Forum Discussion

strollingbones's avatar
Sep 13, 2021

Troubleshooting Propane Problem

Hi Folks,

I have a propane leak that I'm trying to get my arms around. My local RV repair/dealership is overbooked with sales and repairs during covid, and they can't get to me in a timely manner.

The leak is occuring between the propane tank and the regulator. There is an aftermarket fitting (installed by a previous owner) there called an "oil drip leg." It's purpose is capture impurities in the propane before it reaches the regulator. These gizmos are not common on RVs.

I think I have narrowed the problem down to these scenarios:

1) It's full.
2) It was attached with pipe dope rather than yellow teflon tape
3) Both of these things at once

So here are my questions:

1) Can I just remove this %$#@! thing altogether? Most motorhomes seem to get along fine without it
2) If I remove this thing, can I clean it out and reattach it? Or does it have to be replaced?

Thanks in advance for your assistance!
  • Gas certified pipe dope is better than gas certified tape. But, remove it. I like Permatex.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Ok I goofed with my last response so it went to a wrong thread. or at least it appears that happened.

    Looks like a brass to steel coupling. the two metals have different coefficients of expansion as they get hot/cold. so the connection can fail under pressure.

    I'd replace the steel parts with brass and the proper tape.. Precise length is not important only the diamater and thread.

    Second that looks to be a "Home brew" Fix for a problem that likely did not exist. Some of the Home brew things I've seen seriously scare me.
  • A fellow camper was ready to replace his fridge when it stopped working. When he disconnected the propane line oil ran out. Fix the leak and replace it. It's good insurance.

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