RV Fire on I-75 Near Tampa

[IC2]

Just to additionally clarify propane tank fires in RVs, these are safeguards incorporated in the new POL valve currently required:

"Several changes have been mandated for DOT cylinders since the pigtail mandate. In 1998 it was mandated that hand screw on Acme nuts be used on the pigtails in place of the older POL (Named after the company that designed them, the Prest-O-Lite Company) connectors. The Acme nut is the part that screws into the cylinder, and takes the place of the older brass POL connectors that screwed into the cylinder valve with a reverse thread requiring a wrench to tighten and seal. The Acme nut is the new Green one that screws onto the OPD's outside thread, uses a normal right hand twist to tighten, and which also tightens to seal by hand only, not requiring a wrench. This is significant because two safety features are built into the Acme nut itself. First, Acme nuts contain a thermal bushing, which will melt in a fire, and prevent the escape of gasses from the tank. When it melts, it allows the new OPD spring activated shut off valve, which will only allow the flow of gas if a fitting is attached, to pop out and completely shut the flow down. They also have an improved excess flow check valve, compared to the valve in the old POL fitting-more on that later. The new Acme nut also adds an O-ring to further help prevent leaks at the connection." (bold and undeline in mine)

For sure there are propane related fires in RVs - stove, HW heater and furnace would be the usual culprits and most likely what an insrance company is concerned with but that ol' broad brush covers everything. In the case of the fire in the RV on I-75, it possibly could have been a tank rupture caused by a large truck tire since a tire alone is in the range of 110 pounds plus a 65 pound wheel moving at 70 mph is a bunch of energy (~29,000 ft lbs)

[dabrooks]

There are many propane powered vehicles on the road including fleets of school buses. Those vehicles must have the propane on to operate. I don't believe it is unsafe to keep the propane on.

[slickest1]

The small 20 lb. cylinders are probably the worst but even those in a fire will vent the gas out when they get too hot instead of exploding. The bigger on board tanks are pretty substantial and the chance of them exploding are very rare as said above.

Years ago I drove a propane tanker and was at another branch of the company helping with deliveries. I met their truck out on the road and we stopped for lunch. We were sitting out in the country on a pullout beside the road and all was quiet. All of a sudden the was a loud ping and we looked around wondering what it was. A minute later I seen a chunk of paint fly off the other tanker truck as we heard the second ping. We were being shot at. We left there very quickly and radioed in to the office for the RCMP to come out. They arrested a couple of teens.

Propane tanks are very sturdy and I laugh at the movies where they shoot the tanks and they explode.

[Roadmagic]

I didn't intend to start a controversy but was only reporting what I remembered that I read when I was doing research on the dangers of owning a motorhome. I tried to find the same info and couldn't, but here are other links that speak about running with the propane "on."

here is Good Sam insurance top 5 most common ins. claims:

Top RVing Mishaps - RV Insurance Quote - Trailer Insurance : Good Sam RV Insurance

Here are other sites that are worth checking out because they say that it is illegal to run with propane "on" on ferries, in some tunnels and other places.

Common RV Insurance Claims & Tips To Avoid Them

Here is a good discussion at FMCA that speaks of the legalities.

https://community.fmca.com/topic/346...-when-driving/

Here is a piece from the RV Doctor on this subject:
The RV Doctor: Propane On While Driving an RV - Oh Boy!

Here is the piece from this website
David's RV Tips: Propane, on or off while traveling?

Safe?

This is the factor that gets the debate heated at times…is it safe to travel with the propane on? Most people will agree that it is safe to be traveling down the road and have the propane on and operating the refrigerator or furnace. And the new OPD valve and connecting hoses make it even safer than before.

However, almost everyone agrees that you should turn both the propane tank valves and, more importantly, all the propane appliances (fridge, furnace and water heater) off before entering a fueling station. Most states have laws that require any open flame source be turned off while fueling. The “open flame” in this case would be any pilot lights or anything that causes a spark (such as the igniter). Although fires at gas stations are rare, they do occur. I have chatted online with 2 firefighters who say they have either fought or investigated fires at gas stations that were blamed on an RV having a propane appliance on. So make sure you turn the appliance off, not just the tank valve!!!

