Does Your Propane Tank Need Someone Looking Out For It ?

[Charlesaf3]

I solve the problem by barbecuing over a wood fire - even Mass has no oak transportation rules yet

 

[bencjedi]

I solve the problem by barbecuing over a wood fire - even Mass has no oak transportation rules yet

In your living room? The propane tank use I am talking about if for a corner fireplace.

 

[Ductape]

Your propane company is just sticking it to you. I don't know why, but propane companies are some of the worst offenders when it comes to charging for nothing. All I can suggest is to find another place to fill your tanks. Around here there are a few small business, like a camper dealer or service station, that fill propane tanks. Its no problem bringing in a hundred pounder to have filled. Shirley there is someplace else to buy propane within driving distance......... you need to stop spending any money with the jamokes who have been filling your tank !

 

[Bird]

I'm assuming (guessing) the problem is not that they will not allow you to haul a 100# bottle, but that they will not allow you to haul it laying down (horizontal) and you have no safe way to secure it standing upright. I can remember many years ago when the snow birds (winter RVers) at Port Aransas, TX, had to go to Aransas Pass to fill LPG bottles and they were not allowed on the ferries transporting a 100# bottle laying down in their pickups. But it was the state owned and operated ferries, not the LPG dealer, who had that rule, so of course, most of them just covered their bottles in the back of the pickups before getting to the ferry landing and no one was the wiser.

 

[Richard]

Interesting thread.

I get REAL nervous anytime I'm carrying propane with me. I have two 100# tanks and three 30# tanks.

I fill them all at the beginning of fall and keep the big ones in reserve in case we get snowed in. I toss the little ones in my trunk. They've never said anything and it's maybe 6-8 miles from there to here. I come straight home.

Sometimes I'll also have 30 gallons of diesel with me (5-gal containers). As I'm driving down the road, usually alone, I just dare someone to backend me because it would be the end of both of us!

When I carry tanks, this is what I do to keep them from rolling. I have some treated 6x6's that are maybe 18" long. I set the down (yes, laying down ) and put the 6x6's on the outside of it. I then take some of those small ratchet straps and winch the group together. The 6x6's on the outside keeps things from rolling around and the straps keep everything together.

This works with a single tank very nicely and I've never had a tank rolling around. When I get two tanks in there, I ratchet them togethter as well, even the handles of them. Locking the handles together (for me) has kept them from rolling around.

I'll use the truck if I can get it. I don't like the idea of propane in my trunk nor the idea of it so close to me. I also realize if the tank was in the bed of the truck and somehow exploded...it wouldn't really matter if I was in the truck or my car. I figure I'm gone either way.

 

[pat32rf]

When I had my Cherokee and trailer I used to get the camp 100lbers filled at the rental where I was well known. They used to ask me to let them go into the building before I reloaded the bottles. Now that I have a pick-up I just strap them upright to the "back-rack"....

 

[bencjedi]

Yeah, I suppose the company was making excuses and knew as a newbie person buying propane in a 100# tank the first time.. that I was none the wiser. The guy did say these tanks must stand tall and not be laid on their sides for safety reasons with the valve.
I'm going to see if the tool rental place down the road has propane refills and if they will have the same "must stand the tank tall and have bracing at least 2/3rds the height of the tank" before I decide to invest in making a cage to bolt in the back bed of my pickup truck to firmly hold a 100# tank upright. Originally when I went to Southern States I had the tank very well racket-strapped (multiple straps) and saw no possible way it was going to move, but of course I was 'put in my place' about safe transport of these things.

 

[CurlyDave]

Before I went and had a custom-made tank cage welded up, I would look into a lumber rack.

I have one on my pickup and when I have to carry a tank, I chain the top of the tank to the top rail of the lumber rack in such a way that it can't tip over. A second chain around one of the uprights adds redundant safety.

Now the holes in the guard around the valve, which doubles as a handle, have to be rated to take the full weight of the tank, and the rack is clearly capable of supporting more than the tank's full weight.

The lumber rack has many uses other than just carrying tanks, unlike a custom made cage, and can be removed if necessary. I think I paid about $250 for mine...

 

[2manyrocks]

The little fire extinguisher bottles are held in place by a clamp. Looks to me that all you need is an upright, a collar at the bottom to hold at the bottom in place and a larger clamping device near the top. The upright could be bolted to the side rail on a truck bed.

I for sure would not put it on top of a car luggage rack. If it ever got loose....

 

[CurlyDave]

Rocks:

I said lumber rack, not luggage rack.

The bottom of the tank sits in the bed of the truck, the top is chained to the rack.