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06-29-2020, 12:29 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 95
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Propane smell near tank
I seem to have a propane smell coming from near the tank and is it normal that the security shut off valve is warm ?
Thanks
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06-29-2020, 12:31 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 799
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Smell no. Get out a spray bottle of soapy water and find out where. The 12 volt shut off gets hot.
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DYNAMAX 2016 FORCE HD
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06-29-2020, 01:05 PM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 95
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Thanks , will do right now.
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06-29-2020, 01:07 PM
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#4
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 15,266
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Did you just fill a tank? Is one full and sitting in hot sun?
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2015 Freedom Express 248RBS
TV 2015 Silverado HD2500 Duramax
TST Tire Monitors
Honda 2000I + Companion
2 100W solar panels
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06-29-2020, 01:32 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Posts: 9,230
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mine did that earlier this year. Regulator went bad. 8 years old.
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2012 SunSeeker 3100SS Toad-1962 Futura Average 100 + days camping
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06-29-2020, 02:13 PM
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#6
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 5
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gas smell
tanks on for reefer, ready to roll, smelled gas at tank area, soapy water spray revealed bubbles at the compression fitting on one of the pig tails. shut everything down. went and purchased and installed a longer pig tail for a gentler curve. Turn on tanks... soapy water spray...no bubbles..hit the road.
TT2017 Rockwood Ultra Lite 2703WS
TV 2013 Chevy Slrvdo 1500.. 5.3..3.42...WDH
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06-29-2020, 02:14 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Cedar Creek Lake, TX
Posts: 3,477
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If unsure take your rig to a propane dealer. They have a "sniffer" that is more accurate than the bubble test for minute leaks.
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Cedar Creek Lake, Texas
2019 Keystone Loredo 290SRL
2019 Ram 2500 4x4 Cummins crew cab
Andersen hitch
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06-29-2020, 02:17 PM
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#8
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Just as confused as you
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: south central Wisconsin
Posts: 5,108
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Spray soapy water on all fittings, flare nuts, shutoff and pressure relief valves. Don't forget the face and backside of the regulator. Check the high pressure hose, the one from the tank to the regulator, and the low pressure hose that goes from the regulator to the metal lines if there are any at the fittings and crimps. It's also a good idea to spray the welds on the tank(s).
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Richard & Jill
2014 Flagstaff 832IKBS Classic Super Lite
2018 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Z71 4WD All Star Edition
Camping since 1989, Seasonal since 2000.
Car Shredder Op/Tech, Scrap Metal Recycling - retired
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06-29-2020, 04:36 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: West Des Moines, IA
Posts: 546
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Happened two summers ago. RV park we stayed at overfilled our tank to 125%. It was bleeding bad when we stopped for lunch. Was back in the safe zone when we arrived home.
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"Lurch" = Georgetown 2011 330TS
Toad = Jeep 2016 Cherokee
Pilot = Bob
First Mate = Xiangbing
Crew = Radar, NiuNiu & NaNa
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06-29-2020, 05:44 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 852
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I had a regulator go bad. The rubber diaphragm gave out and it was letting propane gas escape through a tiny little pin hole. You could smell the gas but it never tripped the safety valve. It slowly emptied the tank! I checked with a friend at Suburban Propane and he confirmed that it does happen.
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06-29-2020, 06:43 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Box elder
Posts: 725
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Same here, hose fitting went bad. Purchased off amazon, got 2 in a pack. Now I am thinking where is that second one.
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2015 silverback 31IK
2023 f350
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06-29-2020, 07:01 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: North of Seattle, WA
Posts: 17,283
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FWIW, a tank can give off the "Propane Stink" even if not over-filled or anything leaking.
When it's filled, if the operator opens up the "outage valve" (screw on side of valve) the odorant will escape with the propane vapor that's being bled out.
The odorant is ethyl mercaptan and it can stick to surfaces it comes in contact with during the fill process. Just like garlic odor can stick to your hands after a couple of washings this "stink" sticks around until it's totally evaporated from the surfaces.
Not a bad idea to check with soapy water =.
