# Soapy Water Test for Leak Propane, can you hear the bubbles pop???, Masterbuilt says you can



## smokingasian (Jun 23, 2020)

Hi All, this is my first time posting, so my apologies if I am posting this in the wrong thread. But I have something that concerns me, and I hope you can help bring clarity to the matter. Please skip to my last paragraph I highlighted in red if you want to skip my background and why I am even coming up with this question.

A little on my background, is I started outdoor cooking for about 15 years. I have a Kamado, a propane  grill, a standing dual fuel smoker from Masterbuilt, and now a Camp Chef Woodwind pellet smoker because my Masterbuilt 230s caught in flames after its 3rd use within a month of purchase. 

The question I have is with my 230s masterbuilt smoker I bought from Home Depot.  Trying to get in the smoking game, I decided to go with a simple smoker and build myself up. I had 2 successful cooks, around 6-8 hours each. But with my third cook, the smoker caught on fire after 6 hours when I was using the propane fuel source. A fire appeared in the exterior of my smoker and melted my control module which included the propane regulator, and the igniter. It also burnt my fingers, but that was my fault as I tried to turn the fire off by the propane regulator on the smoker, and not stopping the fuel source from the propane tank.

I talked with Masterbuilt Customer Service and they hypothesized the issue may have been with the Venturi being clogged, which can happen if bugs or their webbing gets into it. They also told me I needed to run a soapy water test on my hose before each use of the smoker. I felt this was overkill, especially with a new smoker, but short in short, I just agreed as they were sending replacement parts. I went outside a hour later, to take pictures of all the melted parts so they knew what to send. I also decided to run the soapy water test on the hose and clean out the venturi tube with an air duster as part of their recommendation.

The soapy water test revealed there was a leak on the hose at the very end of the smoker where it was attached the metal bearing. The only way I was able to see this leak was putting my smoker on its back. This is impossible to see when the smoker is standing.  This contradicted a video they sent to me on how to perform a soapy water test on this type of smoker: 
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I questioned them about it, but they closed my case as my case was resolved by them sending me new parts. I didn't like this, especially per their recommendation that I should always run a soapy water test, but they couldn't answer my question on how to do it on the whole hose, especially on the part where my hose was leaking. I didn't like the idea of constantly putting my smoker on its back.

*We then reach today when the customer service supervisor called me. Instead of being able to answer my questions of concern on how to perform the soapy water test in the troubled area I had with my smoker, they pretty much went on a hour spree of telling me what precautionary measures I should take, ie have a clean smoker, make sure no grease is present, make sure no bugs are there clogging anywhere the fuel touches. But once they were pulled back to my question of concern about it being impossible to see the leaking of the hose in the area where my smoker caught fire, they told me I should of put my ear to the smoker and listen as I should hear a leak happening by the bubbles of the soapy water test. They told me they to do this all the time, and pretty much I should of known better. I called bull, but maybe I don't know any better. So my question for this forum it a actual thing or is it possible to listen for bubbles popping as part of a soapy water test to indicate a leak. I done soapy water test on the tires on my car, as well as other hoses. Maybe I just never had the sense to listen. I even did the soapy water test on my bad hose, and I couldn't hear anything. *


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## Fueling Around (Jun 23, 2020)

Normally, if you find and FIX the gas leak after the soap (bubble) test, all is good and no need to retest.
No, my ears cannot hear the pop.  My eyes watch for the bubbles.


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## chef jimmyj (Jun 23, 2020)

I agree with above. If you connect a new gas stove in your kitchen, you are not pulling it away from the wall before cooking EVERY breakfast, lunch and supper to run a bubble test. 
Repaired and tested, you should be fine. Of course, there is no reason you can't periodically Bubble test, but every cook? Totally not needed...JJ


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## Steve H (Jun 24, 2020)

That would have to be a pretty good leak to hear with normal soap and water. But not saying it's impossible. I will say that making your own soap and water for testing is hit and miss. I use a solution meant for this. It produces large bubbles that don't pop quickly. 







 And to suggest that a low psi line be checked before each cook is a bit excessive. Unless it is being subjected to impacts or movement.


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## daveomak (Jun 24, 2020)

Don't you love it when you're told, YOU ARE THE PROBLEM ????? 

To me, the problem appears to be, the clamping of the fitting to the hose was inadequate...  or the fitting was defective..   I've seen that when an RV dealer made some hoses for a friend to use at hunting camp...  Incorrect fitting size allowed for a small leak....  which in time, melted the hose, which flared up and melted  the lantern plastic parts and caught his rug on fire...


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## cmayna (Jun 24, 2020)

I have a propane sniffer device that I use each time I install a tank.   Yes a little more expensive than a bottle of bubbly water but since I also have a VW camper with a gas stove and gas powered fridge, it comes in very handy like. 

I do not test any of the devices each time I fire them up, especially the gas grill.    Only after I have  installed a new tank or have worked on a fuel line.   I do look to see what color flame comes out.  If blue, I continue on.  If yellow, I might look for spiders, etc.

Oh and did you notice that the guy in the video sprayed up under the controller but did not look for bubbles?   LOL


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## Inscrutable (Jun 24, 2020)

I only test when disconnect/reconnect true plumbing fittings, not the large knurled knob going to a 20-lb cylinder.

No, I’ve never heard the bubbles On any tests I’ve done.

While perhaps you should smell the propane, a gas detector properly placed would be a good sub if you can’t smell the odor ant, and can’t see the fitting for bubble testing. You can get one for about $30 on Amazon with a flexible sensor lead you can fish up near the fitting. Keep in mind propane is heavier than air and will sink and collect in a low semi-contained space. Also if it’s really breezy and the connection area is open, its at least remotely POSSIBLE the gas dilutes/disperses and sensor may not be sensitive enough to detect - although if its that open you'd probably be able to see and bubble test.

Good luck and be safe.


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## chef jimmyj (Jun 24, 2020)

GEEZ LOUISE! All these fancy Rich Folks  wit Leak Chemcles and Gas Snifters? Hahaha, got me one a does. My my Coon Hound fallers me around sniffen and a pantin' every time I gets a little windy. Hehehe.
Don't need all that fancy testers. My Daddy would just run a Match along the line to find ifin it was leakin'...A course that was before he got Blowed Up, Rest his Soul...JJ


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## smokingasian (Jun 25, 2020)

Thank you all for commenting back to me and for all the suggestions on how to detect a gas leak. I just wanted to make sure that my thought process of how I previously tested propane leaks was correct. The Masterbuilt person went on for ten minutes of how listening to propane leaks is common, and how they do it before every cook. I will remain relying on my sight and smell moving forward. It is also very reassuring knowing that testing propane before every smoke is not necessary, especially if I don't plan on moving the smoker around and only leaving it on one spot.


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