Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 10:52:26 -0400
Reply-To: Ed Carroll <ecarroll@MAINE.RR.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ed Carroll <ecarroll@MAINE.RR.COM>
Subject: Re: old propane tank lost cause?
In-Reply-To: <1.5.4.32.20010720023502.03caeb50@buncombe.main.nc.us>
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I have not looked at one of these particular tanks, as I own a Weekender.
I have, however, witnessed and reported on a fiery propane explosion
that was caused by a rusty 100-pound cylinder letting loose as it
came full and to full pressure at a filling station. That's the large
camp and cabin type cylinder. This crusty old guy from the outskirts
of town used to salvage cylinders at the dump, clean 'em up some and
use them at trailers he rented out. A hole on the bottom seam let go
on this one, in the bed of his pickup while he's standing there with
the hose in his hand and the station owner/attendant looking on, and
the cylinder starts to flop like a long full balloon that's been let
go. Knocks off the rusted fender of his truck, strikes the ground,
causes a spark on the gravel when it hits, goes off in a percussive
fireball that envelops pretty much the entire filling station, and
the cylinder launches about a quarter mile into the air, trailing
fire and white vapors.
Crusty old guy and station attendant are both rolling on the pavement
on fire, and people are understandably reluctant to rush to their aid
at a burning gas and propane filling station. They both lived,
severely handicapped and with third-degree burns over good portions
of their bodies. The crusty old guy sues the station owner and the
regional propane distributor, because both are supposed to know
better than to fill rusty tanks that have been salvaged and cleaned
up a little, and wins. Badly burned station owner sells and gets out
of the business.
So, for me, I'd get a new one. Station attendants are supposed to
look for the tags/inspection stamps, though they probably won't,
especially inside the van. Still, if it were me, I'd replace it.
Ed Carroll
'87 Weekender
'69 Karmann Ghia convertible
>I'm sorting out an old propane tank I got with a 85 westy partsmobile. I
>need one to put on my 86 that I am converting to full westy-hood. This old
>tank is rusty, there is only a little paint still on it. There is no guard
>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. They say if it is rusty, no one will repair
>it. I am inclined to rig up some fittings to put compressed air into it to
>test it before trashing it. 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? Can I make one based on info
>from another westy tank? Anybody been down this road?
>
>Thanks,
>Edward
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