Montana Owners Club - Keystone Montana 5th Wheel Forum - View Single Post - Hope he's not near my MOC boondocking friends

ols1932 · 01-28-2008, 01:49 AM

Just thought I'd post something my friend who owns a new Winnebago motor home posted on another of the groups I belong to. I sincerely hope you don't run into him at Quartzsite. I've seen a lot of RVers do a lot of stupid things, but this takes the cake.

He entitled it "Someone is Watching out for me."

We're here in Quartzsite, enjoying the sites and sounds. Actually, we're holed up in the motorhome while it is raining this Sunday afternoon here in the desert. So we run the generator and catch up on mail.

We had a little wake up call on Friday night in our rig. Two years ago, after we purchased it, I had installed a catalytic heater and used a quick disconnect fitting so that the heater wasn't out unless we needed it. All was well. This past week, we had the propane detector alarm one morning when the wind was out of the passenger side, so I blamed it on the furnace and waterheater exhaust and pulled the alarm.

Friday, we moved and when we started the heater Friday night, again the alarm sounded. So just to make sure all was well, I got out my trusty fire starter and clicked it near the inside fittings. WOH, did I get a wake up call. There was a burst of flame, followed by flames coming out of the disconnect fittings. We blew the fire out and turned the gas off. But no matter how I seated the disconnect, it continued to leak propane, so we didn't use the heater.

Talking with some others here at the gathering, they agreed that there was a special "gas" quick disconnect, other than the ones used on air hoses, which is what I had used. When I had installed it, I had heard about a gas disconnect, but in the rush to make the connection, I dropped the ball and never followed up on it.

Saturday morning, we were at the local Hardware store and sure enough they had a Certified Quick Disconnect just for explosive gases. We bought it and now we're back in business, using the heater. The other lesson learned was that I have never checked my work since doing it 2 years ago. Logically, one ought to check all gas lines periodically for leaks.

The lesson learned: If you're going to use a quick disconnect on your propane heater line, make sure it is the correct one. We were very fortunate and we're certainly very thankful that nothing serious happened. What saved us was that I always turned the gas valve off when we were not using the heater. Otherwise, the motorhome would have been filled with gas and we'd have been bye-bye (had we ignored the LP Alarm.)!

Presently, we're still boondocking (dry camping) it on the desert. But I have promised Sandy that she can have a week in a full service RV park here in Quartzsite when the water tank is empty.

Beware the firebug!

Orv

01-28-2008, 01:49 AM	#1
ols1932 Montana Master Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Cedar Rapids Posts: 4,876 M.O.C. #1944	Hope he's not near my MOC boondocking friends Just thought I'd post something my friend who owns a new Winnebago motor home posted on another of the groups I belong to. I sincerely hope you don't run into him at Quartzsite. I've seen a lot of RVers do a lot of stupid things, but this takes the cake. He entitled it "Someone is Watching out for me." We're here in Quartzsite, enjoying the sites and sounds. Actually, we're holed up in the motorhome while it is raining this Sunday afternoon here in the desert. So we run the generator and catch up on mail. We had a little wake up call on Friday night in our rig. Two years ago, after we purchased it, I had installed a catalytic heater and used a quick disconnect fitting so that the heater wasn't out unless we needed it. All was well. This past week, we had the propane detector alarm one morning when the wind was out of the passenger side, so I blamed it on the furnace and waterheater exhaust and pulled the alarm. Friday, we moved and when we started the heater Friday night, again the alarm sounded. So just to make sure all was well, I got out my trusty fire starter and clicked it near the inside fittings. WOH, did I get a wake up call. There was a burst of flame, followed by flames coming out of the disconnect fittings. We blew the fire out and turned the gas off. But no matter how I seated the disconnect, it continued to leak propane, so we didn't use the heater. Talking with some others here at the gathering, they agreed that there was a special "gas" quick disconnect, other than the ones used on air hoses, which is what I had used. When I had installed it, I had heard about a gas disconnect, but in the rush to make the connection, I dropped the ball and never followed up on it. Saturday morning, we were at the local Hardware store and sure enough they had a Certified Quick Disconnect just for explosive gases. We bought it and now we're back in business, using the heater. The other lesson learned was that I have never checked my work since doing it 2 years ago. Logically, one ought to check all gas lines periodically for leaks. The lesson learned: If you're going to use a quick disconnect on your propane heater line, make sure it is the correct one. We were very fortunate and we're certainly very thankful that nothing serious happened. What saved us was that I always turned the gas valve off when we were not using the heater. Otherwise, the motorhome would have been filled with gas and we'd have been bye-bye (had we ignored the LP Alarm.)! Presently, we're still boondocking (dry camping) it on the desert. But I have promised Sandy that she can have a week in a full service RV park here in Quartzsite when the water tank is empty. Beware the firebug! Orv