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Re: Horizontal propane tanks

PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2020 3:22 pm
by lfhoward
Update:

I found a lightly used 3.3 gallon Manchester tank from a VW Westfalia camper van in really good condition. I purchased it and it should be here in not too long!

Here is the ad for as long as it stays up:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2388098

The little tank should fit nicely under the side of the camper so the fill valve will be easily accessible. I’ll post pictures once it arrives.

Re: Horizontal propane tanks

PostPosted: Wed Aug 19, 2020 8:43 am
by MtnDon
:thumbsup:

Re: Horizontal propane tanks

PostPosted: Sun Aug 30, 2020 12:12 pm
by lfhoward
I thought maybe I'd have more visibility with the folks who have propane setups if I posted this here.

To bring you up to speed, I bought a used but nice 3 gallon Manchester tank from a 1987 VW Westfalia camper van. It's about 30 inches long and 6 inches in diameter. Yesterday I tackled getting the old valves off of the propane tank. It was quite a job.

Here's how things sat at the beginning. I have the new hardware lined up with where it will go.
Image

Old hardware removed. I used some big wrenches and some serious leverage, especially for the fill & vapor ports. Although there was no propane in the tank, the inside still smells like mercaptan.
Image

I am wondering how I should clean up these threads. They are not damaged, but there was some residue that looks like red locktite on them from the factory. I will be using Blue Monster teflon tape rated for propane when I install the new hardware, with a minimum of 3 wraps around the threads.
Image

I want to clean the tank up and repaint it before putting the new hardware on. I'm thinking Rustoleum primer then gloss enamel, white. I'll keep the old valves installed during painting to protect the threads, and I'll cover the data plates and warning labels with painters tape to protect them. Is Rustoleum an appropriate paint for a propane tank? Spray or brush on? Do you think the primer coat is needed since the tank isn't too rusty?

I have an Amazon cart ready to press go, with the following propane-related items to connect the Propex with the tank:
- Rustoleum clean metal primer
- Rustoleum gloss white protective enamel
- Blue Monster Teflon Tape for all the fittings and connections
- 90 degree 1/4 pipe to 1/4 flare elbow for coming out of the Propex's UK-US adapter fitting and pointing down
- 1/4 flare nuts for copper tube
- 10 feet of 1/4 copper tube rated for gas (I have a flaring tool already.)
- 1/4" stainless & rubber pipe clamps to hold the copper tube in place under the trailer
- 1/4 flare to 3/8 pipe adapter which will connect the copper tube to the regulator
- 1/4, 3-way tee adapter, for between the regulator and the existing POL adapter, which fits the tank
- 1/4 to 1"-20 male Coleman cylinder adapter & cap for the tee
- 12 foot 1"-20 extension hose for Coleman stove
- 650 degree rated RTV silicone to seal the holes in the floor around the Propex exhaust, intake & gas pipes

Here is a map of how they will go together:
Image
Hi Res version here: https://i.postimg.cc/T25RKVRx/Trailer-Propane-Diagram.png

Am I missing anything?

(I know I need to get intake and exhaust pipes and ductwork from VanCafe for the Propex itself.)

Re: Horizontal propane tanks

PostPosted: Sun Aug 30, 2020 3:16 pm
by tony.latham
I need to get intake and exhaust pipes and ductwork from VanCafe ...


Looks good to me. You might ask VanCafe if they have the low-decibal exhaust pipe.

Tony

Re: Horizontal propane tanks

PostPosted: Sun Aug 30, 2020 3:31 pm
by lfhoward
They have what they call the “stealth kit”, which includes longer exhaust and intake pipes with mufflers, as well as an interior hot air pipe made of a sound deadening material. I’ve watched some YouTubers including Cosmo, who showed it made a big difference. I like quiet.

Re: Horizontal propane tanks

PostPosted: Sun Aug 30, 2020 3:49 pm
by lfhoward
By way of refurbishing the tank, what are your thoughts?

- Wire brush or 120 grit sandpaper to remove rusty spots?

- Rustoleum primer followed by top coat:
- how many coats of paint are needed?
- spray can or brush on - which is likely to last longer?

- How to clean the threads in valve openings?

I think that’s all for now! :D
Thanks for your advice.

