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Davydd · 09-02-2003, 06:52 PM

I have two two 40 lb aluminum Worthington LPG tanks on my vintage '71 Airstream with a 1976 date stamped on them. They most likely need to be updated. I haven't a clue as to where to begin. Most seem to have 30 lb tanks. Is this overkill for a most likely weekend trekker? Any comments and advice?

Fun-Lovin · 09-02-2003, 06:59 PM

Your choice.
Sell on e-bay or keep them.
I have a set of those tanks also and I had the valves changed to the new valves and put them back on my a/s. Those are very expensive. Gas place told me today when I took my second one in they cost about $200 if he can even get them.

Lets see replace the valve $20 each.
Good thing is they won't rust but lock them down they will grow legs.

Ultradog · 09-02-2003, 07:04 PM

Davydd
Someone most have used the trailer at a park where they didn't tow it too often. They are quite large...
I recently updated my 30# aluminum tanks. I went to that propane place that's just north of Dowling on Washington Ave. N
They had the new valves in stock and changed them out while I waited.
Valves, labor and fills were about $85 for the both of them I think.
Keep in mind that yours are aluminum. A 40# aluminum tank wont weigh much more than a 30# steel tank.

Fun-Lovin · 09-02-2003, 07:12 PM

Your not far wrong Ultradog an empty 40# aluminum weighs less than an empty 30# steel sure you will have 10# difference in the weight of gas but its offset by the bottle. When I pick up my 40# and dads 30#'s I will weigh them at the gas place and post the results. Will pick them up friday but it will be next monday before I can post the results.

Davydd · 09-02-2003, 07:45 PM

Ultradog,

I'll have to check out that propane place on Washington Ave. There are a couple of fill places out in our western suburbs I can check out as well. The price to convert to OPD seems reasonable. One of my co-workers insisted my tanks would weigh over 200 lbs. filled. That got me a tad panicky. No way could I lift and transport that kind of weight by myself. I'm guessing 50-60 lbs? That's about the weight of my kayak.

Truthfully my strength is ebbing with age. I used to carry my 70 lb aluminum canoe three blocks to Cedar Lake 30 years ago with little effort. 20 years ago I was routinely lifting 200 lb heavy timbers. Now my kayak is an effort and some boulders I lifted and placed by hand 20 years ago on my property I could not budge today.

garry · 09-02-2003, 08:13 PM

Anyone know for sure if there is a "different" OPD for aluminum tanks vers steel ??

I think to 50 / 60 lbs guess is close my 30 # feels like 30/40 lbs. When last filled the guy said to hang onto the tanks as they are very expensive compared to the steel tanks.

Garry

overlander64 · 09-02-2003, 08:48 PM

Greetings Garry!

Quote:

Anyone know for sure if there is a "different" OPD for aluminum tanks vers steel ??

Yes, the valves are different for aluminum tanks when compared to steel tanks of the same size - - the "dip rod" as it is called is a different length. There was an article on the WBCCI website at one time that outlined the specific valves that were required for the aluminum tanks, but the last time I checked the article seems to have been removed from the site.

My Airstream dealer handled having my tanks refitted and re-certified as part of my Winterization last year so I didn't have to locate an outside source. If I were looking for a vendor to do the work, I would ask to be certain that they were aware of the difference between the aluminum and steel tank "dip rods", and if they weren't I would look elsewhere - - especially if they weren't willing to do the necessary research to obtain the correct part. A friend who recently retired from the LP Gas service business advised me that there is a uniform reference book that LP Gas dealers should have on-site that covers issues of valving for the aluminum and steel tanks typically used on RVs.

Refitting, re-certifying, and refilling the 20 pound tanks on my Argosy Minuet ran just short of $75.00. The 40 pound tanks on my Overlander were purchased new to replace rusty steel tanks that had been with the trailer for more than a decade.

Good luck with your project!

