Author Topic: Refrigerator smell of used propane  (Read 1220 times)

Dale Soule

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Refrigerator smell of used propane
« on: September 27, 2021, 12:21:51 AM »
We have a Dometic
refrigerator (model # NDA1402)  Traveling down the road the smell of used propane is quite bad.  If we run the Generator A/C.  The smell goes away.  If we are dry camping or parked several hours,  no smell or spent propane.  Any ideas would be appreciated
2006 Beaver Monterey Montclair IV
Chassis: Magnum
Engine: C-9-400
Dale Soule'

Carl Boger

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Re: Refrigerator smell of used propane
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2021, 12:47:57 AM »
I am not exactly sure what the smell of used propane is, but if you are smelling propane you may have a leak.  Since you do not smell it with the electric on, try to see if there is a solenoid that allows the propane to flow.  Use a spray bottle with soapy water and look for any leaks.  The odor in propane is actually added so you will know when there is a problem. 

Hope this help some.
Carl

98 Beaver Patriot Savannah
330 hp Cat 3126

Eric Maclean

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Re: Refrigerator smell of used propane
« Reply #2 on: September 27, 2021, 01:33:08 AM »
Dale
If you travel with vents or windows open you may be creating a negative pressure inside the coach and sucking products of combustion into the coach from the fridges rear compartment .
The fridge is supposed to be sealed in the cabinet to keep the combustion products out of the interior of the coach.
IF YOU ARE GETTING PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION INTO THE COACH WHEN DRIVING THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AS THOSE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION CONTAIN CARBON MONOXIDE !!!!

Eric

1997 Patriot Yorktown
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David T. Richelderfer

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Re: Refrigerator smell of used propane
« Reply #3 on: September 27, 2021, 04:59:19 PM »
Your description reminds me of my years ago experience with a prior RV, a Bluebird Wanderlodge.  When driving down the road, if someone used the loo, then after flushing, the black tank smell would get sucked up into the bathroom.  As soon as the bathroom door was opened... well, you can guess what happened.  My point is that if you have negative pressure inside your coach, then you could be getting a low-level smell coming from either a toilet that isn't setting tightly to the floor or the ball seal that isn't sealing properly.  Also, in our current Beaver Marquis, we have smelled waste tank odors from the washer/dryer area due to the washer's drain trap drying out and not making a seal against returning odors coming up through the piping from the waste tank.

In the case of the washer's drain trap drying out, the smell was only barely perceptible when we walked by the washer.  The smell could easily have been mistaken for a leaking propane smell.  By the way, our fridge is located immediately across the aisle from the washer/dryer.

2004 Beaver Marquis Sapphire

I had a dream... then I lived it!