Leaking LP lines... can I plumb furnace to a BBQ tank?

[aaron7]

We're living in our (stationary) RV and smelled propane last week both inside and out. Inspected everything we could but found nothing obvious. Last time we had it filled (at a KOA on our trip) they overfilled and broke our level-meter. Smelled slightly since then but it kept getting worse so we had to shut off the tank. Still smelled after a little so I think we have more than one leak; one being the tank itself.

Don't think we're going to be fixing the RV up (parting out come warm weather) so I was wondering if there was a way to disconnect the furnace from the LP lines and run a new line to a separate BBQ propane cylinder so we can have heat!

What would be involved with that? I'd need a regulator too, right? Can I use the regulator from a BBQ grill? Could find one of those easy from the local recycling center as there are always grills there!

[Oz]

Oh absolutely you can!  Get that dangerous, leaking system disconnected and away from your RV first.  But read on, your problem may not be hard to fix, not expensive, and not as elaborate as creating a new delivery system...

You would defintely need a regulator.  I don't believe one from a BBQ grill would be the right choice.  Ones specifically for RVs are only about $20 - $40, you can get ones with auto-switch over for one tank goes empty or you can just get a manual one.  If planning to use only one LP tank, you can just cap-off the recepticle for it on the valve.

Does your furnace work?  If not, you may be spending more money (and time freezing your patooties off) if you have to make an alternate LP source AND then have to troubleshoot and fix the furnace.

You may not even have to make an alternate source and run new lines if you find where the leak(s) is/are.  Typically, the leaks occur at the connections of the rubber hoses which come directly off the LP tank regulator, especially if they are original or very old.  Getting heat back and quickly, could be as easy and cheap as just replacing those rubber hoses.

I don't know what your situation is with electric use, but maybe you would open to looking into the electric heating alternatives since you're planning to part out instead of rehab the RV.  Lots of good, recent info on those options which a lot of people have chosen to go with.

We have some good docs on propane - a good start would be from the resources section:
http://www.propane101.com/

[legomybago]

Did you use a spray bottle with dish soap/water, and spray all your connections and lines? Alot of the time it's the old fittings that will leak, and any rubber hoses like Mark said, regulators. If you have a fitting or a union leaking, you just need to back them off and retighten (usually), fittings and shut off valves on the frame mount style tanks will do the same too. Propane hardware is just like water, they will leak due to little use over time....the valves need to be massaged every once and a while.

[aaron7]

We used this camper to see the country and everything works fine, including the furnace! We're just out of money for a bit till we find employment where we are and needed to fix our heat as this old camper doesn't hold it well and the electric heater just won't cut it! That's what we're using now and it keeps it above 50 in there. With the furnace it was easy to keep it 70 though!

I'll check over the lines but it's down near 10 degrees out there. Negative with the windchill... just no fun to be crawling under an old camper looking for leaks!

I'll check out the rubber hoses. The regulator is only a couple years old.

We smelled the leak the strongest outside and inside nearest the frame-mounted tank.

[Oz]

That has to really suck.  I know I couldn't bear it.  With the freezing cold, and since it's been smelling stronger, focus on the main, rubber lines connecting the tank to the rest of the system.  That weather would certainly cause a deteriorating connection or cracked line to shrink and leak more.

Above all, be careful.  Don't spend more time than you have to out there.  We all want you to see spring arrive!