# Got A Little Scare



## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

During our trip to Sedona last week I baked a tri-tip roast in the camper's oven. I lit the oven pilot as usual and all went well. After the roast had been cooking for about 15 minutes we decided to step out for about 15-20 minutes to run up to the campground store. When we returned and opened the camper door we were greeted by a strong cloud of propane. It seems that the burner/pilot went out and for some period of time the oven kept supplying propane.

It was pretty scary as at that moment the Outback was a 28' bomb







I made the girls all get back and carefully opened up all three roof vents and left the door open. After about 10 minutes the gas had dissapated enough that I felt comfortable going back in and opening up a few windows too. We sat outside for another 10 minutes or so then I went in and clicked on the bathroom vent fan as there was virtually no more smell at all.

I don't know what happened or have a solution. Just wanted to share this story so y'all keep an eye on your rigs when baking. Ironically the oven worked fine (under paranoid supervision) for the rest of the week.


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## campntn (Feb 20, 2005)

Glad your OK! Gas can be tricky. It sounds like you did the right thing.
Mark
Oh, how'd the roast turn out??


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## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

Mark,

My guess is, it gave him gas.









Mark


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

LOL! You guys are evil









One last note, the propane detector never did go off







Guess you need a worse case of "gas" to activate it.









Oh yeah, the roast was awsome, just 20 minutes late


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## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

Jim,

Glad everything worked out and no one was hurt in any way. That is, assuming your roast was good.

Mark


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Glad everything ended up OK Jim!

As I have a similar - but not nearly so extreme - post up today, I can certainly relate!

As far as the propane detector alarm not sounding, you (and probably me as well) have a problem. We used to test the alarm in our old Coleman by holding an open (but unlit) lighter in front of the sensor. That thing would go off in a matter of seconds, and with very little gas in the air. Note: We never had a false alarm with it either.

I will be testing mine when I get home tonight, and would encourage all you other Outbackers to do the same (and regularly). We have a great extended family growing here, and I'm sure I speak for everybody in saying that we would hate to lose anybody to something like this!

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## Castle Rock Outbackers (Jan 18, 2004)

CJ,

I once towed for an hour with one of the stove burners slightly on. We stopped for a break, opened the Outback door, and it SMELLED inside. Found the problem, and our propane detector was also not going off. Keystone replaced it.

Randy


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## kjp1969 (Apr 25, 2004)

Yikes!

Fun propane facts:

It's heavier than air, and likes to collect in low spots. Opening the roof vent wouldn't really help unless it just got air to circulate inside the TT, Propane wants to flow downhill. Propane is slow to dissipate, unlike natural gas.

I'd have just shut the main valve and left the door open for a while before entering. Propane is scary stuff- glad to hear nothing bad happened!

Kevin P.


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## DANJOGAVINMO (Apr 17, 2004)

OK, I am a little worried now, seems like those detectors should be going off in these cases. Think I'll cause a small leak on a small propane cylinder right by the sensor to see if it goes off.

Danny


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

Glad hear there was a happy ending
I'll have to check ours also
Thank for the info CJ
Don


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## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

Just be glad you didnt leave your air conditioner running...

propane + running electrical compressor = picking up parts of pot roast and trailer for 1/2 a mile....

am curious why your propane sensor wasnt blaring when you came in though??!!


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Another Propane fact is that the ability of the human nose to smell it is much better then the sensitivity level of the gas detector.


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

When you are testing your detectors remember this...

BE CAREFUL! Cigarettes, ringing cell phones, static sparks, and uncontained flammable gases...well...you get the idea.

While you are testing your LP alarm...why not check the CO and SMOKE detectors as well!


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

CJ, and everyone else, glad all turned out ok. Like Camper Andy said, you will smell the ethyl mercaptan long before the propane reaches 10% of the LEL (where us fireguys start to get worried. Not sure where the detectors are set to go off, or what the shelf life is on them.) I also repeat what kjp said. Propane loves the low spots, so ventilate with the door or doors as applicable, and open you outside compartment too. The more air moving, the better. When used properly, and contained to it's systems, propane is very safe, but it only takes one oops to ruin your whole day.

Stay safe!

Tim


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

Good advice and info all. So aside from the obvious what's the best way to test the propane detector? Is there a safer way to do it?


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## jallen58 (Oct 27, 2003)

Mine's ben setoff by ant spray brfore maybe safer tha propane test









Jim


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

I tested my detector last night, and it passed (big sigh of relief!







).

The way I test mine, is to take a butane lighter, I use a long handle bar-b-q lighter type, light it, blow the flame out (but keep my finger on the trigger so the gas contimues to flow), then hold the tip right next to the sensor on the detector. Within about 15 seconds the alarm should go off.

This seems to be safe, as the lighter is not putting out much gas. You won't even smell it.

BTW, If you do have a TT with enough propane building up inside to set off the detector, what keeps the detector itself from blowing the whole thing to smitherines? I guess (hope) it must be a pretty well sealed package, eh?









Anyway, and in the immortal words of Sgt. Phil Esterhaus... "Let's all be carefull out there!"

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

To answer your question, I'm did a bit of research, just a bit. I don't know what make/model LP detector you have, but the Safe-T-Alert Series 300 detectors will alarm at levels <25% LEL of propane and methane. In laymans terms, when the concentration is <25% of the Lower Explosive Limit of the gas in question. The documentation did not state what the lower alarm threshold is. Since we are using a meter/alarm calibrated to propane, and the gas we are concerned about is propane, there is no coversion factors to consider, so we can assume that the alarm will activate while the mixture of product (propane) to air is still on the lean side. So the alarm activating should not cause an immediate hazard. However, once that concentration reaches 100% LEL......look out!









Another way to test, since most lighters are butane, and you are checking a propane meter (not sure what the conversion factor would be), you could use a plumbers torch. open the valve, in the vicinity of the detector, and see if it alarms. The amount of gas released would be minimal, and as long as there is no ignition source, it would be relatively safe.

Just another note on the odorant. You will smell the propane, due to the odorant long before you even have a 1% LEL concentration. It is extremely strong.

Tim


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

This thread is one that goes in my "Read often" section of my Outbacker notebook.

I'm thinking that, since I use the 16 oz. bottles of propane for my new BBQ, that the addition of a plumbers torch (the business end without the bottle) to my safety supplies is a good move. I can use the 16 oz. bottles and the plumber's torch to test the propane alarm. That way I don't have to carry the extra propane bottle for the plumber's torch.

BBB


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

Good info Tim, and thanks for researching this







I'll give it a try.

Although the propane odor in this situation was strong enough to make my wife cough and almost gag, it was probably not a high enough concentration to set-off the detector. I'll know more after I test it. I'm glad they put a strong odorant in there, gives ya a dandy warning!


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Tim,

Thanks for the info. It always helps to have the facts straight.

Brian,

Great idea to get the torch head for the bottles. Alot of us carry those things for one reason or another, and the addition of the torch head to the toolbox is pretty easy (dosen't even take much space!).

Happy Trails,
Doug

P.S. Brian, Hope your 'dotter' is feeling better. She is a great kid (we should all be so lucky)! Please thank her for entertaining Grant and Sabrina while we packed up. Allowing herself to be tied to a tree goes above and beyond!


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