Kevin

markdoane · 09-02-2003, 08:49 PM

There's a place at Hwy 7 and Shady Oak that does a good job on tanks.
-Minnetonka

CanoeStream · 09-02-2003, 10:17 PM

Kevin -- I save text files of the WBCCI Tips in case useful info does evaporate over time. A word search on 'OPD' led me to find one reference from last December. Their longer explanation can be found at: http://www.wbcci.org/html/december_2002.html

Tomy Dean Noah · 09-03-2003, 05:59 AM

Hello !

If they were mine I would not discard the tanks. You can take the to a propane dealer ans they will replace the valves to agree with the existing new code . The mew valve handles have cornes on he knob instead of the old round knows. I have had mine done and it cost about $60/ tank plus filling them . You will be glade you kept the tanks , especially with it being airstream. When the tanks are polishied ,you can see your reflection on them.

Blue Moon

Fun-Lovin · 09-07-2003, 04:45 PM

Ok I picked up my 40# aluminum tank and my dad's 30# steel tanks the other day. We weighed them at the Propane fill station and came up with this. The 40# aluminum weighed 59# with gas and the 30# steel weighed in at 53# full. With a 6-8 pound average difference between the two filled I suggest as before getting them updated and keep using them.

Davydd · 09-07-2003, 05:11 PM

OK, thanks for the information. I can handle 59 lbs. I think I will get them converted. Then if all I do is weekend camp they could last several years until retirement unless I use them to also brew beer.

Fun-Lovin · 09-07-2003, 05:25 PM

You can also boil peanuts or hook up your grill, fish frier, ect.
I took a drill and on the bottom ring I drilled a hole, if you decide to do this you may need a dremel with a metal removal bit to get the hole to work correctly at the bottom because of the rounded lower ring. I also drilled through the steel on the trailer where this lower tank ring fits into. They can be locked up this way with a pair of padlocks. Just looking at them you cant tell they are locked up.

dtbw · 09-08-2003, 08:24 AM

You might also look into polishing those diamonds-in-the-rough. Aluminum tanks can be polished to a mirror finish that looks great. Worthington still makes both 30# and 40# aluminum tanks and they run about $200 each (unpolished).

Pick · 09-08-2003, 08:38 AM

If anyone decides to do anything with an aluminum propane tank, such as cut it in half for use as a cooker, make sure you do this first:

Remove the valve from the top of the tank and fill it with water for 24 hours. This will get the residual propane out of the tank. This is what they do to all propane tanks before they scrap them. To be extra safe you may want to do this twice.

Fun-Lovin · 09-08-2003, 06:17 PM

Don't cut them in half. You could sell them for half their worth and buy a nice grill. Steel maybe aluminum never.

Coloradobus · 09-08-2003, 06:43 PM

Argh!!! Don't cut them up! If I'd known there were a spare pair of alloys bottles afoot, I would have scooped them up.
We just got our "new" 30 lbs bottles in and besides the initial cost it was pricey to get them filled.
I had to pay a "purge fee for both", then a fill fee of course, and 24 inches of hose to connect regulator with the gas line....$60.00
Our Globetrotter came with 20 pounders (steel), I settled for new 30 pounders (aluminum), would rather have had 40 lb new aluminum for the extra capacity, but couldn't justify spending more. You never know when the extra gas might come in handy.

Silver Bullet · 09-08-2003, 07:22 PM

Did you know that 40# tanks don't have to be converted? Yep, 40# and up are not on the OPD list, unless Aluminum is a factor, which I dought.

Did you know that a 30# tank mounted horizontally does not have to be converted? Yep, true too.

Check the laws and keep this fool who invented OPD scrounging for Yacht gas.

Oscar

Davydd · 09-08-2003, 07:31 PM

No way. Aluminum is not desirable for brewing beer. A good quality stainless steel pot is the way to go and that I have.

davidz71 · 09-16-2003, 09:31 PM

I had one original valve with gauge and electrical sender on a 40# Worthington aluminum tank. The other tank had a Sherwood OPD valve that had already been installed by the PO. I dropped the tank off at a Suburban Propane dealer and he installed the new OPD valve after waiting several weeks for it to come in. Cost was $24.95 plus tax and that included recertification. The 40# aluminum tank looked a little taller than the 40# steel and that is why the dip tube is a little longer than those for the steel.