HI,, Can someone give me a hand here please,,Have a faint gas smell at the bottles,, I've put soapy water over all the joiners, but, no bubbles,, That's where my knowledge stops ,any idear's ???? All help is good.. Cheers,,..,,
JRH said
01:57 PM Mar 8, 2010
straycat wrote:
HI,, Can someone give me a hand here please,,Have a faint gas smell at the bottles,, I've put soapy water over all the joiners, but, no bubbles,, That's where my knowledge stops ,any idear's ???? All help is good.. Cheers,,..,,
Only limited knowledge on gas, like electricity have a very healthy respect for it and anything else that can kill me.
Could it possibly be a small leak in the pigtails or the gas line itself, other than that get a Gas Plumber in to be on the safe side, cost a few dollars but it beats being dead.
xina said
07:05 PM Mar 8, 2010
That's why I won't have gas in my Campervan.
Cheers,
xina.
signwilson said
07:12 PM Mar 8, 2010
make sure you check your flexible hoses they can leak under the brading
Paddy said
07:30 PM Mar 8, 2010
Don't dilly dally take the problem to a gas plumber,a person who has some knowledge about gas lines etc.If you can smell gas you have problem.Regards.Paddy.
Cupie said
08:56 PM Mar 8, 2010
G'day ..
Like all the others I agree that immediate action is appropriate.
Are you sure that it is not 'burnt' gas fumes from your hot water system or even the pilot gone out (if gas).
In the unlikely event that you are in Brisbane give ma a PM & I can arrange expert qualified heip.
drongo & wendy said
08:14 AM Mar 9, 2010
G,day At times some bottles can give off an nasty smell more often it happens when a bottle gets low if that is the case dont just refil it , replace with new or exchange bottle. Me being an x dunny diver, i came across the smelly bottle many times, but by all means get it checked out by someone in the gas field, better to be sure than sorry.
jandas fun said
11:44 AM Mar 9, 2010
Now that you guys have given me something else to stress about, has anyone any experience or comments to make about "portable gas detectors' for caravans.? Found a 12v gas detector at www.caravansplus.com.au for about $100. Are these things any good or is a box of matches the way to go.
Johnw
dave06 said
12:32 PM Mar 9, 2010
hey Cat, if your gas bottle is fitted with a regulator that is close to the bottle then the smell is probably coming from that, it uses a pressure diaghram to lessen the pressure and it sometimes vents a very small amount to air
if you have checked ALL connections and still smell a very minute amount of gas then it may be this, if it bothers you and you feel it is it is too much then go and get it checked but a little gassy smell around the bottle is normal
DeBe said
03:02 PM Mar 9, 2010
Hi Cat, There should be no smell of gas around the bottle if there is there is a leak some where, if it has a flexible hose that is the most likely source , use soapy water solution on hose to check. Other source may be regulator a gain use soapy water there should neverbe any gas ventedfrom a regulator, if there is then the diaghpram may be perished. Have also seen gas leak from the cylinder valve just under the handle, again use soapy water. when looking for gas leaks soapy water solution is far more acurate than using portable gas detectors, you will be unlikely to pin point a gas leak with a gas detector especialy out side. Cheers Daryl
Paddy said
03:38 PM Mar 9, 2010
Dave,any gas smell should be investigated.I was a senior mines inspector and treat any smell of gas as a number one safety priority.Why do you think gas has an aroma added to it?Old wives tales and theories are not accepted in a coroners court.A gas smell is not normal and your advise is foolhardy.The gas equipment in question needs a through inspection by a competent gas plumber or serviceperson.Regards Paddy.
dave06 said
04:51 PM Mar 9, 2010
Paddy please read my second line in my answer to straycat and you will find I already advised having it checked out!
such an unprovoked attack should really be researched first, (by reading my post properly) something you obviously couldn't be bothered doing
this is exactly why the gas bottle must be either on the outside of the vehicle/caravan or in the case of a Motorhome or campervan it must be in a box excluded from the inside,
cat, if all joints are tight and you have given it a thorough testing and still cant find any supporting evidence and if you are satisfied the leak is indeed real, then take it to a gas fitter or plumber or even a caravan repair center for them to run a sniffer over the whole system
if in any doubt and you feel uncomfortable with it then have them replace all obvious hoses, including flexible, and regulator, it wont cost the earth and will give you peace of mind
how old is your gas bottle, maybe an "o" ring on the tap is a bit dodgy?
just check and recheck all fittings and if it continues find a dunny diver and have him run his sniffer over it!
