Forum Discussion

fallsrider's avatar
fallsrider
Explorer
Sep 15, 2023

Light gas leak

We have a '95 Sunnybrook 26' TT. It has an Atwood Wedgewood range. We have noticed a "dead animal" smell in there. We figured out it only happens when the propane is on, so we know we have a gas leak. Our propane detector is in date, but it hasn't gone off. We don't have a scheduled trip coming up real soon, so I need to take this time to get to the bottom of the leak.

The smell seems to be strongest around the range, and even stronger in the oven. There's no smell at all around the outside vents for the fridge or water heater. There is at the furnace, but it is right under the range. I have soaped with spray and with a sponge the supply line to the range, and every fitting I can see on and in the range. Nothing. I disconnected the supply line to the range under the trailer and capped that off, and the smell went away. The furnace supply line was still connected.

Any ideas on what the most common leak culprits are with a 28-year-old Atwood range? Even if I find the leak, parts could be an issue, I don't know.

Thanks.
  • fallsrider's avatar
    fallsrider
    Explorer
    Sep 16, 2023
    midnightsadie wrote:
    what soap are you usng? buy a bottle of gas leak soap. me I,d pull the unit, in a nice quite area no wind hook a air bottle up about 5# should do and start testing. p.s 5# is more than enough.
    I will do that depending on my current test. I disconnected the supply line at the range and capped it off. I turned the gas back on and am letting it sit. I want to be sure no supply line or the furnace is leaking. Thanks for the suggestion.

    Edit: meant to say that I added Dawn dishwashing detergent to water.
  • midnightsadie's avatar
    midnightsadie
    Explorer II
    Sep 16, 2023
    what soap are you usng? buy a bottle of gas leak soap. me I,d pull the unit, in a nice quite area no wind hook a air bottle up about 5# should do and start testing. p.s 5# is more than enough.
  • fallsrider's avatar
    fallsrider
    Explorer
    Sep 16, 2023
    LadyRVer wrote:
    My stove will give off the LP gas smell when the tank is getting low.

    Best to have it checked, tho.
    Even when the oven is off? And does it make the whole camper smell like a decaying mouse?

    This all started with us going through the whole camper, looking in and behind everything trying to find maybe a mouse that had died. It wasn't until we got home from a trip and I went into the camper a few days later and there was no smell that I started going, "Hmm." I turned the gas on and the smell came back.
  • fallsrider's avatar
    fallsrider
    Explorer
    Sep 16, 2023
    ktmrfs wrote:
    WayneAt63044 wrote:
    Was the oven pilot light lit to burn that gas or was it just venting to the air in the oven? We have noticed gas smells are stronger when the LP tank is approaching empty.


    oven pilot light should only release gas when the "pilot" position is pushed in (either as a seperate knob or part of the oven temp) If is working properly NO propane is release otherwise if the pilot is not lit. The thermocouple only allows gas to continue to flow if the pilot is lit.

    To the OP. did you check for leaks around each of the lines to the burner controls?

    Another check. with all the controls off, using a flame like from a lighter if you put the flame near any of the burner outlets any indication of propane from a bigger flame? Possible that one of the burner controls is leaking at the output.
    My range has a big square tube that goes to each burner gas valve, and the 4 valves are secured under that square tube. I ran a soapy water laden sponge around those valves as best I could. It's hard to get down into every nook and cranny, though.

    I know what you're saying about the oven. For there to be leakage into the oven, the oven gas valve AND the thermocouple would both have to be leaking.

    Edit: I forgot to answer the part about the burners. Yes, I ran a flame around each of the burners, as well as the air gap at the orifice.
  • fallsrider's avatar
    fallsrider
    Explorer
    Sep 16, 2023
    WayneAt63044 wrote:
    Was the oven pilot light lit to burn that gas or was it just venting to the air in the oven? We have noticed gas smells are stronger when the LP tank is approaching empty.
    No, the pilot light was not lit. The tank (30 lb.) is probably 3/4 full, or at least more than 1/2.
  • LadyRVer's avatar
    LadyRVer
    Explorer II
    Sep 16, 2023
    My stove will give off the LP gas smell when the tank is getting low.

    Best to have it checked, tho.
  • ktmrfs's avatar
    ktmrfs
    Explorer II
    Sep 16, 2023
    WayneAt63044 wrote:
    Was the oven pilot light lit to burn that gas or was it just venting to the air in the oven? We have noticed gas smells are stronger when the LP tank is approaching empty.


    oven pilot light should only release gas when the "pilot" position is pushed in (either as a seperate knob or part of the oven temp) If is working properly NO propane is release otherwise if the pilot is not lit. The thermocouple only allows gas to continue to flow if the pilot is lit.

    To the OP. did you check for leaks around each of the lines to the burner controls?

    Another check. with all the controls off, using a flame like from a lighter if you put the flame near any of the burner outlets any indication of propane from a bigger flame? Possible that one of the burner controls is leaking at the output.
  • WayneAt63044's avatar
    WayneAt63044
    Explorer
    Sep 16, 2023
    Was the oven pilot light lit to burn that gas or was it just venting to the air in the oven? We have noticed gas smells are stronger when the LP tank is approaching empty.

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