Gas leaks at manifold and in gas locker
+4
Dutto
Flying High
-mojo-
mikebro
8 posters
The Auto-Sleeper Motorhome Owners Forum (ASOF) :: Auto-Sleeper Motorhome Forums :: Auto-Sleeper "Van Conversions" Forum
Page 1 of 1
Gas leaks at manifold and in gas locker
We noticed a whiff of gas during the trip we have just returned from. We could smell it both at the 4 valve manifold in the cupboard under the sink, and also in the gas locker. We were touring on some very poor roads and probably the increased vibrastion had loosened things off. Anyway, today I used the soapy water test and found:-
Whilst the leak at the manifold is maybe "one of those things", what really bothers me is that it was not possible to fix the laeak at the bottle/regulator connection by using a standard bottle spanner as sold by all the usual motorhome stores. I had to use a large adjustable spanner in order to tighten the joint sufficiently. Have others had the same thing?
Rgds
Mikebro.
- One of the four outlets off the manifold had a loose connection between the manifold and the connector with the rubber O ring inside and was leaking gas.
- Gas was leaking from between the cylinder and the regulator.
Whilst the leak at the manifold is maybe "one of those things", what really bothers me is that it was not possible to fix the laeak at the bottle/regulator connection by using a standard bottle spanner as sold by all the usual motorhome stores. I had to use a large adjustable spanner in order to tighten the joint sufficiently. Have others had the same thing?
Rgds
Mikebro.
mikebro- Member
-
Posts : 165
Joined : 2013-02-03
Member Age : 75
Location : Aberdeenshire
Auto-Sleeper Model : Symbol
Vehicle Year : 2001
Re: Gas leaks at manifold and in gas locker
I guess it depends whether you have Calor butane, Calor propane, Camping Gaz or something else, but I'd be checking to see whether your particular setup has a rubber seal ring between regulator and cylinder and, if so, whether it has any defects. I've never come across a cylinder connection that needed extreme force to make it gas tight.
-mojo-- Member
-
Posts : 4566
Joined : 2012-08-04
Member Age : 24
Location : Southeast
Auto-Sleeper Model : Trooper
Vehicle Year : 2006
Re: Gas leaks at manifold and in gas locker
Thanks for the information on the locker leak and the pipes in the cupboard, well worth a check with soapy water.
I run Butane this a Camping Gaz back up in the locker rear section, the Camping Gaz bottle has an adapter to Calor so I just screw on the other bottle if the Calor runs out, Probably not the cheapest option but it works well and cuts down on weight.
Best Regards, Mike ere were's the smileys gone??
I run Butane this a Camping Gaz back up in the locker rear section, the Camping Gaz bottle has an adapter to Calor so I just screw on the other bottle if the Calor runs out, Probably not the cheapest option but it works well and cuts down on weight.
Best Regards, Mike ere were's the smileys gone??
Flying High- Member
-
Posts : 282
Joined : 2012-12-02
Member Age : 78
Location : Chatham, North Kent
Auto-Sleeper Model : Sussex BB?
Vehicle Year : 2012
Re: Gas leaks at manifold and in gas locker
mikebro wrote:
- ....................
Whilst the leak at the manifold is maybe "one of those things", what really bothers me is that it was not possible to fix the laeak at the bottle/regulator connection by using a standard bottle spanner as sold by all the usual motorhome stores. I had to use a large adjustable spanner in order to tighten the joint sufficiently. Have others had the same thing?
.............
Hi there,
Two comments:
1) If you are using Butane then there is a small rubber ring that provides the seal. What causes many leaks is over-tightening this seal which in turn compresses the seal to the point where is splits and leaks. In this case "finger tight and a tweak" should provide a seal and if it does't then it is time to renew the washer.
2) If you are using Propane then in the UK we use a metal to metal seal. The slightest bit of grit between the sealing surfaces will cause a leak and tightening the fitting may result in a gas tight seal but may also damage the sealing faces so that they will refuse to seal in the future. All Propane regulators should be cleaned before they are attached and again a "finger tight and a tweak" should be sufficient to provide a seal. If it doesn't then a slight smear of vaseline will sometimes produce a result.
Hope this helps.
![allthumbz](/users/3014/30/14/83/smiles/2756180141.gif)
Best regards,
![drinksallround](/users/3014/30/14/83/smiles/3854503862.gif)
_________________
Dutto - Living more in hope than expectation; and seldom disappointed!
Dutto- Donator
-
Posts : 7865
Joined : 2011-06-14
Location : Lincolnshire
Auto-Sleeper Model : Duetto
Re: Gas leaks at manifold and in gas locker
Thanks Dutto, all noted.
