propane smell

C

chuck will

New member
Nov 18, 1997
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Hi, any ideas on how to check out a possible propane leak. I filled it
this past week and we went camping for the first time since the new
motor installation. Never ever had a problem before. But my wife could
smell propane in the back of the coach when I turned it on, so we did
not use it. I checked all the connections and fittings and everything
seems to be ok. Has anybody experienced any problems with their propane
tank and the smell inside the back of their coach. Chuck, 78 Eleganza
II, Lompoc, Ca.
 
Last trip my wife turned off the burners on the range but failed to turn off
the gas. The pilot was out. We also had a propane smell until we remembered
to turn it off.

Just a thought.

TW

- --
Thomas P. Winslow
1977 GMC Coca-Cola TZE167V101893
1974/75 GMC Eleganza SE TZE064V101146
189 Hicks Creek Road, Troutman, NC 28166
h704-528-5868 * f704-528-5868 * p704-878-1157
E-Mail: winslow * tom_winslow
Web Page: http://www.iredell.com http://www.iredell.com/gmc4sale.html

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-gmcmotorhome
[mailto:owner-gmcmotorhome]On Behalf Of Chuck Will
Sent: Sunday, November 15, 1998 9:04 PM
To: gmcmotorhome
Subject: GMC: propane smell

Hi, any ideas on how to check out a possible propane leak. I filled it
this past week and we went camping for the first time since the new
motor installation. Never ever had a problem before. But my wife could
smell propane in the back of the coach when I turned it on, so we did
not use it. I checked all the connections and fittings and everything
seems to be ok. Has anybody experienced any problems with their propane
tank and the smell inside the back of their coach. Chuck, 78 Eleganza
II, Lompoc, Ca.
 
Chuck,
one thing to check is top be sure it's only 75-80% filled, i.e. liquid just
starting to escape out the little vent screw they open (or should open) when
they fill it.

Propane will seem to linger and of course a little smells a lot, as that is
the intent.
Get one of the gas leak detector fluids. (Someone mentioned a good spray on
earlier in the list) as that will make it a lot easier to find than soap and
water.

Unfortunately the leak could be a fitting or chafed line. On mine I had to
do some rerouting as the original installation came close to the frame in
several places. Had it been left I'm quite sure it would've caused problems
by now.

I had a slight propane smell for quite a while that I could not trace.
Eventually it was the combustion chamber in the furnace. (It got thrown out
in a hurry).

Not much real help, I'm afraid....

Heinz
'76 Transmode

- -----Original Message-----
From: Chuck Will
To: gmcmotorhome
Date: Sunday, November 15, 1998 6:42 PM
Subject: GMC: propane smell

>Hi, any ideas on how to check out a possible propane leak. I filled it
>this past week and we went camping for the first time since the new
>motor installation. Never ever had a problem before. But my wife could
>smell propane in the back of the coach when I turned it on, so we did
>not use it. I checked all the connections and fittings and everything
>seems to be ok. Has anybody experienced any problems with their propane
>tank and the smell inside the back of their coach. Chuck, 78 Eleganza
>II, Lompoc, Ca.
>
 
>>
>How about some type of dead animal like a mouse?
>Adohen
>

Ouch, I don't know which would be worse... propane leak or :-)

Reminds me... while mine was still wintering outside the neigbors cat got
in. Didn't see it cat when I locked up. It was pure luck that I went back in
for something 3 days later. As the cat shot by me as I opened the door it
was quite a smell that came along too. Took a long time to get rid of it.

Sorry about off topic, but something else to watch out for :-)

Heinz
 
I had a similar problem as we smelled propane. Seems the pilot off on the
oven is slightly different that the other valves. If you have the original
oven/stove top, make sure the oven off valve is in the pilot off position
or you will leak propane inside.
Al Chernoff

> Hi, any ideas on how to check out a possible propane leak. I filled it
> this past week and we went camping for the first time since the new
> motor installation. Never ever had a problem before. But my wife could
> smell propane in the back of the coach when I turned it on, so we did
> not use it. I checked all the connections and fittings and everything
> seems to be ok. Has anybody experienced any problems with their propane
> tank and the smell inside the back of their coach. Chuck, 78 Eleganza
> II, Lompoc, Ca.
 
