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03-14-2013, 10:21 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
National RV Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Spring Lake, Michigan
Posts: 301
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When should Propane tanks be filled?
We had our Propane tank filled in Arizona last winter, and one of the residents painted a real horror story about how bad it is to ever let your propane supply fall below a certain level...something about having to purge the tank...not sure I understood completely. Now, my tank is 2/3 full and my wife is, shall I say, concerned. What happens if I let it go completely empty? When should I fill it to avoid a hassle ? Is this really a problem ?
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03-14-2013, 10:29 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Pueblo, CO
Posts: 624
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2/3, 1/3 dosen't matter, anyhing but empty is fine. That way you keep air out of the line. Even if it goes empty, just might take a few more tries to get heater going.
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03-14-2013, 10:34 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Dallas,OR
Posts: 4,584
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Fill it when it becomes empty. Unless your a MH with a frame mounted tank. Then I would fill around 1/4 to 1/3 so I did not run out.
__________________
Don and Lorri
Resident Dummy.
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03-14-2013, 10:47 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Wellington, Florida
Posts: 13,599
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Hi michguy,
I fill the tank when it gets to 1/4 and it is convenient to do so. It is a closed system under pressure. There should be no problems unless you get a bad fill.
__________________
Gary
2005 Newmar KSDP 3910 + GMC ENVOY XUV 37K lbs Moving Down The Road
The Avatar Is Many Times Around The USA
Nobody Knows Your Coach Like Somebody Who Owns One Just Like Yours
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03-14-2013, 10:51 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 297
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GaryKD
Hi michguy,
I fill the tank when it gets to 1/4 and it is convenient to do so. It is a closed system under pressure. There should be no problems unless you get a bad fill.
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Never heard of a bad propane fill, but would like to avoid it if possible. What is it?
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03-14-2013, 10:59 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Wellington, Florida
Posts: 13,599
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It's when too much oil is in the propane supply. Over time, it will get into the regulator. Drove me nuts until the regulator finally clogged enough so nothing worked. When disassembled there will be a slight (like sewing machine oil) residue coming out of the regulator.
__________________
Gary
2005 Newmar KSDP 3910 + GMC ENVOY XUV 37K lbs Moving Down The Road
The Avatar Is Many Times Around The USA
Nobody Knows Your Coach Like Somebody Who Owns One Just Like Yours
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03-14-2013, 11:19 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Fulltime, USA
Posts: 16,706
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This is one of those tales that sits beside:
not putting toilet paper down the toilet. :eww:
Using other than Transynd in an Allison. :yikes:
Running on old tires that still look good.
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03-14-2013, 11:27 AM
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#8
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Registered User
Winnebago Owners Club Vintage RV Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Cherry Creek, BC Canada
Posts: 7,648
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I thought that purging was just to get excessive air out of the tank and was only required on the first fill. The tanks now being sold at our stores in this area all claim to be prepurged and in most cases are bring sold full of propane.
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03-14-2013, 12:55 PM
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: The Land Of Oz RVM17
Posts: 1,592
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Quote:
Originally Posted by michguy
We had our Propane tank filled in Arizona last winter, and one of the residents painted a real horror story about how bad it is to ever let your propane supply fall below a certain level...something about having to purge the tank...not sure I understood completely. Now, my tank is 2/3 full and my wife is, shall I say, concerned. What happens if I let it go completely empty? When should I fill it to avoid a hassle ? Is this really a problem ?
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I can't answer your question, but sure would like to know the answer. I have let mine fall below half a couple times with no ill effects. I always used to let each tank run dry on the fiver and it would auto switch to full tank then I would fill the empty one. No problems there either, but the MH has only one big tank and if you run out, you are out.
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03-14-2013, 01:04 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Kent, WA
Posts: 1,092
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Empty or 1/2 doesn't matter. We have a propane tank for the house and have at times run it empty. No issue with filling. You still have to bleed the air off just like after you turn them off. I usually fill my RV tank when it becomes 1/4 full. My last MH we filled the tank when we first got it and 2 years latter when we sold it it had 1/2 of a tank. JMHO
__________________
Arnold
2006 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40 PAQ
2017 Ram 2500 Big Horn 6.4 Hemi
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03-14-2013, 01:16 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Forest River Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Kentville, NS
Posts: 425
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Propane tanks only need to be purged for three reasons: the tank is new; you have updated the valve on your tank; or you opened the valve on an older tank. Tanks need to be purged because air has somehow entered the tank. Air contains moisture, which is not a good combination with propane. When new tanks are transported, they are purposely loaded with air to help maintain the correct balance of pressure when shipping over various altitudes.
__________________
_______________________________________
Binnie, Wanda & Yasper (Labradoodle)
1999 Winnebago Chieftain 35U F53 Chassis V10
Towing 2014 Jeep Wrangler Sahara
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03-14-2013, 03:35 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North America somewhere
Posts: 30,655
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Quote:
Originally Posted by corvettec3
When new tanks are transported, they are purposely loaded with air to help maintain the correct balance of pressure when shipping over various altitudes.
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Could you provide links to your information? That does not sound logical to me.
__________________
2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD , ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG 11B5MX,Infantry retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA. " My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy
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03-14-2013, 03:49 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Bellevue, Nebraska
Posts: 491
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filling propane
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray,IN
Could you provide links to your information? That does not sound logical to me.
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I didn't believe it, either. But check this out:
Purging new Cylinders and Tanks
makes more sense now. Thanks to all.
GL Arnold
__________________
2015 Ford Flex SEL
Former Full-Timers
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03-14-2013, 05:11 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North America somewhere
Posts: 30,655
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I apologize Binne. I've been a member here since 2001 and learn something every time I log-in here. Thanks for the link GL. I've known Derek for many years, and he always backs up what he says with proof. I've never read that page before though.
__________________
2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD , ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG 11B5MX,Infantry retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA. " My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy
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