Propane shut off

[mariaandskip]

Trying to track down a propane leak. I. Our Bigfoot 21. Why is there not a shut off valve for each appliance? If our stove malfunctions/leaks and it's 40 degrees out, we have to shut everything , furnace and water heater. If I could shut off just the stove we would still have heat.
Is there any reason that I should not do this?

[CharlesinGA]

Never heard of individual shut offs on RV appliances. They would have to be where you can access them which would be difficult to place on the stove and furnace.

Are you smelling a leak or is it simply the leak detector going off?

Is this a 21FB or 21RB? what year.

Stoves have an additional regulator on the back side of them, and this is the most failure prone item inside that might leak.

This recall affects Dometic cooktops and Ranges built in a period of time after October 2020, https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/202...0E071-5848.pdf

The fridge shutoff valve has a manual shutoff built into it, so thats fairly easy to eliminate from the system. The water heater gas components are completely outside except for the gas line, that comes up thru the floor and goes to it.

Charles

[justa25thTA]

https://www.homedepot.com/p/HOME-FLE...-001/301876827

[mariaandskip]

Originally Posted by CharlesinGA

Never heard of individual shut offs on RV appliances. They would have to be where you can access them which would be difficult to place on the stove and furnace.

Are you smelling a leak or is it simply the leak detector going off?

Is this a 21FB or 21RB? what year.

Stoves have an additional regulator on the back side of them, and this is the most failure prone item inside that might leak.

This recall affects Dometic cooktops and Ranges built in a period of time after October 2020, https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/202...0E071-5848.pdf

The fridge shutoff valve has a manual shutoff built into it, so thats fairly easy to eliminate from the system. The water heater gas components are completely outside except for the gas line, that comes up thru the floor and goes to it.

Charles

Charles,
2005 21RB. Had a propane leak about 4 months ago and traced it to the furnace. Bought a rebuild kit for the sellinoid valve, problem fixed. Stove worked fine . Tried to turn on the water heater, hadn't been used in years. Had to hit the on switch about 10 times till it stayed on but the heater didn't fire up. After 7 to 8 minutes, the propane alarm went off. Turned off the switch opened door and windows, turned on a floor fan and aired the trailer out. Closed everything up. In about 20 minutes alarm started chirping (heater switch off). Had to turn off valve at tank.
This says to me that the sellinoid valve may be stuck open and the ignitor isn't producing a spark . The gas that is still flowing through the stuck open valve is some how finding it's way into the living area.
Propane alarm is less than a year old.
I can disconnect the supply line to the heater and use a brass plug to stop gas flow but a shut off valve would have been easier . Sitting unused for an extended period usually isn't good for things.

[mariaandskip]

Already have a leak sniffer. That's how I found the furnace leak. That and some plastic and masking tape.
Thanks

[Nick G]

I’ve often wondered the same thing. Why not have a valve to isolate each appliance in case of an issue? In my case, fridge and stove lines are accessible through the lower fridge vent and the furnace line is accessible in a lower cupboard and inside the front of the furnace. There is a valve on the fridge and the manual for my furnace shows a valved 90 fitting where the gas enters the furnace but mine just has a plain 90. I looked for a similar fitting with a valve last time I had the furnace out but couldn’t find one. If I ever have these lines replaced I will look into having valves installed.
I second the gas detector, if you don’t have one. I ordered an inexpensive one on Amazon which worked better than anticipated. It helped me narrow the search for a leak in my fridge. Then soapy water helped me eliminate possible sources from there. The main leak was inside the gas thermostat assembly which is impossible to test with soapy water.
Good luck with finding the leak.

[mariaandskip]

As long as I'll be working on the water heater I will install a shut off valve.

[Casita Greg]

Originally Posted by CharlesinGA

Never heard of individual shut offs on RV appliances. They would have to be where you can access them which would be difficult to place on the stove and furnace.


Stoves have an additional regulator on the back side of them, and this is the most failure prone item inside that might leak.

This recall affects Dometic cooktops and Ranges built in a period of time after October 2020, https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/202...0E071-5848.pdf

The fridge shutoff valve has a manual shutoff built into it, so thats fairly easy to eliminate from the system. The water heater gas components are completely outside except for the gas line, that comes up thru the floor and goes to it.

Charles

Yes, there is a reason that they don't install shut-off propane valves inside the trailer. Because it is that they are not permitted by NFPA 1192, Standard for Recreational Vehicles, and by the RVIA Standards, (which basically adopted the same NFPA Codes.) It's an issue about safety. In a nutshell, the only propane line fitting allowed by Code inside the trailer or RV is the actual physical attachment fitting to the appliance itself, and no others. All other propane connections must be made externally. (i.e. underneath the outside of the trailer. They cannot be installed inside the trailer. Each entering propane line can only service the individual appliance it is attached to. It can't be tapped, "teed," have other installed fittings, (including inside shut-off valves,) or any branched-off runs for propane located inside the trailer.

