Gas smell at regulator on suburban SDN2

[RogueIT]

We noticed a gas smell coming from our stove in our 13 foot 2017 Scamp, and we think we've pinpointed it to the intake side of the regulator...I tried tightening it, but I feel like who ever put it on at the Scamp factory never misses an arms day...if you know what I mean. Anything else I can try before bringing in a professional?

Thanks,
Scott

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by RogueIT

...I feel like who ever put it on at the Scamp factory never misses an arms day...if you know what I mean. ...

Well I for one sure don't know what you mean... arms day?
And are you talking about the main regulator on the tongue, or the secondary regulator inside the stove? Have you done a bubble test, or a manometer pressure drop test, or are you only going by the smell?

[AC0GV]

Originally Posted by gordon2

Well I for one sure don't know what you mean... arms day?
And are you talking about the main regulator on the tongue, or the secondary regulator inside the stove? Have you done a bubble test, or a manometer pressure drop test, or are you only going by the smell?

Leak testing with soapy water or kids bubble solution both make a good substitute for the professional leak stuff.

And I had to look it up, condition sounds to me like it would be over tightened. Speaking in code words and acronyms often work in one group but another has never heard of the term. Kind of like naming a campground with out giving the state.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by RogueIT

We noticed a gas smell coming from our stove in our 13 foot 2017 Scamp, and we think we've pinpointed it to the intake side of the regulator...I tried tightening it, but I feel like who ever put it on at the Scamp factory never misses an arms day...if you know what I mean. Anything else I can try before bringing in a professional?

Thanks,
Scott

If in doubt of the leak get it to a gas shop now. A few bucks to have it fixed if it is leaking is not worth the chance of losing your life or someone else's. Most propane shops will check it for free or for a very cheap price.

[RogueIT]

Originally Posted by gordon2

Have you done a bubble test, or a manometer pressure drop test, or are you only going by the smell?

Going by smell and its the regulator inside the stove. We didn't have a way to really work up a foam, so we just shut it off and camped without gas. Sorry about the attempt at humor with the arms day comment.

[RogueIT]

Originally Posted by AC0GV

Speaking in code words and acronyms often work in one group but another has never heard of the term.

Sorry about the arms day comment.

[RogueIT]

Originally Posted by Jann Todd

Most propane shops will check it for free or for a very cheap price.

Thanks, We've got a guy coming out.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by RogueIT

Going by smell and its the regulator inside the stove. We didn't have a way to really work up a foam, so we just shut it off and camped without gas. Sorry about the attempt at humor with the arms day comment.

Any soapy water solution can be used for bubble test, although I have heard that some can be bad for the metal (so maybe rinse with plain water after testing). And bubble tests with a solution only works on the places where you can apply it.. which is why a pressure drop test of the entire system is the standard proof that there are no no leaks anywhere.

Kudos to you for being safe and shutting off the propane when a leak was suspected.

As for the arms day... maybe I am thick.. but I even googled it and still don't get it. Yet my curiosity remains, in case you are willing to explain it like you are talking to a child from another country.

[Glenn Baglo]

FWIW. My guess as to the definition of "Arms" day is on Remembrance Day ( Armistice Day? ), former members of the military would head to the Legion to raise a few.
I had a dentist who told me after Remembrance Day, he did a lot of business replacing dentures that had been tossed up into bushes around Legions.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

FWIW. My guess as to the definition of "Arms" day is on Remembrance Day ( Armistice Day? ), former members of the military would head to the Legion to raise a few.
I had a dentist who told me after Remembrance Day, he did a lot of business replacing dentures that had been tossed up into bushes around Legions.

Indeed that was the only track that I came up with but any connection to making propane connections still eludes me.

[computerspook]

Originally Posted by gordon2

Any soapy water solution can be used for bubble test, although I have heard that some can be bad for the metal (so maybe rinse with plain water after testing). And bubble tests with a solution only works on the places where you can apply it.. which is why a pressure drop test of the entire system is the standard proof that there are no no leaks anywhere.

Your point about the pressure drop test is dead on point. But might describe it. Basically the idea is you turn everything off and then turn on the propane and allow it to sit for a bit to get up to pressure. Then you turn off the propane. Now with everything off the lines should stay pressurized. So later on like several hours or even a couple days later when you turn on the valve for the propane there should be no flow. If there the gas in the lines has leaked so there is a leak.

[rjanders]

Don't worry, I got it. Like leg day but more arm centric. Referencing the fact that the connection is very tight.

[Dbasdan]

Originally Posted by RogueIT

Going by smell and its the regulator inside the stove. We didn't have a way to really work up a foam, so we just shut it off and camped without gas. Sorry about the attempt at humor with the arms day comment.

I knew exactly what you meant.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by computerspook

Your point about the pressure drop test is dead on point. But might describe it. Basically the idea is you turn everything off and then turn on the propane and allow it to sit for a bit to get up to pressure. Then you turn off the propane. Now with everything off the lines should stay pressurized. So later on like several hours or even a couple days later when you turn on the valve for the propane there should be no flow. If there the gas in the lines has leaked so there is a leak.

IIRC and maybe I do.. maybe I don't, you are supposed to drop the pressure to something like half.. so maybe 6 inches WC, and then let it sit for a few hours. Anyway I just did that test here last month. I like to do it it myself on a regular basis.

[THene1713]

Originally Posted by RogueIT

We noticed a gas smell coming from our stove in our 13 foot 2017 Scamp, and we think we've pinpointed it to the intake side of the regulator...I tried tightening it, but I feel like who ever put it on at the Scamp factory never misses an arms day...if you know what I mean. Anything else I can try before bringing in a professional?

Thanks,
Scott

Just buy/ install new regulator and soap bubble test; they are expendable/ replacement required, get old/ crack; easy DIY; No pro required, save the $$; take old off to match up, if needed? You already know to NOT go gorilla on tightening, get some LP Gas Tape for threads

[CharlesinGA]

You might want to consider reading this discussion in the Escape forum. While there is no recall on the SDS2 stove, there have been problems............

This is from May of 2021 so it is recent.

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...eak-20744.html

Charles

[Perryb67]

Read CharlesinGA's post #16.

Because of the explosion in my face from the leaking Suburban SDS2 stove, I purchased a propane gas sniffer. I also have a bottle of bubble spray, but that only works with half the gas connections.

Thanks,

Perry

[computerspook]

Originally Posted by gordon2

IIRC and maybe I do.. maybe I don't, you are supposed to drop the pressure to something like half.. so maybe 6 inches WC, and then let it sit for a few hours. Anyway I just did that test here last month. I like to do it it myself on a regular basis.

This is the kind of complicated way. That has more to do with adjusting things.

What I do pretty regularly is to shut everything off except on burner on the stove. Of course this would be unwise if you thought there was a leak in the inside. Then once I have a good flame on the stove I turn it off. Now there should be no gas flowing. Then I turn off the gas cylinder. Now you have gas trapped in the pipes. Now you have to avoid a period when there is a barometric pressure change. That can throw this test off. But I leave everything alone for a period of time. If testing to make sure things are fixed I do one day. Then I go into the camper and get my igniter ready and turn on the stove. It should light and come up at the same level as it normally would with the tank valve open. Then it should die off and shut down. Turn it off before it goes all the way out. That means that the gas plumbing including the regulator did not leak.

[computerspook]

Originally Posted by Perryb67

Read CharlesinGA's post #16. Because of the explosion in my face from the leaking Suburban SDS2 stove I purchased a propane gas sniffer. I also have a bottle of bubble spray, but that only works with half the gas connections.

Thanks,

Perry

sounds like a good plan.