Mitsubishi Delica Owners Club UK™

LITTLEKENGRIFF · Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2011 23:11 Post subject: Gas Leak

any advice on finding a leak, don't think its inside as no smell of gas but fitted a new bottle on 30th dec and only used it to heat the van for a few hours then turned heating off
i never isolated the bottle and haven't had any gas appliances running but taking van back to storage today remembered about gas bootle being on and found it empty
any suggestions ???
cheers
kenny
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unclebazwold · Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2011 23:30 Post subject:

No idea Ken but you were very lucky. Shocked

Bazza
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LITTLEKENGRIFF · Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2011 23:36 Post subject:

mmmmm thats what i thought but didn't tell the missus tho Shocked

we only used it as temp accom up the drive while the family visited for the new year so where using electric heaters,
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unclebazwold · Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2011 23:57 Post subject:

You missed a chance to put the the mother in law in it but its possible and hopeful the bottle connector was not tightened properly and i think you can get a sniffer thing for caravans etc. :D
Bazza
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chrisreah · Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 2580 Location: Somerset

My experience with Caravan gas always led me to turn the gas bottle on only when using it.

Leaks in old caravan gas things seem common - Baz could well be right about the bottle connector, but a dodgy valve on the cooker or the fire wouldn't surprise me

Fostlongstrider · Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2011 0:42 Post subject:

Always could try the old soapy water trick,make up a solution of soapy water with washing up liquid and apply it
to the hoses,pipes and connections,any leaks will blow bubbles and it won't damage anything.
They do make proprietary gas sniffers,but they are not cheap.
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spanners · Joined: 14 Feb 2009 Posts: 174 Location: worthing sussex

a lighted candle works for me Rolling Eyes

spanners · Joined: 14 Feb 2009 Posts: 174 Location: worthing sussex

or one of these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Gas-Leak-Detector-Flammable-Combustible-LPG-LNG-Methane-/350290513682?pt=UK_DIY_Materials_Plumbing_MJ&hash=item518ef10f12

John64 · Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2011 1:36 Post subject:

albideli · Joined: 02 May 2010 Posts: 1348 Location: Blyth

How old is the caravan? the rubber hose from the bottle regulator to the metal pipe should be changed every ten years as the gas makes the rubber go pourous and this is a common place to loose gas

foodwalla · Joined: 24 Nov 2010 Posts: 34 Location: St Helens

A good rule of thumb is always check at the bottle end first as the brass might have a dent or a bit of dirt on it and you can tighten as much as u like and can still leak I have in the past filed a big dent out of gas hose pipe but this was an army one with people just slinging the pipes in the back of truck I have the rubber ended hoses on mine and they only have to be hand tight. I live in st helens if you want bring your van down I have proper gas leak detection fluid and full gas bottles and we will check all the van out if this helps Cheer Arthur

LITTLEKENGRIFF · Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2011 20:35 Post subject:

cheers guys for the advice , seems the best route seems to be the soapy water mix , will have to get a refill first tho Sad

still was lucky that we didn't have an explosion Embarassed

van is a crown sceptre and is now coming upto 15 years old (young) when the weather gets abit warmer/dryer will inspect all the pipework before we have any trips away
thanks again peeps
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Delica Phil · Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2011 21:59 Post subject:

Hey - before you go chucking away loads of dosh on a gas cylinder refill - just disconnect the pipe from the regulator and use a foot pump or bicycle pump on the rubber hose and do the soap test..... one person pumps while the other checks for bubbles - there's no point in wasting loads of gas and blowing yourself up without need! Twisted Evil

Phil
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1996 Blue over Grey Delica Space Gear
High roof
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Track rod ends
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Mods done:
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LITTLEKENGRIFF · Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2011 22:34 Post subject:

Samninetysix · Joined: 05 Apr 2009 Posts: 114 Location: Suffolk, UK

If it was down to me, I think I'd use a combination of 2 of the methods mentioned in this thread to test for leaks - send the mother-in-law in with a lighted candle

jennysteve · Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 346 Location: WIRRAL

LKG we had the same problem and found it was a leaky valve from the bottle. Rolling Eyes

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