Sorry about the length but I hope with enough details someone can explain what is a mystery to me. After 5 years or so my propane pigtails had hardened. Since the regulator was the original from 2004, I decided I should replace it also. What motivated both was what seem to be very slow leak. I left one of my half empty propane tanks with the valve open but without using any propane for several months. When I finally checked the tank was empty. I put in a new tank, charged the propane lines, ran both the stove and the furnace. I shut off the tank and noticed the regulator showed red after a couple hours. I switched the regulator to the other tank, opened and then closed the valve and again the regulator showed red in a couple of hours.After changing the regulator and pigtails. I did a careful leak test. No soap bubbles and absolutely no propane odor. This time, I used the stove and furnace and then shut the valves. I expected to see a green indicator on the regulator for many hours. Instead it changed to red in well under 2 hours. I switched over and had the same results with the other tank. I did several checks and the pattern repeated with about 1 1/2 hours until the regulator changed from green to red. I checked for odors and leaks everywhere with no problems.It has now been several days since I replaced the regulator and pigtails. Last night I did another test and the regulator was still green after 4 hours when I went to bed. Today I did another check and it took 8 hours for the regulator to show red. Any ideas that can explain this or point to additional testing?

Maybe I'm missing something, but is this about the regulator not showing red quickly enough, or another leak?

A leak that big should smell. Are you sure you can smell it? I know I temporarily lost my sense of smell from Covid. I didn't even realize it until I tried to clean something with bleach and there was no smell. I couldn't even smell gasoline in my jerry can for a couple of weeks.Is there a BBQ port under the RV that might be leaking?You're going to have to take your soapy water and hit every propane joint until you find it.

2oldman wrote:Maybe I'm missing something, but is this about the regulator not showing red quickly enough, or another leak?Sorry, I should have made it clear that I am using a dual tank regulator with automatic switch over. When the pressure is not maintained the regulator will show red, instead of the normal green for a pressurized system.

opnspaces wrote:A leak that big should smell. Are you sure you can smell it? I know I temporarily lost my sense of smell from Covid. I didn't even realize it until I tried to clean something with bleach and there was no smell. I couldn't even smell gasoline in my jerry can for a couple of weeks.Is there a BBQ port under the RV that might be leaking?You're going to have to take your soapy water and hit every propane joint until you find it.I have not had Covid and have a very sensitive sense of smell especially for the mercaptans in propane. My tanks and regulator are contained in a small cabinet. There is absolutely no odor of propane. I also soap tested every connection from tanks to the outlet. I checked my appliances. No odors and no bubbles with soap testing. There may be a hidden connector somewhere, but again, I cannot smell propane anywhere in or outside of the RV. My interior propane detector is fairly new and has not gone off.I read somewhere that an RV propane system should maintain pressure for several hours. One or two hours seems quite short. Maybe the current 8 hour period is normal. I have no idea and certainly no idea where the propane is going.

JimK-NY wrote:Sorry about the length but I hope with enough details someone can explain what is a mystery to me. After 5 years or so my propane pigtails had hardened. Since the regulator was the original from 2004, I decided I should replace it also. What motivated both was what seem to be very slow leak. I left one of my half empty propane tanks with the valve open but without using any propane for several months. When I finally checked the tank was empty. I put in a new tank, charged the propane lines, ran both the stove and the furnace. I shut off the tank and noticed the regulator showed red after a couple hours. I switched the regulator to the other tank, opened and then closed the valve and again the regulator showed red in a couple of hours.After changing the regulator and pigtails. I did a careful leak test. No soap bubbles and absolutely no propane odor. This time, I used the stove and furnace and then shut the valves. I expected to see a green indicator on the regulator for many hours. Instead it changed to red in well under 2 hours. I switched over and had the same results with the other tank. I did several checks and the pattern repeated with about 1 1/2 hours until the regulator changed from green to red. I checked for odors and leaks everywhere with no problems.It has now been several days since I replaced the regulator and pigtails. Last night I did another test and the regulator was still green after 4 hours when I went to bed. Today I did another check and it took 8 hours for the regulator to show red. Any ideas that can explain this or point to additional testing?check to see if the relief in the regulator is letting anything out. I have seen a bunch of brand new regulators fail in the last 5 years.

