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Spurvines · 10-02-2013, 08:49 PM

I recently purchased a 76 land yacht and am trying to live in it while I go to airborne training and later to special forces training at ft Bragg when I am done here, the only reason I even mention that is I don't have a lot of time (or money) to devout to the repair of a trailer I thought was already squared away. The problem is that whenever I turn the gas on, I can smell a smell that does not smell like the odorant but smells like the by-product of the gas being burned. Specifically I think it is the water heater. I turned the gas on, lit the stove pilot lights and waited. Nothing. Then I got soapy water in a bottle and sprayed each connection. Nothing. Then I lit the pilot to my water heater and immediately smelled the smell. 10 minutes later my monoxide detector is chirping and I'm a bit dizzy. I shut it down and am wondering what to do next. I've heard that having empty or near empty bottles can be a problem and I think one of the bottles is indeed empty. Should I get it refilled to fix the problem? I don't see why that would make a difference especially since I can and did turn that valve off. Any advice is greatly appreciated. This is also my first rv ever.

perryg114 · 10-02-2013, 09:28 PM

Well don't use the water heater. Do you have an open window near the hot water heater? The fridge can be a source of CO as well if you run it on gas. You can also get a propane detector. Go outside and see if the flu for the water heater is full of wasp nests etc. Please don't continue to run the propane till you figure out for sure which appliance is causing the issues. Maybe there are some safety folks on base that can help you. The fire dept might be of help.

Perry

Spurvines · 10-02-2013, 10:05 PM

The fridge is electric. Thanks for the advice.

Spurvines · 10-03-2013, 12:19 PM

Ok. For the record there was indeed a wasps nest in the flue. However, I closed the windows on that side and no alarms so far. I feel stupid for being confused by this and at the same time greatful it wasn't something more serious! I guess I'm just adjusting to a new lifestyle.

Retail6 · 10-03-2013, 12:49 PM

Similar situation on our last trip we made. Using the hot water heater and thought I was smelling the spent fumes to it. Besides the noise of the hot water heater that smell started worrying me. Got me to thinking, so I went out and snapped a shot of it. Looks like a design flaw (Window placement that is)? Also, I have been turning the HW heater on first thing in the morning and turning it off after showers are over. Thought it would save on gas. What is the general take on turning it on and off or just leaving it on?

**jcanavera** · 10-03-2013, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spurvines

I recently purchased a 76 land yacht and am trying to live in it while I go tI've heard that having empty or near empty bottles can be a problem and I think one of the bottles is indeed empty. Should I get it refilled to fix the problem? I don't see why that would make a difference especially since I can and did turn that valve off. Any advice is greatly appreciated. This is also my first rv ever.

Just to clarify this comment. When tanks get low, the additive (Ethyl-Mercaptan) that gives propane its odor can be come concentrated and you could smell that and potentially set off your propane detector. Ethyl-mercaptan is an oil, and old propane tanks tend to build up that oil. As you get to the bottom of the tank you're probably getting a much higher concentration of that oil in with your propane. That's a different situation than carbon monoxide which is a product of combustion.

Obviously smelling the additive requires you to investigate but typically a low tank situation is what I look at first. If there is any possibility, I shut off the low tank and switch to the full tank. If the odor goes away, you probably dealing with the low tank issue. Also typically the smell will be strong at the site of a burning flame.

Jack

AldeanFan · 10-03-2013, 02:05 PM

RV stores sell an electric heating element that can be added to Propane only water heaters. Some people feel these are unsafe, but I don't know why. This may be an option if the problem is only when running the water heater on propane.

perryg114 · 10-03-2013, 06:58 PM

If the device is burning properly, it should not produce a lot of CO. If the wasp nests were clogging the flue then it could produce more CO than normal. Keep the window closed and turn it off when you are not using it. I usually turn it on in the morning for a little while if we need to wash dishes and then again in the evening if we need to take a shower and wash more dishes. I am glad you found the problem.

Perry