Propane Tank - What to do

[Gary Fowler]

I asked about an adapter to fill the 20lb bottles from my 500 gallon tank. I was told one was something like $600 and had to be installed by them.

If there is a tree endangering it, one of them needs to be moved. OP's choice as to which.

All that is required is a high pressure hose (suitable for liquid propane) and a standard nozzle that hooks to a propane cylinder. Hook it on to the liquid valve on the tank (valves should be marked as either liquid or vapor). I cant see this costing more than $100 for all. If you don't know how to fill a tank, a certification from your propane dealer can fix that. This certification is required in order to fill tanks commercially like the RV campgrounds for instance. Not a hard thing to do and you don't need a scale, just slightly open the little bled valve on the tank using a screwdriver. Fill the tank till liquid starts coming out and the tank is then 80% full. Close the supply hose valve and the bleed valve.
That is the way we used to fill our propane tank for our tractor.

Just be careful that you don't get liquid propane on your skin as it will cause a severe burn. When removing the hose from the small tank, wear leather gloves, slightly loosen the valve so it starts to bleed off, then wiggle it a bit till it stops squirting liquid out, then finish unscrewing the valve

 

[ultrarunner]

if its a horizontal above ground tank it is an ASME vessel and no re-certifications are required per NFPA 58. it does however have to be in good condition well painted with little or no rust. Vertical cylinders ( DOT ) need to be certified ASME does not.

Thanks Jack for posting... couldn't remember NFPA 58

 

[Wilco]

All that is required is a high pressure hose (suitable for liquid propane) and a standard nozzle that hooks to a propane cylinder. Hook it on to the liquid valve on the tank (valves should be marked as either liquid or vapor). I cant see this costing more than $100 for all. If you don't know how to fill a tank, a certification from your propane dealer can fix that. This certification is required in order to fill tanks commercially like the RV campgrounds for instance. Not a hard thing to do and you don't need a scale, just slightly open the little bled valve on the tank using a screwdriver. Fill the tank till liquid starts coming out and the tank is then 80% full. Close the supply hose valve and the bleed valve.
That is the way we used to fill our propane tank for our tractor.

Just be careful that you don't get liquid propane on your skin as it will cause a severe burn. When removing the hose from the small tank, wear leather gloves, slightly loosen the valve so it starts to bleed off, then wiggle it a bit till it stops squirting liquid out, then finish unscrewing the valve

The liquid withdrawal port on the tank needs a special vavle to connect. I have found in most cases the "Check" in the withdrawal port will be stuck partially open. You do not want to **ck with this valve...if its failed...once the cap is removed your going to be in a world of trouble as High pressure liquid propane blows out and there's nothing your going to be able to do to stop it. Propane will puddle just like water and when it finds an ignition source...KABOOM!! Game Over!! My advice would be to call your local LP suppliers and see if they will take it.

 

[aczlan]

The liquid withdrawal port on the tank needs a special vavle to connect. I have found in most cases the "Check" in the withdrawal port will be stuck partially open. You do not want to **ck with this valve...if its failed...once the cap is removed your going to be in a world of trouble as High pressure liquid propane blows out and there's nothing your going to be able to do to stop it. Propane will puddle just like water and when it finds an ignition source...KABOOM!! Game Over!! My advice would be to call your local LP suppliers and see if they will take it.

I agree, you don't want to jury-rig anything to do with propane, especially liquid propane.

Aaron Z

 

[Jack Murdock]

All that is required is a high pressure hose (suitable for liquid propane) and a standard nozzle that hooks to a propane cylinder. Hook it on to the liquid valve on the tank (valves should be marked as either liquid or vapor). I cant see this costing more than $100 for all. If you don't know how to fill a tank, a certification from your propane dealer can fix that. This certification is required in order to fill tanks commercially like the RV campgrounds for instance. Not a hard thing to do and you don't need a scale, just slightly open the little bled valve on the tank using a screwdriver. Fill the tank till liquid starts coming out and the tank is then 80% full. Close the supply hose valve and the bleed valve.
That is the way we used to fill our propane tank for our tractor.

Just be careful that you don't get liquid propane on your skin as it will cause a severe burn. When removing the hose from the small tank, wear leather gloves, slightly loosen the valve so it starts to bleed off, then wiggle it a bit till it stops squirting liquid out, then finish unscrewing the valve

Some people do this and some do it safely. The ones that do not do it safely make the news. Liquid propane is dangerous I have been handling it for 40 years and would recommend you do not do this. No matter how easy it is made out to be it is still inherently dangerous I cannot imagine the liability or what the insurance adjuster would say.....you did what ? Liquid propane expands 272 time when vaporizing. If you cannot find someone to safely evacuate the tank PM me and I will help you. I market propane all over the USA

 

[Egon]

Have the tank emptied and sell it. Your returns will be much greater than the cost of barbaque fuel.

Filling your own tanks is doable but how it works and is done and what to do in a failure mode is required. In cold temperatures it is easy to overfill a small tank that may start venting as it warms up unless you are weighing everything.

