Propane smell when furnace is running - Suburban SF-30F

[SwanInWA]

We're getting a propane type smell whenever we turn on our furnace. No visible obstructions in the intake or exhaust. Did the soap check for leaking, switched to a fuller tank, but we're not having any luck isolating the issue. The odor is only present when we run the furnace. It's definitely coming from the ducting. Any suggestions? The trailer is about a year old. It's a Suburban SF-30F furnace.

[Hewey]

I just want to throw another +1 on this.

This was my exact problem.

Had a faint smell of propane only when furnace running, but so small you questioned yourself if it was propane or not. Only ever set the propane alarm off once.

[fischer]

Just for your info Suburban has a 2 year warranty
So you can take it to their repair shop instead of dealer next time if needed.

[CJRuffner]

Was the fitting loose to the furnace or at the tanks. We just bought a used, new to us trailer and we noticed a smell of propane inside when we turned on the furnace today for the first time.

[Dave_H_M]

Thanks for the feed back.

I always look for feedback when things get resolved, but to get it is a somewhat rare occasion.

[TakingThe5th]

Nice work! And it's a heads-up for all of us that propane doesn't necessarily set off a detector.

[John_Joey]

Congrat's on a job well done.

[SwanInWA]

HAPPY! It appears that the loose fitting on the gas line was the culprit as we suspected. Heater has passed all tests, and is reinstalled and now working perfectly. We've run it several times today and there's not even a hint if propane smell now. WHEW! What a relief. Thanks again to ALL of you, for the comments, tips and advice. It was very helpful and much appreciated.

[SwanInWA]

We'll be doing the bench test and the smoke test. Waiting for the gas sniffer I ordered from Amazon to arrive tomorrow. Don't want to reinstall until we're sure, but I'm encouraged. The rig came with the usual CO detector, which is installed just a few feet from the furnace. It never has gone off and we did test it to make sure it was working. I really appreciate all the advice and suggestions, you've all been really helpful.

[John_Joey]

time2roll wrote:

trailrider wrote:

SwanInWA wrote:
We found the gas line running to the igniter to be ridiculously loose, so we tightened it up. Could that be it I wonder? Still planning a bench test and a smoke test. Thanks a BUNCH for all of your suggestions. I'll let you know.

That most certainly is it! That connection at the gas valve only has propane pressure when the furnace is burning.

+1
Reinstall and test.

x2, but I would bench test first if you can before reinstall. I would still get a carbon monoxide detector. They are fairly cheap but do only run on 110v.

[time2roll]

trailrider wrote:

SwanInWA wrote:
We found the gas line running to the igniter to be ridiculously loose, so we tightened it up. Could that be it I wonder? Still planning a bench test and a smoke test. Thanks a BUNCH for all of your suggestions. I'll let you know.

That most certainly is it! That connection at the gas valve only has propane pressure when the furnace is burning.

+1
Reinstall and test.

[rhagfo]

TakingThe5th wrote:
I hope you don't have a hole in your heat exchanger.

X2!
Could be a manufacturing defect in the heat exchanger!

Not likely from the exhaust as the combustion chamber is using and exhausting to outside air, the heated air is strictly recycled inside air. The only way for the two to mix is bad heat exchanger.

[trailrider]

SwanInWA wrote:
We found the gas line running to the igniter to be ridiculously loose, so we tightened it up. Could that be it I wonder? Still planning a bench test and a smoke test. Thanks a BUNCH for all of your suggestions. I'll let you know.

That most certainly is it! That connection at the gas valve only has propane pressure when the furnace is burning.

[S_Davis]

I would get ahold of a Co meter and gas sniffer and run the furnace with them in one of the heat vents, if it is not burning off oils/lint because of lack of use you are getting something into the RV. This would cause me to be thinking bad heat exchanger, not something to mess around with.

[SwanInWA]

We found the gas line running to the igniter to be ridiculously loose, so we tightened it up. Could that be it I wonder? Still planning a bench test and a smoke test. Thanks a BUNCH for all of your suggestions. I'll let you know.