Gas Leak??

Mama · 04-15-2018, 10:39 PM

So last year we bought a camp chef stove. We hooked it up directly to a propane tank as we didn't have the adapter needed for the side where the crappy camp stove hooks on the side. That first trip seemed to be ok but I'd say about half the trips we've been on since then, we notice a strong smell of gas/propane. Rotten Eggs/Sewer Gas type smell coming from around the propane tanks. It's so hit and miss that we have just been trying to figure it out but now we've given up. The tanks were both completely off all winter. It sat in the garage with zero issue. Yesterday we pulled it out to get it ready for season. We didn't touch the propane tanks at all. Pulled it out in the drive - drove it a few miles to slosh bleach around in the tanks then right back in the drive. When we put it back in the garage, we plugged it in so the battery could get fully charged. A few hours after we finished, the carbon monoxide detector starts beeping so we go out to shut it off and the garage is FULL of gas! WTH!?!?! So we took the tanks OFF of the RV and let the garage air out. Took the tanks (which were about empty anyway) to replace them thinking if they were off then it must be a leak below the valve. Right? Uhhhhh - guess again. 5 hours later, no tanks on the RV, garage is now full of gas again!!! What else could it be? The only difference is that it was plugged in to the wall....which shouldn't make a difference right!?!?!? What are we missing? The camp stove may or may not have anything to do with it but that's just when it started for us. At first I thought maybe we stripped a thread of something but it doesn't happen all the time. But now that it's got ZERO tanks on it....

carloss · 04-16-2018, 09:28 AM

My guess us that the bleach is reacting with something in the tanks and producing gas. The water from the water heater sometimes smells like roten egg due to the minerals that stick to the heating element. To test leaks on your gas tanks or hoses, just spray them with soapy water. It will bubble up if there is a leak.

Mama · 04-16-2018, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carloss

My guess us that the bleach is reacting with something in the tanks and producing gas. The water from the water heater sometimes smells like roten egg due to the minerals that stick to the heating element. To test leaks on your gas tanks or hoses, just spray them with soapy water. It will bubble up if there is a leak.

Well, that's a thought. I went back out this morning and plugged it in again just to see if it did it again and sure enough, after about an hour, the smell was back in the garage. No gas tanks hooked up. If the water heater uses gas, would the electricity still cause the water heater to create a smell?

todtc318 · 04-16-2018, 11:43 AM

Some thoughts....

You say the Carbon Monoxide detector went off. Are you sure it wasn't the propane detector? Two different gasses and two totally different detectors.

Propane has a very distinct and noticeable odor. Carbon Monoxide is odorless.

If there was no source of propane in the garage and you still had odor, I'm guessing it's not propane you're smelling. If you're sure the odor is from the RV and not some exterior source then it could be holding tank smells, rotten water smells, something dead in the RV, etc.

First order of action is to identify what you're actually smelling.

MontyPP · 04-16-2018, 02:46 PM

Look at your electrical and converter. There may be an electrical problem.

5picker · 04-16-2018, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MontyPP

Look at your electrical and converter. There may be an electrical problem.

I agree, you may be smelling a 12v battery that is being overcharged and 'cooked.' Have you checked battery water levels lately?

An over charged battery that is off-gassing smells a lot like rotten eggs.

**Flybob** · 04-16-2018, 04:04 PM

A boiling battery will smell similar to the chemical added to propane to make it smell. Check your battery /water. Is the battery warm? If battery was dead or shorted it can boil off gas when charging.

pgandw · 04-16-2018, 04:59 PM

When we were using well water, I discovered that water left in the tank, and especially in the hot water tank would get a rotten egg smell within one month - especially strong in the hot water tank. Open any spigot and the smell would come out. Problem solved by emptying the water and hot water tanks upon arrival at home. Then refill tanks just before next trip.

Now that we are on city water, the water "keeps" for over a year.
FWIW, relatives living in the Tidewater area of Virginia had "smelly" water straight from the well without even sitting for a month. The smell comes from dissolved sulfur salts in the water, and intensifies with time and when water is stored warm. The sulfur "rotten egg" smell is also often encountered in natural swamps.

just our experiences
Fred W
2014 Rockwood A122 A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time

Mama · 04-16-2018, 06:38 PM

Ok I think we're making headway! Here's what I know for sure:
1)The old propane tanks were exchanged at Menards yesterday and the new ones haven't even been put on yet. If there propane tanks are not even on the camper, it can't be the propane.
2)It's not holding tank/dead animal issues because it only happens when it's plugged in.
So this has to mean it's electrical. Hubby checked the battery just now and guess what! The battery cap was popped off! So how do we fix this? Just add plain water? Filtered? Distilled? Is there a fill line?