Chuck:
I had a leak from one of valves on the stove which I replaced. Also
check you pilot lite valve if it is turn off when not lit. We have ours
turned off and lite the stove with a propane hand flint striker--saves on
the propane.
Bob
77PB

>Chuck,
>one thing to check is top be sure it's only 75-80% filled, i.e. liquid just
>starting to escape out the little vent screw they open (or should open) when
>they fill it.
>
>Propane will seem to linger and of course a little smells a lot, as that is
>the intent.
>Get one of the gas leak detector fluids. (Someone mentioned a good spray on
>earlier in the list) as that will make it a lot easier to find than soap and
>water.
>
>Unfortunately the leak could be a fitting or chafed line. On mine I had to
>do some rerouting as the original installation came close to the frame in
>several places. Had it been left I'm quite sure it would've caused problems
>by now.
>
>I had a slight propane smell for quite a while that I could not trace.
>Eventually it was the combustion chamber in the furnace. (It got thrown out
>in a hurry).
>
>Not much real help, I'm afraid....
>
>Heinz
>'76 Transmode
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Chuck Will
>To: gmcmotorhome
>Date: Sunday, November 15, 1998 6:42 PM
>Subject: GMC: propane smell
>
>
>>Hi, any ideas on how to check out a possible propane leak. I filled it
>>this past week and we went camping for the first time since the new
>>motor installation. Never ever had a problem before. But my wife could
>>smell propane in the back of the coach when I turned it on, so we did
>>not use it. I checked all the connections and fittings and everything
>>seems to be ok. Has anybody experienced any problems with their propane
>>tank and the smell inside the back of their coach. Chuck, 78 Eleganza
>>II, Lompoc, Ca.
>>
>
>
>
 
> Hi, any ideas on how to check out a possible propane leak. I filled it
> this past week and we went camping for the first time since the new
> motor installation. Never ever had a problem before. But my wife could
> smell propane in the back of the coach when I turned it on, so we did
> not use it. I checked all the connections and fittings and everything
> seems to be ok. Has anybody experienced any problems with their propane
> tank and the smell inside the back of their coach. Chuck, 78 Eleganza
> II, Lompoc, Ca.
>
Right after we got out GMC we would smell propane, but couldn't
track it. We took it into and RV service center three times, but
they could not find anything wrong. We figured out that you could
only smell it wind the furnace was not on, (like during the day when
the sun would heat the MH), when we told them that it triggered a
couple of places to check. The ended up finding three flare nuts in
the furnace area that were cracked. Before anyone tells us we
could have blown up, we know. At that time, we did not know
anything about propane, etc.

Les and Des
73 Painted Desert
Rocky Mount, NC

mailto:lesndes
vist us at: http://www.livingpraise.org
 
Thanks for the tip, that will be one of the first I check in the morning. Did
you have to remove the heater or is it accessible to see the tubing etc from
when you take the door off. Chuck

> > Hi, any ideas on how to check out a possible propane leak. I filled it
> > this past week and we went camping for the first time since the new
> > motor installation. Never ever had a problem before. But my wife could
> > smell propane in the back of the coach when I turned it on, so we did
> > not use it. I checked all the connections and fittings and everything
> > seems to be ok. Has anybody experienced any problems with their propane
> > tank and the smell inside the back of their coach. Chuck, 78 Eleganza
> > II, Lompoc, Ca.
> >
> Right after we got out GMC we would smell propane, but couldn't
> track it. We took it into and RV service center three times, but
> they could not find anything wrong. We figured out that you could
> only smell it wind the furnace was not on, (like during the day when
> the sun would heat the MH), when we told them that it triggered a
> couple of places to check. The ended up finding three flare nuts in
> the furnace area that were cracked. Before anyone tells us we
> could have blown up, we know. At that time, we did not know
> anything about propane, etc.
>
> Les and Des
> 73 Painted Desert
> Rocky Mount, NC
>
> mailto:lesndes
> vist us at: http://www.livingpraise.org
 
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