Propane Leak issues - How to find the source - What alternative interim systems available meantime

[SeaDawg]

Is your propane system shut off at the tanks? How many days? Propane is heavier than air, so it can "hang around," but several days, with a fan going, should probably clear everything. And, you'd likely smell that odor that you smelled, before repairs. 

When you get the sniffer, check the interstitial space between the hulls, as well. Just to be sure. The clamshell fittings should exhaust lp, but just check. You definitely had a leak somewhere,  from your early posts.

[SeaDawg]

Also, after the rv center installed the new truma, did they supply you with results of a new pressure test?

[Boudicca908]

30 minutes ago, SeaDawg said:

Is your propane system shut off at the tanks? How many days? Propane is heavier than air, so it can "hang around," but several days, with a fan going, should probably clear everything. And, you'd likely smell that odor that you smelled, before repairs. 

When you get the sniffer, check the interstitial space between the hulls, as well. Just to be sure. The clamshell fittings should exhaust lp, but just check. You definitely had a leak somewhere,  from your early posts.

Yes. LP was shut off at tanks from 7/15 to 8/3, and now from 8/3 to present. I did not smell propane the third time, but the space was definitely feeling 'close' and stuffy. 

I'll check around everything, from the front at tanks all the way to the back. What do you mean by 'clamshell fittings'? 

After the Truma replacement, I had to ask several times whether they actually did another pressure test, and they finally did confirm that they did and it passed. They didn't give me anything in writing. Should I have asked to see the test results? 

[Patriot]

51 minutes ago, Boudicca908 said:

Yes. LP was shut off at tanks from 7/15 to 8/3, and now from 8/3 to present. I did not smell propane the third time, but the space was definitely feeling 'close' and stuffy. 

I'll check around everything, from the front at tanks all the way to the back. What do you mean by 'clamshell fittings'? 

After the Truma replacement, I had to ask several times whether they actually did another pressure test, and they finally did confirm that they did and it passed. They didn't give me anything in writing. Should I have asked to see the test results? 

My thoughts-

Yes, I would trust but verify in writing that the pressure test was done. Just me.

Patriot🇺🇸

[SeaDawg]

21 hours ago, Boudicca908 said:

Should I have asked to see the test results? 

Yes, I would. 

[Boudicca908]

On 8/11/2023 at 10:29 PM, Patriot said:

Yes, I would trust but verify in writing that the pressure test was done. Just me.

 

I called them on Friday; the guy they want me to speak to wasn't there, so I'm going to call again today. I'll try to obtain better documents of what they did. I'll have my sniffer today, as well, so I can begin checking this evening. 

[Boudicca908]

On 8/14/2023 at 9:21 AM, Boudicca908 said:

I'll try to obtain better documents of what they did.

UPDATE: Over the phone, the service center rep verbally questioned my need to see the drop tests, and said they haven't had time to finish the paperwork and invoice (I owe them for a faucet replacement.) So, I haven't been successful yet in this. I'm planning another trip to Bismarck area before I leave here, and if I have time I might stop by to try to obtain the make/model of the faucet, warranty info on it, plus the drop test information, even if it's just taking a photo of their notes from that date.

Things are still non-operational and in flux.  Mike and Jason have been very helpful as much as possible over the phone.

To be continued....

[Boudicca908]

UPDATE:

Since my last post, my CO/LP alarm has gone off many times. The propane tanks have been off the entire time. It went off 2x the week of 8/20, then a week of bliss, and then the week of 9/3 it’s gone off 5 out of 7 days. I’ve been sleeping with my windows cracked, for fresh air; one of those nights there was campfire smoke. Otherwise, nothing I could think of to set it off. It’s the “LP beep” and not the “CO chirp”. And in order to make it quit, I’ve been forced to use the overhead fan for at least 5 minutes with the windows open — otherwise it goes off again in 10 or 15 minutes. Last night I was pondering use of my rubber mallet (kidding). Tonight I have my cgd (combustible gas detector) out, so I can use it on the spot if it goes off again, before I turn on the fan. If the detector doesn’t find anything I would like to conclude a faulty CO/LP Alarm. But I DID smell propane back when it first started in July. And the cgd had positive readings with the propane tanks off, in August. So it’s a quandary.

Do I dare disengage the thing? I read my manual for notes on fuses, and I see a chart, but I’m not seeing the labels to match in my fuse box. Maybe there’s a 2nd fuse box? At any rate, I need to do something — it’s not fun to be opening up and pulling in outside air when it’s 45 degrees. Though it does bring back vivid memories of a trip I once made to Bryce Canyon in November with a canvas pup tent. 

[ScubaRx]

2 hours ago, Boudicca908 said:

UPDATE:

Since my last post, my CO/LP alarm has gone off many times. The propane tanks have been off the entire time. It went off 2x the week of 8/20, then a week of bliss, and then the week of 9/3 it’s gone off 5 out of 7 days. I’ve been sleeping with my windows cracked, for fresh air; one of those nights there was campfire smoke. Otherwise, nothing I could think of to set it off. It’s the “LP beep” and not the “CO chirp”. And in order to make it quit, I’ve been forced to use the overhead fan for at least 5 minutes with the windows open — otherwise it goes off again in 10 or 15 minutes. Last night I was pondering use of my rubber mallet (kidding). Tonight I have my cgd (combustible gas detector) out, so I can use it on the spot if it goes off again, before I turn on the fan. If the detector doesn’t find anything I would like to conclude a faulty CO/LP Alarm. But I DID smell propane back when it first started in July. And the cgd had positive readings with the propane tanks off, in August. So it’s a quandary.