-- Edited by dave06 on Tuesday 9th of March 2010 04:13:07 PM
Paddy said
07:16 PM Mar 9, 2010
No mate you gave wrong advise.You look at your own reply.It is no use giving an answer after you have sprouted unsafe information.Remember you can fool some of the people some of the time,but when you are dealing with an expert in the field of safety learn to cop it sweet and admit that you gave foolhardy information.I will not stand by and read your attempt to justify yourself.Regards.Paddy.
dave06 said
07:23 PM Mar 9, 2010
cop what, My advice was to have it checked if it's a problem!
Paddy said
07:50 PM Mar 9, 2010
dave06 wrote:
cop what, My advice was to have it checked if it's a problem!
To quote you,a little gassy smell around the bottle is NORMAL.End of discussion Dave06.Regards.Paddy.
gray nomad said
08:38 PM Mar 9, 2010
Please fellas,
If you smell gas, it's actually "Mercaptan" that you smell. Natural gas as supplied in bottles is Propane and maybe a bit of Butane. Either of them DO NOT SMELL. That's why we add "Mercaptan", a very smelly and nauseating gas to ALERT US that there is a leak.
If you smell GAS, do not hesitate and have it checked out, IMMIDIATLY. If there is any "GASSY" smell anywhere, near or far from the bottle, get it checked out, NO IFS, NO BUTS.
I have worked in the hydro carbon industry for some 29 years. Trust me.
Rubber seals deteriorate, Hoses deteriorate. If your life is worth only a few dollars, than of course don't worry. But speaking for myself, I'd get it checked out and if the connections/hoses are a couple of years old, get them replaced as well.
OHS is one of my credentials.
SAFETY FIRST.
Regards
Frank
Lake Bolace Caravan Park
twobob said
10:27 PM Mar 9, 2010
Paddy Pull your head in, and now. Disagree by all means, but use common courtesy.
If you can show me where Dave06 said, and your quote "To quote you,a little gassy smell around the bottle is NORMAL", the I will withdraw
I feel we have another Troll
twobob said
10:44 PM Mar 9, 2010
there you go Have been informed by other members of Troll Watch, that the quote is correct.
My mistake re the quote
No so about Troll watch
Paddy said
06:59 AM Mar 10, 2010
.Because someone has the nerve to give factual information they are Trolls are they.Two Bob, as I said to Dave06,end of discussion.Enjoy your day.Regards.Paddy.
dave06 said
10:26 AM Mar 10, 2010
ah so thats the bain, okay I will apoligise for that, no-one is a troll, I left a bit out and I was corrected, I meant a little smell of gas after a bottle changeover is normal, it sort of "sticks" to surfaces
interesting thing to bring up though, I worked for a caravan park quite a few years ago building carports and shedding, I seen the owner walking around the park with a gas detector in his hand checking c/van gas bottles, I was curious so I asked him at smoko what he was doing
he said to me he had been doing some research on van gas bottles and found that roughly 25% leaked, some were bad, some were not so bad but he had conducted this "research" over a 12 month period taking samples about every 3 months
he came up with the finding that most leaks found were around the gas tap that switches the bottle intake from left to right then secondly the regulator then thirdly the gas line entering the bottle was not tight enough
Paddy said
11:37 AM Mar 10, 2010
Dave06.Our little word war was a good thing to happen.It hopefully will make people aware of the dangers of gas smells.This morning I walked round a caravan park near Newcastle just for my own education and to have a look/smell at your suggestions.I am somewhat shocked at my findings to say the least.My conclusion Dave is an education programme be implemented to make people aware of the danger that can and does arise from leaking or faulty gas equipment.If we have a smell of petrol in our vehicles we soon have that looked at.Regards.Paddy.
