   #3
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Don’t propane tanks have pressure relief valves that open under high pressure? I wonder if the cause is hotter weather creating expansion and since the tanks are enclosed in a compartment the smell lingers.
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Old 07-07-2020, 05:43 AM   #4
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Mine has the smell year round, although one the tank is always full.
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Old 07-07-2020, 09:24 AM   #5
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Misnomer.

Hi: All... Propane is odourless. The smell is added to it. I think it's absorbed into the resin coating in the 5.0TA compartment at least. That in turn is vented to the ground as propane is heavier than air. Alf
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Old 07-07-2020, 11:21 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by rubicon327 View Post
Don’t propane tanks have pressure relief valves that open under high pressure? I wonder if the cause is hotter weather creating expansion and since the tanks are enclosed in a compartment the smell lingers.
I think you're correct. They have a vent and that's why they are mounted with an "up" and "down" requirement. The vent is on the bottom, facing down, presumably so moisture doesn't get into it.

That's a good reason not to keep the propane tank in an unvented box.

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Old 07-07-2020, 06:10 PM   #7
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Hi: All... Propane is odourless. The smell is added to it. I think it's absorbed into the resin coating in the 5.0TA compartment at least. That in turn is vented to the ground as propane is heavier than air. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
Yes. That would be ethyl mercaptan and it can be detected (smelled) at extremely low concentrations. In other words, it is one of the smelliest substances in the world.
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Old 07-07-2020, 07:06 PM   #8
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Yes. That would be ethyl mercaptan and it can be detected (smelled) at extremely low concentrations. In other words, it is one of the smelliest substances in the world.
And I suspect that when you fill your tank from a near empty fill station or some similar condition, some of the liquid ethyl mercaptan gets on the fill valve & outside of your tank - maybe when they hit the valve that dumps the fill hose propane after shutting down the pump. I know that a couple of fills I've had left the tank & storage compartment smelling for weeks.
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Old 07-08-2020, 12:59 PM   #9
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Don’t propane tanks have pressure relief valves that open under high pressure? I wonder if the cause is hotter weather creating expansion and since the tanks are enclosed in a compartment the smell lingers.
Yes, but I would be worried if the compartment was getting warm enough to legitimately trip the relief valve open.

If the relief valve does open (or there is another leak) the propane should fall out of the compartment - propane tank compartments must be ventilated. In typical fifth-wheels the compartment has no floor at all; an Escape is a much more enclosed compartment because it is within the moulded shell. Unfortunately, propane is deliberately stinky (odorant is added so leaks will be noticed, plus it contains various contaminants) so a small leak can leave a long-lasting smell.
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Old 07-08-2020, 01:03 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
I think you're correct. They have a vent and that's why they are mounted with an "up" and "down" requirement. The vent is on the bottom, facing down, presumably so moisture doesn't get into it.

That's a good reason not to keep the propane tank in an unvented box.
That sound like a description of regulator venting, rather than tank relief valve configuration.. and yes, regulator vents are shielded from water coming from above. The relief valve is always on top (facing any direction), to ensure that it is in the vapour space (so it doesn't vent liquid), which is one reason that the tank must be kept upright.
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Old 07-08-2020, 01:32 PM   #11
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Thanks everyone for your help. I'll first start by changing out the Atwood LP gas detector and go from there.
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