Propane Tank Tips

Propane Tank Tips

After 20+ years off grid using propane I thought I knew all there was to know but there is still something to be learned and in In this video I explain the basics of using propane tanks and also share some tips and tricks for using the tanks to make them work better and be safer.

Tip #1: Be gentle with valves and regulators. Open and close valves slowly and don't crank them hard. You can damage the seals.

Tip #2: Keep tanks level. The OPD valve is designed to prevent liquid propane from escaping and will not work if the valve is tipped

Tip #3: LPG stands for liquid petroleum gas. The liquid in the tank boils when the valve is opened and ambient temp is above -40F and that is converted to gas that runs your appliances. Tanks need to be kept above -40F to operate

Tip #4: When propane gas travels through the valve and regulator it is very cold and if the air outside is moist it can freeze the regulator and valve. Move the tank to a warm spot in the sunshine, cover with a blanket or use a thermal/electric blanket.

Tip #5: Propane gas expands in heat and contracts in cold. The OPD valve will release propane if temp and tank pressure is high. Move the tank to the shade. In winter propane contracts and you can lose pressure in large tanks. Refill large tanks at 50% and keep tanks warm.

Hope that helps and if it doesn't contact your propane dealer!

#6, Larger portable propane tanks often have a safety cutoff built in to cut off supply if there is a sudden jump in flow. This is in case a line blows or is cut.

That means you have to crack open the valve slowly, or you'll be sitting there with a full tank and no propane coming out and wondering WTH??

The elevator across the tracks from me has a couple huge LP tanks.

One hot day I heard a wooosh. It continued and I started to smell propane so I looked over there and there was a plume of propane shooting out the top of the tank.
I decided to quit welding for awhile.
I had to go over and tell them, they didn't even notice.

Not sure what they did about it, probably just had to wait for the pressure to drop enough that the OPD valve would close.

On another day I was walking home and smelled propane. When I saw the propane guy I told him.
It was coming from the tank.
I guess there is an over pressure valve that when propane gets low it will open and leak.
He pushed it with his finger and got it to gush.
I think he just filled it up so it had enough pressure to hold the valve closed.