Propane Leak Detector?

[Doug C]

We're new to RV's and planning to take our 1992 Excella 25 footer out for the second time tomorrow. My friend happened by and mentioned that the trailer probably came equipped with an Propane Leak Detector. I don't find one anywhere.

1. Does anyone know if the 1992's were equipped with one?

2. If it is supposed to have a factory detector, where should I look?

3. How do you test one to make sure it works?

4. If the trailer didn't come with one, any suggestions as to which model to buy and where?

Thanks for the help.

[Doug C]

Originally Posted by Doug C

We're new to RV's and planning to take our 1992 Excella 25 footer out for the second time tomorrow. My friend happened by and mentioned that the trailer probably came equipped with an Propane Leak Detector. I don't find one anywhere.

1. Does anyone know if the 1992's were equipped with one?

2. If it is supposed to have a factory detector, where should I look?

3. How do you test one to make sure it works?

4. If the trailer didn't come with one, any suggestions as to which model to buy and where?

Thanks for the help.

I found some at Camping World. I had searched for "Propane Leak Detector" and wasn't coming up with much. Searching "Propane Detector" brought a lot more information. If the old ones looked like the new ones, i.e., like a smoke alarm, I think I'd see it if it were there. The new ones that Camping World shows are pretty obvious as far as testing, etc. I thought maybe the AS had some exotic detector built into the system somewhere. If it doesn't, the path forward is "duh now" clear. If I could edit out some of my original post, I would, because it sounds lame now that I searched using different wording.

Thanks again.

[n2916s]

If you have one, it will be on a bulkhead and mounted low to the floor as propane is heavier than air.

Mine is a Safe Alert brand. Any brand will be fine, just look for the U.L. Label.

Mike

[Jammer]

They drain your battery and detect dog farts, hair spray, and cleaning products at least as well as propane.

I removed mine. I don't believe that they provide a safety benefit in RVs. They were brought over from the yacht world where they do make a difference because propane leaks are so much more dangerous in a boat. I have tried to find an example of a fire or explosion caused by a propane leak inside an occupied RV, and have come up empty. Most RV fires are caused by electrical wiring faults, so your money would be better spent on an arc fault breaker.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Jammer

They drain your battery and detect dog farts, hair spray, and cleaning products at least as well as propane.

I removed mine. I don't believe that they provide a safety benefit in RVs. They were brought over from the yacht world where they do make a difference because propane leaks are so much more dangerous in a boat. I have tried to find an example of a fire or explosion caused by a propane leak inside an occupied RV, and have come up empty. Most RV fires are caused by electrical wiring faults, so your money would be better spent on an arc fault breaker.

Except that propane is also hazardous to your lungs, and an LPG detector will alert you to a propane leak before you can smell it. By the time you can smell a propane leak, you're already breathing the stuff.

Here's a link to a Material Safety Data Sheet for propane. http://www.airgas.com/documents/pdf/001045.pdf
Flammable limits for propane are 2.1% to 9.5% concentration. However, OSHA inhalation limits are 1000 parts per million, or 0.1% concentration. A concentration high enough to catch fire will have long since asphyxiated you, so you won't feel a thing.

[time2play]

So now I'm curious...can the propane detector be disconnected when the RV is not in use? And should it be disconnected? From what I understand it drains the batter otherwise.

And how does one disconnect the propane detector in a 28' Flying Cloud.

Thanks.

[jcanavera]

Short of pulling the battery cable or putting in some type of isolation switch that is about the best you can do. I did put an ammeter on my 2001 Safari when it was new to check out draw. If the master disconnect switch is left on, and all appliances were in the "off" position, I would see a draw of .1 amp. When the master disconnect is in the off position, I measured a draw of .01 amp (which I assume was the propane detector since it's power is not affected by the master disconnect).

Jack

[Dan and Liz]

There definitely should be one. On our 87 it's to the left of the front door below the flip-up shelf and next to the oven/furnace. When I'm not using the AS I turn off the battery switches and there's no drain. They age out after about 10 (?) years, so if yours hasn't been replaced it should be. I searched on line until I found one that fits the same size hole.

[mojo]

Originally Posted by time2play

So now I'm curious...can the propane detector be disconnected when the RV is not in use? And should it be disconnected? From what I understand it drains the batter otherwise.

And how does one disconnect the propane detector in a 28' Flying Cloud.

Thanks.

You can simply trace down the wiring at the connection point in the trailer and move the hot wire to the buss that is shut down when the battery disconnect is engaged. That stops the residual battery drain when you are not using the trailer and when you are using the trailer power, it will be on. It's the wire with an inline fuse.

