Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2001 19:19:32 -0500
Reply-To: Andrew Fox <afox@USGS.GOV>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Andrew Fox <afox@USGS.GOV>
Subject: "stop fill" propane tank fill valve problem
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
List,
I have been doing a lot of researching about propane tanks for the westy
lately as a result of the failure of my "stop fill" fill valve. Here is
what i found out, and i'm still not sure what the best thing to is. Please
let myself and everyone else know if any of the following is not accurate.
Some of our westy's have a "stop fill" brand fill valve identified by a
sticker on the propane tank rock guard which says stop fill on it and by
the unique set-up whereby a copper tube runs on the outside of the tank
from a small hole about 3/4 way up the tank to the fill valve. The "stop
fill" valve is'nt made anymore because it is prone to a failure in which
after filling propane continues to leak out of the fill valve until the
tank is emptied. I have heard reports that there is a kit to repair the
stop fill valve but have been unable to find anyone who sells this kit and
if repaired the valve would still be prone to failure. One fix described
in the archives is to install a "stop cock" or bleeder valve in the small
hole 3/4 of the way up the tank and replace the "stop fill" valve with an
ordinary acme style fill vavle. With this fix the upper bleeder valve
would be opened while filling and when about 80% full liquid propane would
shoot out of the valve letting you know its full. Modern propane tanks
work like this except they have float connected to the fill valve so that
in addition to liquid propane shooting out the bleeder 80% up the tank the
fill valve automatically closes when the float gets up to the 80% mark. As
far as I know the float cannot be installed on a tank that does'nt already
have one.
The main question is weather or not to install the bleeder valve in the top
hole, and regular fill valve in place of the stop fill valve or to pay
$220-$600 for a new tank. With this fix the tank looks exactly like a
modern tank although if the person filling the tank forgets to open the
bleeder they could overfill the tank resulting in the tank bursting.
Any information, experiences, advice greatly appreciated,
Thanks,
Andrew Fox
86 Westy
