Lite propane cylinders?

funntheson

Well-known member
My wife and I were watching "How it's Made" today, and they showed Propane cylinders being made out of fiberglass. I found a website that has more info. These tanks weigh 30% less than the standard metal tanks, and they are transparent, so you never have to guess how much propane is left. They are DOT approved.

Is there any reason why we can't replace our metal tanks with these? I am very interested, and i will be researching this further in the coming days.
 

rustyshakelford

Well-known member
They are pretty neat but I want to say they are about 3x's the price of a standard tank. Besides the high cost I can't think of many negatives.

Brett
 

hoefler

Well-known member
They cannot be re-certified more than once, which is a visual inspection. Which is 14 years past date of manufacture. You can not hydro them to get any more certifications.
 

funntheson

Well-known member
They cannot be re-certified more than once, which is a visual inspection. Which is 14 years past date of manufacture. You can not hydro them to get any more certifications.

So, you are saying that you can't certify them after 14 years?

I know they cost more, but less weight is always good, and an accurate propane level reading without a gauge is priceless.

You can get a 20# tank for about $100. What size are the tanks that come with the Landlarks and Bighorns?
 
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funntheson

Well-known member
I looked again at the website (litecylinder.com). They have a 25# which says it holds 7.57 gal, and a 33 that says it is for forklifts that holds 9.1 gal.
 

funntheson

Well-known member
That 33# tank is for horizontal mounting/liquid withdrawal only. Not usable in your RV.

Yeah, I figured as much, but I can carry (3) 25# tanks, and have 15# more than I currently carry.

How do you all feel about carrying a full spare propane tank in your storage compartment?
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
The normal 30# steel tank holds from 7 to 7.4 gallons of LP. Some places fill by weight, some fill by overflow and then again, some fill by the auto shut off feature of the valve. I'm guessing the 25# tank you mentioned would be the size to go with.

As for carrying a spare LP tank in the rig? I don't think I would be comfortable doing that. I guess if it were mounted securely with no chance of falling over and bouncing around, it should be no worse than the OEM tanks that are mounted in the LP storage compartment. The main difference is ventilation. The LP storage is open on the bottom. I carry an extra 20# in the bed of the truck in a plastic milk crate strapped to a tie down in the front of the bed. Heck, that may not be very safe either. Do what you're comfortable with.
 

hoefler

Well-known member
Yeah, I figured as much, but I can carry (3) 25# tanks, and have 15# more than I currently carry.

How do you all feel about carrying a full spare propane tank in your storage compartment?

DOT requires that all propane tanks be transported in a upright position, secured in position and not in an enclosed compartment that is not vented to the outside. You can not haul one in your trunk, on its side, or unrestrained, etc..
 

dewwood

Well-known member
I believe the 30% weight savings is only on the empty tank which would amount to only a couple of pounds per tank. The weight of the propane is still the same @ 4.4 lbs per gallon. The weight savings would not be enough to justify switching but if you feel being able to observe the liquid level is important then that would justify switching.
 

branson4020

Icantre Member
So.. An empty 30# cylinder weighs what - 15 - 20lbs? So you save 4 - 6 lbs total? This is not looking interesting anymore.
 

SouthernNights

Past South Carolina Chapter Leader
Not trying to high jack the thread but this one seems to be done as far as the weight issue goes.

I do have a question about transporting propane. I may be doing a big no-no.

I carry a spare 20lb. for my grill/burner in a Todd Dockbox mounted on the rear of the trailer. It is made of heavy fiberglass. While the lid does not seal tight, it is very water tight.
There is no ventilation inside this box. I know propane is heavier than air so any escaping propane will lay at the bottom of this box.
Do I need to put some form of ventilation in the bottom of this box? If I do, that kind of negates the purpose of having a water tight box for storage. I really dont want want to carry the bottle in the truck. I know this is a dumb question and the answer appears to be obvious, but maybe I am missing something.
 

hoefler

Well-known member
You really need to relocate it, That is a bomb if you get rear ended! If the box is dark colored, it will heat and can cause the bottle to vent from excessive pressure. All propane tanks over pressure device to vent the tank instead of causing a B.L.E.V.E. ( Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion ), this is why they are all painted white or silver. Tie it up in the back of you truck to be safe.
 
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