Gas leak?

camperjunkie · 03-01-2009, 10:17 AM

I was wondering what some of you might think about this.
After I get home from a trip, I cut off my propane. The next time I pack for a trip I have to bleed the gas line. It doesn't matter if the trip is the next weekend. Is this normal? The lines have been checked 3 times at RV dealer and everytime they say the pressure is good and holds it for overnight with no leaks. I can't smell gas anywhere.
This has been a problem from day 1. I don't recall my old camper being like that.
Thanks for the help.

grhodes50 · 03-01-2009, 10:33 AM

The TT I just traded in did the same thing as well as the pop-up I owned before. All FR products. I never really thought much of it. It's never seemed to cause any problems. I'll have to check out my new TT to see if it does the same thing.

rockwood06 · 03-01-2009, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camperjunkie

I was wondering what some of you might think about this.
After I get home from a trip, I cut off my propane. The next time I pack for a trip I have to bleed the gas line. It doesn't matter if the trip is the next weekend. Is this normal? The lines have been checked 3 times at RV dealer and everytime they say the pressure is good and holds it for overnight with no leaks. I can't smell gas anywhere.
This has been a problem from day 1. I don't recall my old camper being like that.
Thanks for the help.

NO, It is not normal. It sounds like you have a very small leak some place. Check all your fittings first make sure they are tight then check them with liquid soap, if there is a leak it will bubble. If no problem there then check the regulators, with the same soap, if it leaks then it might have a bad gasket, the next thing to check is the hoses at the tanks and the tanks themseleves with the same method and then check where the hoses run from the tanks and are connect to the pipe under the camper and all the fittings there. If you don't smell propane in the camper then that's good, hopefully it is out side. The thing with propane is that it is heavier then air and will collect to it"s lowest point like the floor and then starts to build up. With a very small leak it well dissipate quickly sence campers leak alot of air. And if the leak was in side then your detector should sound off as long as it is working.

NWJeeper · 03-01-2009, 02:00 PM

Years ago on a camper my dad owned they had a really nice little device that mounted right after the propane tank. It was a little square box perhaps 4" tall by 2" wide and had a large site window in it. The bottom of the box or about half of it had a clear oil in it. The propane came into the box at the top through a nozzle that could be manually lowered into the oil, the gas exited above the level of the oil. To check for leaks in your system you would make sure all your appliances were turned off and then depress the button on the box, lowering the nozzle into the oil and watched for bubbles. The presence of bubbles would indicate you had a leak somewhere. It was a really cool idea and I have never seen such a thing since. Nowdays we have to go around to every stinking little connection with a a solution of sudsy water and spray it around looking for bubbles, what a pain!

camperjunkie · 03-01-2009, 02:51 PM

Thanks everyone for the info. I've done the soap thing on all joints last summer, no bubbles. My mixture might have been weak. Will try again later after the snow melts.

dimurrrw · 03-01-2009, 03:29 PM

Chances are that there is nothing wrong with your rig. I suspect that you might be unaware that the newer tank valve(s) have to be opened very slowly after having been closed. If you open them quickly the OPD (Overflow Protection Device) kicks in and your gas flow will be very greatly reduced.

Try this. Make sure your gas appliances are working to your satisfaction, then close your tank valves and leave them alone for a few days, or for as long as your curiosity allows.

Then return the valves to the open position slowly. Your may find that your problem has been resolved, and it costs you nothing to try.

**KyDan** · 03-01-2009, 03:54 PM

What do you mean you have to bleed the gas lines??
If you mean your refrigerator takes several times to light itself after you've
had the tanks shut off for a few days..... this is normal.
Every trailer I've owned did the same thing.
This issue comes up every so often on another group I belong to and they
all say it happens to them too.

I just light my stove burner first. It takes a few seconds to get gas there.
Then I turn on my LP water heater. It might try twice but it always lights.
Then I flip on the refer. It usually will get the job done but occasionally It will
fault and I'll shut it off and turn it back on. It always lights the 2nd try.
During the summer months when we go out every 2 or 3 weeks I sometimes just
leave the gas on so the refer will light 1st time I need it.

I think your trailer is fine.

Happy Camping!!

rockwood06 · 03-01-2009, 06:11 PM

I hope there is nothing wrong with your rig as everyone says. I have never had any problems with a propane leak, maybe I am just lucky. As far as the bubble test, I use the soap full strength just like I do when I check an A/C systems for leaks on the refrigerant circuit. good luck, I hope you fine the cause.

camperjunkie · 03-02-2009, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KyDan

What do you mean you have to bleed the gas lines??
If you mean your refrigerator takes several times to light itself after you've
had the tanks shut off for a few days..... this is normal.
Every trailer I've owned did the same thing.
This issue comes up every so often on another group I belong to and they
all say it happens to them too.

I just light my stove burner first. It takes a few seconds to get gas there.
Then I turn on my LP water heater. It might try twice but it always lights.
Then I flip on the refer. It usually will get the job done but occasionally It will
fault and I'll shut it off and turn it back on. It always lights the 2nd try.
During the summer months when we go out every 2 or 3 weeks I sometimes just
leave the gas on so the refer will light 1st time I need it.

I think your trailer is fine.

Happy Camping!!

When I say bleeding the lines I am saying that I have to get the dead air out of the lines before anything works. I do this by opening all the stove burners until I smell gas. Then I wait 5 or 10 mins before trying the frig. The frig does take 4 or 5 trys before it starts. When I shut everything off, close the gas valve, wait 4 or 5 days - I will have bleed the lines again just as before.
Is this normal? We have snow on the ground so I won't be able to check it out anytime soon. I was curouis what outhers here thought.
Thanks,

**KyDan** · 03-03-2009, 07:42 AM

I just turn on one stove burner and wait till I smell gas
and then light it to be sure.
It usually takes 10-15 seconds to get gas.
Of course it seems a lot longer when you're standing there
thinking about LP gas coming out in front of you!!!
Then I flip on the water heater and when I hear it light, I shut it back off
unless we need it then.
Then I turn on the refer and go about my business.
If I come back in a few minutes and it's got a fault- I shut it off and back
on again. It always lights the 2nd time if not the first.

Your trailer sounds normal to me.

You may also like: