Propane Leak: How to Detect, Locate and Fix

Keep simple tools like an array of wrenches and a spray bottle of soapy water on hand to find and fix propane leaks.

By
Marc Robic
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1
Propane tank valve and pressure gauge. Since a propane leak can be catastrophic, make sure to schedule in a propane tank and fitting check into your maintenance calendar. (Photo/ Marc Robic)
Propane tank valve and pressure gauge. Since a propane leak can be catastrophic, make sure to schedule in a propane tank and fitting check into your maintenance calendar. (Photo/ Marc Robic)

There isn’t much that scares or worries me when it comes to all things about boats. Except two: large amounts of water coming in and, the scariest of all, the smell of a propane or fuel leak.

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Propane Leak: How to Detect, Locate and Fix
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Marc Robic
Marc Robic
Marc caught his love of sailing and all things water from his father from a very young age. He has owned many sailboats in his 40+ years of sailing. An avid do-it-yourselfer and handyman, he builds, modifies, improves and executes all his own repairs. He also enjoys testing, documenting & sharing products and how-to methods with other sailors and boaters. Posting many how to videos on his YouTube channel and Facebook page. He is a member of the Canadian Power and Sail Squadron. Currently, he sails his Catalina 270, Aquaholic 3, out of the Ile-Perrot Yacht Club in Montreal, where Marc spent 16 years as Harbour Master. He is also a regular bareboat yacht charterer, having sailed most of the Caribbean islands. In the winter months, Marc regularly hand builds exact scale models of friends’ boats to give them away in the spring.
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1 COMMENT

  1. The pressure gage in the tank is does not indicate how much propane is left in the tank, instead it’s a safety device. Open the tank valve, note the pressure, close the tank and see if the pressure falls after a few minutes. If it does, you have a leak. If the solenoid is off (closed) and the pressure drops, the problem is in the propane locker. If it holds with the solenoid off, but falls falls with the solenoid on (open), the problem is in the interior piping, stove hose or appliance (stove), assuming all the burners are off. More dangerous.

    Teflon tape for gas work is yellow. It’s a little thicker than white.