Propane tank lifespan

[BullOnParade]

As I've mentioned in a couple threads now, I'm very new to the community, and a camper van wasn't what I really had in mind when I set out to buy a vehicle, but here I am.

When I buy propane for my BBQ at home, or load a tank onto the forklift at work, I'm supposed to verify the production date is under 10 years ago. Who verifies/certifies a tank in an RV?

Has anyone removed the built in tank and plumbed in fittings for a removable tank, possibly mount a carrier with the spare tire?

My goal for this van is modular amenities, so that I can use for work and play, and removing the propane may be my best route.

[avanti]

Portable propane tanks ("DOT tanks") fall under a different set of rules from permanently-installed tanks ("ASME tanks"). The latter have no expiration date and do not require periodic inspection.

[mikeehlert]

Originally Posted by avanti

Portable propane tanks ("DOT tanks") fall under a different set of rules from permanently-installed tanks ("ASME tanks"). The latter have no expiration date and do not require periodic inspection.

Except in California. If you have one installed in a business expect a permit and on site inspections.

[Davydd]

I’ll never go to a propane refill station where they don’t fill your tanks but exchange them with another filled tank ever again. That’s how I learned DOT tanks have a life span. My new 20 lb tank was exchanged for a used tank that expired when I went back to get another refill.

[Jon in AZ]

Portable DOT tanks are pretty robust. I saw a video of one that came loose from a trailer tongue during a rollover and was whipped against the pavement repeatedly at the end of its hose (which amazingly remained attached). There was no fire.

However I feel uncomfortable with the idea of carrying one on the back of my vehicle where it would be subject to direct crushing forces during a rear end collision, and I can't think of anywhere else to carry it on a Class B.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by Davydd

I’ll never go to a propane refill station where they don’t fill your tanks but exchange them with another filled tank ever again. That’s how I learned DOT tanks have a life span. My new 20 lb tank was exchanged for a used tank that expired when I went back to get another refill.

Locally (New Orleans metro area), my understanding is that there was a class action .... and the refill folks paid off, settled. Why? Because they not disclose they were not 'filled up', maybe 80% as I recall. NOT the 80% we all?, most already understand.

Someone may chime in, I just don't recall that being a thread/topic.

Bud

[Dogman]

They say 12-years for a new LP GAS and are a Re-certified for about 5-7 or 10-years.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Dogman

They say 12-years for a new LP GAS and are a Re-certified for about 5-7 or 10-years.

This is incorrect. DOT tanks need to be re-certified every 5 or 10 years, depending on type:

https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phms...pane_en_v3.pdf

As explained above, ASME tanks do not require recertification.

[Pam G]

Originally Posted by avanti

This is incorrect. DOT tanks need to be re-certified every 5 or 10 years, depending on type:

https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phms...pane_en_v3.pdf

As explained above, ASME tanks do not require recertification.

Apparently U-Haul has a different interpretation about the ASME tanks. I used to get my tank refilled at a nearby U-Haul, but, about 4 or 5 years ago, they told me they could no longer refill it until I had it recertified. My Roadtrek is a 1999, so obviously more than 10 years old. I've been going to either an RV dealer or a hardware store ever since.

[KanzKran]

Originally Posted by Pam G

Apparently U-Haul has a different interpretation about the ASME tanks.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation out there about propane tanks and fill maximums. It's common to see folks cite the 20% fill rule, and apply it to 20 lb cylinders which results in 16 lb as a max fill, for example. Sometimes it's a bit nefarious, as in the Amerigas tank exchange on Home Depot's site, where they state that for safety reasons, they're restricted to 80% fill, yet they supply 15 lb in a 20 lb cylinder (which would hold 25 lb if filled to the top).

I avoid places that use a scale as the primary means to indicate fill level, as they always seem to read high. I weigh my 20 lb cylinders after getting them filled at home, and while some places actually do fill them full (20 lb or close to it), most seem to tilt the preset beam scale, indicating max fill, but when weighed on my own scale, they can be very short while charging for 20 lb (about 4.7 gal). Since the tare weight is on the ring, it's no big mystery how much LPG is in there, and cylinders don't differ very much in empty weight.

As to U-Haul, now I know to avoid them. So many other places to go that it's not hard to avoid any particular place. But I’m not terribly surprised there is confusion about inspection intervals, or even the need for inspection at all.

