Propane Odor, Suggestions?

[Joe1969]

I’ve been using gas for the water heater. Earlier today, the pressure release valve was releasing water. I shut off the gas heater switch and pulled in the release switch to let it all drain.

When I turned the gas heater back on, the burner engaged no problem. I noticed a slight propane odor. I turned it off and the odor want away. Turned it back on and I don’t seem to sense the odor anymore.

Anyone ever experience anything like this and have any suggestions on how to check if there is a propane leak anywhere?

Is there ever any circumstance where it is possible to detect a propane odor and it be OK?

[Pull Toy]

You want an air gap at the top of your hot water tank. This allows for natural expansion of the water as it heats. When a tank is waterlogged it will release pressure thru the valve. I would turn off the supply to the tank, let it cool down, and drain the tank to reestablish the air gap. Don’t touch the relief valve when you refill the tank.

The brief propane smell may have happened when you interrupted a heat cycle. If it cleared, and didn’t return, great! If at any time it reoccurs, shut everything off, and see a professional.

Good luck,

[chuckster57]

Propane leaks can be deadly. You can use a Manometer to test the lo system for leaks. Either get one and do it yourself or have it done.

[Joe1969]

I am seeing various versions of manometers. Can you suggest one and explain a little of how they work.

[chuckster57]

I have a Yellow Jacket 78060.

Turn on the propane, remove a burner from the stove. place the manometer "bell" over the orifice and turn the burner on. The meter should read the gas pressure.

turn off the propane, turn on a different burner BUT DO NOT LIGHT!! Watch the needle and as it approaches 5" turn the burner off. RVIA standard is 0 drop in 3 minutes.

[Joe1969]

I ordered the meter. Hoping it arrives at our resort in time to test.

So. I shut it off and was just running it with electric heat. This afternoon I turned it back on. Again, caught a slight odor then it went away. When I bent down near the ground I smelled it strong. I went under the trailer and could really smell it, strong. Most strong on the right, where there is a tube leading off the main gas line into a vent of some kind.

I just shut off all the propane, kind of a pain given we are a few days into a two week trip …

Anyway. The only thing I can think of is we did have a blow out on the left side tire, roadside assistance jacked it up to change it. I am wondering if that may have damaged the line.

Also, I did not realize the gas lines on this model are completely exposed to the road under the trailer. Man, that does not seem right.

I am hoping I can find someone to come and look at it.

[chuckster57]

It’s normal to run the black pipe on the outside of the coroplast. If it did leak it would build up in the underbelly until you no longer had a trailer.

If you can get a cheap spray bottle, fill it with water and add a good dose of dish soap. Then just spray where you think the pipe/hose may be leaking after turning on the propane. It will bubble vigorously.

[Joe1969]

I will try that out. Interestingly enough, the problem only seems to persist when the hot water heater is on.

Just wondering. If there is damage to the gas line under the trailer, any idea what I’ll get charged to have that replaced?

[chuckster57]

That depends on what’s damaged. If it’s a hose, then how it’s routed and the length will be a factor.

[Joe1969]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

That depends on what’s damaged. If it’s a hose, then how it’s routed and the length will be a factor.

Curious if you’ve ever heard of such an issue, a leak of the kind I am describing?

[chuckster57]

I chased a leak for a day once. Failed Mano, and finally found a hose was cracking and only leaked enough to smell when the slide was retracted.

I’ve seen blowouts take out LP hoses.

[sourdough]

I would suggest getting under there where you had the blowout and see exactly what damage may have occurred. I have had a blowout sever a gas line. You don't want that gas sitting on the ground building up under your trailer.

[Joe1969]

Originally Posted by sourdough

I would suggest getting under there where you had the blowout and see exactly what damage may have occurred. I have had a blowout sever a gas line. You don't want that gas sitting on the ground building up under your trailer.

I crawled under and did not visibly see any damage. I just smell it strongly under the trailer when the gas water heater is on. To be safe I disconnected the regulator and turned off the tanks. I’m going to get a spray bottle tomorrow as you suggested and check it out. I also have a mobile repair service coming out tomorrow to check it. The issue started after the blow out, so I imagine it is related.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Joe1969

...
Also, I did not realize the gas lines on this model are completely exposed to the road under the trailer. Man, that does not seem right.

I am hoping I can find someone to come and look at it.

I'm uncertain which model trailer you actually have other than your profile "2022 Springdale" and some post comments that it's a "Springdale Ridgeline" or a "27' model". Keystone does not make a "27' Springdale model". They do make roughly 7 or 8 Springdale models that are "in the 27' range" but not exactly 27' long. If you look at the silver decal on the left side of the main entry door, you will see a MODEL NUMBER listed. Please "narrow down the speculation on what model you have" by putting it in your profile. That will allow members to determine which floorplan you have and from that information can then help you better by KNOWING where things are located in your floorplan. It will stop a hell of a lot of "guessing where the gas line is located under the trailer" as well as "how the trailer components are connected to that gas line"....