I can recall filling a bucket with liquids propane using a hose and needle valve. It is surprising how long the propane will remain liquid before it has all evaporated.

 

[Gary Fowler]

The liquid withdrawal port on the tank needs a special vavle to connect. I have found in most cases the "Check" in the withdrawal port will be stuck partially open. You do not want to **ck with this valve...if its failed...once the cap is removed your going to be in a world of trouble as High pressure liquid propane blows out and there's nothing your going to be able to do to stop it. Propane will puddle just like water and when it finds an ignition source...KABOOM!! Game Over!! My advice would be to call your local LP suppliers and see if they will take it.

First off, you dont hook up to a relieve check valve on the supply tank, you pipe into the liquid valve on the supply tank and there isn't a check valve on that to stick. If you have the correct hose, nozzle and valves there is no problem and if the check valve is stuck open on the tank being filled, it isn't a big deal. You have three shut off valves- one at the big supply tank where the hose is hooked to the liquid port, one on the small tank being filled and one on the end of the hose. At most you would have liquid in the portion of the apparatus from the valve to the small tank which is what you have each time you are filling the tank just like you have when the propane company fills the tank. You just have to close the valves and bleed it off, it ain't rocket science to fill a propane tank. You just need the proper valves and fittings and procedural knowledge that should be available from your propane distributor. Owners of propane fired tractors don't call the distributor every time they need to refill their tractors 30-50 gallon tank.

 

[LouNY]

First off, you dont hook up to a relieve check valve on the supply tank, you pipe into the liquid valve on the supply tank and there isn't a check valve on that to stick. If you have the correct hose, nozzle and valves there is no problem and if the check valve is stuck open on the tank being filled, it isn't a big deal. You have three shut off valves- one at the big supply tank where the hose is hooked to the liquid port, one on the small tank being filled and one on the end of the hose. At most you would have liquid in the portion of the apparatus from the valve to the small tank which is what you have each time you are filling the tank just like you have when the propane company fills the tank. You just have to close the valves and bleed it off, it ain't rocket science to fill a propane tank. You just need the proper valves and fittings and procedural knowledge that should be available from your propane distributor. Owners of propane fired tractors don't call the distributor every time they need to refill their tractors 30-50 gallon tank.

What you say is very true. But I have one question.
How many readers on here have ever run a propane fueled tractor, of those how many have ever refilled it.
Also the old way is not the acceptable way any more, they want you to have a pump and pump into your tank without venting it.

 

[Wilco]

First off, you dont hook up to a relieve check valve on the supply tank, you pipe into the liquid valve on the supply tank and there isn't a check valve on that to stick. If you have the correct hose, nozzle and valves there is no problem and if the check valve is stuck open on the tank being filled, it isn't a big deal. You have three shut off valves- one at the big supply tank where the hose is hooked to the liquid port, one on the small tank being filled and one on the end of the hose. At most you would have liquid in the portion of the apparatus from the valve to the small tank which is what you have each time you are filling the tank just like you have when the propane company fills the tank. You just have to close the valves and bleed it off, it ain't rocket science to fill a propane tank. You just need the proper valves and fittings and procedural knowledge that should be available from your propane distributor. Owners of propane fired tractors don't call the distributor every time they need to refill their tractors 30-50 gallon tank.

Gary, I'm talking about the liquid withdrawal port...not the relief valve. That's the only port on the tank for liquid. And I say again DON'T mess with this.Your talking about connecting to the fill port which is a vapor port. You'll get some gas from it but not much because the tank pressures will equalize rapidly and transfer Wil stop. To the OP...play it safe and call your local L.P. Co and have them remove the tank even if it cost you a little money. It's not worth risking your life over.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

First off, you dont hook up to a relieve check valve on the supply tank, you pipe into the liquid valve on the supply tank and there isn't a check valve on that to stick. If you have the correct hose, nozzle and valves there is no problem and if the check valve is stuck open on the tank being filled, it isn't a big deal. You have three shut off valves- one at the big supply tank where the hose is hooked to the liquid port, one on the small tank being filled and one on the end of the hose. At most you would have liquid in the portion of the apparatus from the valve to the small tank which is what you have each time you are filling the tank just like you have when the propane company fills the tank. You just have to close the valves and bleed it off, it ain't rocket science to fill a propane tank. You just need the proper valves and fittings and procedural knowledge that should be available from your propane distributor. Owners of propane fired tractors don't call the distributor every time they need to refill their tractors 30-50 gallon tank.

Gary, several of us are continuing comments on the possibility that the OP has a liquid supply valve on the tank. If the OP does not have that feature we are all beating our gums over nothing. He has never come back, that I have seen, on whether he has that feature. If he does I can give him links to get the pieces he needs to fill small tanks as I do it often. Normally those liquid valves are 3/8 SAE male flare or 1/4 FIPT. If you condense vapor into a small tank as I explained earlier you lose very little vapor. Just have to watch the scale and err below capacity. Same hose and tank fittings as for liquid.

Ron