propane Question.

[Boar]

Went up to Lake o Woods last weekend an came home with two half tanks of propane, wat would cause the tank to to loose pressure, or obstruct pressure, moisture in line? I have an infrared three pannel heater an with a full tank have no prob. on High, tank gets down to half an an cant run high or two panels an a burner on stove, loosing presure or obstruction some were, been up two time this year before an no problems, can a guy put some Isopropyl in the line? I even bought a new regulator an no go on that did the same, any help would be great. Thanks boar

[fishfearme]

What was the temp up there when this happened?

[snowfighter]

If it was cold and you were using propane at a high rate it will frost the tank and drop the pressure or at least I have had it happen on different propane equipment.

[Ice Chicken]

propane needs a heat source to help it boil inside the tank which provides pressure to run your heater. when the tank is full the surface area of the liquid covers alot of the tank.as the tank empties less gas making contact with tank surface cuts down on its ability to boil.propane boils at any temperature above minus 44 degrees or there about. the colder it gets and the shrinking volume of gas both contribute to the no pressure problem. the easiest solution but not the cheapest is bigger tanks.

[LightningBG]

Yeah, you need a way to keep those tanks warm. Easier said than done.

[Boar]

although it was cold, probabley 10 below with no wind chill, I had the tank wraped in 3 in thick insulation, an a cardboard box on top of it, to stay off the cold as best as possible. I had cold days before , maybe not this cold an had no problem. but being insulated i figured would help. Thanks for the responses. boar

[fishfearme]

Without a heat source the insulation serves no purpose. You just need to make sure you have a full tank when it is that cold out.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Wouldn't the insulation make it worse? When the liquid changes to a gas it gets colder. Basically its the same principle that makes your air conditioning and fridge work.

[LightningBG]

Wouldn't the insulation make it worse? When the liquid changes to a gas it gets colder. Basically its the same principle that makes your air conditioning and fridge work.

You may be on to something there. Assuming the tank temperature naturally drops below -10 (air temp in this case) through the releasing process. The insulation might actually be keeping the cold in the tank. Hmmm

[MJBaldwin]

you may be on to something there. Assuming the tank temperature naturally drops below -10 (air temp in this case) through the releasing process. The insulation might actually be keeping the cold in the tank. Hmmm

[swamptiger]

Quote:

I would have to agree

Yup I think so too...

Better off with the tank (with no insulation) sitting on the south side of the house so it can catch some sun.

[blue_healer_guy]

Boar, I'm assuming 20lb tanks, I have the same problem ocassionally and if you look at any heater specs they say not to run with less than 40lbs pressure. yeah, most times we can get bye with less, but cold is a factor

[LightningBG]

Better off with the tank (with no insulation) sitting on the south side of the house so it can catch some sun.

And paint it flat black if its a tank you're keeping and refilling.

[Jeremy airjer W]

And paint it flat black if its a tank you're keeping and refilling.

A tank must be a light reflective color. White, light blue, grey, light brown, etc. If its black the propane filler will or should refuse to fill it!

[The_Seasock]

Sounds like it is to cold. Guys I know way up north will bild small wood fires under a metal platform and put the propain tanks on them. It keeps them warm enoughf to work good but not to hot because it is so cold out that fire burns cooler.

[boatfixer]

Wouldn't the insulation make it worse? When the liquid changes to a gas it gets colder. Basically its the same principle that makes your air conditioning and fridge work.

Correct. Insulating a cold tank will not improve the situation. The liquid needs to draw heat from the tank in order to make vapor. Its not so much that it gets colder, its that during the boiling process, there is an endothermic reaction. That means the liquid is drawing energy, (heat), from whatever it is contact with. In chemestry and physics, the temp change is refered to as Delta T. Thats why if it happens to be your hand, it feels cold, only because the heat is rapidly being drawn from you skin. If the liquid has no heat source it cannot continue the boiling process and produce vapor to keep up with demand.

[LightningBG]

A tank must be a light reflective color. White, light blue, grey, light brown, etc. If its black the propane filler will or should refuse to fill it!

Learn something everyday I guess. Thanks.

[Tom7227]

In chemestry and physics, the temp change is refered to as Delta T.

Back whenever while sitting in those classes that cost way to much did you ever think you would use this knowledge for anything close to being useful? Is this the first time you've been able too? Just curious because it sure seemed like a waste of time to me.

[boatfixer]

Some things just stuck better than others

[Dogzlife000]

A good edjucation is pricless.

Has anyone tried using the exhaust from there furnace as a heat source? Just curious.

[Hookmaster]

You would think wheeled house manufacturers would address this by installing a vent through the wall where the propane tanks are. Maybe even use a little fan. It wouldn't take much. Then you could insulate the tanks to help keep the heat in.

[Boar]

Cool was hoping this would be a thinker, tyhanks alot guys, so during the endoplasmatic creation of delta force T with the atmospheric reaction phospherous D to alpha I should leave the tank on the sunny side an no insulation, correct? how about teh regulator? wrap it up or leave that as well? Thanks again for the responses, very informative. Just teasing alittle. ya know Boar