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Old 05-25-2019, 06:30 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Green68 View Post
Put one of these in your tool box. It works great but you have to be close to the leak so it can pinpoint the source.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/HOME-FLE...-001/301876827
I just ordered this detector from Amazon.ca with 2-day delivery:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Old 05-25-2019, 06:41 PM   #22
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Originally Posted by SeaLevel View Post
The two times I have noticed that smell were both when the active propane tank was almost empty, as if some of the additive had settled to the bottom. After switching to the other tank the smell went away.
I read the above post and at about the same time my neighbour emailed me to say that he noticed with his trailer that there would be a propane smell when the tank was almost empty. He thought the chemical they add for the smell accumulates and there is more of that burning when almost empty.

So I took the tank off the mount and weighed it against its Tare Weight and discovered I had 2 lbs of propane in the tank, so maybe that is the issue. I switched the valve over to the other tank (full), opened that tank valve, and fired up the cook top inside. Then I took the near empty for a refill.

Upon return I entered the unit and could barely detect any odour and even that perhaps was my imagination, or perhaps a residual smell absorbed by my in-unit "door mat and towel"). I'll let it sit overnight then head out for a sniff.

Maybe that's also an explanation for why the propane alarm did not sound. Maybe I was getting a teeny tiny bit of propane in the unit and a large amount of stinky Mercaptan.

PS Prior to this I did the soapy water test on all the line and pigtails at the tanks and all were OK. If I still have an odour tomorrow I'll take the stove top off and start spraying soapy water.

Thanks for all the help thus far.

Gary
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Old 05-25-2019, 06:41 PM   #23
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Originally Posted by rmkrum View Post
Note that ‘dog farts’ will also set off propane detectors.
I bet that scared the dog out of farting inside again!
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Old 05-25-2019, 09:10 PM   #24
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Propane smell inside unit

Nope. The current batch does not pass gas. One of them likes to cuddle close, look you in the eyes, then burp. He’s quite deliberately doing it.

A dog I had when I was growing up did pass a lot of gas. Bad enough he could clear out a room, including himself. Charlie was a stray, blue-tick hound that wandered into the neighborhood and moved into our heme and hearts.

My mom’s cats harassed him endlessly but he put up with it because my mom told Charlie he was not allowed to chase the cats. He never did.

He had a brown patch on his back that was a perfect silhouette of him looking back over his right shoulder. Fantastic tracker and pointer.

He lived with us until he passed of old age, about 10 years with us. We have no idea how old he was or where he came from, but he loved us all and was very faithful. I still miss him.
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Old 05-26-2019, 05:22 AM   #25
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Originally Posted by gnijman View Post
. . .
Thanks for all the help thus far.
. . .
Thanks for your detailed R&D . . . sounds as if you are homing in on a solid explanation. Very helpful IMO.

Peter
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Old 05-26-2019, 01:23 PM   #26
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We had a similar issue when we got our used 2016 23 FC. I first thought it was a sewer smell. Looked around and tried a few things with no luck. Finally using soapy water we found the tiniest few bubbles coming from an obscure part of the cook top after taking off the top. Used one of these
https://www.google.com/shopping/prod...:1,prmr:3,cs:1

and problem solved!!
Not sure the link is to the right model/part #. Hope this helps.
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Old 05-26-2019, 02:56 PM   #27
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Originally Posted by rmkrum View Post
Note that ‘dog farts’ will also set off propane detectors.
Cows produce methane from both ends and methane is close to propane chemically. Was there a cow in your trailer?
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Old 05-26-2019, 03:11 PM   #28
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Propane smell inside unit

Methane is also known as Natural Gas. Apparently for more than one reason...

Most digestive systems produce it, including human.
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Old 05-26-2019, 03:44 PM   #29
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Note that ‘dog farts’ will also set off propane detectors.
That’s who I blame them on too, but I found out it only works when the dog is in the same room!
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Old 05-26-2019, 04:24 PM   #30
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To the op, if hou have one, is the oven control turned completely off? Check dial, knob.
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Old 06-02-2019, 09:59 AM   #31
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My issue is solved. My propane tank was down to the last dregs and apparently the smelly mercaptan can concentrate at the bottom of the tank. I was getting the tiniest bit of unburied propane when lighting appliances with a very high concentration of mercaptan. It just needed a tank refill and very thorough airing out including removing carpet runners, pillows and bedding. My new propane sniffer testing wand confirms no leaks anywhere. We are on the road now with the only smell today being damp Labrador Retriever!
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Old 06-02-2019, 10:03 AM   #32
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Good news, thanks for the update.

Happy Trails!

Peter
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Old 06-02-2019, 12:59 PM   #33
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Originally Posted by gnijman View Post
We are on the road now with the only smell today being damp Labrador Retriever!
I prefer mercaptan, but glad things are solved.
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Old 06-02-2019, 09:31 PM   #34
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Even tho this is solved, I wanted to add a couple of thoughts.

First, I have old aluminum tanks off my Holiday Rambler and both stink like crazy when low on gas. The air would even turn blue and hazy with one of them. I'm surprised that such new tanks would do that. I'm suspicious of the gas supplier lines at the store. Mercaptan can build up in trailer lines as well and even plug regulators.

Also, be careful tightening propane lines. The copper flare can be damaged or split as well as the nut. I've worked on more than one trailer with damaged over-tightened fittings...
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Old 06-03-2019, 11:10 AM   #35
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Also, be careful tightening propane lines. The copper flare can be damaged or split as well as the nut. I've worked on more than one trailer with damaged over-tightened fittings...
Good point. Tighten slightly, check with soapy water for leak, if leaking tighten slightly, check....

If you see no bubbles, you can light a match and if there is a leak so small you can't see any bubbles, a match will light the leak. I don't think most people would try this, but I have and no explosions, fires or singed beard yet. I was a bit nervous, but logic prevailed.
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Old 06-03-2019, 12:21 PM   #36
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I have noticed strong gas odor when gas is low even though everything is shut off. I don't know why this would be unless something is sealed by the pressure on the system which is like .5 psi. Noticed this on more than one trailer.





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Old 06-04-2019, 10:10 AM   #37
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Sounds like mercaptan molecules are much smaller than propane ones and some get through valves and seals.
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Old 12-27-2021, 09:23 AM   #38
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To the op, if hou have one, is the oven control turned completely off? Check dial, knob.
Thank you for this comment. We just set up camp late last night and turned on the propane this morning and when I walked into the trailer right afterwards I could smell propane by the sink. Turned propane off immediately and couldn't figured out what it was. Was going through all of difficult stuff. Then read your post. Walked back in the aired out trailer and sure enough the one of the knobs were on! Never thought to check that. I knew propane was heavy but in my slight freak out of smelling I didn't put two and two together that's why the portable propane detector went off soon as I walked in as it was in my hand stove height but not the one within the trailer by the floor that took a while to go off.

I think my husband or I bumped while carrying the bikes or blow up paddle boards during load up or unloading.
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