Propane Leak From Heater Unit

[Fueco]

We’ve used our travel trailer (Forest River Rockwood Roo 183) for two nights now (this past weekend).

I turned the gas on for cooking dinner and it worked fine. Later, I turned the furnace on to keep the trailer warm. This was fine for the evening, while the door was cracked. After I went to bed, the propane/CO detector went off twice. I noticed a gassy smell, so I turned the gas off and aired out the trailer. Thankfully, the trailer has heated mattresses which kept us warm enough with outside temperatures down below 40.

I called the dealer I bought the trailer from this afternoon, but they haven’t called back yet.

Does anyone have thoughts on what the most likely source of the leak might be?

 

[Scotttkd2]

You could try the soap solution sprayed on the fittings into the furnace and help narrow down the issue while your waiting for the dealer to call back. Any other propane powered appliances in the RV I would do the same. It's possible its just a loose fitting.

 

[TheLooks]

If there is a loose fitting you would smell it all the time, not just appliance specific. Plus, the detector is not an LP detector and detects other forms of gas as well. Did you do anything else that involved gasses? The only way for gas to get from the ignition side to the interior side would be a hole in the plenum and that would smell different and set off the CO part of the detector. If you can access the burner area of the furnace, check that something is not blocking the flow of gas thru the burner tube. Don't just eyeball it, run something thru it as spider webs actually block flow. Get it fixed, don't take chances.

 

[FloridaSon]

Consider buying a carbon monoxide/propane detector from a big box store to double check. As @TheLooks said, don’t chance it.

What brand of heated mattress? That’s a smart idea!

 

[Fueco]

Thanks for the ideas. The dealer has agreed to expedite getting it in, so I’m dropping it off tomorrow morning. Will follow up with what they find.

@FloridaSon Ill let you know what brand the mattresses are when I go out to clean the trailer interior later tonight.

 

[Fueco]

@FloridaSon

 

[FloridaSon]

@FloridaSon

View attachment 15128

Excellent, thank you!