**Flybob** · 04-16-2018, 06:44 PM

You need to add distilled water to the bottom of the split ring in the top of each cell. Do not overfill. The battery cap(s) should not pop off. If they are then it is because the battery is outgassing heavily. Once the cells are filled correctly you can try again. If the battery has been discharged deeply, you could have damaged it and have shorted cells, That will cause the water to boil out.

5picker · 04-16-2018, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flybob

You need to add distilled water to the bottom of the split ring in the top of each cell. Do not overfill. The battery cap(s) should not pop off. If they are then it is because the battery is outgassing heavily. Once the cells are filled correctly you can try again. If the battery has been discharged deeply, you could have damaged it and have shorted cells, That will cause the water to boil out.

What Flybob said plus,
Also keep an eye on your converter charge rate. The converter could have gone bad and is stuck in a high charge rate.

Mama · 04-16-2018, 06:57 PM

Yeah it was bone dry. So I'm guessing we need a new battery? How does one check a converter charge rate?

Mama · 04-16-2018, 06:59 PM

We just had an ah-ha moment - the trip this started on was at Tippecanoe River State Park. The power pole made an arching sound when we plugged it in but everything worked ok so we didn't think much of it. So....should we just take it in and have it serviced or is this something we can DIY?

**Flybob** · 04-16-2018, 07:09 PM

I would start with a new battery. Do not waste time on trying to recover a dry battery. Once you have the new battery, I would try system again. Be sure to mark the battery cables ( pos and Neg) when you remove them so you get it back correctly. Plug into shore power and check the battery after 30 mins. Should not be warm or should not hear bubbling.

If this is your first trip this year, and the battery went dead over the winter it may have frozen and cracked.

Mama · 04-16-2018, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flybob

I would start with a new battery. Do not waste time on trying to recover a dry battery. Once you have the new battery, I would try system again. Be sure to mark the battery cables ( pos and Neg) when you remove them so you get it back correctly. Plug into shore power and check the battery after 30 mins. Should not be warm or should not hear bubbling.

If this is your first trip this year, and the battery went dead over the winter it may have frozen and cracked.

We had only just pulled it out of the garage to dewinterize it. Hopefully we can go this weekend. This weather has kept us in the house way longer than we'd like!

I have to say though - that trip with the arching noise when we plugged it in - that was in like July or August last year. We went on several trips after that.

If we replace the battery and the converter is shot, will it mess up the brand new battery?

MontyPP · 04-16-2018, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mama

We had only just pulled it out of the garage to dewinterize it. Hopefully we can go this weekend. This weather has kept us in the house way longer than we'd like!

I have to say though - that trip with the arching noise when we plugged it in - that was in like July or August last year. We went on several trips after that.

If we replace the battery and the converter is shot, will it mess up the brand new battery?

Yes it could. After you get the new battery keep an eye on it and if it gets warm or start excessive out gassing unplug the rig. The converter will need replacing more than likely. Afterward get a good surge/brownout circuit analyzer and use it.

andymil · 04-16-2018, 08:55 PM

I wouldn’t leave a battery (new or old) connected for any length of time without verifying (or having someone verify) that the converter is working properly.

Scrapper · 04-16-2018, 08:56 PM

Another point, though this has nothing to do with the odor your getting.

When you get to a campsite always make sure the breaker on the power pedestal is turned off then plug in the trailer and turn on the pedestal breaker back on. When packing up to leave turn off the pedestal breaker then unplug your trailer.

The popping noise was the plug arcing as you plugged it in, that arcing will melt the prongs on your cord and the contacts inside the pedestal outlet.

cavie · 04-16-2018, 09:02 PM

If you have anything on when you plug it you will get an electric ARC. Turn off all the breakers before you plug in.

Mama · 04-19-2018, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MontyPP

Yes it could. After you get the new battery keep an eye on it and if it gets warm or start excessive out gassing unplug the rig. The converter will need replacing more than likely. Afterward get a good surge/brownout circuit analyzer and use it.

Is there a particular one that is popular? We bought a new battery yesterday.

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