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Old 11-21-2017, 03:05 PM   #1
team bradfield
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strange smell

the wife calls me today and says there is a strong smell of propane in the RV, she shut the tanks off, shut the furnace off. I've already winterized the unit, we were keeping it warm while we clean it out for the season. its been mild and i have a 100# pig hooked up. I get home and go into RV, there is a strong smell but it doesn't smell like propane to me, what else could this be? I don't want to turn on the propane again to check for leaks, but i might have to. anyone experience this? Does Propane leave a different lingering smell after it clears?
 
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Old 11-21-2017, 03:15 PM   #2
Butch & Kathy
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Could be an air admittance valve. I had one go bad under the island sink and it was a faint sewer smell.
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Old 11-21-2017, 03:30 PM   #3
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went out and checked that, we have emptied tanks and have 1/2 gallon of pink in them. its almost like a faint burnt smell, i have a warranty visit to the dealer on the 5th of December, might let him chase it down.
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Old 11-21-2017, 04:02 PM   #4
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Could be an air admittance valve. I had one go bad under the island sink and it was a faint sewer smell.
I thought the air admittance valve was above the trap, I have not looked but it is below susceptible to sewer gas?
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Old 11-21-2017, 04:23 PM   #5
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I thought the air admittance valve was above the trap, I have not looked but it is below susceptible to sewer gas?
Jeff, the valve is physically higher than the trap but installed between the trap and tank. If it gets stuck you will know it. Mine smelled for a couple of days and stopped, replaced it as soon as I could...
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Old 11-21-2017, 06:19 PM   #6
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Did the propane leak detector sound off? Might want to check the 12v. Trailer batteries.
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Old 11-21-2017, 06:47 PM   #7
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When that valve goes bad it stinks. When mine went bad I first thought it was propane.
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Old 11-21-2017, 08:44 PM   #8
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Sulfide from the batteries, check water level?
Refer ammonia leak?
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Old 11-22-2017, 09:24 AM   #9
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Sulfide from the batteries, check water level?
Refer ammonia leak?
It happened to me (batteries), except it set off the CO/Propane alarm
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Old 11-22-2017, 01:07 PM   #10
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I checked the furnace exhaust and a critter had built a nest, some leaves and something, looks like a steel scouring material, it was jet black and wife confirmed, that was the smell when i took it to her. I fired up the furnace and now its sounds like its sputtering flame and it is smoking, white smoke coming out, shut it all down, i guess its time to clean it out, do you think this damaged anything?
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Old 11-22-2017, 02:43 PM   #11
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try sucking out the exhaust with a shop vac. See if anything comes out.
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Old 12-16-2017, 04:50 PM   #12
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Butchy, I found the valve under the counter on the island. It unthreaded and I shook it. I could hear something rattling around inside. Is that normal? As I can't get to the inside how do I know if it is good or not? Thanks for answering questions, it is appreciated. Darrel
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Old 12-16-2017, 04:56 PM   #13
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So does it smell like rotten eggs?
Did you ever check the battery water level?
it's almost a month since the first post. If it is battery hydrogen sulfide gas metal things will be turning color by now.
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Old 12-16-2017, 06:59 PM   #14
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I think some place have changed the odor in propane. I thought it was always rotten eggs smell. But in 2016 I had issues and it smelled like rotten cabbage instead. A totally different smell. I know it was propane because I bought a pretty good detector.
good luck.
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Old 12-16-2017, 08:35 PM   #15
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Butchy, I found the valve under the counter on the island. It unthreaded and I shook it. I could hear something rattling around inside. Is that normal? As I can't get to the inside how do I know if it is good or not? Thanks for answering questions, it is appreciated. Darrel
Darrel. They sell them at Home Depot, I really don’t remember if it rattled or not. Go by Home Depot and check. If the valve is bad, you will smell the odor when you open the cabinets.
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Old 12-17-2017, 05:18 AM   #16
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I think some place have changed the odor in propane. I thought it was always rotten eggs smell. But in 2016 I had issues and it smelled like rotten cabbage instead. A totally different smell. I know it was propane because I bought a pretty good detector.
good luck.
The "odor" is actually added at the pipeline loading point by the bulk tanker truck driver when he loads the truck. It is not added at the local distributor level.
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Old 12-17-2017, 11:33 AM   #17
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I used Butchy's plan of shop vac, cleaned it out, fired back up and the smell "burnt off" i guess, all is good now
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Old 12-17-2017, 05:55 PM   #18
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Before I mouse proofed our rig, a mouse crawled up the furnace hose that dangles into the tank area to heat the tanks, etc. Right into the heat exchanger and duct for the living area. Took awhile of forcing air into the duct system via a cardboard box sitting over the rear most duct with a fan attached to the top of the box and other heat outlets taped over, before all the mouse smell was gone. I rolled some quaternary inch mesh wire screening into a tube, bent one end closed and taped the other end onto the end of the flexible duct tube using aluminum duct tape. IF I somehow get another mouse into the montana, it isn't going to get into the furnace system.
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