Filling Propane Tank

[homebase1]

GMCers
Is there someone out there who knows Exactly the process for
filling our propane tanks.

How exactly are the "fillers" trained !

What is the "DOT" approved process so that we can take control of
a situation, when we see it going sour !!

Anyone taken the course??

On one occasion, I had to physically intervene when a mouth
breather, after shutting off the then gushing flowing overfill valve,
kept filling from the freshly added (I was watching the meter)
7.something lbs to over 9lbs and was heading for a 'rounded' 10
lbs........anyway, it wasn't a pretty sight
In hindsight, I often wished I knew, the "real" story. At the time I
was going on "gut" feeling mixed with previous experience.

I'm brave, tell me, "Who" needed the 'attitude' adjustment ???

Tks
MIkeb..........' 77 Kingsley (now cooling its tires in Antigonish, NS)

Just read Emery's story.....this was at a Flying J

 

[emerystora]

>GMCers
>Is there someone out there who knows Exactly the process for
>filling our propane tanks.

It pretty simple. First they are to tell you to shut off all
appliances so there are no pilot lights burning. I always turn off
the main gas valve at the tank myself when I first open the door to
the propane compartment prior to having them fill it. That way you
know that there are no gas appliances running. They are also to
request that all passengers get out of the motorhome.

They should wear gloves because liquid LPG can cause instant frost
bite. They are to hook up their hose to your tank main fitting,
start their pump, open the small bleeder valve on your tank then open
their fill valve. When the vapor coming from the bleeder valve
begins to spit out liquid they should immediately shut off their fill
valve, shut the bleeder valve and turn off their pump and detach
their hose.

Since the opening of the pickup tube going to the bleeder valve is
down at the 80% level, it will start to bleed off liquid when there
is still a vapor space of 20% above the level of the liquid. This
will allow for internal expansion of the LPG even when the ambient
air temperature surrounding the tank gets quite high.

Before they screw the plastic cap (most are yellow) over the main
fill valve of your tank, I like to take a short piece of wood that I
carry with me in the tank compartment and strike the end of the fill
fitting a couple of times to make sure that the valve seat has sealed
properly. There is a disk with a gasket that has a spring behind it
and it sometimes hangs up in its passage and slowly leaks LPG. The
extreme cold of the liquid LPG will cause moisture in the air to
condense and freeze on the surface which can also often cause the
valve seal to cock at an angle and not seal. Even new valves can do
this at times.

Just remember that it is better to have an under filled tank than an
overfilled tank. They are not doing you any favor by cramming in
more LPG.

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Santa Fe, NM

 

[wayne nesbitt]

Good write up on propane tank filling Emery.
I would like to point out that folks should be sure that the refrig. pilot
is shut off preferably before the main valve at the tank.
If it is left on and the main valve is shut off the pilot can burn on for a
bit on the remaining gas in the line. For me on a 73 Glacier that is just
too close to the fill point for comfort. If the pilot is shut off first it
makes it easier to light because the lines are full.

I also shut my vents, windows and doors if for no other reason than to keep
the smell of the odourant out from the bleed off when the tank is 80% full
and avoid the wind throwing it across my sparking magic vent fan motor.

 

[bob mclaughlin]

It can't be said better than that.
Bob McLaughlin

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-gmcmotorhome
[mailtowner-gmcmotorhome]On Behalf Of Emery L. Stora
Sent: Sunday, May 28, 2000 8:08 AM
To: gmcmotorhome
Subject: Re: GMC: Filling Propane Tank

>GMCers
>Is there someone out there who knows Exactly the process for
>filling our propane tanks.

It pretty simple. First they are to tell you to shut off all
appliances so there are no pilot lights burning. I always turn off
the main gas valve at the tank myself when I first open the door to
the propane compartment prior to having them fill it. That way you
know that there are no gas appliances running. They are also to
request that all passengers get out of the motorhome.

They should wear gloves because liquid LPG can cause instant frost
bite. They are to hook up their hose to your tank main fitting,
start their pump, open the small bleeder valve on your tank then open
their fill valve. When the vapor coming from the bleeder valve
begins to spit out liquid they should immediately shut off their fill
valve, shut the bleeder valve and turn off their pump and detach
their hose.

Since the opening of the pickup tube going to the bleeder valve is
down at the 80% level, it will start to bleed off liquid when there
is still a vapor space of 20% above the level of the liquid. This
will allow for internal expansion of the LPG even when the ambient
air temperature surrounding the tank gets quite high.

Before they screw the plastic cap (most are yellow) over the main
fill valve of your tank, I like to take a short piece of wood that I
carry with me in the tank compartment and strike the end of the fill
fitting a couple of times to make sure that the valve seat has sealed
properly. There is a disk with a gasket that has a spring behind it
and it sometimes hangs up in its passage and slowly leaks LPG. The
extreme cold of the liquid LPG will cause moisture in the air to
condense and freeze on the surface which can also often cause the
valve seal to cock at an angle and not seal. Even new valves can do
this at times.

Just remember that it is better to have an under filled tank than an
overfilled tank. They are not doing you any favor by cramming in
more LPG.

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Santa Fe, NM

 

[jerry hoxsey]

Somewhere back in the caverns of my feeble mind I remember reading that one
should also turn the auto- pilot off when filling the propane tank. That
little spark is capable of igniting propane that may enter the fridge
compartment. By only turning the gas off to the fridge does not disable
that spark. It will continue to try to light the pilot.
Jerry