Date:         Wed, 18 Oct 2000 13:43:14 -0400
Reply-To:     "Karl F. Bloss" <bloss@ENTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Karl F. Bloss" <bloss@ENTER.NET>
Subject:      propane tank issues
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

The '85 Westy we just bought has a propane tank that's pretty rusty on the
outside.  It also has the certification tag, but it's pretty beat up and I
can't really read the numbers.

Now, it holds propane and even held it for the 4-5 years that it was sitting on
the street at the PO's place to the point that I can run the stove and fridge
(woohoo...got it lit after running on AC for only 10 minutes to get the flue
circulation going).

After talking to Jason Yasment at BBTT this past weekend, he said he looked
into getting his sandblasted, painted, and recertified since theoretically
propane fill places could deny you a fill if the certification tag isn't
legible.  The cost would be around $100, he said.

I called around to local RV places and LP gas dealers and nobody seems to want
to recertify tanks.  Is there a place that might do this by mail after I empty
the tank?

I can just run with it, but my wife has safety concerns.  Also, I don't want to
get stuck not being able to get gas when on a longer trip (planned for
November).  I can do the sandblasting and painting myself (on an empty tank, of
course), but not the recert.

I know the Bus Depot has tanks for $220.  Ron, are these recertified, new, or
just used in unknown condition?

Any other comments on the subject are appreciated.

-Karl

Karl & Kristina Bloss, Trexlertown, PA
'00 Wannabusser "Julia"
'87 Weekender "Bev" - 201K Miles
'85 Westy Camper "Fred" - 39K Miles
http://www.enter.net/~bloss/vw - vanagon@makarov.com
VW Shop List: http://www.enter.net/~bloss/vw/vwshops
PA/NJ/DE/MD area VW bus "group" http://www.enter.net/~bloss/vw/pavanagon
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