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hasheel's avatar
hasheel
Explorer
Jun 27, 2015

Propane filling

My motorhome sat for 2 years. When I went to fill the propane tank, the air bleeder wasn't open at first. Now we have a propane smell in the rig. The smoke detector goes off. I opened the air bleeder and nothing but air comes out. I had it open for about 5 minutes. What went wrong, and how do I fix it?

4 Replies

  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    hasheel wrote:
    My motorhome sat for 2 years. When I went to fill the propane tank, the air bleeder wasn't open at first. Now we have a propane smell in the rig. The smoke detector goes off. I opened the air bleeder and nothing but air comes out. I had it open for about 5 minutes. What went wrong, and how do I fix it?


    THere is no such thing as an Air Bleeder and there is no air in the tank to bleed.. Think about this and you might figure it out

    Tank contains Propane (At least if it was properly purged at original fill that is the only time there is air in it).

    Valve is called the Visual Overfill Indicator Valve.

    And it bleeds PROPANE... Not air.. but PROPANE.. Either gas or liquid but it is PROPANE... When it bleeds white (Ice Crystals) that is Liquid Propane coming out.
  • Thanks for your help. Propane tuned off RV aired out. Having it checked
  • Stop whatever you are doing.
    Close any bleeder valves you have opened.
    Close service valve (vapor) on tank
    Air out rv

    Then read this.........Propane 101
  • hasheel wrote:
    My motorhome sat for 2 years. When I went to fill the propane tank, the air bleeder wasn't open at first. Now we have a propane smell in the rig. The smoke detector goes off. I opened the air bleeder and nothing but air comes out. I had it open for about 5 minutes. What went wrong, and how do I fix it?

    Your propane tank does not have an "air bleeder". The valve is actually the "fixed liquid level gauge" that's used to determine liquid propane has reached the 80% full point when the escaping gas turns to liquid as the tank is filled. Unless the tank has been left with an open port, there should not be any air in it. What can occur over time though, is the mercaptan that's added to the propane to give it its distinctive odor can deteriorate, leaving only the odorless propane. I'd suggest having the system professionally checked for leaks before using the RV or lighting any appliances.