How to Check for A Propane Leak In Your RV (That Works Every Time!)

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Have you ever burned through your propane during a camp trip, and wondered how in the heck you used so much, but don’t want to wait till you get home to check for a propane leak?

I got the solution (literally… LOL!)

We ran into this problem recently during our two week Utah trip, and actually had to end up using a tank one of our friends brought who happened to be camping with us!

My husband told me this trick and it was crazy how good it worked, and why I didn’t think of it! It’s really simple, and this article will get straight to it!

how to find propane leak in travel trailer

What you need to make your solution to check for propane leaks

There’s solution you can buy, but to be honest, we never bothered with it. We knew we had our detector in our camper, so if anything major happened we would be safe inside, and just troubleshoot outside.

We have a relatively new camper (only 2 years old) so a propane leak never crossed our minds!

Here is what we did to confirm our propane leak!

Combine a cup of water with a spoon of dish soap to create your propane leak testing solution.

Now keep it in the cup, and bring it to the connection you intend to test!

how to use soapy water to find rv propane leak
Just mix a spoon of soap into a cup of water for an easy propane leak detection solution!

How to use the soapy solution to test your propane connection in your camper

Pour a very small solution over the propane connection/fitting your testing and watch for bubbles!

If there is a leak, it will create some pretty obvious bubbles and show you exactly where it’s coming from!

Make sure to wiggle things a bit to be doubly sure that there is no leak at any angle!

Our leak was actually at the fitting outside of the camper, and it only leaked at certain angles. But it was there, and leaking quite a bit when it did!

using soap bubbles to find leak in camper
See those bubbles on the bottom? We now know where our propane was leaking from!

Here is a quick FAQ about propane and RVs!

I hope this has helped you! Here are some other commonly asked questions about propane use in your camper or RV!

Can I run the propane in the fridge while in transit?

That’s tricky – many people do it, but it does increase your risk. Should you get in an accident, a severed propane line can be pretty darn dangerous!

Here’s the thing – your refrigerator will often keep your things cold and frozen for plenty long enough in between travels!

We turn ours off, and have gone 8 hours (with some opening here and there for lunch) and things have remained frozen and chilled!

To me, it is not worth the risk when the convenience it provides isn’t that big. Things will stay cold, just try to limit how often you open it! It is still required that you shut it off at gas stations, and even in some tunnels!

Will a carbon monoxide detector also detect a propane leak?

No!! It will only detect carbon monoxide, not natural gasses or propane! Be sure to check that you have monitors that cover it all!

There are plug-in ones that detect carbon monoxide and propane leaks like this, however, that means it will need power! It has a battery backup, but the life on that is only around 48 hours before it needs a new battery (I’ve heard of some people only plugging it in when they are actually using the camper, and unplugging it when they leave for the day)

There are a couple wired in propane detectors too, but you will need some electrical experience to install it!

propane and carbon monoxide alarm for camper
This is the
Nighthawk Plug-in Carbon Monoxide & Explosive Gas Detector that plugs in to your camper or RV that I mentioned earlier!

See it on Amazon now!

Next time you’re burning through your propane, check your connections outside with this neat trick!

This is a simple trick that will work for most situations in your camper! It’s especially nice for outside the camper when your detector inside won’t find it!

P.S. Here are some other cool RV ideas you’ll like!

how to use soap and water for propane leaks
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