LP tank fell and dragged

[avninja]

Hello Folks. I'm recently bought a 73 sovereign 31' with two tanks. Was out for my first drive when the tanks tipped over. One of the two tanks dragged on the ground for a 50-100 feet or so leaving one scrape mark in the tank. Turns out the other tanks never hit the ground. The rod that holds the tanks down lost the bolt or weld on the ground side so it just came right off.

I am guessing I am going to need to throw that tank out? the scrape is about 3" in diameter and doesn't appear that deep but it did drag for a while. Could it be repaired or just buy a used one? The valves were already updated.
Thanks
Drew

[idroba]

I am guessing you have the AL tanks. It is hard to toss one out but it might be the wisest decision. No repairs are possible and still have the tank certified.

[AWCHIEF]

Welcome: Lucky day for you that nothing went boom. I use a long shank lock on my tank hold down nut/arm to keep it tight and so my tanks will not sprout legs and disappear. Good lesson for others from your misfortune. I would have the tank inspected before buying a new one. It might not be as bad as first impression.

[eubank]

Gouges in the walls and cracks along the welds are pretty major culprits. Have it inspected. If it is bad, you need to have it emptied before disposal. (Trash haulers do not appreciate hauling explosive devices in their rigs.) Take it to a full propane service company, not just a filler.

If you do decide to buy new, do lots of shopping. Prices are all over the map for identical products!


Lynn

[perryg114]

If you live in the boonies it would make great target practice. The 4th of July is coming up soon.

I would get it checked out and emptied.

Perry

[Bill M.]

Just had my Al tanks inspected. $7.00 a tank for a "visual" inspection and recertification. Large gas suppliers do these inspections. If it passes it might still need a new valve ($40). Tanks are pretty pricy so it might be worth getting in inspected unless it is so bad as to be not needed.

[polarlyse]

Hey Bill. Is it normal for there to be a cost for the propane tank inspection ??? Last year we couldn't get ours filled while camping at the Air Force Acad. and were referred into Colo. Spr to a propane distributor for inspection. No hesitation what-so-ever and they gave it a visual ( Alum tanks) and filled them for me. No charge for the inspection and the sticker they put on. That's my only experience with inspection.

[A W Warn]

Where I live the charge is $5 to inspect and $25 for a new valve.

[eubank]

Pretty much of a free market on inspections. The place I take them to in Taos also does visual (i.e., five-year) recertifications for free, though I always have them fill the cylinder as well so that they get some profit from it.


Lynn

[BAB]

Very lucky you didn't have a conflagration....think if it were me, I would probably safe side and replace the one that got dragged and have a competent inspector check the other just for your own peace of mind.

[kevinb]

I use 2 padlocks to secure tanks in place, great for piece of mind

[Skater]

Originally Posted by BAB

Very lucky you didn't have a conflagration

Not really. Those cylinders are actually really safe. Ever watch Mythbusters when they're trying to make one blow up? They REALLY have to work to make it happen. They couldn't even get one to explode when shooting at it until they used incendiary rounds. It's pretty impressive how difficult it is for them to get one to explode.

Perhaps there would've been more risk if the tank had fallen off the trailer while open, but I think - someone check me on this - the internal valves are designed to shut off the flow when the tank is horizontal (which is why you have to buy special horizontal tanks for the trailers that use them).

[perryg114]

Propane does not have a wide range of flammability in air. When a bullet passes through a tank the concentration of gas around the tank is too high to ignite. The best way to do it is to have a torch setup near the tank and then shoot it. Acetylene has a very large flammability range and it is worse than Hydrogen.

Perry

[helmsman]

Hello Avninja:

Before you throw that tank out!

One method to get an inexpensive inspected propane tank is to take your tank into a large retail store (Walmart, etc.) and exchange your empty tank for one of their prefilled propane tanks. Supposedly, you pay only for the full tank of propane, but usually they have less than 2 gallons in them. I believe they are required to inspect the tank and install the current required valve in the tank before they can sell it to you.

This way the retailer bears the responsibility of inspecting and correcting any repairs required before they can resell it to someone else.

It may be difficult to get a propane tank to burn, but I have heard of valves blowing out of the tank and the tank being blown 50 feet into the air.

Thank GOD no one was injured.

[Jim Clark]

As a responsible adult I wouldn’t shoot the tank or try to pawn it off on some unsuspecting retailer to deal with, call a large propane dealer and ask what the proper procedure is for dealing with a damaged tank. It is yours and I am sure if someone is injured a good lawyer could track back the chain of custody right back to you and your postings here. The internet never goes away. But what do I know?

Thanks for the tip on the locks, set going on mine this weekend.

[Bill M.]

Actually propane will not come out of the valve unless a hose fitting is screwed into the valve. I shot a small propane torch cylinder with a .22 rifle when I was shooting at the dump once. Assumed it was empty. We were about 50 or so feet away. Cylinder bounced and spiraled over our heads like an unguided rocket from the propane escaping. Definitely not a smart move.

[Foiled Again]

Like the lock idea, but somewhere else didn't I see someone who had made a propane tank "garter belt" out of nylon strapping? I think it went up the back of the holder, through the top ring holes and down the front - there might have even been horizontal straps to tie the two tanks together.

Both are clever ideas. And I think both have life saving potential. (I LOVE this group just for ideas like this!)

As far as propane exchanges, most of the time untrained personnel are doing the swaps... so you could possibly get away with swapping a bad 20 lb steel tank. I simply wouldn't try.

And of course my airstream (to be) has 30lb. steel tanks. If you have aluminum tanks even the newest employee will probably question the different look, weight, etc.

Over the long run you'll never be sorry you did the right thing! And if you are too cheap to pay to have the tank drained, barbecue til the fuel runs out! Then give the tank to a big propane co.


Paula

[kevinb]

thanks paula, dont know where that idea came from but probably right here on the forums, and it is a real easy fix. I guess I should have said "peace of mind".

FYI, there are two worthington tanks for sale right now on craigslist for 125.00.