77Casual
Berlin Wi
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Joined: 02/13/2005
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Hi we have a old 84 Midas Kingston and late last summer and all of this summer it seems to go through alot more LP than it used to. It has a very small built in tank and the tank is getting pretty rusty but I can never smell LP anywhere and no one else ever says anything about a gas smell. I just got a much bigger tank out of another old motor home that had the tank replaced some time back so its in pretty nice shape. I plan on switching the tanks one day soon.
My question is, is there a sniffer or something like that I can buy or borrow to check around the LP system for a very small leak? I had the furnace out a while back to clean it and fix the fan motor, I wonder if I maybe didn't get a line tight enough at or in the furnace and it has a very small leak?
Tom
We have a 84 27ft Midas Kingston, a E350 Ford with 460 and a C6.
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thomasinnv
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other than checking all fittings with soappy water, i dunno. maybe a lighter? me thinks you would find it then. lol.
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Rollincool
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77Casual
Berlin Wi
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Hi, That is just what I was looking for. I figured there must be a way to check for leaks other than checking every fitting and lines physicaly.
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Cool Mike
Mendocino. Calif.
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You could always just plug off the tank, or empty it and mount a gauge and air test valve (any building supply store, or plumber supply $15.) on the gas system anywhere and put a holding charge of 25 PSI of air pressure, and see how long it will hold it. That's how gas systems are tested in new houses before the county or city will approve it to be used.
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77Casual
Berlin Wi
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That is also a great idea since the tank is basically empty again and I want to change tanks anyway. I have plenty of old gauges and fittings and a couple of shut off valves laying around to rig up something to put air in the system and be able close it off to hold the pressure in and see if it slowly leaks down.
How much pressure can I put in there and not hurt the fridge or furnace or whatever else? Don't the regulator cut it way down to about 1 or 2 PSI? Or should I leave the regulator on and put the air into the regulator?
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Cool Mike
Mendocino. Calif.
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In the LPG tank you would normally have well over 100 psi depending on the temperature, but past the regulator its dropped down to 11" of water column, or about 1/2 psi. You wont hurt anything with 15 to 25 psi in the complete system, but all of your appliances should be valved off anyway.
You will be testing all of the piping only, and air pressure wont change much with temperature change (day to night) like LP Gas will, that's why its better for testing. Or dry nitrogen is better yet, but airs just fine.
If you have a leak, you will find it.
Good luck Mike.
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77Casual
Berlin Wi
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Hi, I got the bigger tank mounted today. I also rigged up a deal to put air into the gas lines. I turned the off the valves on the fridge, furnace, and water heater and I plugged the line at the stove. I put 15 psi in the lines and I could watch the gauge drop back to 0 in about 30 seconds. I mixed up some soapy water in a squirt bottle and checked all the connections I could get at but I didn't find any leaks. I am going to get some plugs and cap off all the things that run on gas to see if the lines themselves have a problem or if something else is leaking. I put my home made adaptor and gauge in a pail of water when I had pressure in the system to make sure the leak wasn't on that end, no bubbles at all.
Tom
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TJT
Hants Co. Nova Scotia, Canada
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How to check for propane leaks by an RV tech
http://www.rverscorner.com/manometer.html
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77Casual
Berlin Wi
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Hi, I have messed with this thing for a couple days now and I still don't know why the LP system won't hold pressure. I have sprayed soapy water on all the connections, on every bit of LP lines under the camper, plugged off the line at the appliances and I can't find where the pressure is going. I even removed the pipe going to the furnace in the back because I thought it might be leaking where it passes threw the floor but that line is fine. By the way it has steel gas lines not copper which I thought was odd. I guess I need to buy one of those LP leak detector things to help find it.
Tom
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