Best regards Mike![courtesy](/users/3014/30/14/83/smiles/428292.gif)
Best regards Mike
![courtesy](/users/3014/30/14/83/smiles/428292.gif)
Flying High- Member
-
Posts : 282
Joined : 2012-12-02
Member Age : 78
Location : Chatham, North Kent
Auto-Sleeper Model : Sussex BB?
Vehicle Year : 2012
gas leak
I think that you should get an expert to check your gas system over. Gas hoses and regulators have a shelf life and should be replaced on a regular basis. I come across people who say "I haven't got any problems" when I start looking at the gas hoses they are starting to break up.
Don't take a chance with gas get it checked. Go to the approved workshop scheme web site and find someone close to you.
Don't take a chance with gas get it checked. Go to the approved workshop scheme web site and find someone close to you.
_________________
Approved Workshop (AWS) based in Derbyshire [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
ubuntu1- Member
-
Posts : 287
Joined : 2012-10-30
Member Age : 61
Location : Derbyshire
Auto-Sleeper Model : M/H engineer
Re: Gas leaks at manifold and in gas locker
Thanks to all for responses. It's a propane system. I will check later today for any issues with the metal/metal seating faces (thanks Dutto) and report back.
Rgds
(for the other Mike!!)
Mikebro
Rgds
![smile!](/users/3014/30/14/83/smiles/248932417.gif)
Mikebro
mikebro- Member
-
Posts : 165
Joined : 2013-02-03
Member Age : 75
Location : Aberdeenshire
Auto-Sleeper Model : Symbol
Vehicle Year : 2001
Re: Gas leaks at manifold and in gas locker
Had a look at the propane bottle/regulator joint today. Both faces look fine. Now that I can see it's a metal/metal joint, from my experience (I'm a retired instrumentation engineer) I'm not surprised these sometimes need a bit of persuasion to seal. Particularly since one of the faces is on the bottle and that could be several decades old. I agree that a smear of vaseline on the sealing surfaces is a good idea, but I will keep the large adjustable spanner in the van too.
Thanks everyone
Rgds
Mikebro![smile!](/users/3014/30/14/83/smiles/248932417.gif)
Thanks everyone
Rgds
Mikebro
![smile!](/users/3014/30/14/83/smiles/248932417.gif)
mikebro- Member
-
Posts : 165
Joined : 2013-02-03
Member Age : 75
Location : Aberdeenshire
Auto-Sleeper Model : Symbol
Vehicle Year : 2001
Re: Gas leaks at manifold and in gas locker
Thanks for the "heads up" on the manifold seals.
Last "Summer"(!!!!!) I bought a Calor propane bottle for the barbecue at home; nipped it up with the spanner and turned on; there was a huge smell of gas. I tried several times to re-seat it but had to take it back to the dealer. He did not seem surprised and said that distorted metal to metal seals were not uncommon; something I had not been previously aware of.
I guess that a bit of a leak out in the garden is not really a problem but in an enclosed vehicle it could be very serious.
Cheers,
Pete.
Last "Summer"(!!!!!) I bought a Calor propane bottle for the barbecue at home; nipped it up with the spanner and turned on; there was a huge smell of gas. I tried several times to re-seat it but had to take it back to the dealer. He did not seem surprised and said that distorted metal to metal seals were not uncommon; something I had not been previously aware of.
I guess that a bit of a leak out in the garden is not really a problem but in an enclosed vehicle it could be very serious.
Cheers,
Pete.
Pete Taylor- Donator
-
Posts : 690
Joined : 2012-11-12
Member Age : 73
Location : Cheshire
Auto-Sleeper Model : Stanton.
Vehicle Year : 2014
gas leak
I favour the new type of hoses that have a hand wheel to tighten them - no spanner needed. They have a rubber seal and seem much more reliable to me.
_________________
Approved Workshop (AWS) based in Derbyshire [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
ubuntu1- Member
-
Posts : 287
Joined : 2012-10-30
Member Age : 61
Location : Derbyshire
Auto-Sleeper Model : M/H engineer
Re: Gas leaks at manifold and in gas locker
Ubuntu - not sure how "hoses with handwheel" solve the propane regulator to propane bottle metal/metal seat issue? ![scratch head](/users/3014/30/14/83/smiles/256783.gif)
I'm new to motorhoming and would welcome more detail.
Thanks in advance.
Rgds
Mikebro
![scratch head](/users/3014/30/14/83/smiles/256783.gif)
I'm new to motorhoming and would welcome more detail.
Thanks in advance.
