Date:         Mon, 13 Feb 2006 17:41:46 -0500
Reply-To:     Edward Maglott <emaglott@BUNCOMBE.MAIN.NC.US>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Edward Maglott <emaglott@BUNCOMBE.MAIN.NC.US>
Subject:      Re: Propane tank fill valve anatomy
In-Reply-To:  <000301c62ffa$9aab87e0$6400a8c0@masterpc>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

Thanks for the input and explanation Dennis.  That's interesting about the
purge valve that opens when the bbq tank is being filled.  What makes it
open?    Is it the same 80% fill rule for the portable tanks?  I can't
believe that the little tube reaches down to the 80% level.

I guess the Extend-a-stay kit would probably solve my problems, I will look
into that.  Is it possible with that to hook up a disposable tank, invert
it, and get liquid into the westy tank?

Thanks,
Edward

At 12:34 PM 2/12/2006, you wrote:
>Marshall Brass makes adapters that get installed between the outlet
>valve and regulator that will allow connecting a disposable tank for
>emergency use. It also allows the on board tank to be used to supply a
>BBQ or portable stove. Look for "Extend-A-Stay" products. The Westy tank
>is a permanently installed, ASME rated tank. As such, it is required to
>have that fill valve which incorporates a check valve, (liquid goes in
>but can't come out}, the overfill protection, and a purge valve. Since
>that valve does not fill at the top of the tank, it can not be replaced
>with the potable tank valve. That extension tube on the valve you have
>is the liquid purge. There is a screw plug on the side of the valve. As
>the portable tank is filled, the plug gets opened and when liquid
>appears, the tank is full. If you really have trouble finding places
>with the adapter to fill your tank, buy one and carry it. Any legitimate
>propane supplier will have one though as fixed or horizontal tanks
>require it.
>
>Dennis
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
>Of Edward Maglott
>Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2006 10:37 AM
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Propane take fill valve anatomy
>
>I have been experimenting toward the idea of putting a fill valve on my
>westy's propane tank that will be easier to fill and compatible via
>adapter
>with the disposable tanks.  The easier to fill part has to do with
>finding
>some propane dealers unable to fill my tank because they don't have the
>correct adapter.  (They all can fill a bbq tank.)  I would also like to
>be
>able, if I run out of propane out in the boonies, to temporarily hook a
>disposable propane tank to my westy tank to get me by until I can get to
>a
>refill place.
>
>So I got the idea of taking the valve off of an older bbq tank and
>fitting
>to the westy tank.  I have an old westy tank that someone had fitted a
>strange valve in place of the fill valve.  It was actually a "boiler
>drain"
>spigot, like you probably have on the bottom of your water heater at
>home.  It has a garden hose thread on the end of it.  Amazing.  I cant
>imagine using this to refill the propane tank.  I then found a couple
>old
>bbq tanks.  These predate the current standard "overfill protection
>device"
>tanks.  One of these is old enough that it doesn't have the feature
>where
>if nothing is threaded into it, no propane will come out even if the
>valve
>is open.  The other does have that feature.  So I took the older one off
>the bbq tank, and is the same thread as the westy tank.  Here's my
>question: This valve has a thin tube that sticks down into the tank a
>few
>inches.  What is that?  Some sort of earlier version of overfill
>protection
>that was supposed to shut off the pump when the tank go to 80%?  I don't
>think it sticks down far enough to reach the 80% level.
>
>Other questions/issues:  Because the bbq valve is at 90 degrees, there
>may
>be other issues getting the filler into place.  I'm thinking I might
>have
>to flip up the guard plate and have them go in with the nozzle at an
>upward
>angle.  That's not too convenient, but I usually have to loosen and move
>the plate anyway, and they have to get under there to open the little
>bleed
>valve too.  Maybe the same adapter I use to connect to the disposable
>tank,
>could have a fitting to fill the tank?  Other safety/legality issues I
>am
>not considering?
>
>Edward