Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 17:10:37 -0500
Reply-To: Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject: Re: more propane questions
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
my welding tanks don't make any noise while shifting the valve.
------------------
Don't get me wrong on this subject, there are situations where there
might be a danger from leaking propane.
However propane is heavier than air and will flow down and away from your
Westy and unless its sitting in a closed garage there should not be any
real danger from a transition leak. Be advised that it can hang for
extended periods in grass and if the leak is constant or substantial you
could have a flash fire if the gasses are ignited.
If anyone has a real fear of these valves they should have the valve and
regulators investigated by a qualified LP Fuel service center.
Many RV dealers sell LP fuels and can assist you on this service
procedure.
After dealing with Propane Lift Truck tanks, Acetylene, Oxygen, Argon and
Co2 for over thirty years I must submit that most tank valves are
serviced by the Fill Station to keep the contents inside. This servicing
might be only the required once a year for certification but is often
more recent.
In addition the stems are not subjected to the dirt, extreme changes in
temperature that the Westy valves are.
There are situations like mine where I became concerned about that leak
in transition and I removed the valve far enough that I could see that
one graphite seal was polished pretty good. I replaced the seal and
stopped the leak for about a month because the new graphite seal
compressed just like the old one.
Stan Wilder
On Fri, 18 Oct 2002 17:38:25 -0400 David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net>
writes:
> At 04:34 PM 10/18/2002, Stan Wilder wrote:
> >All high pressure cylinders have a double seat valve.
> >In other words they must be fully closed or fully open, in either
> of
> >these positions they seat against a seal and should not leak.
>
> Stan, the pressure in these tanks is closer to an acetylene tank
> (250 psi)
> than an oxygen or other high-pressure tank (2000+ psi). I'd be
> happy to
> hear that the LP-tank delivery valve is a double-seat type, but I
> don't
> think you can take it as a given just from the pressure.
>
> >The slight leaking in the mid range of the valve is caused by
> excessive
> >pressure and is normal.
>
> Strikes me that a leak you can actually hear is a bit beyond
> "slight" -- my
> welding tanks don't make any noise while shifting the valve, and
> they're
> running at ten times the pressure. However as you say, if it stops
> when
> the valve is fully open it's perhaps not a big deal. I'm still not
> happy
> about it though -- the propane stink tends to cling and might
> obscure a
> "real" leak from the regulator etc.
>
> david
>
>
> --
> David Beierl - Providence, RI
> http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
> '84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
> '85 GL "Poor Relation"
>
>
>
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