Transfering Propane

[monkey]

Originally Posted by Off Road

You actually can fill a propane tank without a pump. We do it on the farm all the time. Our local propane dealer brought out a home style tank with a hose and a valve on the end of the hose. When our forklift tanks are empty we pull up, hook up the hose, open vent valve on empty tank and open valve on stationary tank. Yes it fills slower than a pump and it only gets it about 75% full but it works just fine. Ask your local propane distributor for help.

Agree... One place I worked did the exact same thing !

[Clay L]

I installed a Stay A While Tee made by Mr Heater that goes between the RV tank and RV regulator, It comes with a hose that allows to connect to an external tank. You don't have to transfer propane frpm the external tank, Just close the RV tank valve and open the external tank valve. I used a 30 pound external tank I could take it to the fill station when necessary.
Mine also had a port with a hose that connected to a grill. So didn't use to use small bottles on the grill.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by wolfer

Thanks for all your posts. I already know it can be done. I have had a 250 in the past it was a tank that had an additional valve that had a tube inside the tank that went to the bottom to draw liquid. I filled the motorhome and 40# bottles often. I had a different valve on the other motorhome I had at that time. I know if I turned a tank upside down that was higher than the empty tank and when the tanks equalize I will have to cool the lower tank and warm the upper tank. I asked how to connect to the motorhome tank end of the hose. That horizontal tank has a large fitting that has male threads My previous motorhome had also inside threads. (By the way My old motorhome did have two valves one for liquid and one for gas one valve was gas for a onan genset and one for furnace and cook stove and water heater. This motorhome has one fill valve that has a large fitting with outside threads like I said. and it has an out bound line that goes to the regulator which I now have an extend a stay which I hook to my 100# tank, That line comes from near the highest point on the fill end of the horizontal tank. It has a 90 degree elbow then a shut off valve. Would it be easier to open the bleeder then take out the elbow and replace with a straight stub I could plumb into with a liquid transfer hose to the upside down 100# tank upside down on my tailgate of my pick-up mind you I am going to warm the top tank and cool the horizontal tank with cold water. Do they make a connection for the fill line or do I have to go thru the line to the regulator. Unfortunately I do not own the lot I am renting and the three (Amerigas,Ferrile gas and a local independent distributor will not fill tanks here) or in an RV Park up and down the Oregon Coast. It is a monopoly I have been sitting here almost 3 years and do not intend to move it unless I take a trip to Desert or across country for vacation. I am not going to put in slide or disconnect cable tv and put everything away just to get some damn propane and I do not want to deal with an extend a stay any more. Too many places for leaks. I already had one hose leaking a hose end and is not safe.

You need this, to adapt the MH ACME fill valve, to OPD type fittings.

https://propanewarehouse.com/shop/fi...lling-adapter/

[mojoracing]

I made a hose that connects to my extend a stay to a propane tank for a forklift. It is the quick connect type you would find on any fork lift. When I am staying at our plant, i just haul out another fork lift tank when empty. The only problem I run into is that it seems to freeze up my regulator more often then compared to working off the motorhome tank. I also get propane leaking out the weephole in the regulator from time to time. Is this an issue with using the forklift tanks, a regulator issue or possibly a temperature difference issue. I say temp difference as the forklift tanks usually come from inside a heated warehouse and then get brought outside where the temp could be anywhere from 5 degrees to 50 degrees.

[twinboat]

Forklift tanks supply liquid propane to the engine. They draw from the bottom of the tank.

Home, BBQ and RV tanks, supply vaporized propane ( Gas ) to the appliances. They draw from the top of the tank.

Get one of these and light it. While lit, turn it upside down to see how liquid propane effects the flame.

Unless you have a LP generator, which will have a separate liquid line, VAPOR ONLY will be required for RV systems.

[hohenwald48]

Originally Posted by Off Road

You actually can fill a propane tank without a pump. We do it on the farm all the time. Our local propane dealer brought out a home style tank with a hose and a valve on the end of the hose. When our forklift tanks are empty we pull up, hook up the hose, open vent valve on empty tank and open valve on stationary tank. Yes it fills slower than a pump and it only gets it about 75% full but it works just fine. Ask your local propane distributor for help.

Yeah, I've been doing that for years. Works just fine. I usually wait until the large (1,000 gallon tank) has been in the sun for a few hours then the liquid transfers into the cooler (being filled) tank pretty fast. I just got all the hose and fittings from my local propane company. Cost about $200 for the set up.

I don't know that I'd want to turn a #100 tank on end. Most large residential type tanks have a liquid withdrawal pickup tube already installed.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by Bosunmate

So this guy jumps out of a plane. His parachute will not deploy. As he is falling to earth he sees this guy coming up towards him. When they get close he ask the up bound guy if he knows anything about parachutes. The guy say no I don't, do you know anything about transferring propane from one tank to the other?........

As a former Propane technician, I recommend having a pro handle propane transfers. Good luck.

If there is LP in two different tanks, they are under equal pressure regardless of size. Source: https://www.propanecarbs.com/propane.html

I attended a state-sponsored LP fire training session, where they lit a flame under a 500G storage tank until it vented and vapors caught fire; talk about training under pressure_.
A year later it actually happened during a house fire, two firefighers died when an end cap blew off.

[BFlinn181]

Originally Posted by Clay L

I installed a Stay A While Tee made by Mr Heater that goes between the RV tank and RV regulator, It comes with a hose that allows to connect to an external tank. You don't have to transfer propane frpm the external tank, Just close the RV tank valve and open the external tank valve. I used a 30 pound external tank I could take it to the fill station when necessary.
Mine also had a port with a hose that connected to a grill. So didn't use to use small bottles on the grill.

Of all the stories suggesting transferring LP from one tank to another from the bottom, from the top, upending one tank, etc. I think Clay L has the safest strategy of all. Why transfer at all? Use portable tanks you can handle and tap from those tanks rather than try to fill the on board tank. The built in tank was designed to be filled with liquid by a pump. Any other strategies is makeshift and potentially explosive. When the portable(s) are empty, they can be transported to a distributer and refilled.

[hohenwald48]

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

If there is LP in two different tanks, they are under equal pressure regardless of size.

True. However, if you open the vent port in the tank you are filling that lowers the gas pressure enough to move liquid from the non-venting tank to the venting tank. Since for every cubic foot of gas vented out of one tank you replace that with one cubic foot of liquid you really don't have to vent much to fill a tank.

Obviously, you try to avoid doing the venting/filling during a house fire.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

Of all the stories suggesting transferring LP from one tank to another from the bottom, from the top, upending one tank, etc. I think Clay L has the safest strategy of all. Why transfer at all? Use portable tanks you can handle and tap from those tanks rather than try to fill the on board tank. The built in tank was designed to be filled with liquid by a pump. Any other strategies is makeshift and potentially explosive. When the portable(s) are empty, they can be transported to a distributer and refilled.

OP already using 100# bottles and was looking for options.......that is how....why thread went sideways about transferring propane.

Based on some responses OP will now have 100# bottles heating out in the sun, turning them upside down in truck bed and icing down his MH tank for a liquid refill.

[BFlinn181]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

OP already using 100# bottles and was looking for options.......that is how....why thread went sideways about transferring propane.

Based on some responses OP will now have 100# bottles heating out in the sun, turning them upside down in truck bed and icing down his MH tank for a liquid refill.

I agree. The OP's story of handling 100# tanks a few times a year, being in the same spot for 2 years, but reluctant to have a tank attached to his LP system because he wants fast escape from a Tsunami sounds - - - interesting. Using more manageable sized tanks, or a tank large enough to warrant home (campsite) delivery makes safer sense. JMHO

[Sandy Swede]

wolfer, it appears that there are several posters who are knowledgeable about answering your propane question. Some even have differing opinions. How will you know which one is the right one?

I use propane to heat our home, use it for the BBQ, fryer, and have a propane tank in my coach. Been using propane for about 40 years. So you should listen to my answer as an expert, right? WRONG! I know virtually jack about propane.

My suggestion is to ask your local propane supplier what to do. Would that not be the safest route?

[mojoracing]

Originally Posted by twinboat

Forklift tanks supply liquid propane to the engine. They draw from the bottom of the tank.

Home, BBQ and RV tanks, supply vaporized propane ( Gas ) to the appliances. They draw from the top of the tank.

Get one of these and light it. While lit, turn it upside down to see how liquid propane effects the flame.

Unless you have a LP generator, which will have a separate liquid line, VAPOR ONLY will be required for RV systems.

So, would turning the forklift tank upside down then supply vapor to the rv system? Everything LP related works just fine other than the regulator icing up. Sometimes worse than others.

[mojoracing]

Originally Posted by twinboat

Forklift tanks supply liquid propane to the engine. They draw from the bottom of the tank.

Home, BBQ and RV tanks, supply vaporized propane ( Gas ) to the appliances. They draw from the top of the tank.

Get one of these and light it. While lit, turn it upside down to see how liquid propane effects the flame.

Unless you have a LP generator, which will have a separate liquid line, VAPOR ONLY will be required for RV systems.

what happens when you turn the torch upside down? Dont have one to experiment with.