Date: Sat, 19 Mar 2011 21:17:27 -0700
Reply-To: David Vickery <david_vickery@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Vickery <david_vickery@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: 1983 Westy Propane Tank Question
In-Reply-To: <AANLkTi=mE3VdsrG+K+=r1YPNN3gmLoNi3AkTNdgtx+6k@mail.gmail.com>
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I have had fillers swear up and down there was a problem with my 1990 tank. "I been doing this for 20 years, etc." After reading up a bit and taking it to a propane service place, it was clear that many attendants do not know much about the Westy tanks. So find out if you really have a bad fill valve before doing anything. A real propane service place that does repairs and also fills tanks will know everything about westy tanks. If the tank is empty, try putting a gallon in for starters.
Most likely your propane tank is fine, and possibly the fill valve is fine too. If you just need a new fill valve which the shop should be able to swap out for you very cheaply.
I just had my regulator replaced at a propane shop for $28, which is about what I would pay for the regulator on line.
I haven't seen any need for slow filling, they pretty much just open their valve and let it flow. But if they don't open the bleed screw ALL THE WAY before they try to fill, it can pressure lock and then you have a harder time if the guy doesn't know how the pressure relief valve works. The tank only takes 2.5 gallons (at 80%) and if I can I like to have it empty so I can just tell them to give me 2.5 gallons and I usually open the bleeder for them to avoid problems. Maybe you can clean up around your fill valve too if dirt or dust got into it.
--- On Sat, 3/19/11, Steven Yoon <drssyoon@GMAIL.COM> wrote:> So, today being one of those
> fantastic spring days we have in Atlanta, I
> decided to go get the propane tank filled. Since the
> purchase, I have not
> used the stove, and didn't know how much propane was still
> in the tank.
>
> I took it to a U Haul where the guy managed to add some
> propane to the tank.
> Apparently it was still pretty full. Now here is where the
> disaster struck -
> he could not get the filler nozzle off because the Westy's
> filler valve got
> stuck open. He had to open the bleeder valve on his filler
> nozzle and let
> out all the propane. There was a lot in there! When the
> pressure dropped
> sufficiently for him to unscrew his nozzle, the valve on
> the propane tank
> continue to leak. I pushed the center of the valve with a
> pen, and it was
> spring loaded, and I could move it so that the leak slowed
> down
> considerably, but not all the way.
>
> At this point, my tank is empty and I am not sure
> whether my filler valve
> needs repair/replacement. I read on the web that Westy tank
> needs to be
> filled slowly because the valve sometimes get stuck open
> due to the cold. Is
> there a way to tell whether my tank is a goner?
>
> By the way, when the U Haul guy filled the tank, he did not
> open the
> pressure relief valve (the little one to the right of the
> filler valve).
> Could this have damaged the filler valve somehow?
>
> My Westy is from 1983.
>
> Thanks for any help in advance.
>
> Steve
>
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