Overfilled Propane Tanks -- How Dangerous are They?

[JDeerekid]

The chart didn't come out like it was suppose to but you should be able to figure it out.

 

[CurlyDave]

If he let you walk away with it then it probably is not dangerous at all.

This being CA, he was what used to be described as "Limited English Proficient". I don't believe he is/was aware of any safety regulations.

We heated up the grill at maximum output for ~45 minutes, and then have cooked on it for ~2 hours, so I suspect it is OK by now. We store it outdoors, and the grill itself shades the tank from the sun.

The meter at the filling station really did read 5 gallons, and it was a nominal 5 gallon tank. It may be that they are cheating a little on their meter. Tare weight of the tank is stamped on it as 20 lb. Back in Oregon, I have a 50 lb hand held scale I used to determine how full the tanks are, and when to change them.

Anyway, I am beginning to think that we are OK as is, and a couple more uses will put us into the "approved for dumb consumers" range.

 

[Soundguy]

sounds like you are way ahead of the cure already if you have seen off gassing..

soundguy

If he let you walk away with it then it probably is not dangerous at all.

This being CA, he was what used to be described as "Limited English Proficient". I don't believe he is/was aware of any safety regulations.

We heated up the grill at maximum output for ~45 minutes, and then have cooked on it for ~2 hours, so I suspect it is OK by now. We store it outdoors, and the grill itself shades the tank from the sun.

The meter at the filling station really did read 5 gallons, and it was a nominal 5 gallon tank. It may be that they are cheating a little on their meter. Tare weight of the tank is stamped on it as 20 lb. Back in Oregon, I have a 50 lb hand held scale I used to determine how full the tanks are, and when to change them.

Anyway, I am beginning to think that we are OK as is, and a couple more uses will put us into the "approved for dumb consumers" range.

 

[JC-jetro]

Overfill prevention mechanism works off of a float with an arm, a pivot point and the movement of float and the linkage closes the fill valve. The same tanks used to be filled almost to the rim with no issues. As long as you have enough airspace for the liquid propane to vaporize to gas. Since the float needs to have range of motion and has to be lower than the fill valve necessitates lower normal liquid level, and that's where 4 gallon requirement comes.

JC,