About two years ago, I wrote here about the installation of my Propex heater by Karl at Westy Ventures. This summer, I noticed the heater wouldn't light, so I removed it and sent it to Karl for repair under warranty. He sent it back within a few weeks, and I reinstalled it. Then I wanted to test for leaks, so I bit the bullet and bought a propane sniffer. Here's what I wrote two years ago: At 05:48 AM 8/26/2009, Steve Williams wrote: >At 04:39 AM 8/26/2009, Richard Golen wrote: >>When you are done, use some slightly diluted dishwashing liquid to >>check for leaks. > >That's the traditional way. That's how I tested the GoWesty cap. (I >never did get it to seal completely!) Obviously not many Vanagons >explode after using the traditional soapy water check. > >Karl uses an electronic tester, which is WAY more sensitive than >soapy water. Similar to this: > >http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002VJ0DA/sbw/ I bought a less expensive tester, a TIF8800A: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000NPIYDC/sbw/ It's easy to use and seems to work well. I tested the sniffer by turning on the range burners for a moment. It quickly sang out when it smelled the propane and then quickly went back to background clicking when I switched off the burners. (I had a fan going, so the propane dissipated quickly.) Then I went around and sniffed at all of the propane fittings inside and outside the camper. It detected no leaks, which made me feel better. I'll probably keep the sniffer in my Westy somewhere. It doesn't take up much space, and it's good for my peace of mind. But, really, I'll rarely use it, so I'd like to figure out a way to share it. Do folks on this list ever share equipment by mail? I mean, I could just sell the silly thing, but it hardly seems worth the trouble. |
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