Well, I don't think it would have blown up but I had a leak inside the van.

I think it was slow enough that the propane would have flowed out of the van
before it got to a high enough concentration to be a problem but maybe not.

Paul of Valley Wagon Works found and fixed it.

Mike

On 5/10/07 1:18 PM, "Robert Keezer" <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM> wrote:

> A leak in the stove most likely sounds like the
> gas knob was left on.
> 
>  Never on this list or anywhere the last 11 years
> of my Westfalia ownership have I heard of a stove
> leaking on it's own, and never a catastrophe like
> this.
> If it was common it would be a major thread I
> think.
> 
> That's not to say a leak somewhere in the stove
> burner and gas tubes could'nt occur from a seal
> failure .
> 
> I have not heard of any recalls for the Westfalia
> stove.
> 
> Yet, if the knob was on before she retired for
> the night, the gas smell should have been
> obvious, unless her smelling was impaired or she
> has been cooking garlic and onions.
> 
> If you can't affords a leak detector then turning
> off the gas at the tank and cracking the stove
> valves (knobs) open to bleed the residual gas
> will give you a safe nights sleep.
> 
>  Of course, you bleed the lines with all windows
> and doors open , sotve and fridge off, and tank
> off, with no nearby sources of ignition like
> electric motors, combustion engines, campfires,
> etc.
> 
> Propane is heavier than air so be sure to place
> the leak detector according to instructions, near
> floor level.
> 
> A slow leak will may give you time to get out. A
> sudden leak you just have to get lucky, alarm or
> not.
> 
> Robert
> 
> 1982 Westfalia
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --- Bj�rn Ratjen <Bjorn@IGLIDE.NET> wrote:
> 
>> Volks,
>> 
>> A story in the local newspaper raised my
>> attention today. A lady was lucky to escape a
>> propane explosion in her Westie. It is a good
>> reminder to check the propane lines for leaks
>> and
>> install an appropriate alarm. I do not know the
>> lady.
>> 
>> 
> http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=0a2247cd-e520-4
> 736-9265-b5fd0751db73&k=69048
>> 
>> Bj�rn
>> 
>> 
>> Bj�rn Ratjen, Ph.D.
>> Cobble Hill, B.C.
>> phone/fax (250) 743-7575
>> 
> 
> 
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