I am parked in a year round campground site. I filled two large propane containers maybe three weeks ago. My husband ( who has Parkinson's) and I went to the camper yesterday and there was no propane. I left the water heater on, but my propane lasted months last year when I left it on. Our refrigerator is a residential type, thus no propane is used. Every time I get service it is so expensive. (I got a pressure lease valve replaced last week-end on the water heater & was charged $237), so I wanted to at least see if this would be a repair that I could take care of. I suspect there is a leak, but how do I track it down?I do not smell propane, nor did I when they were installed. Any advice on where to start? Thanks for the help, and please accept my apologies for my limited knowledge.

You can either buy or make a soapy solution for checking for propane leaks. To make your own, use 1/3 liquid dish detergent to 2/3 water. Use a soft paint brush to apply the solution around fittings or anywhere a leak could be possible. If you see bubbles forming, you have found a leak. Hook up your tanks filled with propane and open both valves. Then wait a few minutes and see if you smell propane either outside the trailer or inside the trailer. If you smell it inside, be real careful....turn off the propane and let it air out before doing anything that could ignite the propane vapor!! Just by smelling it, you could get an idea where to look.If using the soapy solution, I would start with the flexible hoses that connect to the regulator and the propane tanks. With age, they will crack and leak. From there, check where the flexible hose connects to the gas line that runs under your trailer. And then it would be a matter of checking where a gas line connects to your stove, water heater, oven and furnace.By any chance, did you accidently leave a stove burner on? The smell of the gas could have dissipated before you returned to the camper? I assume you left the water heater on by mistake. Whatever you do, just be careful to follow safety procedures as you look for the leak and repair as necessary. If you don't feel confident in doing the work, it's a case of where you really should have a rv shop do the work. Unless you have a bad gas line (the main one under the trailer), any kind of repair shouldn't be that bad if it is just a flexible hose or a loose fitting.I'm just a "do it yourself" trailer owner, so take my advice for what it is worth which is about 5 cents! Above all, be safe!

pinkdogwood wrote:(I got a pressure lease valve replaced last week-end on the water heater & was charged $237)Find a different place for service even if you have to travel further. You were ripped off "big time". :E

this happened to our neighbor...on a seasonal site and lost propane. turns out squirrels gnawed through the supply hoses behind the tanks causing the tanks to lose propane.

Are your propane tanks secured to the trailer?Wouldn't surprise me if a neighbor "borrowed" your full tanks. Happens a lot where my brother keeps his trailer on a permanent site. So he chains his to the trailer.As little as it takes to light a water heater....I would turn off the propane at the bottle if I wasn't going to be around for a while. Why take the chance that a leak fills the trailer while you are gone????

cbshoestring wrote:Are your propane tanks secured to the trailer?Wouldn't surprise me if a neighbor "borrowed" your full tanks. Happens a lot where my brother keeps his trailer on a permanent site. So he chains his to the trailer.As little as it takes to light a water heater....I would turn off the propane at the bottle if I wasn't going to be around for a while. Why take the chance that a leak fills the trailer while you are gone????X2Even if you lock/chain the tanks to your trailer get a permanent marker and mark them to make sure someone hasn't 'traded' your full tanks for empty ones!!

Propane leak? | Good Sam Community

12 Replies

3oaks
Explorer
Feb 29, 2016
pinkdogwood wrote:
(I got a pressure lease valve replaced last week-end on the water heater & was charged $237)
Find a different place for service even if you have to travel further. You were ripped off "big time". :E
scbwr
Explorer II
Feb 29, 2016
You can either buy or make a soapy solution for checking for propane leaks. To make your own, use 1/3 liquid dish detergent to 2/3 water. Use a soft paint brush to apply the solution around fittings or anywhere a leak could be possible. If you see bubbles forming, you have found a leak.

Hook up your tanks filled with propane and open both valves. Then wait a few minutes and see if you smell propane either outside the trailer or inside the trailer. If you smell it inside, be real careful....turn off the propane and let it air out before doing anything that could ignite the propane vapor!! Just by smelling it, you could get an idea where to look.

If using the soapy solution, I would start with the flexible hoses that connect to the regulator and the propane tanks. With age, they will crack and leak. From there, check where the flexible hose connects to the gas line that runs under your trailer. And then it would be a matter of checking where a gas line connects to your stove, water heater, oven and furnace.

By any chance, did you accidently leave a stove burner on? The smell of the gas could have dissipated before you returned to the camper? I assume you left the water heater on by mistake.

Whatever you do, just be careful to follow safety procedures as you look for the leak and repair as necessary. If you don't feel confident in doing the work, it's a case of where you really should have a rv shop do the work. Unless you have a bad gas line (the main one under the trailer), any kind of repair shouldn't be that bad if it is just a flexible hose or a loose fitting.

I'm just a "do it yourself" trailer owner, so take my advice for what it is worth which is about 5 cents! Above all, be safe!

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Propane leak?

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