Now a gas leak?

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DTM

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Posts
48
How do you check for a gas leak?  We filled our propane tank back in Az the end March and have only been out with the MH tops 2 weeks total...and now it is empty, or at least I am assuming it is empty cause the stove and refrigerator do  not light ...oh the joys of learning all the nuances of this motor home.....thanks !!!!
 
One way is soapy water.  It will bubble where the leak is.  But if it is empty already, it won't bubble  :eek:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn2y6LHr3mY

Can you smell it, propane has a very distinct smell.
When you turn stove on, do you smell it?
It could be the regulator?
 
I use windex when checking for a gas or air leak. You can squirt it into hard to reach places and it?s always available in my vehicles.
 
Does it have a gauge?
If it's been sitting awhile it may take a bit for fresh propane to get up to the fridge, stove etc. especially if the tank valve is kept off while sitting. 
Our last RV had a leak. We could smell it outside a little if we were parked and no breeze or wind. Definitely something to NOT take lightly. I found it just by crawling around underneath it and looking for loose connections etc and found a line rubbed against the frame creating a hole. Just spliced in a fresh piece of line - and of course re-routed it to not rub anymore.
Like Spencer said, You can mix a little dish soap (couple drops) with water in a spray bottle, just spray it on suspect areas and watch for little bubbles. If the coach is older, also spray the rubber flex lines, its possible they can dry-rot & crack.
hope this helps.
 
who would I bring it to to check it out? a dealer ship or propane company? How would I check to see if it is the regulator?
 
If you don't want to check it out yourself I'd take it to a propane company. They'll probably find issues much faster than a dealer and can make you new lines on the spot
 
You did not mention the year, make and model of anything. Older model RV's (and propane detectors) often had a valve in the propane line and operated by the propane detector. When it fails either due to the valve itself or a defective propane detector, it will cause this problem. But the tank won't necessarily be empty.
 
It is a 2004 Holiday Rambler, just wish there was a class we could take to learn some hands on repairs.

 
We had a leak in our tank that 3 RV dealers missed.  Replaced the regulator 2 times.  Still leaked.  The source of the leak was the plug that the gauge attaches to.  Spray it with soapy water and you'll be able to determine if it's leaking.  The repair is expensive.  The tank needs to be emptied and dropped in order to remove and replace the plug.  Ours cost about $400 which is mostly labor. 

 
I would not leap to the conclusion you have a gas leak.  It's possible, but several other explanations should be checked out first. Could be as simple as a valve turned off somewhere, or a faulty pressure regulator.  What does the LP gauge at the tank say (most rigs have a mechanical gauge there).
 
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