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10-27-2020, 05:10 PM
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#1
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3 Rivet Member
2020 20' Bambi
Clayton
, North Carolina
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 229
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Propane Tank Icing Up on Bottom???
Hi folks, I am on day 47 of a 16 states western loop from NC and back. Was in Cosmic Campground NM and had hoped to go into AZ for 3 days, but with the cold front and freezing dropping down to between El Paso and Abilene I decided to head back east because I want to be back in Raleigh area by November 2. Now in Kerrville, TX and day time temperature is about 38 deg (night only expected to be about 35). I’m at Kerrville-Schneider Park with electricity and have been running propane furnace in Bambi. Since I will depart for Beaumont, TX at 8am tomorrow went ahead and hitched up with the Blue Ox. In doing so, when I removed the propane tank shroud I noticed that the tank being used is iced up on bottom half of exterior. Is this normal? Anything to worry about? Thanks, Stephen
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10-27-2020, 05:21 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
2007 30' Classic
Oswego
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 13,655
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Normal during some temps and humidity levels.
__________________
-Rich-
"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." - Red Green
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10-27-2020, 05:28 PM
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#3
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Site Team
2002 25' Safari
Dewey
, Arizona
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 15,606
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That is a good way to see how much propane is in the tank. The amount frozen at the bottom of the tank shows how much propane is in the tank.
__________________
Richard
Wally Byam Airstream Club 7513
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10-27-2020, 05:49 PM
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#4
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3 Rivet Member
2020 20' Bambi
Clayton
, North Carolina
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 229
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Quote:
Originally Posted by azflycaster
That is a good way to see how much propane is in the tank. The amount frozen at the bottom of the tank shows how much propane is in the tank.
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Thanks, a layman’s measuring stick.
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10-27-2020, 06:11 PM
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#5
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Rivet Master
2020 23' Flying Cloud
2019 22' Sport
Sebastian
, Florida
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 1,234
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The frost forms because water in the air is transferring the energy required to vaporize the liquid propane - in the process the water condenses and then freezes. This transfer only occurs below the liquid level because the vapor has already been “energized “.
When the air temperature is warmer, there’s enough “sensible heat” (temperature change) to do the job, and the cooled air floats away unnoticed. I’ve is a good insulator, and if enough builds up, insufficient energy is transferred to keep you suppler with vaporized fuel.
In Texas, you will be fine.
__________________
-Don
(That man in that tiny can)
(Same man, Bigger can)
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10-27-2020, 06:16 PM
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#6
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3 Rivet Member
2009 30' Classic
a city in west GA
, Georgia
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 142
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Growing up in Beaumont we did a lot of fish fry and crawfish boils. We had 10- 100# tanks for our equipment. Generally about 1/2 of a tank they would freeze up on us. We would switch tanks and let it thaw. You talking about a change of pressure in the line. The cold propane does not have the same pressure going thru the line. After the tank thawed we use it again till it froze again around 20%. Every weekend in spring summer and fall frying fish and boi!ing crawfish. So when your tank freezes up your line pressure is reduced. Full up at a place that charges you by the gallon. Not tank weight. Enjoy Texas!
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10-27-2020, 07:41 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master
2018 25' International
Slidell
, Louisiana
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,725
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FYI, baring an insulation issue Joyman mentions, propane will vaporize sufficiently till it gets down to -23F after that, not so much.... Fortunately most Airstreamers abandon the silver wonders before -5 F or so.
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10-27-2020, 08:24 PM
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#8
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Rivet Master
2020 23' Flying Cloud
2019 22' Sport
Sebastian
, Florida
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 1,234
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Autocorrect !
Ice is a good insulator, and if enough builds up, insufficient energy is transferred to keep you supplied with fuel.
Joyman, the amount of heat transferred is proportional to the amount of fuel consumed. You must have had some rollicking shrimp boils!
__________________
-Don
(That man in that tiny can)
(Same man, Bigger can)
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10-28-2020, 09:18 AM
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#9
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2 Rivet Member
1975 31' Sovereign
North Fort Myers
, Florida
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 59
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Ice
That's basically how your refrigeration works in a three way fridge! Uses a smaller orifice and burns off the propane and the tubes in the back of your fridge frost up as the propane gas goes from liquid phase to gas phase which is an endothermic reaction in phase change!
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10-28-2020, 09:11 PM
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#10
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Rivet Master
2007 22' International CCD
Corona
, California
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 9,180
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Not even close, but thanks for participating!
__________________
Rich, KE4GNK/AE, Overkill Engineering Dept.
'The Silver HamShack' ('07 International 22FB CCD 75th Anniversary)
Multiple Yaesu Ham Radios inside and many antennae sprouting from roof, ProPride hitch, Prodigy P2 controller.
2012 shortbed CrewMax 4x4 Toyota Tacoma TV with more antennae on it.
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10-30-2020, 09:21 AM
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#11
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3 Rivet Member
2019 27' Tommy Bahama
Midland
, MI
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 109
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TLBIJOU
That's basically how your refrigeration works in a three way fridge! Uses a smaller orifice and burns off the propane and the tubes in the back of your fridge frost up as the propane gas goes from liquid phase to gas phase which is an endothermic reaction in phase change!
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Nope, that’s not how it works at all. If it did work this way ammonia wouldn’t be needed.
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11-30-2020, 01:53 PM
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#12
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4 Rivet Member
1995 30' Excella
Harper Woods
, Michigan
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 314
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Well, I was about to ask about putting a 100-200 watt incandescent lamp inside the tank shroud to keep the tanks warmer. Has anybody done that?
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11-30-2020, 02:27 PM
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#13
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Rivet Master
2020 23' Flying Cloud
2019 22' Sport
Sebastian
, Florida
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 1,234
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If you are running a 30,000 BTU/hr furnace, you’ll burn between 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of propane per hour. This will require between 250 and 350 BTU/hr to evaporate. Normally the difference between the air temperature and the temperature of boiling propane is sufficient to drive that amount of heat transfer. Providing all those BTU’s via a heating element would require about a 100 W heater. Much of the heat from a light bulb will be lost through the tank cover and its open bottom, of course.
__________________
-Don
(That man in that tiny can)
(Same man, Bigger can)
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11-30-2020, 03:30 PM
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#14
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3 Rivet Member
2009 30' Classic
a city in west GA
, Georgia
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 142
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GetawA-S
Autocorrect !
Ice is a good insulator, and if enough builds up, insufficient energy is transferred to keep you supplied with fuel.
Joyman, the amount of heat transferred is proportional to the amount of fuel consumed. You must have had some rollicking shrimp �� boils!
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When you Feed 5000 people in a day you have the boilers running non-stop for hours Up On hours......
And no a lightbulb would not really help......
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11-30-2020, 05:02 PM
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#15
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Rivet Master
2020 23' Flying Cloud
2019 22' Sport
Sebastian
, Florida
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 1,234
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Joyman, I was just trying to keep Bob warm, not feed the 5,000!
Maybe if you had installed your propane tanks above the dance floor?
__________________
-Don
(That man in that tiny can)
(Same man, Bigger can)
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