Do I dare disengage the thing? I read my manual for notes on fuses, and I see a chart, but I’m not seeing the labels to match in my fuse box. Maybe there’s a 2nd fuse box? At any rate, I need to do something — it’s not fun to be opening up and pulling in outside air when it’s 45 degrees. Though it does bring back vivid memories of a trip I once made to Bryce Canyon in November with a canvas pup tent. 

The fuse to the detector is located under the aft dinette seat along a single wire with an inline fuse holder. My guess from afar is that it is a bad CO/LP Alarm. As I'm sure you know, they do have a shelf life and most likely the expiration date is printed on the unit somewhere (hopefully easily visible.)

[dewdev]

I could not find which fuse under the dinnette was for the CO/Propnae detector so I contact OTT.

I was told by OTT that the CO/Propane detector is connected to the LP fuse in my 2018 Ollie.

[mossemi]

48 minutes ago, dewdev said:

I could not find which fuse under the dinnette was for the CO/Propnae detector so I contact OTT.

If you can locate the rear of the CO/Propane detector under the rear dinette seat, there should be 2 small wires coming out of the detector.  Following those wires, one should lead to the negative buss bar, it’s the one with a lot of yellow wires connected to it and should be visible near the floor.  The other wire should be the power/positive wire and should connect to a fuse somewhere along that wire.  You will probably have to open the wire loom which covers and protects the wire bundles.

Mossey

[dewdev]

Thanks Mossemi.

After I posted my above response, I checked what OTT had sent me.

As you stated there is a fuse in line to the detector. Attached is a picture that OTT sent me (for the Elite II), which is under the drivers side (bed) access panel.

[mossemi]

23 minutes ago, dewdev said:

After I posted my above response, I checked what OTT had sent me.

Great!  Thanks for correcting my misinformation!

Mossey

[topgun2]

3 hours ago, mossemi said:

Thanks for correcting my misinformation!

What "misinformation"?

Perhaps his fuse wasn't located under the rear dinette seat (where mine is) but you did say to follow that positive wire until you find the fuse.

 

[mossemi]

2 hours ago, topgun2 said:

What "misinformation"?

Perhaps his fuse wasn't located under the rear dinette seat (where mine is) but you did say to follow that positive wire until you find the fuse.

 

Maybe I should have called a technical foul.🤣

Mossey

[Boudicca908]

12 hours ago, dewdev said:

I could not find which fuse under the dinnette was for the CO/Propnae detector so I contact OTT.

I was told by OTT that the CO/Propane detector is connected to the LP fuse in my 2018 Ollie.

I couldn’t find mine either (not under aft dinette seat), so I also contacted OTT. Mike said it’s under the street side twin bed in my 2022 Elite II. I haven’t pulled up the mattress yet, my day was full and I’m moving tomorrow. Will be looking for it in the next couple of days though. 
 

My CO/LP alarm is mounted on the fore dinette seat, so this seems odd to me… 

[mossemi]

10 hours ago, Boudicca908 said:

My CO/LP alarm is mounted on the fore dinette seat, so this seems odd to me… 

If the fuse is inconvenient to get to, just move it to someplace that is convenient.  Or install a switch someplace handy.  I also have smoke/CO detector under attic in the rear of my Ollie, so I would still have some protection if I powered down the CO/Propane detector under the dinette.  I and many others have solved what could be considered a false alarm by replacing our CO/Propane detectors.  I don’t know how to properly test the detector, but if replacing it fixes the problem for me, that’s a win for the good guy!

Mossey

[dewdev]

20 hours ago, Boudicca908 said:

I couldn’t find mine either (not under aft dinette seat), so I also contacted OTT. Mike said it’s under the street side twin bed in my 2022 Elite II. I haven’t pulled up the mattress yet, my day was full and I’m moving tomorrow. Will be looking for it in the next couple of days though. 
 

My CO/LP alarm is mounted on the fore dinette seat, so this seems odd to me… 

Mike also told me that the fuse for the CO-Propane detector was under the street side twin bed (not under the dinette). He was correct.

Above, I posted the picture that Mike sent me.

Since there is further confusion, I have posted a picture of that location in my 2018 Elite II. The fuse holder is black and is on the red wire in my picture. It is a 1 amp fuse.

If I had the proper software I would have circled the fuse in red to show you but I do not have that capability.

Hope this helps.

 

[topgun2]

Do this help anyone?  The black "blob" circled in blue is the fuse.

[dewdev]

topgun2:

Thanks for the blue circle. How did you add the circle?

[Boudicca908]

3 hours ago, dewdev said:

How did you add the circle?

Thank you! This is helpful!
 

Regarding editing… In an iPhone, you can can add text or highlights and draw on photos by using:

“Edit” then choosing the pen (and a good contrasting color) … like this.

[topgun2]

13 hours ago, dewdev said:

Thanks for the blue circle. How did you add the circle?

Using Windows;

1- open the picture from the picture files

2- left click on "edit" (its the icon at the top of the screen with a "pencil"

3 - left click on "markup" (another pen/pencil icon).  This will change the "mouse" to two mice with a red "plus" on their backs.  Moving your mouse in a circle around the area to be noted will draw that blue line.

Bill

Note - I have other programs that allow for changing the color of the line, size of the line or even shapes for the line but using the standard Windows program for viewing saved pictures was the quickest and easiest.

[dewdev]

Bill:

I got to step 3 and there was no "markup" icon. I was using my desktop computer that has Windows 10.

I moved to my laptop computer that has Windows 11 and was able to follow all your directions and added the blue circle.

Thanks for the computer lesson

[ScubaRx]

My Windows 10 works just as Bill stated except my cursor in step 3 us just a plus mark.

[dewdev]

3 hours ago, ScubaRx said:

My Windows 10 works just as Bill stated except my cursor in step 3 us just a plus mark.

Steve:

When I went to step 3 using Windows 10, I had no place (pen/pencil icon) to click on at the top of that page.

What did you click on?