There could also be portions of your travel where you are not allowed to have the propane on, either at the tank or the appliance, such as driving through a tunnel, across a bridge or on a ferry. There may also be tunnels, bridges or other portions of the road that have restrictions against transporting flammable liquids (other than the fuel for the vehicle). In most cases, this restriction is posted well in advance, but I have heard a few stories where people have claimed they saw no notice of the restriction until it was too late to do anything about it. If you will be traveling into unfamiliar territory, it might be best to check ahead with the state’s Department of Transportation (or similar office) to see if there are any restrictions along your route.

He included these two more technical links:
Propane 101-The basics
To Run The Fridge On the Road Or Not??

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by Roadmagic

I didn't intend to start a controversy but was only reporting what I remembered that I read when I was doing research on the dangers of owning a motorhome. I tried to find the same info and couldn't, but here are other links that speak about running with the propane "on."

here is Good Sam insurance top 5 most common ins. claims:

Top RVing Mishaps - RV Insurance Quote - Trailer Insurance : Good Sam RV Insurance

Here are other sites that are worth checking out because they say that it is illegal to run with propane "on" on ferries, in some tunnels and other places.

Common RV Insurance Claims & Tips To Avoid Them

Here is a good discussion at FMCA that speaks of the legalities.

https://community.fmca.com/topic/346...-when-driving/

Here is a piece from the RV Doctor on this subject:
The RV Doctor: Propane On While Driving an RV - Oh Boy!

Here is the piece from this website
David's RV Tips: Propane, on or off while traveling?

Safe?

This is the factor that gets the debate heated at times…is it safe to travel with the propane on? Most people will agree that it is safe to be traveling down the road and have the propane on and operating the refrigerator or furnace. And the new OPD valve and connecting hoses make it even safer than before.

However, almost everyone agrees that you should turn both the propane tank valves and, more importantly, all the propane appliances (fridge, furnace and water heater) off before entering a fueling station. Most states have laws that require any open flame source be turned off while fueling. The “open flame” in this case would be any pilot lights or anything that causes a spark (such as the igniter). Although fires at gas stations are rare, they do occur. I have chatted online with 2 firefighters who say they have either fought or investigated fires at gas stations that were blamed on an RV having a propane appliance on. So make sure you turn the appliance off, not just the tank valve!!!

There could also be portions of your travel where you are not allowed to have the propane on, either at the tank or the appliance, such as driving through a tunnel, across a bridge or on a ferry. There may also be tunnels, bridges or other portions of the road that have restrictions against transporting flammable liquids (other than the fuel for the vehicle). In most cases, this restriction is posted well in advance, but I have heard a few stories where people have claimed they saw no notice of the restriction until it was too late to do anything about it. If you will be traveling into unfamiliar territory, it might be best to check ahead with the state’s Department of Transportation (or similar office) to see if there are any restrictions along your route.

He included these two more technical links:
Propane 101-The basics
To Run The Fridge On the Road Or Not??

This post is a far cry from your first post, where you claimed frequent propane tank explosions. Then offered no data to back it up.

As far as refrigerator fires, the data doesn't mention if the fires are more prevelent in moving or parked RVs.

The big one for me is the fact that there is no government mandated, automatic propane shut off, while driving, device.
There would be big yellow stickers everywhere and foolproof ? lockouts, if this was such a big issue.

I've read that cars burst into flames at gas station from drivers getting back in and then out again. That builds a static charge that sparks when they touch the nozzle.

It's probably a rare occorance, but some states have removed the automatic lock, on the nozzle, so you have to stand there to pump your gas.

Life is full of perils.

[Dale70]

twinboat get my vote for a reasonable thought process.

thx - Dale

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by Dale70

twinboat get my vote for a reasonable thought process.

thx - Dale

X100


If propane in an RV was not SAFE to use while in transit I would NOT want to sleep with propane in service when stationary

[Roadmagic]

Originally Posted by twinboat

This post is a far cry from your first post, where you claimed frequent propane tank explosions. Then offered no data to back it up.

It's possible I misunderstood, but I told it exactly as I remembered from research nine or ten months ago, when I was trying to get educated about the practical dangers of motorhome ownership. I tried to find that same research report, but didn't, so I posted what I did find. It made an impression on me at the time, right up there with forgetting to raise your jacks or lower your antenna before you travel, that one MUST turn off the gas. I wish I could find it again, for my own edification but you gotta' have the same words on a search engine to get the same exact results, and also what comes up on search engines changes as the websites change so I couldn't find the original source.

[saddlesore]

As for the OP's post, I suspect that the tire or whatever hit the gas tank & ruptured that 1st, then the flames progressed to the rest of the coach including the propane tank, but I am old and know little