Propane Tank Care & Safety - R-pod Owners Forum

Author

Share Topic

Topic Search

Topic Options

Post Reply

Create New Topic

marshwatcher View Drop Down

Senior Member

Joined: 14 Jan 2011
Location: Sunny FLORIDA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 127

Topic: Propane Tank Care & Safety
Posted: 26 Jan 2011 at 10:41am

I admit I am confused

. I have tried reading up on the care and safety of propane tanks (never had used them before). Some say, don't fill all the way. Some say exchange them, some say refill. Some say gauges can be tricky...some say they are essential. Bottom line, if any of you good people, could give me an education in the care and safety of propane tanks, I will be very grateful!

If this topic is covered elsewhere on the forum...please direct me to it,

psaman

Senior Member

Joined: 26 Jun 2010
Location: Corpus Christi
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 231

Posted: 26 Jan 2011 at 11:29am

Originally posted by marshwatcher

I admit I am confused

If this topic is covered elsewhere on the forum...please direct me to it,

Well I am certainly not an expert, but I have had propane b-b-q grills for years and now, of course, SpongePod. I have never had anyone (including the places I fill the tanks at) tell me to underfill. Not saying there isn't a reason, just new to me. The only reason I can see to exchange them is because some people consider that easier than refilling. Plus, SUPPOSEDLY, when they are exchanged, the refilling establishment checks the tanks out. In my experience however, refilling is almost always cheaper than exchanging; at least down here. I have had in-line gauges attached to my grills for years also, and never had a problem. I don't have one hooked up to the pod yet.
The biggest enemy I see to standard propane tanks is rust. If left outdoors, time will take a toll. Prior to refilling, I always clean the exterior, steel brush off any rust, then spray paint the bad spots with Rustoleum. When I take them to be re-filled, the facility inspects the tank and if they deem it safe, they will re-fill. Just my experiences. I am intrigued though, by the new fiberglass tanks though.

2011 R-177 "Sponge-Pod"
2011 F-150 XLT "Texas Edition"

techntrek

Admin Group - pHp

Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9062

Posted: 26 Jan 2011 at 12:35pm

The biggest problem with exchanges is the exchange companies tend not to put a "full" fill in them. "Full" isn't really full with any propane tank BTW, they always leave 20% air space for expansion. My 500 gallon tank at home is never filled beyond 400 gallons.

Having them refilled at a station does tend to be cheaper, plus you can start off with a new tank and know over time how that tank was handled/stored.

The pressure-based add-on gauges are almost junk. The reason is due to how propane tanks work. The LPG is stored as a liquid and evaporates into the expansion area - this gas is what you burn in your appliances. That gas pressure remains constant as the liquid is used up, it is only at the very, very end that the pressure starts to fall off and so you'll see a difference on a pressure gauge. I used to have one of those gauges and by the time it indicated I needed more fuel usually it was too late.

There are 3 options that do work, two use the same method. One is the magnetic strip gauges which are really thermometers in disguise. They change color to show you the level of the liquid. However, over time they tend to not work well.

The method I use takes a little work but is very accurate. Get a cup of hot water and pour it slowly down the side of the tank, letting the water start at the upper shoulder. Take about 10 seconds to do this. Wait another 10 seconds, then rub your finger down the side of the tank where the water was. Where the gas changes to liquid you'll feel the metal change from warm to cold. The liquid absorbs the heat. This method is easier than the next one.

The final way is to take the tank off the camper and weigh it. The empty weight is stamped on the tank so you can subtract that and figure out the fuel weight. The standard tank is supposed to hold 20 pounds of fuel when full. This is 100% accurate, but a pain.

Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

Outbound

podders Helping podders - pHp

Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Location: Oshawa, Ontario
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 767

Posted: 26 Jan 2011 at 3:45pm

marshwatcher, propane tank care and safety is fairly basic. No significant worries, and most of the safety precautions are common sense.

First: regional dialects & differences. In some areas, they're called propane tanks, in other areas, they're called propane bottles; but they're the same thing. A standard BBQ tank (which is by far the most common size you'll see, and its the size that comes standard on an r-pod) is rated to hold 20 pounds of propane, which equates to (almost) 5 gallons; in some areas, people use pounds, in other areas, gallons.

The most vulnerable place on the tank (pretty much the only vulnerable area) is the valve. A hefty thwack with a sledge hammer or a fast moving, good sized rock has the potential to crack or knock off the valve. Of course, neither is very likely to happen; but, if it should happen, its very dangerous. Your tank does have a metal collar around the valve to protect it. But, for safety sake, when you mount your propane tank on your trailer, make sure that the opening of the collar faces toward the trailer (just in case a rock or other debris happens to kick up and hit the tank as you're travelling down the road). Also, make sure to use a cover on your tank to protect it from the elements.

As far as 'don't fill all the way'... there are some misconceptions and misunderstandings out there. Essentially, a propane tank must be no more than 80% filled; the remaining airspace is essential for expansion of the gas and to allow an expansion buffer when outside temperatures rise. Remember when I said that standard BBQ tanks are rated to hold 20 pounds / 5 gallons? Well, they can actually, potentially hold 25 pounds / 6 gallons; the 20 pounds / 5 gallons measure is 80% (yes, for those with a calculator, 80% of 6 is actually 4.8). A modern propane tank you'd buy today has a special safety valve (called an OPD) built-in that will only allow your tank to be filled to 80%; after that, it simply won't accept any more propane.

Refill vs exchange: tends to be a regional thing. In some places, its very difficult to find a propane refill station; this is generally because of the costs associated with safety equipment, insurance and staff training required to run a propane refill operation. A propane exchange is much cheaper to operate and generally requires little in the way of safety equipment, insurance or staff training. Either way, have a good look around and make sure that you feel comfortable dealing with the station. At a refil station, staff should be observing the rules and common sense (e.g. the filling equipment doesn't show signs of excessive wear, the area is fairly neat and free of debris, staff are wearing hefty gloves, weighing tanks before filling, inspecting expiry dates, NOT smoking). At an exchange, the tanks should be stored safely (upright, in a locked cage) and appear to be in good shape (a little rust is ok).

As far as gauges, they're simply not worth the effort. For the most part, they all read full until you're down to the last few minutes at which point they read empty. However, if you feel that you must, you might consider a see-thru composite tank (you can actually see the propane level), or you could consider a Manchester SureFlame tank (which has a built-in float gauge and does accurately report the gas level). But, I suggest using techntrek's advice and either weigh the tank (with a fish scale, for example) or use the hot water method.

Finally, propane tanks have a limited life. There is a date code stamped on the collar, and filling stations are required by law to not fill after a tank is 10 years old.

Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150

marshwatcher View Drop Down

Senior Member

Joined: 14 Jan 2011
Location: Sunny FLORIDA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 127

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 at 9:16am

Thanks one and all! The time you took to help end my confusion is much appreciated. I feel more confident now using propane.

TIDALWAVE

Senior Member

Joined: 21 Nov 2009
Location: MINNESOTA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 315

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 at 10:54am

Modern LP tank valves will only allow an 80% fill. Fill will stop at that point. I gave up on add-on pressure gauges. I connected two tanks with an 'automatic' switch over. When one tank is empty...it is time to get it re-filled. To protect the tanks, I installed a plastic tank cover over the tanks.
It has a snap down lid to inspect the valves and is quickly removed to allow the tanks to be refilled.

TIDALWAVE