Propane tank filling problem

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skydivemark said:
Some places have asked us all to get out, but it was ok to leave the dogs in.
I always turn off all propane appliances and generator during propane refill as precaution. Most places (I've been to) ask me to anyway so it's become a habit.
Click to expand...
I can see why they want it all turned off, after I saw that big cloud or Propane blow in the guys face at the LHC Chevron gas station.

-Don-  in ~90F Yuma, AZ
 
Yes, they do usually let me make the connection.  Perhaps, looking at the age of my mh, they think they might break something.  I wouldn't do anything to discorage that kind of thinking.  I forgot to say in my earlier post that the test for a good connection is ,with the pump OFF, open the nozzle slightly.  A very small amount of the propane in the hose will leak out if connection is bad.  The huge cloud you mentioned tells me that the pump was on when the nozzle was opened.  Have you had any success at other fill stations?  I find that a huge percentage of attendants around here know next to nothing about propane systems even though they all claim to have the proper training.  Dan
 
newfurrows said:
Yes, they do usually let me make the connection.  Perhaps, looking at the age of my mh, they think they might break something.  I wouldn't do anything to discorage that kind of thinking.  I forgot to say in my earlier post that the test for a good connection is ,with the pump OFF, open the nozzle slightly.  A very small amount of the propane in the hose will leak out if connection is bad.  The huge cloud you mentioned tells me that the pump was on when the nozzle was opened.  Have you had any success at other fill stations?  I find that a huge percentage of attendants around here know next to nothing about propane systems even though they all claim to have the proper training.  Dan
Click to expand...
That one time was the only time I could not get my propane tank filled. However, I remember one other guy who caused a cloud of propane, but the tank was still filled.  But all the other many times, there was no problem at all in getting this propane tank filled.

-Don-  (in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, AZ)
 
I am going to reopen this thread, because I find propane filling to be a big and very common hassle in BOTH my RVs. Again today, I could NOT get my propane tank filled at a place that SHOULD be able to do it.

Tanks are permanently attached on both my RVs. A Class A and Class C as listed below this message.

At least now, I know exactly what the problem is. There are two types of propane nozzles that will fit my RVs, but only one of them will work. There is a valve that needs to be pushed in on my propane tanks to fill them. Many places have to correct size but without the insert to push my valve in. Some RVs require this, some do not. BOTH my RVs require it, and it is a very common problem. I also had this exact same problem in my new RV in Tucson, AZ last February.

There is an adapter that will fit in the nozzle or there can be a complete nozzle that has the thingy in it.

What I want to do, is buy one myself, either the adapter or the complete nozzle with the thingy to press in the valve. I will carry it in my RVs and tell them to use my nozzle next time.

Where can I buy a commercial propane tank nozzle like they use in the gas stations? I just tried a couple of web searches but they were fruitless.

-Don- Tom's Place, CA
 
The fill valve for a MH ASME tank is not the same as the fill valve on my 1,000G home LP tank. The LP supplier must use a adapter he carries in his truck if I ask him to fill both while here.
When I had the supplier replace the fill valve on my MH tank he had to special order it, whereas he had new fill valves in stock for replacing home tank fill valves.

DonTom this is the fill valve for a newer MH ASME tank: Manchester Tank V13414 Propane Tank Fill Valve - 1-3/4''
This one fits my ASME tank that was made in 1999 by a now out of business Bruner Engineering; was bought out by Manchester Tank. Marshall Excelsior ME601-6 1-3/4''M.Acme x 3/4'' MNPT Double Check Fill Valve with Cap The brand of MH ASME tank this fits, has a square cast iron adapter between valve and tank. If this adapter is broken or damaged, there are NO replacements available. The only recourse is to take the part to a machine shop and have a new one machined.

The fill nozzle may only be purchased by a licensed LP supplier, don't know for sure. Here is a full catalog for LP equipment: Propane Equipment Catalog
 
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Thanks for that info., but I am not sure if we are talking about the same thing or not. I do not want to make and changes to my RVs at all, what I am looking for is the nozzle gas stations use to fill up RV with a propane tank like mine, that will press in on the valve in my RVs. So when they do NOT have it at a gas station (which is almost half the time, based on my experiences!), I can say "use my nozzle" that I have with me.

In your first link, is that the thingy that fits into the nozzle I am asking about?

The problem is I don't know what that insert looks like. I have never seen it outside a propane nozzle, but it is obvious if it is in there or not, as the one that will NOT work fits perfectly but will not work is hollow inside, unlike the one that does work.

-Don- Tom's Place, CA
 
DonTom said:
Thanks for that info., but I am not sure if we are talking about the same thing or not. I do not want to make and changes to my RVs at all, what I am looking for is the nozzle gas stations use to fill up RV with a propane tank like mine, that will press in on the valve in my RVs. So when they do NOT have it at a gas station (which is almost half the time, based on my experiences!), I can say "use my nozzle" that I have with me.

In your first link, is that the thingy that fits into the nozzle I am asking about?

The problem is I don't know what that insert looks like. I have never seen it outside a propane nozzle, but it is obvious if it is in there or not, as the one that will NOT work fits perfectly but will not work is hollow inside, unlike the one that does work.

