Do gas cylinders ever leak?

MarkJ

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I started on a new cylinder on the last trip and I thought we used more than I expected but wasn’t sure. This trip I’ve been checking it (via my Truma level check) and it does look as though it looses a bit - around 0.1kg every day or maybe every two days. It’s not the connectors or pigtails, because I swapped those, and it only does it when it’s turned on - no leaks between trips.

Could the cylinder thread or valve be slightly leaky? Does that ever happen?

Thanks
 
spray with leak tester or at a pinch soapy water.
You may need to check pipework inside van too.

But if you suspect a leak, it would be advisable to get it checked professionally. It may cost a few pounds, but how much is your life worth?
 
I had to have a Gaslow bottle replaced once, but that was due to the way the valve was inserted into the bottle, and it leaked when it was turned on or off! It was a brand new cylinder!
 
Had a Calor cylinder which slightly leaked at joint with pigtail, the mating face was very slightly damaged. As above leak spray or soapy water might show it, but if it's very small leak might take some watching.
 
MarkJ said:
I started on a new cylinder on the last trip and I thought we used more than I expected but wasn’t sure. This trip I’ve been checking it (via my Truma level check) and it does look as though it looses a bit - around 0.1kg every day or maybe every two days. It’s not the connectors or pigtails, because I swapped those, and it only does it when it’s turned on - no leaks between trips.

Could the cylinder thread or valve be slightly leaky? Does that ever happen?

Thanks
Click to expand...

What sort of cylinder, Calor, Gas It, Gaslow etc. etc. ?

Several years back Calor had a problem with the Calor Lite`s leaking to the point where they replaced ones made in a specific time period.

They even replaced empty ones with full ones that had been checked and a 5mm hole was punched into the ally tab on top to prove it.

If it`s not the connectors and or pigtails then it has to be somewhere inline between the gas locker and entering the motorhome.

Have you any gas pipes underneath the motorhome, turn on the gas and some appliances fridge, gas rings, oven etc. and go underneath and sniff.
 
I've had two Calor bottles leak at the connector. I now wrap jointing tape around the screw every time I change bottles, just to be sure. At £22 a bottle it's an expensive commodity, and just a tad dangerous.
 
Thanks all.

It’s a 6kg red calor cylinder. There’s no smell of gas anywhere and I can’t see any bubbles with the spray - but that’s a very slow rate to detect that way.

I’ll keep looking at it, but glad to know someone else has seen similar.

And I’m just double checking, but I don’t believe it’s within the van, because the other bottle doesn’t seem to leak. (Got two bottles on changeover arrangement and the last cylinder behaved itself). But I’ve switched back and will check just to eliminate that for sure.
 
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Of course they can leak, seen it times offshore. Anything mechanical can go wrong and something which effectively relies on threads to mate neatly is prone to knocks.

B2
 
Put the bottle which you suspect maybe leaking in a dust bin and fill with water. Supplying gas bottles over a period of 20 yrs I had a only a few returned with leaks say 3 or 4 one I remember 1 was split on a joint
 
witzend said:
Supplying gas bottles over a period of 20 yrs I had a only a few returned with leaks say 3 or 4 one I remember 1 was split on a joint
Click to expand...

Thanks, witzend....if the probability is that low, then I reckoned I should have another look at everything else. So I unstrapped the cylinder and moved it so I could see more clearly round the back and sprayed some leak stuff on. Tiny, tiny bubbles right round at the back where they were hard to see, just at the base of the rubber hose, between the metal capping on the hose and the brass shaft on the connector. Took ages to see, so it must be slow...

Thanks for making me look again harder!
 
I once g It a bottle with a very bad thread that took a lot of tightening up but it did seal eventually - bent a thin spanner doing it up!
One thing to check is whether there's any fit on the actual sealing area of the connector. I list 6kg of gas in a week due to a tiny speck once. Only noticed it after I changed bottle and smelt gas - when on journey never spent long around the locker or opened it.
 
gas bottle leak

yes they can we got a 12L red bottle from the garden centre and that was leaking from the middle of the gas bottle/ we had to take it back and they gave us another bottle
 
Check the actual valve to body joint they can and do leak there, not tight enough and lack of sealant when they are assembled before filling also around the tap knob . ALL gas cylinder must be fully open or fully closed, not cracked open and left, there are two seals on the tap top and bottom of the travel.. Welding and medical cylinders are the same but MUCH higher pressures.
 
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