Date:         Sat, 23 Mar 2002 20:54:07 -0600
Reply-To:     Erikson-Coyne <erikoyne@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Erikson-Coyne <erikoyne@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Propane Tank Clean Up
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Listees,

thanks for all the recent messages on propane tank usage - very helpful to
me as a new Westy owner. Because of its disreputable appearance, I have
decided to pull my tank and 'renew' it - as the Brits say. I have purchased
the appropriate replacement Marshall 290 and an open-close valve from the
local RV store. I went to a local propane company and had the tank emptied -
basically they vented it into the air. They - nor anyone in the business in
KCMO - had not heard of, nor were they prepared to do, a vacuum out of an
old tank. So I know I have some small residue of propane in there.

My question - do you have any advice about/procedures for removing a Westy
tank, stripping off regulator and valves, removing paint/rust, repainting,
and installing new regulator & open/close valve -  all without blowing
myself into the next State (I'm about a quarter mile from the confluence of
the Kaw and the Missouri, so Kansas in this case).

For instance, if a tank is thus unhooked, can I use a wire wheel on it or
should I stick to sandpaper...chemical strippers?

Many thanks as ever,

Tom in KCMO
82 Westy