Small Gas Leak in Water Heater. Where could it be?

There is only one propane regulator (well actually could be two if propane tanks are located on both sides of a 5vr)

Anyway the two stage regulator at the propane tanks feeds ALL the propane appliances.

If you smell propane at water heater (and sometimes inside rig?)

Then carefully check propane line fitting at the water heater gas valve (not a regulator).
You can also remove burner tube and leak check where gas comes out of gas valve (brass fitting with very small hole in center----main orifice)
If leaking at main orifice.......gas valve is leaking thru and should be replaced with a new one.

IF you are smelling propane while water heater is operating on gas then check what the main flame looks like..should be strong blue flame with slight tingles of yellow at tip. If not.....adjust air shutter (small slotted tube next to gas valve on burner tube with one screw in it)
Loosen screw and move air shutter in/out until you have a strong blue flame.

Old-Biscuit wrote:
There is only one propane regulator (well actually could be two if propane tanks are located on both sides of a 5vr)

Anyway the two stage regulator at the propane tanks feeds ALL the propane appliances.

If you smell propane at water heater (and sometimes inside rig?)

Then carefully check propane line fitting at the water heater gas valve (not a regulator).
You can also remove burner tube and leak check where gas comes out of gas valve (brass fitting with very small hole in center----main orifice)
If leaking at main orifice.......gas valve is leaking thru and should be replaced with a new one.

IF you are smelling propane while water heater is operating on gas then check what the main flame looks like..should be strong blue flame with slight tingles of yellow at tip. If not.....adjust air shutter (small slotted tube next to gas valve on burner tube with one screw in it)
Loosen screw and move air shutter in/out until you have a strong blue flame.

Sorry I meant gas valve not regulator, I guess my terminology was incorrect. This will help me a lot and I will try these things tomorrow and report back. Thanks a lot. Trying to get ready for a trip this Sunday.

Check all fittings with soap and water mix for leak. (bubbles)
Brian

Windex works great for finding leaks. Spray everything down with it to find any leaks (and clean things up at the same time!!)

So I found the leak in the water heater gas valve as suggested by old Biscuit, replaced it and no more smell around the water heater.

Bad news is I decided to make my own manometer to do a proper leak check and discovered I only had about 8" of wc. I tried to adjust the regulator but it would not even get to 11 turned all the way up. So I think the regulator is bad and I will replace it tomorrow.

Simple manometer......


Measurement should be total of water movement (increase from 0 and decrease from 0) 11" would be 5 1/2" on each scale.
Manometer needs to be held plumb when testing

Gas appliances should be ON (at least 50% of them...better if 100%) to get/set regulator

If checking at water heater gas valve.....turn fridge on gas and furnace on plus stove top burners

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Simple manometer......


Measurement should be total of water movement (increase from 0 and decrease from 0) 11" would be 5 1/2" on each scale.
Manometer needs to be held plumb when testing

Gas appliances should be ON (at least 50% of them...better if 100%) to get/set regulator

If checking at water heater gas valve.....turn fridge on gas and furnace on plus stove top burners

I'm not sure if mine is built quite like this one but I followed the instructions in this video which use numbers from 0 to say 14 in one direct going up. But they are each 1/2" marks so I think it is the same 10" of WC on my meter would actually be 5 1/2".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnlfQK-8qy4

I'm hoping it is the regulator.

OK that one is using just one side of the scale.......1/2" marks but labeled as full numbers

11" would be at the mark 11----which would be 5 1/2" actual (1/2 of total)

You could only get an 8 on yours?
You had other gas appliances in service?

Old-Biscuit wrote:
OK that one is using just one side of the scale.......1/2" marks but labeled as full numbers

11" would be at the mark 11----which would be 5 1/2" actual (1/2 of total)

You could only get an 8 on yours?
You had other gas appliances in service?

Yes I tried with and without other things on. I could only get about 8.

Ok I thought I would update on my gas leak progress. I replaced the regulator and new hoses, immediately I have 11" of WC now. Bad news is there is still a bad leak. So I figured I would troubleshoot to find the leak. First as a process of elimination I capped off the refrigerator, but still had the leak. I then went to the Furnace as I had just replaced the gas valve on the water heater the day before. Sure enough the leak was in the furnace. When I capped it off the leak was gone. I have a new gas valve to put in the furnace tomorrow.

It sounds like the bad regulator might have caused too much pressure at some point and blew the seals on both the water heater and furnace gas valves.

The good thing is my trailer is getting all new stuff, so at least maybe it will be something else down the road.