Dead mouse or something: How to find?
Well this brand new RV has something dead in it. Subtle order in the unit if closed up, but comes out of the vents if I turn on the furnance. I'lve looked into the access panels I have access to. ...
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Found the problem: Headed down to New Mexico to enjoy warmer weather (little need for a furnace). Taking the advice of a few dealers I thought I'd let the mouse dry out down here. Talked w the mfg several times to verify the structure of ducts, underbelly, etc so I could guestimate where the dead mouse was (the ordor was only when the furnace was running). Then deciding its time to head north soon, fired up the furnace to see if the odor improved. It did not. As a result I decided to pull my furnace and find the mouse.
Pulling the furnace I found no dead mouse or evidence of a mouse presence anywhere. SInce I had the furnace out I took it to a dealer to test. They found the furnace was leaking propane at the gas/heat exchanger connection. It was so loose (note I bought this RV in January 2017) it failed the bubble leak test by literally blowing the leak test fluid off. The fitting was only finger tight. So what I was smelling was propane as I origianlly suspected, and a RV leak test would not have found this. The furnace would have to be running to find the leak.
Then checked my propane detector. How could there be such a stench in the coach and the detector not alarm? I tool a grill lighter, extinguished its flame, and poured that gas over the detector, letting it whiff up around the detector. The alarm never went off. I pushed the alarm test and yes it can make noise. Then I pointed the grill lighter directly into the detector vent, and after 10 seconds the alarm finally went off.
Observations: Not the mfg, or any dealer, ever suggested the furnace could be leaking gas when I told them the odor was only present when the furnace was running.
Lesson learned: Do not trust your propane detector.
Pulling the furnace I found no dead mouse or evidence of a mouse presence anywhere. SInce I had the furnace out I took it to a dealer to test. They found the furnace was leaking propane at the gas/heat exchanger connection. It was so loose (note I bought this RV in January 2017) it failed the bubble leak test by literally blowing the leak test fluid off. The fitting was only finger tight. So what I was smelling was propane as I origianlly suspected, and a RV leak test would not have found this. The furnace would have to be running to find the leak.
Then checked my propane detector. How could there be such a stench in the coach and the detector not alarm? I tool a grill lighter, extinguished its flame, and poured that gas over the detector, letting it whiff up around the detector. The alarm never went off. I pushed the alarm test and yes it can make noise. Then I pointed the grill lighter directly into the detector vent, and after 10 seconds the alarm finally went off.
Observations: Not the mfg, or any dealer, ever suggested the furnace could be leaking gas when I told them the odor was only present when the furnace was running.
Lesson learned: Do not trust your propane detector.
