Did I mess up my tank?

MCTalley

Well-known member
Took one of my 30 lb. propane tanks to go fill it. Since we were stopping several places, I put the empty tank on its side in the truck bed and closed my cover. When I stopped (as my last stop) at the gas station that refills propane tanks, the guy hooked everything up and couldn't get gas to flow into the tank. Opening the screw on the side of the tank let air/gas out, but opening the valve wouldn't let any pressure out nor could he get gas to flow in. He said it was some safety valve and that there was nothing he could do.

I've had the tank filled before (at other places) and arrived with it sitting on its side. I had one place tell me I should never set the tank on its side, but didn't explain why.

Is it time to just go have the tank replaced?
 

SNOKING

Well-known member
Took one of my 30 lb. propane tanks to go fill it. Since we were stopping several places, I put the empty tank on its side in the truck bed and closed my cover. When I stopped (as my last stop) at the gas station that refills propane tanks, the guy hooked everything up and couldn't get gas to flow into the tank. Opening the screw on the side of the tank let air/gas out, but opening the valve wouldn't let any pressure out nor could he get gas to flow in. He said it was some safety valve and that there was nothing he could do.

I've had the tank filled before (at other places) and arrived with it sitting on its side. I had one place tell me I should never set the tank on its side, but didn't explain why.

Is it time to just go have the tank replaced?

Bang it on the ground a few times in the upright position and try again. Chris
 

rxbristol

Well-known member
Malcolm,

I remember reading, in Trailer Life or the Escapees magazine, about a propane tank graveyard because individuals let their tanks roll around in the beds of their pickups...:( I currently have two laying on their side which I'm rethinking because the pressure relief valve cannot do its job and if it did vent it would let go of liquid propane and not just vapor.
 

travelin2

Pennsylvania Chapter Leaders-retired
Lying on its side shouldn't have done any damage unless you were letting it roll around back there as you drove. I've done the same but I carry an old plastic milk carton that's just the right size to hold it in place while lying down.
Do what Chris says


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

MCTalley

Well-known member
I'll try dropping it a few times and try it again when the other tank gets low (we have an empty and a pretty full tank). We haven't had to use propane except for occasional stove use, but we're semi-boondocking over the holiday weekend and the temps will be in the low 50's the next few nights. Since we have 15 amp service, we were planning on running the furnace a bit.
 

Bones

Well-known member
I'll try dropping it a few times and try it again when the other tank gets low (we have an empty and a pretty full tank). We haven't had to use propane except for occasional stove use, but we're semi-boondocking over the holiday weekend and the temps will be in the low 50's the next few nights. Since we have 15 amp service, we were planning on running the furnace a bit.

You can always take the tank to a gas place and have them remove the valve and reset the valving system.
 

JohnD

Moved on to the next thing...
I strap my propane tank to my 5th-wheel hitch between the hitch and the wheel well of the truck.

Rides easily there . . .

When I had one of the tanks filled last week the guy at the propane place asked me if I had ever laid my tanks on their side when I was explaining an issue I am having with our furnace.

I told him "No!" and he said to never lay them on their side . . . always leave them standing!
 
Top