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Old 11-27-2015, 02:36 AM   #1
Ozz
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Strong Propane smell by the tanks?

It can be the hoses, Tank fitting, connections or a regulator.
In my case it is the Red step-down regulator on the passenger side of the Propane lockers.
Not good when you wake up to the foul odor of Propane and do not know where it is coming from. As in any troubleshooting, start with the basics. I shut off all, or in this case both tanks, let it sit for an hour with all doors open (Propane locker and 'Garage' doors)
No smell anywhere, Then opened just one tank, in this case the Passenger side. Make leak check solution in a small Tupperware container with dish soap diluted a bit with water, got one of our Leather Dye applicators we use in our Leather business, but you can use a small rag and dob it on. Got lucky and found it coming from the weep hole in the Red step-down regulator, it was really coming out hard. If I wasn't deaf, I probably could have heard it.
Shut down the tank, removed the flare fitting attached to the 'Pigtail', then using a back-up wrench on the gas line, took off the regulator, drove to a RV Parts dealer here in Roswell. (Right behind the wrecked Saucer from mars..)
They cost around $7.00, I paid $18.00 Typical.. but was glad to get it. The original Red regulators were stepped down to 7# or so, the new ones are 25#, they said they don't make the lower pressure regulators anymore.
Your leaks will typically be a hose, a tank or a regulator, rare the fittings will just start leaking.
Went in to excruciating detail on this to help those who are not too handy, the mechanically inclined folks have already dozed off by now...

https://picasaweb.google.com/Jimsue1...eat=directlink

This does not cover everything it can be just the stuff I can remember on my first cup of coffee.
As in anything that may blow up or catch on fire, get an authorized competent RV repair service to do it if you know you might mess it up.
BTW, on gas, I never use Teflon tape, in my 40 so years of repairing HVAC systems I have seen too many gas valves with Teflon tape caught in the intake screen, and it doesn't take much to clog the little orifices in regulators. I use Pipe dope, Rectorseal brand, or the Blue Locktite in a tube I always carry..
 
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Old 11-27-2015, 02:45 AM   #2
K0LCB
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Good to know. The first night out in our new Montana I smelled propane. Checked the. Lines and four a bad crimp connector on the Driver side hose. Went to a hardware store and found a replacement. Keystone reimbursed me the cost of the hose
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Old 11-27-2015, 04:30 AM   #3
BB_TX
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Same problem with my red regulator several years ago, coming out the weep hole. But took me a long time to find it. I did not know there was a weep hole on the bottom. With the weep hole on the bottom, soapy mixture sprayed the regulator did not cover the weep hole and did not bubble. After spraying soapy mix on everything and never finding any bubbles, and still smelling propane, I finally just bought a new red regulator since I had read about them leaking. It was not until I took it off I saw the weep hole with moisture around it where it had been leaking. No more leak.

Mine is located on the driver side.
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Old 11-27-2015, 06:17 AM   #4
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Ozz, you should have saved your money and done away with it. I removed it on my 07 3400RL because the unit would not pull good from that tank because of the 7# regulator. Your regulator has both a high pressure and low pressure built into it. So what you had was a 7# low pressure driving a high pressure regulator. That is why they went to 25#. If it was needed why is there not one one the other side.
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Old 11-27-2015, 11:15 AM   #5
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Oh, I like to spend my money.. that's what it's for isn't it :-)
I try not to think I am brighter than the folks that design and build these things, and where my safety and fail safe's are concerned, I will spend the money. Redundancy is not a bad thing.
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Old 11-27-2015, 01:17 PM   #6
BB_TX
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People have posted before about a safety reason for the red regulator valve bring there. But I don't remember what the reason was. But I also assume there is a valid reason on it being there so mine stays.
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Old 11-27-2015, 01:26 PM   #7
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The factory told me they put that in so when you change the tank on that side the propane will not leak out of that long pipe. With the new tanks having the new safety valve in them when people open the valve to fast on that side the rush of propane from the tank into that empty pipe would shut it down. The regulator was their attempt to fix the problem. The problem with the 7# regulator was in cold weather it was not enough to drive the high pressure at times.
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Old 11-27-2015, 01:49 PM   #8
Dam Worker
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Remember that you will also have a stronger propane smell at the bottom/empty part of the tanks. Obviously this was a different issue but it is usually quite easy to tell when you are nearly empty especially with bigger tanks.

Tom Marty
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Old 11-27-2015, 06:31 PM   #9
rohrmann
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The main reason for the red regulator is to make sure that once the propane leaves the tank as a vapor that it stays a vapor. Propane regulators in trailers do not regulate liquid only vapor. If the regulator was not there the pressure in the hose/pipe would be the same as the tank. This could lead to the vapor condensing back into a liquid. With a reduction in the pressure from the regulator to the other side of the coach this will greatly reduce the possibility of the vapor in the crossover hose turning back into a liquid. This is all based on propane’s vapor/pressure saturation points. The lower the pressure the lower the temperature to turn it back into a liquid.
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Old 11-28-2015, 10:02 AM   #10
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I understand all the theories and claims on the need for the red regulator. When mine started leaking about 8 years ago I just eliminated it. We have use the 5'er in Temps over 110 and in the low teens. No problems thus far so I'm giving more credence to experiences than theory. Jim
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Old 11-28-2015, 10:28 AM   #11
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I always carry the two extra hoses and pipe dope but perhaps should carry a spare regulator?
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Old 11-29-2015, 01:59 AM   #12
Ozz
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Darwin, I would.
Hey, it's $14.00 why would you not do it..
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Old 11-29-2015, 04:48 AM   #13
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Ozz

Darwin, I would.
Hey, it's $14.00 why would you not do it..
Yep, we think alike.

When someone has a problem in our summer rv park they usually show up on my doorstep for advice and parts cause they know I stash more than most.

Heck I have had many people on my deck with a problem and I sit them down and actually search the MOC on my tablet for a possible solution for them. Feels good to pass on what I have learned mostly here and share the value of the info contained on this site.
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