Mystery to solve

Richard · Nov 14, 2002

ok.. let's see if anyone can figure out this puzzle... the answer is now known and I'll post shortly... I'm sure that if anyone get's the right answer... they will have a 1/1,000,000,000,000 of winning SOME super sweepstakes in their lifetime. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

1 1/2 years ago, we had a totally mud back "patio" awaiting funds to lay our flagstone. ..We put the flagstone down, so no more mud. LAST winter, went to hook up propane gas bottles to the outside manifold for fireplace. Long story short, no gas making it inside. (by the way, relevant fact..has a dual manifold...can and do put TWO tanks on manifold and use A/B switch). Called Mr. Gasman to come out and fix manifold.. he comes/leaves..and $120 later... I have gas. They "adjusted" it. End of first tank, I swap to OTHER tank and SAME problem reoccurs...

Cutting to chase.. the second pigtail had impacted mud in the end of it..my presumption is, we took it off during working on back patio and it sat in mud which solidified and mr "fixit" just ended up swapping a/b switch /w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif I was soooo going to call them and give them a significiant portion of my mind.

Ok..so I'm now all the more enlightened and we come to THIS year. Hmmm..same problem...no gas pressure...

I look at pigtail and guess what? MUD.

I know for a FACT that the pigtail has NOT been removed since it's last cleaning though they both have been completely exposed to the elements.

As it turns out...BOTH pigtails had the tips of them completely impacted with mud...

What happened?

DarinRay · Nov 14, 2002

My guess is the same that happens to me with my air tools and any other open areas.. Wasp build their nest in them... Right? or is there something else that does this?

Darin

StoneHeartFarm · Nov 14, 2002

Is this like the guy that sneaks over to his neighbors every night and puts a gallon of gas in the tank? Then, after the nieghbor gets bragging about how good his mileage is, the guy starts taking a gallon OUT each night?

SHF

bky · Nov 14, 2002

yes i have the same thing that happens to my sockets and other things that have a hole in them like my air tools.
it is some sort of bee

rf33 · Nov 14, 2002

I think that the responsible critter is an insect called a mud dauber (sp?). These little creatures seem to have a habit of making these nests in the most annoying of places.

manganos · Nov 14, 2002

Mud coming from the propane tanks

Come on tell us now, haha!

chim · Nov 14, 2002

We have a propane-powered generator tha first saw service as a power source when we were building our house. When the house was done, it sat idle in a shed for a few years till I made an enclosure for it. The gas connection is a copper tube into an "ell" fitting, and is about 6" long.

When I finally got around to setting it up as a backup power source, it refused to start. There was a mud plug clear back at the ell fitting. Cleaned it out, and all was well. I blamed it on the mud daubers................chim

Gary_in_Indiana · Nov 15, 2002

I'd have to agree with the mud dobber theory since it's mud in the line. Otherwise, I'd have guessed spiders nesting.

I have to clean out my gas lines or burners on the gas grill if I don't use it regularly because spiders love to nest in there. A service guy from the gas utility told me that was a VERY common problem. Apparently the little buggers love those gas lines for whatever reason.

Recommended method of cleaning the lines? Good, old fashioned pipe cleaners, the longer the better. The gas utility actually buys them and gives them to their service guys here.

ScottAR · Nov 15, 2002

mud/dirt daubers... Happens all the time in bug infested AR. I have to tape up any pipe/hoses I have laying around to keep the little #$@^%#$%^ out.

Richard · Nov 15, 2002

sheesh...

guess I need to be more creative with my next issue. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Well, as far as I can tell, the dauber is my choice. I cleaned them out in the sink and what EVER it was, in fact, put a larva in there and expertly packed it smooth with mud.

I was completly shocked to see that.

Is there NOTHING this braintrust doesn't know, can't figure out, or "bs" it's way through? /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

You are ALL officially entered into the sweepstakes as potential winners, I congratulate all of you.

:O)