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Topic: When the propane tank runs out, what needs to be done? (Read 1065 times) previous topic - next topic

When the propane tank runs out, what needs to be done?

We have a slow leak in the propane tank at the valve where it connects to the tank.  I have several question:

1.  Once it is totally empty, is there a law requiring tht the tank be tested hydrostatically?

2.  Should I have alll connections taken apart, cleaned and re-assembled with pipe dope?

3.  I feel that after 10 years and 4 months that the gas regulator should be replaced. correct?

4.  How long could it take to empty this 17 pound tank only running the reefer on propane and some occasional cooking?
George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.

Re: When the propane tank runs out, what needs to be done?

Reply #1 –
4. If you have the smaller tank, a year...
 
Quote
George Stoltz wrote:
 A new topic, 'When the propane tank runs out, what needs to be done?', 
 has been made on a board you are watching.
 
  We have a slow leak in the propane tank at the valve where it connects 
 to the tank. I have several question:
 
 1. Once it is totally empty, is there a law requiring tht the tank be 
 tested hydrostatically?
 
 2. Should I have alll connections taken apart, cleaned and re-assembled 
 with pipe dope?
 
 3. I feel that after 10 years and 4 months that the gas regulator should 
 be replaced. correct?
 
 4. How long could it take to empty this 17 pound tank only running the 
 reefer on propane and some occasional cooking?

The selected media item is not currently available. Dave Head & Megan Westbrook
Titusville, FL - The Great Outdoors
'98 270 buying this month
Toad is a 2018 F150 XLT

Re: When the propane tank runs out, what needs to be done?

Reply #2 –
George..... I would not wait for it to run out.  With something like this it would be best to take it to FOT or MOT and get them to look at it NOW.  Even a slow leak could be disastrous.  What if the leak increased in volume?  From my experience, it could take months to use 17 pounds of propane if you are not using the furnace regularly. 

George H
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George Hatfield

  Never ever use World Line Motors of Nacogdoches for service!

Re: When the propane tank runs out, what needs to be done?

Reply #3 –
I had a leak on the 88 Grandvilla  we owned.  Took it to the factory they parked up behind the mfg building and hooked up a line to a pipe that was up in the air 15 to 20 feet and burned of the propane and than replaced the leaking valve.  Took most of the day to burn off.
Jimmy Freytag,  Ardmore, Ok
1999 36ft U320. — -SOLD—-
1988 40ft GV        1990 36ft U280
1993 40ft U280      1996 36ft U280
  TRAVEL WHILE YOU CAN THE TIME WILL COME
            WHEN YOU NO LONGER CAN.

Re: When the propane tank runs out, what needs to be done?

Reply #4 –

1.  No.  This is not required by ASME standards.  You have ASME tank which falls under ASME rules, not DOT rules.  The DOT tanks like you see hooked to a BBQ grill may be used for 12 years, they have to be re-certified every 5 years thereafter .

2.  No.  Only the connection that is leaking.

3.  Most manufacturer recommend 12 years, but some go out as far as 25 years.  Check with the manufacturer.  They do have moving parts that get weak and do wear out.

4.  :'(  My thought says to save it somehow.  I don't see why it can not be pumped back into a bulk tank and replaced when the repair is completed.  I'd go to a propane dealer and see how they would approach this.  No sense burning off perfectly good propane if they can pump it out.  Propane dealers deal with leaks all the time!

This should be a simple fix  for a Propane Distributor .
1994 U225
build #4514

Re: When the propane tank runs out, what needs to be done?

Reply #5 –
Here is more info on our propane leak.  It is a very, very small leak.  We have had the leak for some time now -- not that that means we can go indefinitely without looking at it.  We did have MOT check it out.  They told us it would/could take 3-4 days to burn off the 17 pounds by hooking up to a "fish cooker".

Rest assured.  We are taking steps to get this resolved ASAP, but we do not feel we are in any danger.

George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.

Re: When the propane tank runs out, what needs to be done?

Reply #6 –
George, Is the leak at the packing gland on the valve ?  If so you may be able to tighten the gland.  If its at the boss where the valve screws into the tank a good cleaning and a dab of J B Weld might be a temp fix.  In the meantime, open door each time you stop to vent compartment and don't provide a spark source till clear.

