Got a live one for ya...

Manke3010

Active Member
Hey all,

A month ago was the last time we used our Cyclone. I smelled a good amount of propane on the ODS tank location. (that's opposite door side, right?).
I opened the door, sprayed some soapy water on the regulator and it was bubbling where the ventilation holes are on the regulator. I replaced the regulator.
The propane is flowing and working out of both tanks, stove works, etc.

The furnace was then only coming on, running constantly, but not igniting, so just blowing cold air. I had the DS side propane tank closed and was running everything off the ODS tank.
So I tried closing the ODS tank, diverting the regulator on the DS (with the red/green screen screen on the valve of the regulator), and opened up the DS tank.
Fired up the furnace, and it worked, heat was coming through and everything.
I then went over to the ODS side tank and smelled a lot of propane while the DS tank was open and running the furnace. Sprayed soapy water on it and it was coming out of the same vent area of the new regulator I installed.
I shut the furnace off, but still leaking out of the ODS regulator. So I closed both propane tanks and that of course stops the leak.

Sooo...what gives? Any ideas?

I'm assuming on the DS tank holding area, that black knob I used to divert from one tank to the other does have a regulator behind the white plastic housing, right? If so, do you think that regulator is bad?
Why wouldn't the furnace fire when I had the ODS tank open and the DS closed? (I had the diverter pointed to the correct tank AND the stove inside was working just fine on that tank)

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance :)
 
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mlo166

Member
Dear Manke:

What you have described about appears to be liquid propane getting into the regulator. Propane regulators are designed to handle vapor - not liquid. Determine if you have "overfilled" your propane tank or one of them. Propane liquid expands as the outside temperature goes up from the time of "filling" the tank. i.e. If your propane dealer filled your tank or either one of them beyond the %85 capacity limit and your outside temperature at the time you fired up your furnance was, say, more than 80 degrees or so, then you will get liquid in your regulator! AND, the regulator will LEAK! AND, your regulator is permanently DAMAGED! It also appears from your discussion that one of your tanks was "overfilled" and the other tank liquid-level is fine, explaining why your funance worked after the switch-over. I am guessing that you don't have a liquid-level gauge for the tanks. OR, you can weigh the tanks again, locate the WC impressed on the tank, (water capacity amount in gallons), TW (Tare weight of tank empty), 4.23 lbs per gallon for propane, and use the %85 rule for the full limit amount (6.8 gallons) . For example: tank has WC 8.00, TW 12.00 impressed on it in other words, you have an 8 gallon capacity tank weighing 15 bs empty. Placing the tank on the mass scales: 30 lbs is indicated. Now, subtract the TW (12 lbs) from the indicated mass weight and you have 18 lbs of fuel, or calculate: 18 / 4.23 = 4 1/4 gallons in it. This is a safe amount. However, the tank will be "overfilled" if the total gallons pumped into the tank is more than 6.8 gallons, or 6.8 x 4.23 = 28.8 lbs of fuel, add the TW and IF YOUR SCALES INDICATE MORE THAN 41 lbs, IT IS OVERFILLED and exceeds the %85 capacity. Liquid will first come out into your regulator. Your propane dealer knows this rule and was trained to know how to fill your RV tanks, and etc... Go back to your propane dealer for a resolution of your problem.
(BTW - was in the propane business for decades, then became a lawyer, then handled cases like this... now, I enjoy the time off in my MPG!)
 
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traveler44

Well-known member
I had a c.g. charge me for 7 gallons in a 30# tank and I got back in the truck and told the wife that they overcharged me because I thought that was more than the the tank would hold. I didn't know that they were endagering my equipment by overfilling. My tanks have a TW of 23.5 # thats empty weight. You must be talking about smaller tanks that only have a TW of 12#. I guess the moral of the story is that if they fill it in cold weather you better burn some out in cold weather. Think I'll weigh mine and let some out if needed- had them filled in cold weather. Should be ok to take the hose off and dump some, that way it doesn't go through the regulator? Tom M.
 
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hoefler

Well-known member
DO NOT do it!! Do not just vent it off!! Propane is heavier than air and will settle in low lying areas. Propane expands 270% when it goes from liquid to vapor. If you release 1 gallon of liquid propane, you will have 270 gallons of vapor. If a vehicle drives through your vapor cloud it can cause a flash fire. If some one throws a lit cigarette into your vapor cloud, it can cause a flash fire. If your vapor cloud reaches a ignition source, you get the picture. To properly release propane from your tank, requires a fixture that releases it above the ground and burned off. Take it back to the dealer that filled your tanks and make them deal with it. If they give you any resistance at all, contact the local fire department and the division of weights and measures.
 

katkens

Founding Illinios Chapter Leader-retired
I had a c.g. charge me for 7 gallons in a 30# tank and I got back in the truck and told the wife that they overcharged me because I thought that was more than the the tank would hold. I didn't know that they were endagering my equipment by overfilling. My tanks have a TW of 23.5 # thats empty weight. You must be talking about smaller tanks that only have a TW of 12#. I guess the moral of the story is that if they fill it in cold weather you better burn some out in cold weather. Think I'll weigh mine and let some out if needed- had them filled in cold weather. Should be ok to take the hose off and dump some, that way it doesn't go through the regulator? Tom M.

Tom, don't believe I would be that concerned ,propane weighs about 4 pounds per gallon. It will only add a few tenths to the weight depending on temps ,so 7 gallon is just a little over 29 pounds. I don't know tested safety margin of the tanks but has to be over 30 pounds.....Kenny
 

porthole

Retired
I made up this sheet so I could easily check my propane levels.
I also happen to have convenient a 50 pound scale.

The "current tank" left and right are the two fields to edit (in red), e.g. actual weight of tank.
 

Attachments

  • propane tank capacity.xls
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JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
http://www.propane101.com/consumerpropanecylinders.htm

As far as just opening the valve and letting her blow, than might not work (even though it's unsafe as ****)

OPD valves are also designed to only allow propane into and out of the bottle if attached to the appropriate hose end connection. The threads on this type of connection are called ACME threads and are visible on the OPD valve at the point of connection. The ACME threads are easily identified by how much larger and farther apart they are as compared to normal pipe threads. OPD valves will not allow propane out of the bottle if it is not hooked up to anything. This is why turning (opening) an OPD handwheel on an unattached bottle does nothing in terms of letting propane out. Many people think that the bottle is empty but in fact, the cylinder needs to be hooked up to allow any gas out. Learn more about the Valve Open - No Propane issue that many users have with OPD equipped propane cylinders.
 
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