Propane Leak

roessler · 01-21-2003, 09:54 AM

76 Excella 31 ft, center bath......

Have a propane leak that I suspect is associated with the furnace. The odor is strongest under the kitchen sink, just to the side of the furnace. The furnace sets below the range/oven; have had the range/oven removed for another reason, but didn't notice whether the gas connection to the furnace is accessible. Ideas?

Have tested all "under-trailer" gas connections, no bubbles. Thinking about applying air pressure to the system, say 10 psi or so, to improve leak response. Question, will the regulator have to be disconnected prior to pressurizing?

Additional info, maybe not applicable: after safely airing out the trailer the furnace doesn't light very readily. Sometimes have to try many times, sometimes finally give up until the next day. On the occasion when it does light, it sounds like a very small explosion in the furnace, something like a "whooom". Does this mean the igniter may inconsistem about sparking?

**Pick** · 01-21-2003, 10:14 AM

It almost sounds to me like the gas valve on the furnace is leaking. This has been a problem on the older Suburbans in the past and present. Mine has a brass shut off valve on the propane line before it goes into the furnace. I don't know if it was "stock" or installed by a previous owner. You may want to install one yourself to help troubleshoot the problem or for safety reasons if the furnace valve IS leaking. Do you know how to use a flaring tool?

smily · 01-21-2003, 10:23 AM

The pilot light on the range will flow unrestricted on my unit. We light the pilot any time the gas is trned on.

May want to check yours

**Pick** · 01-21-2003, 10:42 AM

Smiley, there is a valve to shut that off inside the stove top.

thenewkid64 · 01-21-2003, 09:31 PM

Save yourself a ton of guesswork and make sure you don't have a leak after finding and fixing the one you smell.

less than $30.00 at CW

Propane leak detector

BTW all of the AS I have seen have a cutoff where the propane line enters the skin so you can shut the gas off to any one appliance.

I would not suggest pumping the PSI up to 10 to better identify the leak source. The orifices and vaves in your propane system are deigned for 1-2 PSI. Putting that much pressure thru them could cause damage

If you did it though you would need to bypass the reulator, because it would regulate the pressure back down to the 1-2 PSI it is supposed to maintain.

roessler · 01-22-2003, 10:11 AM

We have not been lighting the range-top pilot, and contrary to Pick's comment, there is no shuoff valve except under the trailer.

Did light the range pilot last night, and it sure is a very, very small flame. In fact, putting the rang-top back down in secure position caused the flame to blow out until I learned to do it gently. I then discovered the pilot wouldn't light a main burner, at least within 10 seconds or so. After that long I was afraid to leave the burner gas turned on. Question, will gas flow to the range pilot when the oven pilot hasn't been lighted? During the peroids of propane odor around the sink, the oven pilot was not lighted.

Until we satisfactorily solve the problem, we'll just turn off the gas valves under the trailer for both range/oven and the furnace, and leave the water heater turned on.

pepper48 · 01-22-2003, 12:21 PM

I'm fighting the pilot light on my Magic Chef range. It looks like I'm going to need to break down the pilot assembly and check for obstructions. My unit has a screw adjustment behind the oven control knob to turn off gas to the pilot. Mine is adjusted that way now. The down side is that you must manually light every burner and the oven. I made this adjustment to mine becasue I smelled gas at the range and the pilot light would not stay lit. Since the adjustment, I haven't smelled any propane gas.