All is not totally lost. You can add a shut-off to individual propane lines, but it would have to be done outside the trailer or RV, but you'd have to physically go outside to work the valve on or off.

If you're seriously interested about the Code, (The greedy NFPA doesn't give you anything for nothing,) Trust me, I'm a retired municipal Fire Marshal, and I had the complete set of Codes on my office book shelf right behind my desk. Luckily, the City paid for them, (and all the updates too,) or else I would have wound up in the poor house.

Here's a link to the Code, but it will cost you about near to $60 bucks to get your own copy.
(I had the complete set of all several hundred NFPA Codes, which I used daily.)

[url]https://www.rvia.org/news-insights/2021-nfpa-1192-rv-standard-now-available-purchase[/url]

And if you want a cheap "propane leak detector," simply take a plastic spray bottle, add some dish soap and fill it with water. Spritz all your fittings and suspect components with it. If you see bubbles, you found your leak.

Also works if you have a slow leak in one of your tires. If air is leaking, again, you'll see bubbles on the tire where sprayed if there is a hole.

[mariaandskip]

Thanks for your reply . I guess it's a case of the more connections, the more that can go wrong. I'll have to go with brass plugs.

[mariaandskip]

The soap bubble trick works but not on real slow leaks. I tried that on my furnace leak and didn't get any bubbles but my propane sniffer registered a leak.

[Casita Greg]

Wasn't meant as a direct replacement for a real gas sniffer. Just a cheap "field expedient" work-around fix in a pinch.

[mariaandskip]

Works well for zeroing in on a leak. Our cabin alarm went off but couldn't tell me where, a sniffer like this did.

[Casita Greg]

Originally Posted by mariaandskip

A sniffer like this did.

A sniffer like what? Picture? Link?

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Casita Greg

A sniffer like what? Picture? Link?

Amazon. Search for “propane sniffer.”

[Casita Greg]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

Amazon. Search for “propane sniffer.”

I've already done that. And it doesn't tell me squat as an answer to my original question, which was "Which one are you referring to."

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Casita Greg

I've already done that. And it doesn't tell me squat as an answer to my original question, which was "Which one are you referring to."

How about "any of them" They all work on the same principle. Depends on how much money you want to spend and any extra features you might need. Walmart for <$30 to Grainger >$350.

[mariaandskip]

Just one off of Amazon " toptes"
I chose it because it has a long wand.
Now to my method. I opened up all the gas appliance doors on the outside. I then covered the openings with a piece of plastic (painters drop cloth) and masking tape. Sealed it off well. Then turned on the propane at the tank. Waited 10-15 minutes, then went to each sealed off opening, poked a small hole in the plastic and stuck the sniffer wand through the hole. When I did that at the furnace, it went nuts, everything thing else, nothing. I gently removed a corner of the plastic and used the wand as a probe. The highest reading was in the burner chamber, which told me that gas was leaking through the sellinoid valves.
Being a little leary of working with propane, I called in an expert who told me that what I did proved nothing and that I needed to replace all the lines and fittings. With a little research, I ordered a rebuild/repair kit....no more leaks. No more leaks until I tried to use the water heater. Hadn't been used in years so I assume that is the problem.
Thanks for all the replies.

.

[Casita Greg]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

How about "any of them" They all work on the same principle. Depends on how much money you want to spend and any extra features you might need. Walmart for <$30 to Grainger >$350.

Like George Orwell wrote in his book Animal Farm, "All animals are created equal, just some are more equal than others." And none of the sniffers I viewed on Amazon had superlative ratings to say the least.

How much money do you want to spend? It depends, if you're happy with a $30 Harbor Freight POS that will quit working in two weeks. And, fwiw, real commercial grade ones start out at >$3,000 and up. I know, I had a really good one, (read expensive,) when I was on the Fire Dept. Just sayin'.

[Casita Greg]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

How about "any of them" They all work on the same principle. Depends on how much money you want to spend and any extra features you might need. Walmart for <$30 to Grainger >$350.

Like George Orwell wrote in his book Animal Farm, "All animals are created equal, just some are more equal than others." And none of the sniffers I viewed on Amazon had superlative ratings.

How much money do you want to spend? It depends, if you're happy with a $30 Harbor Freight POS that will quit working in two weeks, then I guess you're set. And, fwiw, real commercial grade ones start out at >$3,000 and up. Just sayin'.

[Nick G]

I’m quite happy with my cheap Amazon sniffer, also “toptes”. I got the basic one without the extension. It worked great, seems like it should stand up just fine. I can’t see any reason to spend more, especially since most of my needs can likely be met with a small amount of soap and water.