Re: Horizontal propane tanks

PostPosted: Sun Aug 30, 2020 3:51 pm
by tony.latham
lfhoward wrote:They have what they call the “stealth kit”, which includes longer exhaust and intake pipes with mufflers, as well as an interior hot air pipe made of a sound deadening material. I’ve watched some YouTubers including Cosmo, who showed it made a big difference. I like quiet.


I put an aftermarket muffler on the exhuast and the low decibal heater hose. It's the only way I have run it but it's nice and quiet.

:thumbsup:

Tony

Re: Horizontal propane tanks

PostPosted: Sun Aug 30, 2020 3:54 pm
by lfhoward
tony.latham wrote:I put an aftermarket muffler on the exhuast and the low decibal heater hose. It's the only way I have run it but it's nice and quiet.

:thumbsup:

Tony

That’s good to know. It sounds like the stealth kit would be $78 well spent.

Re: Horizontal propane tanks

PostPosted: Sun Aug 30, 2020 4:02 pm
by MtnDon
For any kind of gas fitting, propane, natural gas or simply compressed air I prefer a paste sealant like the ones from Oatey or Rectorseal that have PTFE included. https://www.homedepot.com/p/RectorSeal- ... /100201204 I use tape on water pipe at times, but since I usually have a can of either an Oatey or Rectorseal paste I usually use them for water too. They are a little messier to use than tape, but have never failed.

The tank threads should be good as is. If you have a round wire brush that can be used to clean out any residue from previous sealants or thread lock compounds. If you have the correct size pipe tap that can be used to clean threads if you are careful not to ream out the threads larger. There are also pipe thread chasers that are made for cleaning internal threads without damaging the threads.

Primer paint use is not always necessary on a repaint but never hurts. I have lots of pipe short nipples and plugs in my odds 'n' ends boxes so will usually use one of those iserted into a tapped fitting hole to keep paint out as it may make painting easier rather than having to spray around something like a regulator assembly. I use a wire brush to make sure loose stuff is removed, then sand with 220. For a cylinder I would use one of those sponge sanding pads if I had one.

Re: Horizontal propane tanks

PostPosted: Sun Aug 30, 2020 4:06 pm
by MtnDon
For something this size I would use spray paint. Brush on might last longer as it woukd likely be thicker. But it doesn't look as nice on metal, IMO. But it is hidden. Your call, both would work.

Re: Horizontal propane tanks

PostPosted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 12:17 pm
by lfhoward
Thank you MtnDon. If you were spray painting a tank like this, would you try to hang it in the air by the old vapor valve to spray paint it, or spray paint top and bottom on different days? I’m with you that I think spray paint would look better than brush strokes. Just trying to think about how best to do it.

Re: Horizontal propane tanks

PostPosted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 5:04 pm
by S. Heisley
:thinking: Why don't you want to hang it upside down by its two mounting brackets?

Re: Horizontal propane tanks

PostPosted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 8:13 pm
by lfhoward
S. Heisley wrote::thinking: Why don't you want to hang it upside down by its two mounting brackets?

That a good idea! Then I can remove all the valves and tape off the openings.

Today I had a few spare minutes so I worked on cleaning out the old PTFE tape from the tank’s threads. It’s pretty dirty inside the tank. There is a black residue. Should I try to clean this out somehow?
Image

After I got clean threads, I made a mock up of what the tank will look like with new hardware on it. Pretty excited!
Image

Re: Horizontal propane tanks

PostPosted: Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:03 am
by Ottsville
MtnDon wrote:For any kind of gas fitting, propane, natural gas or simply compressed air I prefer a paste sealant like the ones from Oatey or Rectorseal that have PTFE included. https://www.homedepot.com/p/RectorSeal- ... /100201204 I use tape on water pipe at times, but since I usually have a can of either an Oatey or Rectorseal paste I usually use them for water too. They are a little messier to use than tape, but have never failed.



Many years ago I worked for a 3rd generation plumber. He would use a cotton kite string in the threads on the nipple and Oatey sealant for gas lines. I don't recall ever having a leak on gas lines when we did this, whereas I've had leaks just using teflon tape.

Re: Horizontal propane tanks

PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2021 12:21 pm
by twisted lines
wanted.JPG
wanted.JPG (28.42 KiB) Viewed 2395 times

Thought for a second, I found something interesting :shock:
Then I read the post "Wanted"
Darn't now I want one.
I could unwaste some space in my 2- 3/4" wall :lol: