Odd LP leak issue

[dvleemin]

OK,
I have an odd LP leak issue in my '05 Itasca Horizon 40AD.

I took it out for the first trip for 10 days and got home yesterday. We got home and about 5 hours later I heard the LP alarm going off. I muted it and it came back on again so I ran the microwave fan and then it went off. A few hours later the alarm was back on.

The only think that I could think of that changed was that I turned off the hot water heater LP heater during the drive. So I turned it back on, ran the fan again for a while, and after that the LP alarm has not gone off. So this leads me to believe that even when there is no pilot to the hot water tank that propane is still leaking.

This brings up a couple of questions though:
- does this make sense? When I turn off propane at the tank, the water heater tries to start 2 or 3 times but then shuts itself off. So wouldn't that mean the shut off valve is working?
- The water heater is facing the outside, so how could a leak there actually get into the inside of the rv to set off the alarm.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Darryl

[Shadow_Catcher]

I check all of the LP connections when I de-winterize the trailer and do a leak down test. Turn propane on and then turn it off, if the next day when you turn it on again and there is a substantial flow to refill the line you have a leak. A little soapy water will bubble at the leak site.

[dvleemin]

RoyB wrote:
I had one that kept going off at different time. Turned out it was out date against the REPLACE BY CERTAIN DATE stamped on the cover. I replaced it with a new one and has been good ever since. I also installed a second new unit in a slightly different location and using the idea that if both are going off at the time I may really have a problem... So far both units have been quiet.

You kinda wish there was a real safe self check on these unit to test them... I used to blow smoke on the smoke detector to test it. Someone said use a pocket lighter and pull back on the lite slide but don't lite it. Those fumes will set off the propane gas alarm??? Never tried that...

I use to have my 2kW Honda Generator on my tailgate pointing at the trailer and it would set off the CO2 alarm sometimes.

I for one don't know which alarm goes with which device haha...
CO and CO2 are two different animals... Even after I read the differences on-line I am still confused hehe...

I guess one detects the presence of RAW PROPANE FUEL and the other one detects the present of Generator fumes or Furnace Fumes...

Most trailers have two installed One high near the ceiling and the other one near the floor...

Roy ken

Thanks.

Sounds like it is time to replace it regardless of whether there is an actual issue or not.

[dvleemin]

enblethen wrote:
Is there a partially open window above the water heater exhaust?
Caution:
You should not run electrical items if you have a potential gas leak. Open door, windows and vents!

No open windows

[RoyB]

I had one that kept going off at different time. Turned out it was out date against the REPLACE BY CERTAIN DATE stamped on the cover. I replaced it with a new one and has been good ever since. I also installed a second new unit in a slightly different location and using the idea that if both are going off at the time I may really have a problem... So far both units have been quiet.

You kinda wish there was a real safe self check on these unit to test them... I used to blow smoke on the smoke detector to test it. Someone said use a pocket lighter and pull back on the lite slide but don't lite it. Those fumes will set off the propane gas alarm??? Never tried that...

I use to have my 2kW Honda Generator on my tailgate pointing at the trailer and it would set off the CO2 alarm sometimes.

I for one don't know which alarm goes with which device haha...
CO and CO2 are two different animals... Even after I read the differences on-line I am still confused hehe...

I guess one detects the presence of RAW PROPANE FUEL and the other one detects the present of Generator fumes or Furnace Fumes...

Most trailers have two installed One high near the ceiling and the other one near the floor...

Roy ken

[enblethen]

Is there a partially open window above the water heater exhaust?
Caution:
You should not run electrical items if you have a potential gas leak. Open door, windows and vents!

[dvleemin]

diazr2 wrote:
Could be many things including a faulty alarm. Can you smell LP? When the tank is turned off does the alarm still sound? If so you can't smell it and with tanks turned off then probably a faulty alarm. Yes it is normal for the water heater to try to ignite even if the LP is off.

OK, but why would the alarm stop going off if the hot water tank is running?

[diazr2]

Could be many things including a faulty alarm. Can you smell LP? When the tank is turned off does the alarm still sound? If so you can't smell it and with tanks turned off then probably a faulty alarm. Yes it is normal for the water heater to try to ignite even if the LP is off.