Propane leak ?

[JoArt]

We went out and used the propane, which when it was "on" the cabinet under the sink had a gassy smell. Took everything out to check out the cabinet, couldn't find anything...yucky or dead.
I know what gas smells like, is propane much different in the smell? I took some water and liquid soap and sprayed on the lines that run under the trailer but none bubbled.
Are there any other ideas on how to check for a possible propane leak?

[Scrapper]

LP gas has a rotten egg odor. What you are probably smelling under the sink is the air admittance valve for the sink drain stuck and is allowing the odor from your gray water tank to come back out. It acts as a vent for the drain and the problem is common. You can remove and clean it. If the odor is still there after cleaning you may need to replace it. Any hardware or home improvement store should have them.

[OYO]

I think Scrapper might be close, but i don't think A-frames have air admittance valves (they don't have gray tanks). But they do have traps like a residential sink. And they absolutely reek often.

Take the cap off the outside wall for your sink drain and take a whiff. Is it the same smell?

Plus the propane sensors are pretty sensitive and I'd imagine it would be beeping . Not that you should always rely on it.

[tlspencer]

If it was propane the detector should have gone off.

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by OYO

I think Scrapper might be close, but i don't think A-frames have air admittance valves (they don't have gray tanks). But they do have traps like a residential sink. And they absolutely reek often.

Take the cap off the outside wall for your sink drain and take a whiff. Is it the same smell?

Plus the propane sensors are pretty sensitive and I'd imagine it would be beeping . Not that you should always rely on it.

Air admittance valves help the water flow down the drain whether you have holding tank or not. They also keep the water from being sucked from the p-trap once the water in the sink or shower empties to that point.

[JoArt]

Thank you for answering, I did flush out the drain. The funny (or maybe not so funny)we shut off the propane and then when we turned on the propane again and the cabinet starting smelling funny again.

[MtBiker]

I have a gas leak detector. MASTECH MS6310 Combustible Gas Detector
Helped me to pinpoint a leak in our cabinet. Allowed me to find the exact fitting that was not showing up with soapy water.

[todtc318]

Originally Posted by MtBiker

I have a gas leak detector. MASTECH MS6310 Combustible Gas Detector
Helped me to pinpoint a leak in our cabinet. Allowed me to find the exact fitting that was not showing up with soapy water.

Same thing here. Regulator was going bad and I was driving myself crazy trying to find the leak with soapy water...which I later learned is not good for the system. Anyway, bought a reasonably priced detector from Amazon and pinpointed the leak in less than 10 seconds. It now stays in the trailer.

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by todtc318

Same thing here. Regulator was going bad and I was driving myself crazy trying to find the leak with soapy water...which I later learned is not good for the system. Anyway, bought a reasonably priced detector from Amazon and pinpointed the leak in less than 10 seconds. It now stays in the trailer.

What kind of system do you have that soapy water is not good for it? Just curious.

I could flood my propane system with soapy water and it would just be cleaner.

[todtc318]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

What kind of system do you have that soapy water is not good for it? Just curious.

I could flood my propane system with soapy water and it would just be cleaner.

Hi there. See the attached article. Third paragraph under the photo of the regulator. Not sure about the voracity of the author but on the surface it makes sense. In any case, the detector works quickly and effectively. YMMV.

Propane Gas

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by todtc318

Hi there. See the attached article. Third paragraph under the photo of the regulator. Not sure about the voracity of the author but on the surface it makes sense. In any case, the detector works quickly and effectively. YMMV.

Propane Gas

Ah, thanks! I always enjoy those little tidbits that 'experts' throw in without much explanation.

I don't know of anybody who hasn't used regular dish soap for creating a mixture to check gas fittings. Yep, some (Dawn included) do contain ammonia. Enough for a diluted mixture to harm brass fittings? Maybe if you sprayed it on full strength every day for years? It doesn't seem to harm little ducks

Thank you for explaining your statement. I think I'll disregard that part of his article

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by JoArt

...then when we turned on the propane again and the cabinet starting smelling funny again.

Hope you turned the propane off. That 'funny smell' is probably propane.

Some people say is smells like rotten eggs. I don't think so. It has an odor all its own.

[Yooper D]

In my 2017 T12DDST, I found that awful smell under the sink to be off gassing from the outside vinyl shower hose...

[OYO]

Originally Posted by Reverse_snowbird

Hope you turned the propane off. That 'funny smell' is probably propane.

Some people say is smells like rotten eggs. I don't think so. It has an odor all its own.

Just unhook one of your propane hoses with your nose fairly close, you'll get a small whif. As Reverse_snowbird says: it has an oder all it's own.

[tfmdgm]

I own a handyman business and the leak detector that I keep in my truck is a bottle of bubble solution that you find in the toy department. I either use a 1/2" paint brush to stick into the bottle or transfer the solution to a squeeze bottle. Works great.

[MontyPP]

Leak may be the stove attachment point or a valve not quite closing.