[GallenH]

I believe that UHaul did a blanket rule in many areas probably because they didn't want it left up to their hired help to distinguish between an ASME tank and a horizontal DOT tank........or maybe for some other reason. But they stopped filling my 97PW's tank about 3 years ago. Too bad. It was very convenient, right on my way home from the storage unit I use.

[Pam G]

Originally Posted by GallenH

I believe that UHaul did a blanket rule in many areas probably because they didn't want it left up to their hired help to distinguish between an ASME tank and a horizontal DOT tank........or maybe for some other reason. But they stopped filling my 97PW's tank about 3 years ago. Too bad. It was very convenient, right on my way home from the storage unit I use.

It was very convenient for me too - just 15 blocks from my house. Now I'm going to a hardware store on the NE side of town, a few miles from my house, or I go out to an RV dealer in a small town about another 10 miles out. I'm glad I saw this thread as I didn't know about the ASME tanks and the DOT tanks. I had believed U-Haul and was wondering if I now had some sort of concern.

[avanti]

IIRC, a while ago there was some kind of propane-related accident that U-haul got blamed for and their lawyers made them over-react. I forget the details.

[GallenH]

Originally Posted by avanti

IIRC, a while ago there was some kind of propane-related accident that U-haul got blamed for and their lawyers made them over-react. I forget the details.

Yes, and it was shortly after that when UHaul instituted it's policy. I agree, that the incident probably caused their policy change.

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by avanti

IIRC, a while ago there was some kind of propane-related accident that U-haul got blamed for and their lawyers made them over-react. I forget the details.

A one hundred and sixty million dollar settlement will cause a strong reaction, yes.

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by BullOnParade

As I've mentioned in a couple threads now, I'm very new to the community, and a camper van wasn't what I really had in mind when I set out to buy a vehicle, but here I am.

When I buy propane for my BBQ at home, or load a tank onto the forklift at work, I'm supposed to verify the production date is under 10 years ago. Who verifies/certifies a tank in an RV?

Has anyone removed the built in tank and plumbed in fittings for a removable tank, possibly mount a carrier with the spare tire?

My goal for this van is modular amenities, so that I can use for work and play, and removing the propane may be my best route.

The distinction between ASME and DOT won’t count for diddly if you are in a remote area and nobody will fill your tank because of its age. It does not matter who is right and who is wrong. No fill is no fill.

With our van, we did three things to maximize our propane management:

(1) After the fitting threads became corroded on our never-needs-replacing (yeah, right) ASME tank, we started getting propane blow-by. The tank leaked, in other words. This was back several years ago when we were less experienced, and so we simply replaced the tank. We could have had the old one removed and repaired, but the labor cost pointed in the direction of simply buying a new tank. Details here (note I’m citing the Interstate which is our model, but the same considerations apply to all Class Bs with integrated propane):

REPLACING A LEAKING LP TANK ON AN AIRSTREAM INTERSTATE

(2) As a side note, even if your ASME tank is supposed to never need inspection, it is probably distributing propane through hoses that only have a 5-year warranty’d life span, and which really do eventually fail if not replaced. Details here and here:

ADVISORY - LP GAS HOSES ON T1N AIRSTREAM INTERSTATES

REPLACING THE LP FLEX LINES IN AN AIRSTREAM INTERSTATE

(3) Depending on the situation and the configuration of the Class B in question, the simplest solution might be to plumb for an external propane tank. We had to do that last winter during the big Texas freeze. Note that you can kill yourself if you mess this kind of thing up. Details here, with part sourcing (no warranties implied):

PLUMBING AN EXTERNAL PROPANE TANK FOR AN AIRSTREAM INTERSTATE

[avanti]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

The distinction between ASME and DOT won’t count for diddly if you are in a remote area and nobody will fill your tank because of its age. It does not matter who is right and who is wrong. No fill is no fill.

Quite true.
But, there isn't a lot you can do about it. It isn't like you can get your ASME tank recertified 'just in case'. The kids who will refuse you were trained to check the DOT build/recertify date, and they are looking for a specific data plate that simply doesn't exist on ASME tanks. They generally will not be swayed by the fine condition in which you keep your tank. Nor, most likely, will a build date in some other format (even if such a date exists).

About the best you can do is to keep a copy of the regulations and hope that a manager is available to listen to reason. (This has worked for me sometimes).

All that said, everything that @InterBlog says about maintaining your tank is certainly good advice.