-Don- Tom's Place, CA
Click to expand...
Here's the ACME/POL adapter you're looking for.

propanewarehouse.com

Fill Valve Adapter - Female POL x 1 3/4" Female ACME

This Fill Valve Adapter - Female POL x 1 3/4" Female ACME is for filling tanks through the fill valve using the standard POL fitting.
propanewarehouse.com

Be aware though, refillers that normally only fill DOT cylinders may not be willing to fill an ASME tank. Some of them use the pump meter for sales tracking and won't zero it or record the current reading for a per gallon fill. They sometimes don't have a clue about using the Fixed Liquid Level Gauge for determining when the tank is full either.
 
NY_Dutch said:
e aware though, refillers that normally only fill DOT cylinders may not be willing to fill an ASME tank. Some of them use the pump meter for sales tracking and won't zero it or record the current reading for a per gallon fill. They sometimes don't have a clue about using the Fixed Liquid Level Gauge for determining when the tank is full either.
Click to expand...
I've run into more thn a few of those over the years. They are trained only on DOT bottles and sometimes only to fill by weight, so a fixed ASME tank and no way to weigh it is beyond their comprehension.
 
Built-in ASME tanks have a liquid level valve/ aka spitter valve at the 80% full level on the horizontal tank. This valve must be used when filling the tank even if it has an OPD valve as in my first link. My 1999 year ASME tank does not have an OPD valve, just the fill valve in my 2nd link, I know, I replaced the original in 2015 with a new identical valve.
 
Ray-IN said:
Built-in ASME tanks have a liquid level valve/ aka spitter valve at the 80% full level on the horizontal tank. This valve must be used when filling the tank even if it has an OPD valve as in my first link. My 1999 year ASME tank does not have an OPD valve, just the fill valve in my 2nd link, I know, I replaced the original in 2015 with a new identical valve.
Click to expand...
ASME tanks have been required to have an OPD since around 1976. Of course that doesn't account for any changes made after manufacture. Both ASME and most DOT cylinders have an 80% Fixed Liquid Level Gauge ("spitter') valve.
 
NY_Dutch said:
Here's the ACME/POL adapter you're looking for.
Click to expand...
Which is a totally different item that was shown by Ray-In above in the first link.

I still have no clue what I need to buy. I have no clue what this adapter looks like.

Perhaps the next time I find a propane place that can actually fill my tanks, I can ask what the thingy looks like. And if it has a name or part number.

-Don- Tom's Place, CA
 
DonTom said:
Which is a totally different item that was shown by Ray-In above in the first link.

I still have no clue what I need to buy. I have no clue what this adapter looks like.

Perhaps the next time I find a propane place that can actually fill my tanks, I can ask what the thingy looks like. And if it has a name or part number.

-Don- Tom's Place, CA
Click to expand...
What Ray-In linked to was a complete replacement fill valve for the tank, not the adapter used for refilling the tank. The adapter I linked to screws onto the fill valve so the refiller can then use a standard DOT POL refill nozzle to fill the ASME tank. I carry one with me for the rare occasions when the refiller can't find their adapter. I also carry a few spare fill valve gaskets, because occasionally the refill adapter "steals" my gasket and it's not noticed until the next refill. Some refillers keep gaskets on hand, but not all.
 
NY_Dutch said:
The adapter I linked to screws onto the fill valve so the refiller can then use a standard DOT POL refill nozzle to fill the ASME tank.
Click to expand...
If I understand correctly, that sounds like a perfect idea that I had no idea exists.

With that adapter, does it mean they no longer need the thingy to press in on my valve? Can it be left on my propane tank so it will work with both nozzles or does it need to be removed for the type that would normally work?

-Don- Tom's Place, CA
 
Righty-tighty or was that for Australian tornadoes?

I vote for operator error. I've also found RV technical specialists (as named by the service manager) that could not attach a washing machine hose to a hose bib without cross-threading and installing an enormous leak... scary if they were playing with propane!
 
DonTom said:
If I understand correctly, that sounds like a perfect idea that I had no idea exists.

With that adapter, does it mean they no longer need the thingy to press in on my valve? Can it be left on my propane tank so it will work with both nozzles or does it need to be removed for the type that would normally work?

-Don- Tom's Place, CA
Click to expand...
The adapter opens the fill valve the same way an ACME threaded nozzle does. The adapter is used by the refiller and is attached to the POL fill nozzle before it's attached to the tank, and is the exact adapter that many refill stations use.
 
NY_Dutch said:
Here's the ACME/POL adapter you're looking for.

propanewarehouse.com

Fill Valve Adapter - Female POL x 1 3/4" Female ACME

This Fill Valve Adapter - Female POL x 1 3/4" Female ACME is for filling tanks through the fill valve using the standard POL fitting.
propanewarehouse.com

Be aware though, refillers that normally only fill DOT cylinders may not be willing to fill an ASME tank. Some of them use the pump meter for sales tracking and won't zero it or record the current reading for a per gallon fill. They sometimes don't have a clue about using the Fixed Liquid Level Gauge for determining when the tank is full either.
Click to expand...
Thanks again!

Today, I went to a Chevron gas station about 50 miles north of here to get propane. They could NOT fill it.

Then I found my adapter, it worked perfectly. The ONLY reason I was able to get propane there today was because of that adapter. I told them they need to invest $66.00 as I did. I am going to order another, so I will always have one in each motorhome and will no longer have to remember to check if I have it.

IMO, every motorhome with a nonremovable propane tank like mine should carry such an adapter.

-Don- Wesco, CA
 
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