dave06 said
12:37 PM Mar 10, 2010
I too was surprised at my big mates findings, the tool I described above, I think is cheap enough for everyone to own, if the leak, seepage whatever is on the outside of the van it can at least be considerably safer than if it were inside unnoticed,
straycat said
08:15 PM Mar 10, 2010
WoW-- That really got things going,, For starters I will get it looked at as soon as I'm somewhere that I can,,(you;d be stupid not to)
But other wise,, You guys come up with some good stuff,, Might sound dumb, but I didn't know (or think) of a diaghram, & well,, after all that I've read hear, I think it might be a good idear to replace all rubbers (& such) ,, We all pay a lot of $$$ for ower (is that how you spell it) Rigs, we'd hate to see them go BANG, SO once again I will get it looked at A.S.A.P.
Thanks for your coments--& I hope after all that we can still all be friends
CHEERS.
ballast2 said
12:40 AM Mar 11, 2010
Am I cynical or what?. I wonder if some of our newbies are real or they disgruntled members who recently left this forum and are now back under new names to do more damage. bloody hope not.
Cheers Jack.
dave06 said
10:31 AM Mar 11, 2010
you are spot on Jack, got it in one,
Cat I love "fishing" it develops loyalties, improves viewer participation, and ratings, and increases numbers, bottom line it gets far more information out than was being debated before as is shown in this thread, however it tends to upset folks which is not always a bad thing, gives a common "enemy" if you will to unite against
just one thing straycat before you go and get everything replaced, turn off your gas supply and disconnect your tubing, clean out the receiver part of the bottle and wipe the male end of the tubing with a clean dry rag, never use oil or solvents or even water, check for nicks or scuffing, if this is present then replace it
replace the coupling and tighten very firmly, test with a heavy dilution of dishwashing liquid, if the smell is still present then proceed to the next junction and do the same again, continue until the smell is no more, make sure you give your nose a break or it will smell gas everywhere
Cruising Granny said
03:36 PM Mar 11, 2010
I wish we could stick to the subject in hand without suspicion and cynism directed at every newcomer to The Grey Nomads.
It's very off-putting, and gives the impression this is not a friendly forum.
Can we please accept people at face value until they give cause for suspicion and prove otherwise.
Forums are for discussion and during discussion there will be different opinions.
There doesn't have to be 100% agreement. Discussion is healthy, and a great way of comparing notes, experiences and opinions. Then we are all free to make up our own minds and make our own decisions.
Not every newbie is a "troll". Who decides which newbie is a "troll"?
As far as I know this forum is open to all comers, and it's not up to the contributors to decide if who stays or goes.
That huge responsibility lies solely and exclusively in the hands of the web mistress.
Let's not make her job any more difficult.
dave06 said
03:40 PM Mar 11, 2010
why stick to the subject, normal conversation doesn't, so why is it different in here!
Paddy said
04:27 PM Mar 11, 2010
dave06 wrote:
you are spot on Jack, got it in one,
Cat I love "fishing" it develops loyalties, improves viewer participation, and ratings, and increases numbers, bottom line it gets far more information out than was being debated before as is shown in this thread, however it tends to upset folks which is not always a bad thing, gives a common "enemy" if you will to unite against
just one thing straycat before you go and get everything replaced, turn off your gas supply and disconnect your tubing, clean out the receiver part of the bottle and wipe the male end of the tubing with a clean dry rag, never use oil or solvents or even water, check for nicks or scuffing, if this is present then replace it
replace the coupling and tighten very firmly, test with a heavy dilution of dishwashing liquid, if the smell is still present then proceed to the next junction and do the same again, continue until the smell is no more, make sure you give your nose a break or it will smell gas everywhere
Dave 06 "The Fisherman"Dave one important item to suggest to Straycat would be to check and replace all "O" rings on hoses etc.They cause more problems than you can poke a stick at.Regards.Paddy.
