Hot water heater

[Randall Lee]

Luckily we don't tow with the propane on, have had a couple of trips where you would get a propane smell on the street side compartment. the last trip we went through a tank of propane in one night, it was cold but not that cold. I've sprayed every where i could think of with soapy water and no bubbles. Gave up and called my local mobile tech, come to find out that the hot water heater valve was leaking, so if the propane was open you had gas feeding the hot water heater even if it wasn't on. Pass a flame by the venture tube and it would fire up along with the heater. A real fire hazard just waiting to happen.
Extended warranty covered everything but the service call, happy camper again, now if we can just get fuel down so I can move it out of the drive way.

[howson]

Luckily we don't tow with the propane on, have had a couple of trips where you would get a propane smell on the street side compartment. the last trip we went through a tank of propane in one night, it was cold but not that cold. I've sprayed every where i could think of with soapy water and no bubbles. Gave up and called my local mobile tech, come to find out that the hot water heater valve was leaking, so if the propane was open you had gas feeding the hot water heater even if it wasn't on. Pass a flame by the venture tube and it would fire up along with the heater. A real fire hazard just waiting to happen.
Extended warranty covered everything but the service call, happy camper again, now if we can just get fuel down so I can move it out of the drive way.

The valve failed internally allowing gas to leak? That's crazy--there's two parts to the inside of that valve which is supposed to prevent the exact problem described. Or maybe I don't understand--was the line attached to the valve loose or was there some other gremlin?

Regardless, glad it was found without too much drama.

[Randall Lee]

The valve failed, if gas bottles were open gas was flowing to the hot water heater, hold a lighter to the burner and it would light even if turned off inside.

[howson]

The valve failed, if gas bottles were open gas was flowing to the hot water heater, hold a lighter to the burner and it would light even if turned off inside.

Wow!

Below is an older version of a similar valve. Those dual chambers in the top are designed so that if one side fails gas will cease to flow. Exactly how the two sides mechanically interact I don't remember (even though it was discussed at length in a session at the RVSA school). All I do remember is the redundancy thus why your post caught my attention.



It would have been very interesting to know the exact failure mode of your valve.

Thanks for posting about the issue, Randall.

Howard

[Jlawles2]

i'd be interested in seeing the inside that valve myself. I would not be surprised if there is something in the system bridging the 2 sections like a blade of grass or stream of teflon tape.