Frit-Happens !

Lampwork => Common Problems => Topic started by: The Tartan Trout on June 29, 2011, 03:59:33 PM

Title: Smell
Post by: The Tartan Trout on June 29, 2011, 03:59:33 PM
Just made 3 beads and started to smell something. I've turned everything off. It is a gasy smell. Why would this be...it appears to be coming from the flame end of the torch. I have had a good sniff at all the rest of it and no smell...just at that one point.

Any ideas please?
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: Corinne Lacy on June 29, 2011, 04:05:56 PM
I remember reading about propane smells on a different thread, something about how many times the propane tanks are refilled and the 'smell' added in......i'm sure someone experienced will find the link!!!
Corinne.
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: Lotti on June 29, 2011, 04:08:25 PM
You did say you thought yours might be comming to an end didn't you.  I am sure someone who really knows will say, but I am though I had seen other threads saying that when the propane starts to run out it gets smelly (apart from if there is a leak of course).  I bet you check your pipes etc and it isn't a leak comming from somewhere. :)
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: Sarah on June 29, 2011, 04:23:15 PM
Sarah

It sounds as though you have a leak so you must check your hoses & connections. The way I check is to spray dilute washing up liquid on to the hose & connections. Bubbles appear where the leak is - its very obvious as it won't be the normal sudsy thing. Once you've identified the source you can tighten the connection.

Don't worry about it as it does happen from time to time but please don't light the torch till you've found it. Its good practice to spray connections regularly to test for leaks so that you don't find out the hard way.......

I can't imagine why you would get a smell at the end of the tank - unless you disconnected an open tank.

Sarah
xxx
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: The Tartan Trout on June 29, 2011, 04:30:18 PM
Everything sprayed and no bubbles. So its not that :\
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: Blue Box Studio on June 29, 2011, 04:40:06 PM
When I first started I had a smell and couldn't find the leak with bubbles.  I happened to be in the plumbing shop for tubing and bought some gas leak detector spray, just because it was there.  It found my leak!  Perhaps my soapy water wasn't bubbly enought, I don't know, but paying £8 I think it was, has probably been my best investment so far.

Of course, your smell might be something else.  I think Fruddy suggested slugs fart   :o a while ago, have you any slugs nearby?  ::)  ;D
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: The Tartan Trout on June 29, 2011, 04:46:35 PM
I sprayed a wee bit of my soapy solution on the end of the torch and turned the gas on...I got bubbles...so it is soapy enough :)
No slugs...there was a toad the other night though :)
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: Blue Box Studio on June 29, 2011, 05:07:26 PM
Quote from: The Tartan Trout on June 29, 2011, 04:46:35 PM

No slugs...there was a toad the other night though :)

Toad on curry?  Husband?  Cats?  I have the latter two and don't let any of them in a confined space.
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: Corinne Lacy on June 29, 2011, 05:19:05 PM
Don't know how to add a link, go to equipment/torches, search for 'leaky torch', something about smells in that post.
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: Lotti on June 29, 2011, 05:25:56 PM
Quote from: The Tartan Trout on June 29, 2011, 04:46:35 PM
I sprayed a wee bit of my soapy solution on the end of the torch and turned the gas on...I got bubbles...so it is soapy enough :)
No slugs...there was a toad the other night though :)

They haven't been muck spreading round you have they?  Recently I had a right panic until I discovered that the tenant farmer who rents the fields here was spreading  ::)  Do swallows fart?  I have a few who come to say hello in my outbuilding. :) :)
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: GlassOcean on June 29, 2011, 05:39:40 PM
I had gas bottles to cook from for 10 years when I lived on a boat and always knew when it was on it's way out as it smelled rank!  We used the bigguns and kept them in the locked lazerette at the back of the bat and the smell always got to the kitchen.

xx
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: jammie on June 29, 2011, 05:45:39 PM
It was me posted this on the other thread.

Well last tank of propane I had was really smelly, like rotting turnips, checked and rechecked for leaks and thee were none. The tank was low. So I phoned the gas supplier and got a really nice guy to speak to.
He told me
There is an odour added so that we can smell the propane. There is a build of the smell,  additive,  so tanks that have been used more often and refilled more often can build up a stronger smell. he told me the gas guys that do the filling can tell which area the tank has come from because of the amount of/strength of the smell of the tank when doing the refill. The bottom of the tank is likely to smell a bit so if you have checked for leaks carefully then a low tank would most likely be due to it being low or nearly finished.
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: The Tartan Trout on June 29, 2011, 05:56:42 PM
I'm thinking low tank...definetly no bubbles anywhere...will get it changed tomorrow...WooHoo...my first finished propane tank :)
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: julieHB on June 29, 2011, 05:59:49 PM
Mine always gets a bit smelly when it's coming to the end of the tank as well - I'm due for a change soon  ::) ;)
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: Jennie Lamb on June 29, 2011, 08:43:42 PM
Yep me too, gets really smelly the day before I run out, infact if it starts smelling I change it....................
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: The Tartan Trout on June 29, 2011, 09:21:57 PM
OK so I'm safe to use it, just need to find where to get another tank from. This one was got for me :)

Thank you all for your help...I think if they are going to add a smell it should be a very recognisable one just so we are under no illusions....like chocolate or beer or dog poo....something very definate :)
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: julieHB on June 29, 2011, 09:35:27 PM
I got a second cylinder from the recycling centre - £10. That way I always have one full to replace an empty tank, and can refill the empty one when it suits me.  :)
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: The Tartan Trout on July 01, 2011, 12:07:24 PM
Changed the tank...no smell...job done :)
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: jammie on July 01, 2011, 12:38:55 PM
Yay!  :)
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: Blue Box Studio on July 01, 2011, 12:42:56 PM
Quote from: julieHB on June 29, 2011, 09:35:27 PM
I got a second cylinder from the recycling centre - £10. That way I always have one full to replace an empty tank, and can refill the empty one when it suits me.  :)

Ours will give them away, except they never have Calor or Flogas, my only local suppliers.  Perhaps that's why they give them away!?
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: Josephine on October 04, 2011, 09:29:02 PM
I always notice the smell when the tank gets low.
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: Emerald on October 04, 2011, 10:20:48 PM
With this new tank I smell it all the time, do they put the same measure of smell in every time do you think? Or if the person who puts the smell in has a cold does he put more in?
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: ScarletLeonard on October 05, 2011, 08:39:11 AM
I think it was said that the smell is also linked to how many times a cylinder is refilled and how empty it was at refilling.

Have you checked for leaks? regulator on properly etc.
Title: Re: Smell
Post by: tomcat on October 16, 2011, 09:00:40 PM
yep - same here - got smelly and a day later started to see the flame get smaller and away it went for a new one  ;D