The plate you are referring to is put there by the tank manufacturer. If you scrape away the layers of gunk (and if it's not too rusted) you'll see that there is information such as date of manufacture, capacity, pressure rating, and certification data etched into the plate. If the tank is leaking, it would be unsafe to try to repair it--it must be replaced. You can pick up a used tank at a junkyard for around $150 (maybe less) or you can buy a new tank for probably $250 or so. Manchester, the manufacturer of the original tanks, still makes tanks that will fit the Westfalia. You'll have to order one through an RV equipment dealer as Manchester doesn't sell directly. -Mark McCulley At 05:20 AM 5/5/98 EDT, Ssittservl wrote: >The propane tank on my '88 Westfalia is leaking. Soap bubble test >confirms that it's not the valve, fittings, lines, etc. - it's the tank >itself. > >At about the bottom center of the tank, there's a thick plate about three >inches square welded to the tank. The tank and plate are covered >with rust. The leak is right at the edge of that plate. Does anyone >know if this plate is a "normal" part of the tank, or could it be a >patch that a previous owner applied to an earlier leak? > >I assume leaky tanks are thrown away, rather than repaired. Is that >correct? > >Anyone know an inexpensive source for tanks? > |
Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of
Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection
will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!
Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com
The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.
Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.