justcruisin01 said
05:03 PM Mar 11, 2010
Hi Straycat, not saying you haven,t got a leak. At home we have two x 45kg on water& stove & every time a bottle is withinj a few hours of running out you can smell a very strong odour , much stronger than normal gas , There is no leaking anywhere as this is a normal function particualy with large bottles.This has been happening for 30yrs & never changes. Just the same , check the little breather hole in the regulator which allows the diaphrame to move , if the diaphrame has a leak this is the escape for it.A braided hose can be hard to pinpoint as well Lots of soapy water in a spray pack is a good method.
ballast2 said
12:04 AM Mar 12, 2010
Crusin Granny. Am I a cynic? Yes I am. But only when it comes to so called newbies who sprout the same rubbish they did before leaving and then come back under a new name and start again. You can tell when some one is a genuine newby because they ask real questions and do not attack other members. Not so long ago i was a newby and have found this site to be the easiest to get help from. I see Dave is gone. Jesus I hope he comes back. By the way I did not direct suspicion or cynicism to all new comers but only to those who may have come back to cause more havoc.
Cheers Jack
Can someone give me a hand here please,,Have a faint gas smell at the bottles,,
I've put soapy water over all the joiners, but, no bubbles,, That's where my knowledge stops ,any idear's ???? All help is good..
Cheers,,..,,
Could it possibly be a small leak in the pigtails or the gas line itself, other than that get a Gas Plumber in to be on the safe side, cost a few dollars but it beats being dead.
Like all the others I agree that immediate action is appropriate.
Are you sure that it is not 'burnt' gas fumes from your hot water system or even the pilot gone out (if gas).
In the unlikely event that you are in Brisbane give ma a PM & I can arrange expert qualified heip.
At times some bottles can give off an nasty smell more often it happens when a bottle gets low if that is the case dont just refil it , replace with new or exchange bottle.
Me being an x dunny diver, i came across the smelly bottle many times, but by all means get it checked out by someone in the gas field, better to be sure than sorry.
Now that you guys have given me something else to stress about, has anyone any experience or comments to make about "portable gas detectors' for caravans.?
Found a 12v gas detector at www.caravansplus.com.au for about $100.
Are these things any good or is a box of matches the way to go.
Johnw
such an unprovoked attack should really be researched first, (by reading my post properly) something you obviously couldn't be bothered doing
this is exactly why the gas bottle must be either on the outside of the vehicle/caravan or in the case of a Motorhome or campervan it must be in a box excluded from the inside,
cat, if all joints are tight and you have given it a thorough testing and still cant find any supporting evidence and if you are satisfied the leak is indeed real, then take it to a gas fitter or plumber or even a caravan repair center for them to run a sniffer over the whole system
if in any doubt and you feel uncomfortable with it then have them replace all obvious hoses, including flexible, and regulator, it wont cost the earth and will give you peace of mind
how old is your gas bottle, maybe an "o" ring on the tap is a bit dodgy?
just check and recheck all fittings and if it continues find a dunny diver and have him run his sniffer over it!
-- Edited by dave06 on Tuesday 9th of March 2010 04:13:07 PM
Pull your head in, and now. Disagree by all means, but use common courtesy.
If you can show me where Dave06 said, and your quote "To quote you,a little gassy smell around the bottle is NORMAL", the I will withdraw
I feel we have another Troll
Have been informed by other members of Troll Watch, that the quote is correct.
My mistake re the quote
No so about Troll watch
Just the same , check the little breather hole in the regulator which allows the diaphrame to move , if the diaphrame has a leak this is the escape for it.A braided hose can be hard to pinpoint as well
Lots of soapy water in a spray pack is a good method.