Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2001 19:35:42 -0500
Reply-To: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject: Re: "stop fill" propane tank fill valve problem
In-Reply-To: <OF06EC5B2B.0A59663E-ON85256A1C.005A1799@er.usgs.gov>
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At 07:19 PM 3/28/2001, Andrew Fox wrote:
>Some of our westy's have a "stop fill"
"AutoStop" I believe. Made by Marshall Brass
>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.
Or more likely because it is complicated and not much of an improvement on
the ordinary method, so few people bought them.
> 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.
If your valve is made of zinc it cannot be repaired. If of brass, I think
that the kit is available from Marshall Brass.
> 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.
I'm not sure there is such a float -- it's a feature on recently made *DOT
(BBQ-type)* tanks, but not necessarily on ASME tanks such as ours. Not
saying you're wrong, but I'd be inclined to re-check your info.
>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.
If you need a tank, get a tank. If you need a valve, get a valve. The new
tank will come with a manual fill/manual bleed setup because that's all
there is now.
If you want an Autostop valve like the original, I have one (NOS) for sale,
you can see it on my web page.
> 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.
Actually I don't think so -- I don't think the delivery pump can produce
anything like that pressure. The more plausible danger is of failing to
stop when the bleed valve starts spraying liquid, leading to an overfilled
tank which might indeed burst if it got hot. This can be a consideration,
because most LP attendants are expecting a much larger fill than we can
take, so they tend to start the flow and only then open the bleed
valve. In any case, the solution is simple; just bleed off until no more
liquid comes from the bleed valve.
david
>Any information, experiences, advice greatly appreciated,
>
>Thanks,
>Andrew Fox
>86 Westy
David Beierl - Providence, RI
http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"
