Date:         Fri, 20 Jul 2001 00:14:18 -0400
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: old propane tank lost cause?
Comments: To: Edward Maglott <emaglott@BUNCOMBE.MAIN.NC.US>
In-Reply-To:  <1.5.4.32.20010720023502.03caeb50@buncombe.main.nc.us>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 10:35 PM 7/19/2001, Edward Maglott wrote:
>under the bottom, and no information plate attached to it.  I think they
>rusted off.  The tank itself seems sound despite all this rust.  I am
>getting nowhere in dealing with local RV repair places.  They tell me to
>throw it out and buy a new one.  They say no one can legally "do anything
>with it" without that ID plate.

That's right.

>  They say if it is rusty, no one will repair
>it.

Yup.

>  I am inclined to rig up some fittings to put compressed air into it to
>test it before trashing it.

I'd think carefully about that.  The tanks are rated for something like 300
psi, so you can't give one a good test with regular shop air.  Not to
mention that you might find yourself in an embarrassing situation if the
tank *did* fail, with the pieces flying about your ears.

OTOH these are extremely stout tanks with no requirement for periodic
certification.

>   If it passes the leak test, I would paint it
>and buy the parts to get it back in shape.  But my question is about that ID
>plate.  Am I really outta luck with out that?

Yup.

>  Can I make one based on info
>from another westy tank?

Not unless you are an accomplished forger in steel.

>  Anybody been down this road?

Don't go there.

sorry...
david