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Store Liquid Propane Tank Safely
Whether you’re between cross-country treks in your
recreational vehicle or looking for a place to keep the
liquid propane tank that provides fuel for your outdoor
grill, keep in mind some basic safety rules about storing
portable liquid propane tanks.
Don’t store the tanks — whether full or empty —
inside your home, the living area of an R.V., a garage,
basement or workshop. It isn’t likely that liquid
propane will leak from the tanks, but if it should, the
fuel could be exposed to sparks from automobiles,
power tools or other appliances. When storing or
transporting your LP tank, it must remain in an upright
position. Never lie your LP tank down on its side
whether it is full or empty. Never store a spare tank
near your grill.
CAUTION: Never transport or move your grill or
grill tank without first closing the manual valve
on your liquid propane gas tank.
The best place to store a liquid propane tank is in a
shady or protected spot outdoors, behind your home
or garage, or on a screened porch but where it is out of
reach of children. Liquid propane won’t evaporate,
because it’s in a strong, closed container. And it won’t
lose any of its clean-burning heat content, even if left
outside year-round.
WARNING: When not connected to your grill, any
LP gas tank must be stored in an upright position
in a cool, shady, ventilated, outdoor location away
from your grill or any other heat source. Failure
to follow this warning could lead to tank valve
damage, a fire hazard and personal injury.
Filling a Propane Tank
It is extremely important that your LP tank be
filled properly when you take it to be refilled. Be sure
to use a reputable LP dealer and ask him (and watch, if
possible) how he fills the tank and knows when to stop.
An overfilled LP tank can be dangerous.
The proper way to fill a tank is by weight. The empty
tank should be placed on a scale and the scale weights
readjusted to a weight which would allow up to 80%
of the total weight of propane (LP) to be put into the
tank. When this weight is reached, the filling operation
must be ended. If the tank is not completely empty, the
scale readjustment must be changed to consider
the propane (LP) already in the tank.
WARNING: An LP (propane) tank is overfilled if it
contains more than 80% by weight of its total
capacity of propane (LP).
An incorrectly filled or an overfilled LP (propane)
tank can be dangerous. If a tank is overfilled and
the weather causes the warming of the LP tank,
(a hot day, tank left in sun or stored indoors) internal
pressure is created due to expansion of the propane
which in turn causes the LP gas to be released
through the pressure relief valve on the tank. The
pressure relief valve is a safety device required on
20 lb. propane tanks by the Department of
Transportation to prevent a catastrophic tank failure
due to excessive pressure. LP gas released from the
tank is flammable and can be explosive.
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