propane storage

[hhoenig]

we store our 2619 in an attached garage. Judy would like me to remove the tanks to the outdoors, I say it really is'nt necessary , as long as the tank valves are closed. We store gasoline for the lawnmower in the garage, and we used to park the car there before TM. Can anyone offer reassurances on this topic?

[RockyMtnRay]

We store gasoline for the lawnmower in the garage

The propane tanks are a lot sturdier than a gasoline can...and much less likely to vent fumes too.

I too have an attached garage that I keep my TM and I don't worry about the propane tanks. Not after I got the OPD (overfill protection device) replaced in both tanks, anyway.

The main concern with propane tanks leaking fuel (with the valve closed anyway) is the overpressure vent. If the propane tank is filled completely (or nearly so) and then put in hot space (enclosed garage on a hot day), it is possible that the propane liquid in the tank will expand enough to produce a pressure high enough to cause the overpressure vent to open and start venting the gas. If the vented gas reached a high enough concentration...and there was a spark, then you could have an explosion/fire. To avoid that situation, essentially all propane tanks are now required to have the OPD. The OPD, if working correctly, insures the tanks can't be filled beyond about 80% (4 gallons)...which in turn insures there is plenty of internal expansion space (so the overpressure vent won't need to open) in even the hottest of garages and even in a desert sun.

I got to learn all this because unbeknownst to me the OPD in one of my tanks wasn't working right and let the dim-bulb guy at the propane store completely fill the tank. After a few hours in a hot sun, that tank start to hiss because the overpressure vent valve had opened. Thankfully it was outside and a breeze carried away the vented propane. As soon the sun set, the tank cooled and quit venting propane. I left on a camping trip the next morning and made sure to use the overfilled tank first. The campground was cool and the tanks were in shade so I didn't have any further problems. Not long after I got back, I was notified there'd been a recall of the OPDs on my tanks so I was able to get the OPDs replaced at no cost to me.

The bottom line is you need to go look at your tank guages. If they work like the guages on my horizontal tanks, they'll show you how full your tanks are in a range from "E" to "F". As long as the guage reads below about 3/4 or so, you don't have a thing to worry about. If the guage reads around full, then you don't want to have those tanks in a hot (like over 90 degrees) environment.

Wow, that's an eye opener Ray. I always wondered *why* the devices were required, had always thought just so the tanks wouldn't get overfilled, but that certainly makes sense! Thanks!

[glow=red,2,300]Happytrails..........[/glow]