Carrying propane tank

[Weight]

HDR, tell Bob.

 

[VanKitten]

I plan to carry the tanks in an outside box.   
The box is waterproof...so I guess it doesn't have much ventilation.... does it need it?
 Are propane fumes lighter or heavier than air

Maybe a couple holes drilled in the bottom (where it can't rain in) would be enough?

 

[deadwood]

I plan to carry the tanks in an outside box.   
The box is waterproof...so I guess it doesn't have much ventilation.... does it need it?
 Are propane fumes lighter or heavier than air

Maybe a couple holes drilled in the bottom (where it can't rain in) would be enough?

Propane is heaviere then air. It is common to put a vent in the bottom of the propane storage locker so that if it does leak it will just escape out of the bottom of the storage locker. For inside storage I think this is a must have. For outside storage I'm not as sure. The main reason having the vent is so that you don't end up breathing the propane fumes. For outside storage you shouldn't have to worry about that.

It might still be good practice to at least have a small vent on the bottom just so that any LP won't be able to accumulate in the storage locker.

 

[highdesertranger]

the most common issue with mechanical pressure release valves is after they release in an overpressure situation they don't seal 100% again. besides using the word NEVER when referring to mechanical devices is never a good idea. see what I did there. highdesertranger

 

[Zil]

I thought they made a joke. I know valves fail. You know valves fail. But others gave advice that hinted they don't fail. !!

 

[John61CT]

Cylinders must be inspected and requalified every 10 years, good time to put in a new valve.

 

[highdesertranger]

here in the US it's 12 years. if you are talking BBQ cylinders it is cheaper to buy a new tank then to have it recertified. highdesertranger

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Just another word of caution. It's not only propane tanks that should be mounted securely. Batteries, wall cabinets, anything with a little heft to them could come flying towards the drivers seat in an accident. Propane tanks seem to get most of the attention though when it comes to securing things. We are all going to die sometime, but I plan on avoiding decapitation if at all possible. though I suppose there are worse ways to check off this earth.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

here in the US it's 12 years.  if you are talking BBQ cylinders it is cheaper to buy a new tank then to have it recertified.  highdesertranger

In January the DOT changed the rule from 12 years to 10.  That rule was put on hold because of a petition from the National Propane Gas Association in March.  When I had my tank recertified in May it was still 12 years. I don't know its current status.

For my 20# tank it was $15 for recertifying.  If you can't find a recertifier it might be easier and cheaper to just do a tank exchange.

https://www.npga.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1911

 -- Spiff

 

[akrvbob]

Obviously anything can fail. I look at the risk-reward of the things I do and if I'm so cautious that I'm not going to do anything that has a .0000000001% chance of catastrophic failure, then I'm going to sit in my rocking chair waiting to die.

I don't want to live that way.

I think the odds of a catastrophic failure of a pressure relief valve of a propane bottle happening to me or anyone I may influence is so low I simply give it no credence or consideration.

We all have to make our own decisions on how cautious we want to be, and while you're decisions might be wrong for me I can't say they are wrong for you.

 

[akrvbob]

Having said I don't think there is any significant risk in a failure of a pressure relief valve, let me tell you where there is a significant risk with a propane bottle:

Most of us are connecting an adaptor hose to hook up a Coleman-type camping appliances to a bulk bottle. That hose has a crimp, and I have had one fail and turn into a blow torch while I was cooking dinner in my van.

It was a very old hose, probably 5-8 years old, and I think it had been used and moved so much that one day it just failed.

I decided that was a significant risk, and so I take steps to prevent it from happening again. I decided to replace the hose every two years and only to buy top-quality hoses--I only buy Mr. Buddy brand hoses now.

I'm comfortable with the risk involved with that decision.