[nilesrob]

Does the propane leak detector have tha ability to shut down the propane line?

Reason I ask is we have (I believe) a full propane tank, the knob at the tank is on, but there is no propane getting to the stovetop or refrigerator...

The leak detector went off the other day briefly when we were refueling (this is a B190), and either since that time or approximately that time we have not had propane. Maybe it is coincidental, don't know.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by nilesrob

Does the propane leak detector have tha ability to shut down the propane line?

Reason I ask is we have (I believe) a full propane tank, the knob at the tank is on, but there is no propane getting to the stovetop or refrigerator...

The leak detector went off the other day briefly when we were refueling (this is a B190), and either since that time or approximately that time we have not had propane. Maybe it is coincidental, don't know.

I've never seen one set up that way. The detector is just an a "sniffer" that sets off an alarm when it detects LPG. If there was one that shut off the propane, there would be an electrically-operated valve somewhere in the propane line. Which is not a good idea, mixing electricity with a flammable gas. One spark when the valve activated, and you'd create a bigger problem than you solve.

[wayneskid]

Protagonist,

"If there was one that shut off the propane, there would be an electrically-operated valve somewhere in the propane line. Which is not a good idea, mixing electricity with a flammable gas. One spark when the valve activated, and you'd create a bigger problem than you solve."

What? That is exactly what is used on Interstates, the frequently discussed electrically operated valve which is used to shut off the flow of propane from the tank.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by wayneskid

What? That is exactly what is used on Interstates, the frequently discussed electrically operated valve which is used to shut off the flow of propane from the tank.

That is a built-in tank, built to ASME standards, not a protable tank built to DOT standards. Not the same thing. And even that one is not controlled by the LPG detector.

On edit— The electrically-operated valve on an Interstate closes when the power is shut off, and opens when it's turned on. If an LPG detector controlled it, then when the circuit is completed to turn on the alarm, it would have to turn on the valve to close it, the reverse of what happens on the Interstate.

But I take your point. I should have phrased my response better.

[nilesrob]

Actually, I should have re-phrased my original question...

For a built-in propane tank system like we have on our B190, is there anything between the on/off valve at the tank that would interrupt the flow of propane to all the appliances (stovetop, frig, water heater)?

Every indication is that the tank is full, but that may be my next checkpoint in absence of other suggestions.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by nilesrob

Actually, I should have re-phrased my original question...

For a built-in propane tank system like we have on our B190, is there anything between the on/off valve at the tank that would interrupt the flow of propane to all the appliances (stovetop, frig, water heater)?

Every indication is that the tank is full, but that may be my next checkpoint in absence of other suggestions.

Don't think so. However, since "power on = open" and "power off = closed" there's a possibility that something is interrupting the power to the valve. Fuse, broken wire, etc.

[Skater]

Originally Posted by nilesrob

For a built-in propane tank system like we have on our B190, is there anything between the on/off valve at the tank that would interrupt the flow of propane to all the appliances (stovetop, frig, water heater)?

Every indication is that the tank is full, but that may be my next checkpoint in absence of other suggestions.

I've never heard of one being set up that way, especially on a B190. Anything is possible, of course.

[nilesrob]

As counter intuitive as this will sound, it turns out that propane based systems need - you guessed it - propane to operate. Problem solved. Duh.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by nilesrob

As counter intuitive as this will sound, it turns out that propane based systems need - you guessed it - propane to operate. Problem solved. Duh.

Well, that just makes no sense! ;-)

Seriously though, I thought you said the alarm went off after refilling? How did you refill and have no propane?

[Silver Goose]

This is what Airstream has been installing in recent model trailers. Mine is located a few inches off the floor for the reasons previously mentioned. I suspect it is an item that must be included for RVIA Certification. This one is hard wired to the battery, again I suspect this is an RVIA requirement and yes it will drain the batteries if left unattended for a prolonged period. Operating the Store switch does not disconnect the LPG detector.

Like its CO Detecter and Smoke Detector cousins, it has a finite life and needs to be replaced (I don't recall how many years). It also chirps if the battery voltage drops to a certain level. That can be handy if you forgot to switch from Store to Use, or you were unaware that that the converter wasn't charging, but it will most likely alert you to this about 3 AM.

[nilesrob]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

Well, that just makes no sense! ;-)

Seriously though, I thought you said the alarm went off after refilling? How did you refill and have no propane?

We filled gasoline, not propane, but it caused the sensor to go off.