Question For The Propane Appliance Afficionados

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

For the past.....I don't know.....three days, I have been coming home to a STRONG propane odor. I have a propane heated hot water heater and a "Charm Glow" propane space heater. Per the install instructions, I installed a safety shut-off petcock (sp?) in the supply line.

Thinking that THAT was the cause of the smell, I sprayed the connection with SPRAY NINE and saw bubbles form, so, I snugged the connection, sprayed it again and re started the heater.

Is it possible the supply from the gas bottle outside is somehow supplying too much pressure to that one appliance? The hwh is closer to the gas bottle but the suspect leak is at the opposite end of the house; where the heater is.

Is this simply a matter of re-tightening the fittings on the heater?

[struggler44 (Premo)]

Originally Posted by DEEKAYPEE8569

For the past.....I don't know.....three days, I have been coming home to a STRONG propane odor. I have a propane heated hot water heater and a "Charm Glow" propane space heater. Per the install instructions, I installed a safety shut-off petcock (sp?) in the supply line.

Thinking that THAT was the cause of the smell, I sprayed the connection with SPRAY NINE and saw bubbles form, so, I snugged the connection, sprayed it again and re started the heater.

Is it possible the supply from the gas bottle outside is somehow supplying too much pressure to that one appliance? The hwh is closer to the gas bottle but the suspect leak is at the opposite end of the house; where the heater is.

Is this simply a matter of re-tightening the fittings on the heater?

Nope. Check all your fittings/ connections for bubbles and tighten any where you have a leak. You have a regulator before it comes in the house and it supplies a steady pressure to the devices. Have seen the diaphram in the regulators leak and also when your tank gets low you can get the "gas" smell.

[struggler44 (Premo)]

Needless to say how dangerous a propane leak is. It is heavier than air so it concentrates at the lowest point and builds from there.

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

Originally Posted by struggler44

Nope. Check all your fittings/ connections for bubbles and tighten any where you have a leak. You have a regulator before it comes in the house and it supplies a steady pressure to the devices. Have seen the diaphram in the regulators leak and also when your tank gets low you can get the "gas" smell.

Maybe THAT'S the problem. I'll check the gague when I get home.

Thanks.....D

[struggler44 (Premo)]

Originally Posted by DEEKAYPEE8569

Maybe THAT'S the problem. I'll check the gague when I get home.

Thanks.....D

If it is being used at the time, you can feel the side of the tank and there should be a cold line where the liquid is changing to a gas. You can see how heavy the tank is also by grabbing the top and try and tip it a little, sometimes gauges are off. Hope it helps.

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

Originally Posted by struggler44

Needless to say how dangerous a propane leak is. It is heavier than air so it concentrates at the lowest point and builds from there.

Yeah.....I discovered that little tid bit one day when the heater shut off and I couldn't get it to fire again. THEN I smelled the gas at floor-level, at the base of the unit where the sensor is. I guess that external sensor (looks like a copper sinker) mounted on the outside of the heater is a "sniffer" as well as a temp sensor? Or is there a "sniffer" under the front cover? I only read the owner's manual ONCE, so I don't recall.

No matter.....I'll check and re-check tonight.

A buddy of mine at work said, 'good thing you quit smoking huh?'
UUUuuuummmmmm........yeah?
MAYBE I'll Git-R-do......I mean, fixed.

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

Originally Posted by struggler44

If it is being used at the time, you can feel the side of the tank and there should be a cold line where the liquid is changing to a gas. You can see how heavy the tank is also by grabbing the top and try and tip it a little, sometimes gauges are off. Hope it helps.

Yeah, I know those tricks. I just need to learn to control my tipping; almost tipped one over completely doing that trick one day.