OK, that said, EVERY Keystone trailer I've ever seen has a 1/2" black iron pipe running under it to carry propane from the tanks to the last location of a propane appliance. Every propane appliance is "fed from that black iron pipe via a "TEE fitting" that connects either a 3/8" copper flexible line (for propane connections in the trailer body above the floor) or a rubber covered flexible hose (for connections to propane appliances in a slide).

That 1/2' black iron pipe is OUTSIDE the trailer intentionally. The reason it's OUTSIDE the trailer is to prevent a propane leak from collecting INSIDE the trailer which would create an explosive condition that would be devastating to the trailer and anyone inside if the LP gas detector failed. A propane leak OUTSIDE is serious, but wind will help mitigate the danger. A propane leak INSIDE is critical and there's no way to mitigate the danger.

So, it's not a "cheap way to install a gas line" but rather it's the "safest way to protect your family from a leaking gas line".

As for "how to inspect the LP system", get a sheet of cardboard or a tarp, lay it under the trailer (use a creeper if your trailer is on a concrete pad and the creeper will roll). Lay down, on your back, under the propane tanks and INSPECT EVERYTHING FROM THE TANKS TO THE LAST INCH OF THAT BLACK IRON PIPE. At every fitting, use a propane leak detector to sniff for gas (or spray the fitting with a soap solution and look for bubbles). Do this to EVERY fitting under the trailer. Inspect EVERY "TEE" fitting and EVERY copper tube or rubber hose that is connected to that black iron pipe. Use the propane sniffer or soapy spray on any questionable location.

Most gas appliances are vented to allow propane to escape to the atmosphere if the ignition system fails to work properly. So, if there's an issue with your water heater ignition system, such as a "weak spark that is in the wrong location in the ignition tube" then it's possible that the propane flow will take longer to reach the ignition spark and start the flame. Feasibly, that could allow a "puff of propane" to vent to the outside and that's what you smell. So "technically speaking" you may not have a propane leak but rather a incorrectly positioned ignition source.... Or, you could have a leaking solenoid in the gas valve.

But, rest assured, that black iron pipe is where it is "for a purpose" not because the factory "cheaped out on building your trailer".....

Inspect the propane system for yourself and your family's safety. But if you don't find any damage or leaks at the Tee fittings or on a copper tube or hose, then I'd suspect your "strong smell of propane under the trailer" is likely more an issue with the water heater ignition system than with that black iron pipe.....

[Joe1969]

Thanks. The number on the silver decal to the left of the door is A160816. When I crawl under the trailer, there is no single black line, there is copper pipe that runs along the bottom of the frame on both sides, from the front to the axle, with hoses extending upward to the outside burner, gas water heater, and unit heater. I would attach pics but not sure how, as the pic icon requests a URL and not an image.

On the Trailer it reads Springdale by Keystone, 220BH

A tape measure from tip to tail is 27,

A tape measure on the box is roughly 24 feet.

I’d like to update my profile and sig line but am having a devil of a time navigating back to that area of the forum.

[chuckster57]

John: I have seen a few trailers that will use copper tube and flare fittings. I chased a leak for a week on an older trailer that had three 4 way tees.

[Joe1969]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

John: I have seen a few trailers that will use copper tube and flare fittings. I chased a leak for a week on an older trailer that had three 4 way tees.

I stand corrected. Upon further inspection it is not copper, it is black. It looks copper due to the discoloration.

It connects to the regulator hose at the front, makes a 45’ angle to the first frame cross member, proceeds back along the left side along the frame to the axle, then turns right to the other side of th trailer. Hose configuration is as originally described.

My bad, newbie mistake.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Joe1969

I stand corrected. Upon further inspection it is not copper, it is black. It looks copper due to the discoloration.

It connects to the regulator hose at the front, makes a 45’ angle to the first frame cross member, proceeds back along the left side along the frame to the axle, then turns right to the other side of th trailer. Hose configuration is as originally described.

My bad, newbie mistake.

No problem... You had me scratching my head when you described the gas line in your previous post... The way yours runs is from the tanks to the curbside frame rail, then aft to the range/water heater/outside stove and then "across the trailer" to the furnace. Each of those appliances should have a copper bendable tube with flare fittings that goes from the black iron pipe to the appliance. I still believe that your "propane smell" is likely coming from the "delayed ignition of the water heater caused by the gas valve in the water heater control system" and that may be a normal occurance, depending on how the ignition system vents


The "A160816" is the RVIA certification decal, not the trailer model number. On your trailer, Keystone used a different type decal to identify the model. It's the 220BH or 220BHWE decal. On most Keystone trailers the model decal is like these photos.

I corrected your signature and your profile to reflect the 220BHWE model number.

[Joe1969]

Thanks for the help and update. I felt partly that the smell is part of the ignition operations. But it seems to persist when the hot water heater is on.

In the ignition system you describe, would it be normal to smell propane in the way I previously described?

[Joe1969]

First - Thanks everyone who jumps in to help. To close this out. We had a technician come out and inspect. No leaks or damage. His guess at what may have happened was sometimes when the heater is igniting, a small amount of propane may escape, which may have been what we smelled, as the igniter will stop and retry if it doesn’t light on the first try. Oddly, since coming out everything has functioned as designed, no issues. He also said, no joke, a dog sitting next to the monoxide/propane alarm can set it off by farting.