Re: When the propane tank runs out, what needs to be done?

Reply #7 –
Hi George, I had what I think is the same problem on a 1990 Bluebird M.C. - The 45 gallon L.P. valve was leaking where it screwed into the tank around the threads. I took the coach to a major propane supply facility where they did tank repair and re-valving, (updating & repairing tank valves). They could also hydro-test  the tank to the proper PSI to re-certify your tank, if requested. Hydro-testing would require removal of the tank from the motor home.  I had a new tank "vapor valve" installed in the existing tank with no other problems occurring.  This fix would also work if the packing is leaking around the stem.  ;D
The selected media item is not currently available.
Gerry & Brenda
CHARLOTTE HARBOR, FL
1994 Grand Villa - # 4466
U300 Unihome - 6V92 Detroit
4 speed Allison - Jake Brake

Re: When the propane tank runs out, what needs to be done?

Reply #8 –
We are still trying to use up all of our propane so that we can get the leak fixed.  We have been using our Weber Q almost continuously for the past 7 or 8 days and we are now on empty.  We have been on empty since around 6:00 p.m. last night and it keeps burning fuel.  Gotta be done soon so that we can get the new valve installed.  The needle is all the way at the bottom below empty.

So for any of you who get nervous when you see the gauge hovering around 1/4 tank, if all you use it for is the fridge and some occassional cooking, that 1/4 tank will last a L-O-N-G time.
George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.

Re: When the propane tank runs out, what needs to be done?

Reply #9 –
George, As you are finding out a little propane goes a longgggg way.  If I remember right propane liquid expands at about 400 to 1 so a gallon or so of liquid in a tank becomes a WHOLE lot of vapor as it expands. Then you mix propane vapor with air to get a flammable mixture and you can see That this is the property that makes propane so useful.  I wish diesel would expand the same way, I would cry a lot less as I watched the totals run up at the fuel stop. :D

Re: When the propane tank runs out, what needs to be done?

Reply #10 –
Gary, dont feel too bad.  The link below sends you to a web site that shows the equivalent BTU's per gallon of propane as compared to diesel (#2 Fuel Oil).  Diesel is the best value:

Propane:
1 Gal Propane = 91,600 Btu's

Gasoline:
1 Gal Gasoline (mid grade) = 125,000 Btu's

Ethanol:
1 Gal Ethanol = 76,000 Btu's

Fuel Oil:
1 Gal of #2 Fuel Oil = 139,000 Btu's
1 Gal of #4 Fuel Oil = 145,000 Btu's
1 Gal of #6 Fuel Oil = 150,000 Btu's



http://www.cogeneration.net/FuelAndEnergyConversionandEquivalence.htm
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: When the propane tank runs out, what needs to be done?

Reply #11 –
And #6 oil is so nasty!!!!  Yucky,  sticky, black stuff, much like liquid asphault .  Glad I don't have to mess with it any more!
1994 U225
build #4514

Re: When the propane tank runs out, what needs to be done?

Reply #12 –
And, avjet fuel is a form of distillate as is Fuel Oil.  But Bunkers (used in the moster diesels on ships) is like goop, just before you get to coke in the cracking process.
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: When the propane tank runs out, what needs to be done?

Reply #13 –
Peter. Thanks for the relative energy table, I had wondered about the relative output of these fuels. It is illuminating (pun intended).
 Remember vividly refueling underway in the North Atlantic (AKA to LSD) in December,1957. They had to heat the bunker fuel to get it pumped over.
No RV! Have hung up the keys.
In the past: 2016 Winnebago Era, 1994 Foretravel U240, 1995 Foretravel U240 (wide body), 1999 Foretravel 320, 36 Foot, 2003 Foretravel U320 38 foot,

Re: When the propane tank runs out, what needs to be done?

Reply #14 –
That is ok. I had a full tank of propane and then went to take the coach out and it was empty.  So, I had it filled again.  Then I saw the leak was in the regulator. Replace that and all is fine.  I have had the same tank of propane now for over a year.
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon