T&T: Propane tanks

[Mike Pedersen]

Not quite...

DOT regulates propane CYLINDERS (or bottles). Cylinders are meant to be
portable.  They can be vertical or horizontal.  They have a manufacturing
date stamp (and maybe a re certification date) on the protective valve
ring.  Consumer propane cylinders (BBQ) use propane as a vapor.  Industrial
propane cylinders (forklift) use propane as a liquid.

Propane TANKS are horizontal and have typically have permanent mounts or
feet.  These are built to an ASME standard and will have a SS nameplate with
a "U" (pressure vessel) stamp. If you remove or damage the nameplate, and it
is no longer a pressure vessel.  In Canada, it will also have a CRN stamped
on it.

OPDs are installed on all new cylinders; horizontal or vertical.  OPDs
cannot be retrofitted to an old (pre 1998 ?) horizontal cylinder. Soon the
hydro date stamp on an old cylinder will make this a moot point as they need
to be recertified 12 years from date of manufacture.  OPD's are not required
on tanks.  They have bleed valves to indicate that they are full.

Ask anyone will a VW van about where they get propane on their horizontal
ASME stamped tank and you'll find a knowledgeable propane dealer.

Mike Pedersen
NORTHERN SPY
Powell River, BC


On 7/4/08, Bucks2 at aol.com <Bucks2 at aol.com> wrote:
>
> I'm out cruising and on the expensive Canada Air Card time so I can't
> do  the
> research myself but...... IIRC the horizontal tanks are actually DOT
> regulated tanks which have a different certification standard and are
> not  included
> in the "BBQ tank" standard. A search on DOT regulated tanks I think  will
> show
> that they do not require the OPD device. I think they can be  retrofitted
> to
> have one, which is a good safety feature, but are not required to  have
> one.
> The DOT tanks are built to a different standard, thicker metal etc.  They
> must
> be hydro'd every certain number of years which is a reasonable  regulation
> and
> the cost is fairly reasonable when compared to the price of a new  tank.
> IIRC
> the period is 12 years.
>
> Ken Buck
> Laying Victoria BC
>
> Does anyone have a digital copy of this exemption rule?  I'd be  happy to
> host it so anyone can download it.
>
> We hit this valve issue  every time we fill our propane tank and our tank
> is
> obviously mounted  horizontally by the mounting brackets that are a part of
> the tank.  I've  always been able to talk my way into having the tank
> filled
> but fear that the  day is coming where that won't  work...
>
>
> ==================================
> Jeffrey  Siegel
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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