Mysterious Propane "Leak" | Good Sam Community

56 Replies

JimK-NY
Explorer II
Oct 09, 2022
StirCrazy wrote:

check to see if the relief in the regulator is letting anything out. I have seen a bunch of brand new regulators fail in the last 5 years.

Thanks, I checked again for any odor. Not a whiff. I had already sprayed soapy water on the entire regulator without any bubbles. The relief outlet is about an inch in diameter, way too big for a soap bubble test. So I covered it with a piece of masking tape. If there is any escaping gas I would expect to have at least enough pressure to unseal the tape. I will check in an hour or so.

I am also running a test for the significance of the leak. I weighed my primary tank and after a week or two will check the weight. I only have a bathroom scale so it will need to lose at least a pound before I can see a difference.
StirCrazy
Moderator
Oct 09, 2022
JimK-NY wrote:
Sorry about the length but I hope with enough details someone can explain what is a mystery to me.

After 5 years or so my propane pigtails had hardened. Since the regulator was the original from 2004, I decided I should replace it also. What motivated both was what seem to be very slow leak. I left one of my half empty propane tanks with the valve open but without using any propane for several months. When I finally checked the tank was empty. I put in a new tank, charged the propane lines, ran both the stove and the furnace. I shut off the tank and noticed the regulator showed red after a couple hours. I switched the regulator to the other tank, opened and then closed the valve and again the regulator showed red in a couple of hours.

After changing the regulator and pigtails. I did a careful leak test. No soap bubbles and absolutely no propane odor. This time, I used the stove and furnace and then shut the valves. I expected to see a green indicator on the regulator for many hours. Instead it changed to red in well under 2 hours. I switched over and had the same results with the other tank. I did several checks and the pattern repeated with about 1 1/2 hours until the regulator changed from green to red. I checked for odors and leaks everywhere with no problems.

It has now been several days since I replaced the regulator and pigtails. Last night I did another test and the regulator was still green after 4 hours when I went to bed. Today I did another check and it took 8 hours for the regulator to show red.

Any ideas that can explain this or point to additional testing?

check to see if the relief in the regulator is letting anything out. I have seen a bunch of brand new regulators fail in the last 5 years.
JimK-NY
Explorer II
Oct 08, 2022
opnspaces wrote:
A leak that big should smell. Are you sure you can smell it? I know I temporarily lost my sense of smell from Covid. I didn't even realize it until I tried to clean something with bleach and there was no smell. I couldn't even smell gasoline in my jerry can for a couple of weeks.

Is there a BBQ port under the RV that might be leaking?

You're going to have to take your soapy water and hit every propane joint until you find it.

I have not had Covid and have a very sensitive sense of smell especially for the mercaptans in propane. My tanks and regulator are contained in a small cabinet. There is absolutely no odor of propane. I also soap tested every connection from tanks to the outlet. I checked my appliances. No odors and no bubbles with soap testing. There may be a hidden connector somewhere, but again, I cannot smell propane anywhere in or outside of the RV. My interior propane detector is fairly new and has not gone off.

I read somewhere that an RV propane system should maintain pressure for several hours. One or two hours seems quite short. Maybe the current 8 hour period is normal. I have no idea and certainly no idea where the propane is going.
JimK-NY
Explorer II
Oct 08, 2022
2oldman wrote:
Maybe I'm missing something, but is this about the regulator not showing red quickly enough, or another leak?

Sorry, I should have made it clear that I am using a dual tank regulator with automatic switch over. When the pressure is not maintained the regulator will show red, instead of the normal green for a pressurized system.
opnspaces
Navigator III
Oct 08, 2022
A leak that big should smell. Are you sure you can smell it? I know I temporarily lost my sense of smell from Covid. I didn't even realize it until I tried to clean something with bleach and there was no smell. I couldn't even smell gasoline in my jerry can for a couple of weeks.

Is there a BBQ port under the RV that might be leaking?

You're going to have to take your soapy water and hit every propane joint until you find it.
2oldman
Explorer II
Oct 08, 2022
Maybe I'm missing something, but is this about the regulator not showing red quickly enough, or another leak?

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Mysterious Propane "Leak"

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