How do you check for gas leaks?

barryd

barryd

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Long story short but Ive changed regulators on both my calor and Gaslow bottle recently (I managed to crush the Gaslow gauge thats on the fitting as well last summer but it all continued to work ok) but I got round to tidying it all up this week. Ive noticed a really strong smell of gas though when I turn on the gaslow bottle, there is always a bit of a whiff but its worse than normal I think.

Ive heard people say use washing up liquid to check for bubbles. Do you just use it neat or with a bit of water and do you just spread it everywhere?

Any tips?
 
barryd said:
Long story short but Ive changed regulators on both my calor and Gaslow bottle recently (I managed to crush the Gaslow gauge thats on the fitting as well last summer but it all continued to work ok) but I got round to tidying it all up this week. Ive noticed a really strong smell of gas though when I turn on the gaslow bottle, there is always a bit of a whiff but its worse than normal I think.

Ive heard people say use washing up liquid to check for bubbles. Do you just use it neat or with a bit of water and do you just spread it everywhere?

Any tips?
Click to expand...

with a drop of water or some hand soap and water, anything that blows bubbles.

the purists are concerned that there is a little salt in washing up liquid, but you could always wash it off with more water
 
i use one of those plant spray bottles and a 50 % mix , put plenty on
 
A lit match works well! Noooo don't!! as if.

Use car detergent instead of household soap, there isn't usually any salt in it.
(vehicle body rust). I have a battery powered 'sniffer' very sensitive.
 
Hand soap you say? Im sure we will have some and maybe even washing up liquid. I will consult my carer.

50/50 then.

Will have a play with it in the morning. If you dont hear back from me it didnt go well.
 
I am a purist so wont comment further re salt in fairy lol ...Don't forget if you have changed regulators gas will have escaped in the lines and contains mercaptan sensitive to the snout one part per million or something similar so does leave a lingering stench.

Using your concoction give the joints a good liberal spray and watch for bubbles

Channa
 
If your one that turns the bottles on and off when you travel don't forget to spray the stem on the bottle valve.
 
With my nose.

I've learnt over nearly 30 years of caravanning & campervanning that if I can smell gas there is definitely a leak.
 
As has been said washing up liqiud has salt in it so it can corrode the pipes.... when I bought my gas it kit they gave me a small gas leak detector aerosol spray ..gas dealers should have in in stock ...or Ebay ,
 
In my former working life we used to have a team that chased the bubbles and they used bars of soap in a pisspot.
 
Thanks for the "interesting" replies. Ill try the hand soap then. I normally leave the bottle turned on but as I have been farting about with it and suspect a leak I thought it wise to turn it off. ;)
 
S
barryd said:
Thanks for the "interesting" replies. Ill try the hand soap then. I normally leave the bottle turned on but as I have been farting about with it and suspect a leak I thought it wise to turn it off. ;)
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Use washing up liquid salt is also in the vast majority of hand soaps as well. Brine is used as a thickening agent in liquid soaps including hair shampoos. if your bothered about the salt content wipe down with plain water. Salt (brine) is not used in car wash shampoo.
.
 
At Hereford meet.

I could smell gas in our locker and Charlie sprayed it with the correct solution but couldn't see a leak even though he could also smell gas. Along comes another Wilder [sorry mate I have forgotten your name], he stuck his head in the locker and said he could HEAR bubbles so definitely a leak.
Anyways, between Charlie who was/is a gas safe engineer and the bubble hearer who was ex British gas of thirty odd years, they eventually found a slight leak on one of the pipes to the bottle, it was only only visible using a mirror because of access. Charlie gave the nut a quarter turn which did the trick.

Both guys advised against using washing up liquid.
 
izwozral said:
I could smell gas in our locker and Charlie sprayed it with the correct solution but couldn't see a leak even though he could also smell gas. Along comes another Wilder [sorry mate I have forgotten your name], he stuck his head in the locker and said he could HEAR bubbles so definitely a leak.
Anyways, between Charlie who was/is a gas safe engineer and the bubble hearer who was ex British gas of thirty odd years, they eventually found a slight leak on one of the pipes to the bottle, it was only only visible using a mirror because of access. Charlie gave the nut a quarter turn which did the trick.

Both guys advised against using washing up liquid.
Click to expand...

Thank again. Ill leave it until Monday then and see if the gas thats in the system has gone. Everything was lighting yesterday with it turned on so its now off. will give it a couple of days, leave it off and see if the cooker still lights with the gas in the system.
 
Should be fine.... Though if its something your only going to use rarely I'd just use some soapy water.
I've got spray tins in the van for work...
But I'm usually testing at 42 bar pressure ;-)
 
I have no sense of smell so use an electronic sniffer which can detect gas in a pigtail unused for 6 months
 
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