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"A wise man can change his mind. A fool never will." (Japanese Proverb)
"You only grow old when you run out of new things to do"
2018 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BDS
2023 f-150 SCREW XLT 3.5 Ecoboost (The result of a $68,000 oil change )
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06-29-2020, 07:19 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Spring Valley OH
Posts: 833
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Villagerjjm
I had a regulator go bad. The rubber diaphragm gave out and it was letting propane gas escape through a tiny little pin hole. You could smell the gas but it never tripped the safety valve. It slowly emptied the tank! I checked with a friend at Suburban Propane and he confirmed that it does happen.
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Had the same thing happen twice. Now I always carry a spare regulator in my tool bin.
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2018 Berkshire 38A
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06-30-2020, 04:46 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Maurice, LA
Posts: 4,095
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We bought our current camper used so the dealer was not totally familiar with it. in the PDI, which was very detailed regarding the units systems they did not point out this feature Im describing here.
At times I would smell gas near the right tank where the regulator is located. Not all the time and not strong, very faint.
I could never figure it out and put it down to the regulator leaking. Changing the regulator did not solve the problem.
Then I looked slightly further. There is a quick connect for a flexible gas hose below the tank where the 1/2" galvanized pipe turns 90 degrees and takes the gas back to the camper's appliances.
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Propane.../dp/B007HG7TFO
The quick connect fitting incorporates a ball valve operated by a lever. The lever had the ball valve open, but no hose was affixed. The seal internal to the valve is not strong enough to keep the gas from leaking out until the ball valve is closed.
I closed the valve and the problem is solved. I went to far as to by a new valve, same results, the valve has to be kept closed to prevent any leakage at all.............lesson learned
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2012 Wildcat Sterling 32RL, Gladiator Qr35 ST235/85R16 Load rating G, TST 507 TPMS w/ Flow-thru Sensors & Repeater, Reese Sidewinder 16K Pin Box, PI EMS HW50C
2009 Chevy Silverado 2500HD CCSB LTZ Diesel, Fumoto Oil Drain Valve, Turbo Brake activated, 39 gal Aux Tank W/ Fuel Pump transfer, Air Lift Loadlifter 5000 air bags.
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06-30-2020, 06:37 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Seminole, FL
Posts: 268
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Check all the fittings beginning at the tanks. I found a loose compression nut after I had lost 2 full tanks of propane and before I ever smelled it.
Was finger tight so was never tightened.
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TCrossan
2020 CC Hathaway 34IK, 2012 F350
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07-01-2020, 02:53 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Pearl River, Louisiana
Posts: 842
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Probably the regulator. Normal to be warm.
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Karen and Rick
2020 Forester 2251SLE
Previous: 2018 Berkshire XL 40C
2011 Honda CR-V toad
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07-01-2020, 03:02 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 432
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Villagerjjm
I had a regulator go bad. The rubber diaphragm gave out and it was letting propane gas escape through a tiny little pin hole. You could smell the gas but it never tripped the safety valve. It slowly emptied the tank! I checked with a friend at Suburban Propane and he confirmed that it does happen.
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Same here. Easy fix.
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2020 GMC Denali 4X4 2500HD Duramax
2018 Work & Play 25WAB
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07-01-2020, 03:09 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Southern Illissouri
Posts: 922
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TitanMike
FWIW, a tank can give off the "Propane Stink" even if not over-filled or anything leaking.
When it's filled, if the operator opens up the "outage valve" (screw on side of valve) the odorant will escape with the propane vapor that's being bled out.
The odorant is ethyl mercaptan and it can stick to surfaces it comes in contact with during the fill process. Just like garlic odor can stick to your hands after a couple of washings this "stink" sticks around until it's totally evaporated from the surfaces.
Not a bad idea to check with soapy water =.
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I can vouch for this also...
I'm set up to fill my own propane tanks from the 500gal bulk tank here at the house. Every time I fill tanks, I stink like mercaptan for the rest of the day.
Sometimes the tanks will stink too for a while.
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Brian & Becky
2018 Avenger ATI 27RBS
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