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Old 12-30-2018, 01:40 PM   #1
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Suburban Heater gas leak

We used the heater for the first time a couple of weeks ago for one night. Getting ready to head out for 3 months and started loading 2 days ago. Turned on gas at tank to check things. Left tank turned on. Wife has a good nose and went in his morning smelled gas.

All appliances were off. Started sniffing with my gas detectot. Got a hit at one of the flex vent connections. No alarms at the gas hose connection. Then tried the outside of the heater.

See attached video. Cannot seem to attach an jphone video.
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Old 12-30-2018, 02:38 PM   #2
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Is this a brand new RV or a new issue with your furnace?
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Old 12-30-2018, 03:15 PM   #3
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Attached video

This is a 2018 bought in mid-August. Yes, i know it is warrantied,but, we are leaving Jan 2.
The video i cannot load shows the sensor inserted in the fresh air inlet from outside the traileer and the detector is “squawking” at different speeds. It seems like the shut off solenoid is not shutting off completely. When I close the tank valve the leak detector slows to “normal - no leak”, and when i turn the tank valve back on the detector signal speed increases.
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Old 12-31-2018, 01:05 PM   #4
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I ran the heater for about an hour, probably on about 65%. Then let it cool and rechecked the areas where my electronic sniffer alarmed. Re-checked it this morning with no alarming either time. I also closed the tank valve overnight and the regulator still showed green this morning indicating pressure in the system.

I had considered one option as a piece of "dirt" in the shut off solenoid valve seat area, holding the valve partially open. This appears to be the issue since the leak has ended (most leaks do not cure themselves) and when I disassembled the threaded connection at the inlet to the heater, there was some powder like substance in the area of the cone sealing area.

I will have to watch this to see if there is more dirt somewhere in the system, or if the leak returns.

What's curious is the factory area gas sniffer did not alarm, my wife's nose identified the smell, but, I did not. I'm glad H2S is added to the gas.
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Old 12-31-2018, 01:11 PM   #5
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I am going to say you had air in the LP line.

You turned on the tank valve but did not bleed the line(s) by lighting a stove burner. Therefore the furnace 'tried' to light, dumped a little propane in the burner chamber but being it was full of air, did not properly light or burn. Once the furnace purged, all was fine.
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