Rgds
Mikebro
mikebro- Member
-
Posts : 165
Joined : 2013-02-03
Member Age : 75
Location : Aberdeenshire
Auto-Sleeper Model : Symbol
Vehicle Year : 2001
Re: Gas leaks at manifold and in gas locker
I have changed my spanner-required regulator to a thumb-wheel-to-tighten regulator, much easier but strangely when you turn on the gas at the bottle, you always get a small 'hiss' which stops immediately, but other than that no problem (and it came with a 5-year warranty).
Paulmold- Donator
-
Posts : 26287
Joined : 2011-02-21
Member Age : 73
Location : North East Wales
Auto-Sleeper Model : Sussex Duo
Vehicle Year : 2010
Re: Gas leaks at manifold and in gas locker
Paulmold wrote:I have changed my spanner-required regulator to a thumb-wheel-to-tighten regulator, much easier but strangely when you turn on the gas at the bottle, you always get a small 'hiss' which stops immediately, but other than that no problem (and it came with a 5-year warranty).
ooer why am i stuck in the quote box?? anyways back to the question, Did you do this yourself paul? If so how easy/difficult was it to swap over?
I know my gas pipe is probably on its way out by now and I'm sick of faffing with the spanner. I had the hand tighten system on my caravan but now back to the dreaded spanner with the camper.
Cheers :-)
Harper22- Member
-
Posts : 333
Joined : 2012-06-09
Member Age : 45
Location : sheffield
Auto-Sleeper Model : Harmony
Re: Gas leaks at manifold and in gas locker
Yes, easy job but usually find you have to cut the old pipe off as it's too tight to get off the regulator. I renew the pipe every two years anyway as they tend to perish and start to show signs of splitting.
Paulmold- Donator
-
Posts : 26287
Joined : 2011-02-21
Member Age : 73
Location : North East Wales
Auto-Sleeper Model : Sussex Duo
Vehicle Year : 2010
Re: Gas leaks at manifold and in gas locker
did you have to use the truma regulator (the new fixed one) as I have heard loads of issues with these getting blocked and had to have one replaced on the caravan and that was less than 2 years old
Harper22- Member
-
Posts : 333
Joined : 2012-06-09
Member Age : 45
Location : sheffield
Auto-Sleeper Model : Harmony
Re: Gas leaks at manifold and in gas locker
Sorry no, I think we are on the wrong track, I simply replaced one of these ..
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
with one of these...
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
as you can see, the thumb screw one has a rubber seal as opposed to metal to metal seal
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
with one of these...
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
as you can see, the thumb screw one has a rubber seal as opposed to metal to metal seal
Paulmold- Donator
-
Posts : 26287
Joined : 2011-02-21
Member Age : 73
Location : North East Wales
Auto-Sleeper Model : Sussex Duo
Vehicle Year : 2010
Re: Gas leaks at manifold and in gas locker
Brilliant Paul!!
That's what I am going to do. The rubber on the regulator connection will cope with more or less any imperfection on the bottle connection! Easy when you know how - eh? - which I didn't - do now - thanks!![hugegrins](/users/3014/30/14/83/smiles/1819939118.gif)
Rgds
Mikebro
That's what I am going to do. The rubber on the regulator connection will cope with more or less any imperfection on the bottle connection! Easy when you know how - eh? - which I didn't - do now - thanks!
![hugegrins](/users/3014/30/14/83/smiles/1819939118.gif)
Rgds
Mikebro
mikebro- Member
-
Posts : 165
Joined : 2013-02-03
Member Age : 75
Location : Aberdeenshire
Auto-Sleeper Model : Symbol
Vehicle Year : 2001
Re: Gas leaks at manifold and in gas locker
ahhh thats Brill Paul, I didnt even know they did such a thing, I thought you meant you had swapped it to the metal pigtail; style with the black hand tighten screw on :-) Most def the next job on the to do list ![allthumbz](/users/3014/30/14/83/smiles/2756180141.gif)
![allthumbz](/users/3014/30/14/83/smiles/2756180141.gif)
Harper22- Member
-
Posts : 333
Joined : 2012-06-09
Member Age : 45
Location : sheffield
Auto-Sleeper Model : Harmony
![-](https://2img.net/i/fa/empty.gif)
» Leaks on Symbol
» Exhaust manifold
» Shower tray always wet
» manifold Gasket, Window Reg & front lamps
» Help me find this 'weird' leak on my Duetto
» Exhaust manifold
» Shower tray always wet
» manifold Gasket, Window Reg & front lamps
» Help me find this 'weird' leak on my Duetto
The Auto-Sleeper Motorhome Owners Forum (ASOF) :: Auto-Sleeper Motorhome Forums :: Auto-Sleeper "Van Conversions" Forum
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum